new here, new to vanlife, new van purchase FULL WALKAROUND

[iamchrisstone]

Hey everyone!  I wanted to say hi.  I'm new to the vanlife and just bought my first van, a 2003 Ford E350 Cutaway Van with the Powerstroke 7.3L Diesel.  I have not began the build yet, as I just purchased this and am wanting to research and learn.  I figured this would be the place to start!  Below is a video of a full walk around from my van and I am hoping to get feedback, advice and criticism.  Look forward to learning from all of you more experienced vanlifers!  I wanted to post the video of my walk around, but it won't let me.  I'll try to post as a comment.

[rvpopeye]

Hi Chris , welcome aboard ! Good to see a new member actually post. (And right away to , I just approved your account !)
You must be anxious to get started . Gathering clues first is a good idea , being much more likely to be happy with the rig without having to redo stuff is priceless .
Sorry about the link , our spammer policy limits posting links right away.
Keep posting and before you know it your account will open up.

Meantime back at the ranch,,,,,The 7.3 is legendary (at least to my old mechanic anyway).
So , you're pushing the GO button huh ? Congrats !

What do you envision your new home interior looking like ?
Do you plan on building from scratch or maybe used take out kitchen cabinets or goodwill finds , maybe a combination ?
Reusing whatever is already there if any is a possibility , there are ways to make anything beautiful.....

I imagine you are going to incorporate some amount of solar power , a 12 compressor fridge , sub woofer stereo with volume from God ? Think you'll find what you need here.

So where ya from , where ya wanna go to , do you have a budget , is it raining ? do you have a indoor spot to do it , ????
LOL

I feel your pain. I'm restoring mine , an old class C .

[GypsyDogs]

Congrats!
I.. think I've lost count how many builds I've survived (sometimes barely! lol)
Welcome to the nut-house on wheels

[iamchrisstone]

Hi Chris , welcome aboard ! Good to see a new member actually post. (And right away to , I just approved your account !)
You must be anxious to get started . Gathering clues first is a good idea , being much more likely to be happy with the rig without having to redo stuff is priceless .
Sorry about the link , our spammer policy limits posting links right away.
Keep posting and before you know it your account will open up.

Thanks Popeye!  Yeah, once i can post links, i'll show everyone the build.  but glad there is discussion on here.  i have been to a couple forums that seem like there was no discussion going on at all.

Meantime back at the ranch,,,,,The 7.3 is legendary (at least to my old mechanic anyway).
So , you're pushing the GO button huh ? Congrats ! 

Thanks again.  Yeah, i'm STOKED!  Everyone tells me that the 7.3 is a million mile engine if maintained so with all of the traveling that i do now and will do even more after the build, that just feels like a perfect fit.

What do you envision your new home interior looking like ?  
Do you plan on building from scratch or maybe used take out kitchen cabinets or goodwill finds , maybe a combination ?
Reusing whatever is already there if any is a possibility , there are ways to make anything beautiful.....

i have a video coming out with details of my plan, but basically on the inside, i think we will completely gut it and start fresh.  i am picturing something very similar to Ryan Twomey's build, even though we have completely different vans.  mini split for a/c and heat, full kitchen, no bathroom but a dry flush toilet for emergencys, fresh water, water heater, bigger fridge/freezer with a dometic freezer for stuff i need to freeze longer.  i was debating on cabinets and stuff.  i was thinking something unique like use old pallets and custom build something, and then since i am a trucker i was thinking of trying to get cabinets out of old trucks and customize them to what i need, but i think we are going to custom build all of our cabinets as i have a buddy who does that anyway and wants to help.

I imagine you are going to incorporate some amount of solar power , a 12 compressor fridge , sub woofer stereo with volume from God ?  Think you'll find what you need here.

again, a video coming out, but very short answer is maximize the solar i can get from the roof and run 1200ah lithium batteries.  seems most full timers are running like 300ah so my thought is 1200 should be more than enough.  the brand name "Chins" has a 400ah lithium battery for a very nice price point.  i am hoping i can incorporate shore power and on my exterior build, have a place to install a generator at a later date if it appears i need one.

So where ya from , where ya wanna go to , do you have a budget , is it raining ? do you have a indoor spot to do it , ????
LOL

hahaha i am currently in the chicago area.  i am an over the road truck driver for ups so i already travel all over the country... literally.  yeah, i have a budget.  need it done as cheap as possible ahahaha.  ok, plan is that from now until february, keep trying to find mechanical stuff that can be repaired, replaced or maintained.  during that time soak in research and find mentors.  also using that time to pay down bills and try to get close to debt free.  around february, the goal is at that time being the build.  just every week, or couple weeks or whatever buy what we need and have it as an ongoing project.  it is me and i have 3 buddies that have agreed to help.  i would like to have it done by april/may but it seems that most people that do a complete build takes like a year.  so i may be naive, but thats the goal.  from there i want to give it a month and live in it without giving up my apartment just to work out any kinks and then if all is good, go full time.

i have the seniority to chose the type of run/shift that i want, so i will probably go to a 3 day a week schedule that gives me a 4 day weekend.  can begin all my journeys regionally and even a little beyond that.  on my vacation weeks i will travel a lot further and a lot more.  i also own 2 jet skis so that will be part of my adventures quite a bit... weather permitting.

I feel your pain. I'm restoring mine , an old class C .

[iamchrisstone]

Congrats! 
I.. think I've lost count how many builds I've survived (sometimes barely! lol)
Welcome to the nut-house on wheels

hahahaha thanks man!

[rvpopeye]

Not familiar with those you named but looking for many ways of doing things is a good way to get ideas...
I've been living on wheels for over 50 years and there weren't any videos of this stuff back then so I developed different ideas through trial and re try methods over the many builds and restorations I've lived in ..

I moved a lot of loads over the road for most of those years . They all were pro audio gear for concerts I did. The living on wheels came early on getting sick of living in whatever motel we found ourselves in , I built my first camper on the back of my old dodge PU..It wasn't much but better than the rooms ! Boondocking at a loading dock behind a venue was way better and in a rest area was usually better still.
Got me out of the equipment truck and on my own but I still stuck to the stupid itinerary , mostly. Thousands of shows and millions of miles covering many roads big and small learning my way around the country.
Kept my rig when I stopped touring and stayed on the road traveling WITHOUT an itinerary stopping everywhere I never had the time for before. SOOOOOOOOO much better ! Doing both ... with 1/2 week each . Could be a perfect balance !

Gut it out / clean slate method is usually the best choice . It will save you many headaches. (yup yup)
It looks like you already know what you want for basic items .
Start getting dimensions of the interior as well as all the things you want in it (as you find them) and do some rough floor plans to get an idea of what makes sense . Do a different one every week or so to see if there's a better way , ya never know....( I ended sleeping on a top bunk in this one so I got much more storage under it ! and no my head doesn't touch the ceiling when I sit up in bed LOL which was learned on a tour bus.)
Realize this now though...
No matter what you end up doing , you'll always realize a better way later . Arrrrrrrgh !


#1 , IS IT WATERPROOF ? Make it so.

Insulation is an important consideration , how cold or how hot doesn't matter more is better.

Wire runs need to be considered while figuring out the walls./ floors It looks like you already know what you want for basic items . (I gravitate towards the trough method , it leaves it very accessible .)

Ventilation is a big item . (I like to add a vent in the floor as well as the roof )

Building materials:. Pallet wood is very cheap , (and very heavy). Consider a frame with a thin skin.(1x2 or 2x2 and 1/4" ply instead of 3/4" stuff , You can rip pallet wood but it is mighty finniky putting screws into ( pre drilling is a good idea ) PMF and foam is even lighter.
Weight can be a bitch , be mindful as you keep on adding it !! I'm going crazy with cedar closet liner instead of ply on some of this rig ...

[rvpopeye]

And gypsy it's not a nut house ! My mother had me tested. 

[sternwake]

Once gutted, i woukld recommend having the rig weighed.

Do design everything considering weight, and keeping it low.

Most carpenters /cabinet makers, never have to consider weight, and many will recklessly over build vans rvs box trucks interiors and exceed GVWR, even before owners or their contents are even added.

A big torquey healthy diesel might not notice the weight, but the transmission, axles, tires brakes suspension and chassis certainly do.

Weight and where that weight is, affects vehicle handling greatly, and can make staying in lane at highway speeds in cross winds, or on twisty mountain roads, a white knuckle/ brown underwear experience.

[Scott7022]

Sternwake beat me to it. But, and not that he needs it, I will enthusiastically second his weight suggestion.

My van is only an E150 non diesel and I have spent a gob of money making it handle correctly with the weight. While underweight (legally speaking) handling well, while subjective, was the issue. Difference between yeah I can drive 10 hours or Hell no 8 hours is too long. Being a professional driver I imagine we are speaking to the choir as you do this daily.

Just good to know when carpenter buddy says: “hey let’s do a live edge countertop and sink that dispenses Perrier water. (You’ll get that joke more after reading my threads).

Past what has already been said. Pick the spot for your fridge. Did I read correctly you want to run 2? If so… why? If you’re only running one pick a spot and think; forever here. Loading from parking lot. Getting from inside. While driving? Does the sun hit it…I didn’t and how I missed it I don’t know but kinda a biggy.

I have 5 SOK metal case self heating units I think 109amp/hr per. So 548 amp/hrs set up to do 80/20 using Victron shit. That is only charge to 80% and never discharge below 20%. So roughly 438 usable 12 volt amp hours. I have never seen 20% and I run a 12 volt roof air conditioner. No solar on the roof for house system. I have folding stuff I put out. Not ideal in hind sight and something I will be fixing next time I get close to Santan Solar Arizona or the tall and sexy Jim In Denver. I also use a solar generator for my 120 side. The thinking is the 120 side is glamping shit and the 12 is the critical.

Nothing wrong with some Chin batteries I am sure you have found Will and watched his videos. Make your decision…keep in mind charge and DISCHARGE caps on the built in BMS. These can toss a wrench in your plans.

Tip for wire. Plan your runs go up one in gauge size, put the bundle in plastic conduit when where possible, and run one more pair +/- just in case. This way when the cabinet shifts after breaking for the 79+ Bingo legends lane change, it doesn’t crush cut a line. Also takes longer for the beavers to chew through. Seriously though when the 2 extra pairs aren’t enough for the 12000 pound winch line you NOW want in the rear you can use the 2 pairs to pull the 4 gauge cable to the rear.

International chapter Nomad welcomes you and happy to see you posting and joining the family.
Cheers



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[GotSmart]

Chins. 

We have 600 AH and 1250 or so W on top.  More power is not necessarily a good thing. Start by figuring out how much energy you need, and go from there. You will need a dedicated ventilated space for your battery system. Especially with that much capacity. Since we are in a class A we have room, but that is a lot of weight. 

You need room for the solar panels as well. 

Welcome to the zoo.