The making of Vantasi

[rallypanam]

Thanks for the your comments guys. Appreciate it!

Ok, so while the slow van build continues there is a deadline and goal in mind because... We are going to live out of Vantasi starting the end of June. We basically have everything in motion to start traveling full time for a year or more starting with Banff then heading into the NW, down the West Coast, into Baja by late '17 early '18, over to mainland Mexico and on further south into Central and South America from there. That's the grand plan anyway!

My girlfriend and I have our last day of employment at the end of the month. I must add, we both have or had great jobs but, the desire for adventure and a longing to experience the things we want while we still can is something we could no longer ignore. With house for rent, all those "useful" things we squirreled away sold on Craigslist and our departure from our jobs this is all getting quite real in a hurry.

So, the van HAS to get finished soon! :b1:

Excellent. Some of us will be in Baja in mid-November to watch the Baja1000 and have a memorial for Ramsey. Come on down!

 

[Flux]

Money comes and goes, time only goes. Van is looking awesome and have an amazing adventure!

Some of my best times were living out of my Chevy S10 for two summers.

 

[arctictraveller]

Thanks for the your comments guys. Appreciate it!

Ok, so while the slow van build continues there is a deadline and goal in mind because... We are going to live out of Vantasi starting the end of June. We basically have everything in motion to start traveling full time for a year or more starting with Banff then heading into the NW, down the West Coast, into Baja by late '17 early '18, over to mainland Mexico and on further south into Central and South America from there. That's the grand plan anyway!

Great build, and nice job on the cabinets. When you head South from Banff, give us a shout. I can offer minor repairs or upgrades, showers, and a few beers if needed. Our summer travel plans are still up in the air, but we may be near by in Anacortes Wa. Otherwise, feel free to join us in Baja in November. Further info will be posted on the Memorial for Ramsey thread as we get closer. Congratulations on quitting your jobs, you won't regret it. Adventure awaits.....................

 

[B350]

The last month has been a busy one! I think we are adapting to not being employed quite well. It's not really that hard except that I put in more hours working on the van than during a regular work week. Add to that renting out my house, loading personal belongings and moving everything to my parents where we will hole up for the month of June to finish the van. In Minnesota the saying is, "uffda."
The last week was consumed by packing and moving but, the 2 weeks prior we were able to finish the cabinetry getting 2 good coats of poly down, the cabinets installed and plumbing started.

Sanding. Lots of sanding...

 

[B350]

A few more cabinetry pics. We chose a somewhat industrial style look with the hardware and aluminum trim. The first two pics are the pantry drawers. Then, the end of the counter top cabinet with switch panel, inverter control, outlet and step. The folding step is the cat's meow to get up into the penthouse.
Christi made the sweet mosquito netting for the barn doors attaching it with some high end hook and loop at the top and strong fancy neodymium magnets around the edges. For not having any sewing experience she did a dang nice job.

 

[rallypanam]

Cabinets look really nice!

 

[mellow-SMB]

Everything looks great. Keep it up!

 

[B350]

Thanks for all the compliments guys!
Here's a pic for throw back Thursday. Found it in a file cabinet at my parents'. I bought the van sight unseen from a contractor in Ohio back in early 2001. I think I found it on Autotrader back then, contacted the seller, sent $200 as a deposit to hold the van and got a ride out there from MN with my dad. It had about an inch of dust on the dash and has since gone through three transformations this one being the most major. It will be cool to take this thing to new places and new adventures over the next year.

 

[B350]

How many of you got sick of working on your van at some point? In the last month I reached that point several times. I'm fortunate enough to be able to work on my van everyday so we can start living in it. But, its a marathon at a snail's pace. And that pace gets old.
Things are getting done though. Most of the plumbing except for the sink and faucet are installed. All the wiring is done and working. The closed loop heat and hot water Espar hydronic system just needs a coolant reservoir and its finished too.

The first pic is the jungle of red hose and hose clamps for the Espar Hydronic D5 and hydronic cabin air heater. The three valves will allow the cabin heater to be closed out of the hot coolant loop in the summer and opened when temps fall enough to need it. The fans for the cabin heater are on a thermostat controlling when they turn on and off.

From there it runs to the Whale 3 gallon water heater which will supply hot water for the shower and sink. In theory, this should all work.

 

[86Scotty]

How many of you got sick of working on your van at some point?

I never get sick of it. I get short term burnout on working on anything in my shop or around the house but I just take some time and reboot and I'm good.
A deadline for a trip that I want to take it on usually kicks me into high gear.

You're close and you've done some great work. It will pay off soon.

:b5:

 

[B350]

I never get sick of it. I get short term burnout on working on anything in my shop or around the house but I just take some time and reboot and I'm good.
A deadline for a trip that I want to take it on usually kicks me into high gear.

You're close and you've done some great work. It will pay off soon.

:b5:

You're right Scotty, its more getting burnt out than sick of it. I won't know what to do with myself the next 4 days when new rear springs, a flywheel, locking diff and 4.10 ring and pinion are being installed. :b5: t
And thanks!

 

[B350]

In the electrical department, two Lifeline 4D AGM batteries will power everything in the van:

Porch lights - led
Multi color awning lights - led
Gaucho lights - led
Sink lights - led
Xantrex 1000 watt inverter
Shurflo water pump
ARB air compressor
Stereo and amplifier
Nova Kool fridge
Espar Hydronic D5
Real cabin heater fans
Pop top
Roof fan

There are two 100 watt Renogy solar panels on the roof that feed through a MPPT 20A charge controller. Being most everything has pretty minimal draw the solar should supply enough power to the battery bank that starting the van daily will not be necessary. I did install a higher amp Nations alternator too just for good measure.

 

[B350]

Dang! It's been a long and busy 2 months since my last update. In the meantime, I, we lived at my parents' place, finished the van, had a big birthday celebration for my parents and just last week hit the road full time.

To just say we finished the van would be too easy. There were lots of details to finish and a few challenges too before calling it good.

The first challenge was building a rear storage box swing-out with bicycle carrier to work with the stock bumper. Easy concept just not that easy to have a local fabrication shop do right without babysitting. After the first go not working out at all I spent the day at the shop to help and supervise. We now have a seriously modified dry box and bicycle carrier.

 

[B350]

Another part of the equation was a new set of rear springs from WeldTec, an OX locking differential, which required new 35 spline axles and a new 4.10 ring and pinion.

Just before tending to all this I checked on why the starter would sporadically not engage. Pulling the housing off the ring gear revealed what little teeth were actually left on the ring gear after 17 years. No push starting an automatic... So, a new ring gear was installed while on the lift for all the rear end work.

 

[B350]

As much as I like my van, I love 2 wheels. Going on this extended road trip without my moto bike was not an option. As you may have noticed in a previous pic, the motorcycle is on the back.
I took a hydraulic motorcycle carrier made by Ultimate MX Hauler and modified it a bit to hopefully better suite what we are going to encounter which will no bet highway commuting. My brother and I fabricated a hitch riser to get the carrier and motorcycle up off the ground and in towards the rear storage box as far as possible.
In the stock hitch location the motorcycle's wheels were only 14" off the ground which is no bueno for any sort of an approach angle. We got the whole thing up in far enough so that the motorcycle's wheels are higher than the bumper.
It's a good thing too because I've already needed every inch of approach angle the last few days here in the Little Belt Mountains in MT.

 

[mellow-SMB]

Nice job on the rack. Thing looks good. Don't think I'd be able to leave the bike(s) behind either. Any finished shots of the interior?

 

[capn]

Killer setup, B350!

Is that an Ultimate MX Hauler you're using? Sorry if it's mentioned earlier in the thread, I didn't read through the whole thing. The reason I ask is because I have one of those and wanted to add a rear tire carrier, but I'm concerned about clearance between my bike/tire. I run 285 75/16s, and have a Yamaha WR250R.

Thanks,

capn

 

[illking]

Curious how the UMX hauler is working for you offroad. Ive been wanting one for a long time but a friend of mine had one he picked up used and it was very wobbly offroad and even on bumps on the highway. It could be that it was used and abused.

 

[Ben10281]

Killer setup, B350!

Is that an Ultimate MX Hauler you're using? Sorry if it's mentioned earlier in the thread, I didn't read through the whole thing. The reason I ask is because I have one of those and wanted to add a rear tire carrier, but I'm concerned about clearance between my bike/tire. I run 285 75/16s, and have a Yamaha WR250R.

Thanks,

capn

Capn, I have the same exact setup you described and have no clearance issues. I have a stock bumper with Aluminess rear tire carrier on driver's side and a ladder on passenger side.

 

[Jsweezy]

Just reread this thread from the beginning and I think its awesome what you have accomplished. Congratulations on hitting the road full time, have fun!