If it were me, I'd find some luxury vinyl planks that matched your wood and do the bulkhead too. You could even get a drill bit the same size as the holes and drill those out.

Looking good, op!

I would paint it. Break up the coffin look

That would work too. Like an accent wall.

Exactly.

We know who hasn't read the OP.

I saw a video where one guy covered his sliding door with Astro turf. It looked surprisingly good and broke up the monotony.

Here it is:


The whole build is pretty well thought out.

lol honestly I forgot you mentioned that.

Still, I would paint it

TC

I have thought about that.  Its tempting.

Needs more

Welp. Took it on a road trip this weekend.  And it snowing.  

Comfy in here though.

Heading home.

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Aside from the insulation and blankets, what did you use to stay warm?

Wife.  

ETA:  I was pleasantly surprised.  The van is not complete yet.  The rear doors and the slider are not fully insulated and covered yet,  and I have no heat source yet.

Finally got time to watch.  Neat stuff.  
I get the idea of the turf to break the monotony.  But I am not sure about the astroturf idea.  

Good choice on the cedar it looks really nice, should help to keep the bugs out too.

That was my hope/goal.

Smells good too.

What's the deal with cedar and bugs?

From what I understand there is oils in cedar that repel and even kill bugs/insects.  I don't think it outright repels spiders however,  I would imagine spiders would avoid it simply due to lack of food (insects) .

https://www.northernstar-online.com/cedar-natural-rodent-bug-control/

I wouldve put in reversible 12v roof vent / fan. Its what i did on my home built teardrop camper many years ago and it helps draw heat out and cool in. Plus for venting if you use heater inside, can jus raise cover to vent, dont always need fan on

Also led lighting throughout.

I did 400 miles on it this weekend and managed 14.03 MPG and I was doing 75 and 80 MPH with it.  And a stiff headwind on the way home.  

Picked one up last week.  Boss sent one home with me.  

There ya go.

Too bad photobucket screwd the pooch, a few of us have built campers before and had decent write ups, mine turned out good but ended up tragic. Mine was designed and built by me, other then custom frame built to my specs and off road suspension.

?

Sorry to hear that.

Found this beauty today. t's a pretty amazing set up and I love the idea of running a small 12 volt AC unit to keep the sleeping area cool since vanning in the summer would be pretty damn miserable even with a roof fan.

https://denver.craigslist.org/cto/d/denver-stealth-cabin-on-wheels-camper/6876258828.html



Watching these build videos has become my new obsession lately and it's making me reconsider my retirement ideas.

At the risk of people figuring out what industry I am in...  We received tech sheets and info on the new 12 volt AC units.  They are interesting to say the least.  I may look into it.

Long story short, mold got between the plywood i was using, we were building it outside and some got wet , thought we had it handled but apparently not, 3 months to build , 10 minutes with chainsaw to un-build it. Used finished 3/4 ply for the walls, thought we had it sealed up enough. Wanted smooth finished look without having to skin the outside, if i were to do over, it would be all aluminum. I was trying to work on a budget

Camper was built on 4 x 8 platform as materials were readily available, had 2 12v deep cycle telecom batteries ( solar charge was my next step before disaster happened), it had on board water system with 12v pump [ faucet was slick, push button on faucet , it turned on pump, you got water and pushed button to shut off], all led lighting, fan and entertainment ( 12v car DVD player in custom panel] had gauge wired to momentary switch so could check batteries, also had rv connections on outside so could charge batteries.

Hey, if it malfunctions you'll fall asleep really easy and fast.

Cargo vans normally are not vented towards the rear. You can add additional units though of course. With enough battery bank you could even run a small unit overnight just off of battery but current battery pricing equals out to about $1k for every 100 amp hours you buy.

What a bummer.

Are you going to try again?

https://www.amazon.com/Renogy-100Ah-Rechargeable-Cycle-Battery/dp/B01KN6QUW2/ref=sr_1_15?keywords=renogy&qid=1556506538&s=gateway&sr=8-15

No, this was when i was in Florida and it was my shtf bug out trailer, was goin to be fully loaded and ready to go, first zombie attack or serious hurricane, i could hook up and leave. But ive moved back home , to the mountains and working on making this the best homestead i can, i live where others bug out to.

My bad. I should have specified that was for lithium battery costs.

Lol yeah that's true.

I don't trust those things much (no reason in particular) and worry kept me awake. Basically, I ain't going out like that.

I'll use them long enough to take the edge off the chill and then I have to put it out.

A pretty helpful guide for anyone that might do a future build.
The Vanual

Goodn,

Lookin' Goodn.  I like the cedar.  I bet it was a nice feeling knowing with the crappy weather, you could pull over anywhere and be comfy.

As to heat.  I have more than a few seasons with the Buddy Heaters, in my van and my cargo trailer.  They have low oxygen cutoff's that do work.  The trick to them is the correct amount of fresh air venting.  They come with spec's giving square inches of fresh air venting, and it is easy to adjust windows or doors to cover it.  But, I never sleep with them.  Pop on in the morning before crawling out of the sleeping bag, or running a few hours n the evening before bed.  I feel they are completely safe if you run them like this, and vent as directed.

The other drawback to them is that being propane, they put moisture into the air.  They are not great for drying wet clothes, as they heat through contact, rather than heating the air per se.

Lots of discussion over at Expedition Portal about heat, heated blankets or actual heat units.  Same with 12V AC, as it seems to be an evolving technology.  12V is great for lights and charging, but once you introduce fridges or possibly AC or induction cook tops, the requirements can get crazy.

Batteries.  We could go on pages here.  I looked seriously at lithium, as the weight, size and AH's are crazy good.  But I found that once the temperature gets below freezing, you run into issues, especially in charging.  You are not supposed to charge them below 32F.  Being the Rockies, this ruled them out for me.

The trick to power is to first determine the amps or amp/hours that you need to run your goodies, for the anticipated time you will be running.  Then size the battery for that (50% of the rated AH value).  Then decide charging based upon solar, alternator, generator or shore power.   A simple example is that for folks who travel for perhaps a day, camp at night, then repeat the next day can get away with alternator charging.  If you plan to drive to a destination for several days then move on, alternator charging will probably be a bust. Starting batteries recharge quickly from the alternator, deep cycle take deep and long recharging.

There is very little out there involving this kind of camping/traveling that has not been hashed out.  Makes for a lot of fun reading....

Seems like keeping warm is much easier, simpler, and less expensive than keeping the van cool.  I'm in the south (don't have a van build, just interested) and the more I look into it, the more I figure that the best option is to just stay out of the van during peak heat hours, especially if solar panels are requiring you to park in full sun most of the day.  It appears that shore power or a generator are the best ways to run an AC unit, though both pretty much eliminate any stealth attempts.  Is that right?

yep.

When I go to a lot of the places I am building this van for that is exactly what I do.

Out and about during the day.  At Oshkosh when I am back at the site during the day I am usually sitting outside under the canopy watching the world anyway.  God knows I have access to cheap ac units and gennys,  But,  Other than maybe a small inverter genny for certain situations..  why would I need an AC unit?

Sircam,

A van for camping can be thought of as a step up from tent camping, and perhaps a step down from RV camping.  Based on how and where you typically camp.  I do not (or have not) ever camped where shore power was an option, but I do have power cords that I could run, and will eventually put a shore power plugin on the outside of my van.  I have not built mine out, other than a bed and solar permanent installs.  All my camping gear is kept in totes (same as truck camping), which I set outside when I arrive.  I deploy my awning, which takes about 5 minutes, and I am camping.

I do not need AC.  I am in the Rockies, so when it is nice I am outside, under the awning if need be.  When it gets cloudy or rainy, I can hang under the awning, or in the van as needed.  Don't really need a sink with running water.  I have Nato cans with water, and have a 12v pump set up that sits in the can so I do have push button water flow if I want it.  My fridge is a 12V Arb, which can go inside or out.  For lighting, I have all of my gas lanterns or 12V depending on what and where.

As to solar, yes if you have top mounted panels then you need to be in the sun.  But you can run foldables easily, which allow for camp in the shade, panel in the sun.  I have both types (top and portable).

My van is a Ford 4X Quigly 3500.  It is not quite as cable as my old Jeep Wrangler for getting to those extra remote places, but is as fully capable as my Tacoma or Chevy Avalanche.

The van can be set up minimally, or full blown build, and can be easily tweeked to accommodate the way you like to camp/explore.

Everybody I’ve seen doing lithium has their banks inside the cabin somewhere, usually under the bed or under cabinets which keeps them from getting below freezing. I don’t know about the larger batteries but I charge my smaller power tool batteries in below freezing weather all the time without issue.

Most folks with larger banks of lithium add secondary 240 amp alternators to charge them and skip solar all together since it’s inadequate to top them off. They just idle for 20-30 minutes a day to keep their banks charged. The 12 volt AC options are interesting. There’s a lot of new stuff coming to market for truckers due to states adopting anti-idle laws. I’ve seen some 12 volt radiant floor heating options also which I’d look into after having spent a winter in a camper I can say with experience that propane sucks due to moisture. There’s also diesel and gas heater options that take fuel from your existing tank eliminating the need to carry propane.

I think the key would be getting a remote start so you can just start the van while using high drain appliances like induction cook tops and convention microwaves. I’ve kinda been planning a build on a 4x4 Sprinter Van in my head lately and have watched many hours of YouTube showcasing others builds. I find the idea appealing in a few years when I can retire from the FD. I’d put a fake business logo and number on the side. Something like “Ralph’s Septic Service” would keep it stealth and deter burglars. Who wants to break into a shit wagon?

In my plans I’d move with the seasons. Staying out of the humid south and midwest in the summer would be the idea. Summer some place up in the mountains where nighttime temps are pleasant and the air is dry.

Yes, a lot of discussion on Expedition Portal makes note of "camping folks" looking at options that have been fleshed out by truckers.  I had not noted changes in the idling laws.  That would certainly drive the market for goodies.

Yup, lithium is really attractive, but one has to pretty much scrap a lot conventional charging wisdom.  When I am elk/deer hunting later in the season, my van will get below freezing.  At night, and during the day when I am out.  between that and the charging concerns you noted, I decided lithium was not quite right for me.  I do fine with solar and my AGM's.  Running a fridge/cooler, lighting and basic electronic charging, I can get by just fine with 160 AH of AGM.  If I had a more climate controlled situation, lithium would be a better solution.

I have my eye on a couple of the van fuel heaters out there, but as my diesel tank was neutered a bit (29 gallons) for the 4X conversion, I would want to add an aux. tank.  But that would mean relocating my spare.  For now I have a few extra gallons in rotopax, and as my van still retains the factory heater/ac in the back, I could idle for heat or cooling, if really needed.

I am located in a pretty heavily touristed outdoor destination, and the Sprinters have really popped like wildflowers here, the last couple of years.  If I were doing retirement or adventure type roaming around, it would be hard to not give them a serious look.  Once you pop the top and have headroom, there is not a lot that cannot be done with a Sprinter v. conventional RV.  Build one out, and you can omit all of the particle board and faux paneling construction.  I would think that a decently outfitted Sprinter would not have the nose dive depreciation of a factory RV.

The last 10 or so years has been interesting, with the development of trailer pods, roof top tents, and "VanLife" type conversions to bridge the gaps between ground tents, sleeping in truck bed canopies or going full on RV.  Fun times, indeed.

A Coleman lantern would heat that place.

I bet it would.

I was out in it at 3AM this morning farting around in it before work and it took no time at all to heat with the van heater.  Once it was comfy I shut the van off and it stayed comfy for a surprising amount of time.  I am liking the way it is turning out so far.

What a pita.  But it was kinda fun.

My boss gave me the run of the shop tonight to insulate and felt cover the door since it is raining out and I don't have a garage.  (Or I should say.. An accessible garage).  

It trimmed out nice,  I have to do some paint work so you cannot see the white framework that was not accessible to cover.

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Nice, I like it!

Picked up a roof rack off of craigslist.

This was important as I need it to hang my awning from.

They were asking 125.  I offered 80 bucks and they took it.  
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And farting around with some small trim work.
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Goodn what's the info on the stand work lights? You have a large white one and a smaller yellow one. Those look like they might be handy at work

The little yellow light is a battery powered cree type led work light.  I think probably from harbor freight.  That pic is from working on it at the shop at work.

The bright white one is an led panel light from menards. It runs on 120.