Hello Everybody

[S Cello]

I'm Steve.  I grew up in the construction trades in southern California.  I have loved vans since my first one in 1971:

   

That's me and the van in Johnsondale, CA.  I bought it off a retired Proto tool salesman for $500. Boy, what I'd give to have that one back! I just removed all the shelving, paneled the walls, built the wall to separate the cab from the back, hung a few phoney tapestries on the ceiling using paracord, put in two used twin bed top mattresses and a large bean bag chair. Clothes in one cardboard box, food in another.... and off to the beautiful places up and down California.

Years later, I outfitted my Ford work/service van with bunk beds for trips out and about. I had a step van like Putts in the 80's for work also, but I never used it for travel.

Fast forward to 2003. I was running a two year pipeline/tunnel project in La Jolla, CA for SDMWWD. I was riding ambulances monthly as my health was in the shitter due to my daily fifth of whiskey for many years. I had a failing loveless marriage and 4 teenagers at home in the LA area, but I was living in motels. My daughter Jen pestered me until I gave her my Camero, and I needed a new vehicle. I used company trucks, didn't need a daily driver.  So I was really sick, but still working successfully, somehow. But I figured I was soon to be unemployable.  I bought a 3 year old Ford E350 15 passenger van. I got it so I'd have something to go park under a bridge in and die. That's the honest truth.

Well, I somehow ended up in a rehab place 3 months later. I lived there for three months. It took, and I haven't had a drop since. One drink will kill me, the Doctors said, and I believe them. I somehow decided to live! 
I guess I really was inches from death there. I am still recovering, slowly, after all these years.  Still have heart problems. First heart attack I was 38 years old. Open heart surgery a year ago last August was super hard to recover from. My 8 year relationship was on the rocks once again, lol, due to I wouldn't marry her. Most guys are not likely to marry someone who runs around every time he leaves to work somewhere! (no matter how spectacular she looks nekkid!)

So I was again sitting in the house here in Kernville waiting to die.  I started seeing van living videos and living vicariously through Adventure Van Man and others.
Three months ago I decided to try and turn my passenger van into a camper van. My muscles where non-existent, as I had been working as a consultant construction inspector/project manager on large public works projects for the last 25 years. That and diabetes, severe DDD, 50% hearing loss, a-fib and unknown amount of heart muscle dead.

SO I got the bug again, and every morning (not early!) I get up and put on my boots and go out and work on the van. The woman is gone for the last year, but I have a new zest for life!  Boy this van build is expensive for a guy living on social security. I had to give up buying my favorite cigars to afford it, I turned off the Direct TV, Sparkletts... everything except electric and water, so I can buy parts.

Anyway, I'm sure having fun with it and am looking forward to getting out into the boonies with all of you soon.

I will post a thread on my beastly build here real soon.