Cargo Van Conversion v2.0

version 2.0

I HAVEN’T WORKED ON THE VAN MUCH LATELY. HAD TO FOCUS ON MY JOB, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE 1992 DODGE B-250 VAN HAS STARTED TO FAIL.

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Its age and the increasing number of repairs have redirected my focus on the purchase of a new cargo van and restart the van conversion from the beginning.

Fortunately, the new cargo van models available on the market today have many improvements over the old models and manufacturer support is guaranteed for many years to come. Knowledge and experience gained with the current conversion can be applied to the new cargo van and improvements in materials, such as solar panels, may lead to a better end result.

In the next few weeks/months I will make a wish list of desired features, create new concept layouts, research materials, appliances and finishes and define requirements for the new van.

Redefine Requirements

MY DESIGNS ARE BASED ON A SINGLE PERSON ACCOMMODATION AND ALL FURTHER CONSIDERATIONS ARE BASED ON THAT PRESUMPTION.


With a new van, we can revisit our expectations and build on our acquired experiences. In the previous built I mainly focused on extended stays or even living in a van; inclusion of intended use, such as biking trips, with the need of bike storage, will influence the choice of van type currently available.

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Define Van Use

Intended use may preclude other uses. With solar panels on the roof, a roof-top kayak is out-of-the-question. Some uses like a private shower, necessitate a medium-to-full height van and thus rule out the standard low-roof models. We first have to prepare a list of desired features and determine what can be included in the design of the new cargo van. When these requirements are set, their impact on the specifications of the new van will narrow the selection of available models.

Define Specific Features

propane-tankAfter we establish our desires for the design of our van, we have to translate that into actual features in the finalized version of the building plans. We have the freedom to amend any aspect of the conversion during the actual build, but first we’ll have to concentrate on the components that determine the specifications of the new cargo van, like choosing propane for cooking and/or heating will require sufficient space for a subfloor-mounted propane tank.

Unresolved Issues

There are many unresolved issues that I will address later. In a general sense I’ll first focus on those that pertain to the actual buying of a Cargo Van.

In my next post I will dig a little bit deeper into the anticipated use of the new van and specific features that I would like to be included.

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