Cargo Van Conversion

I continue where I left off in the previous article Van Ceiling Panel Part I. As a reminder, I use an automotive tweed protected against daily wear and UV, very similar in color and texture as the front seats of the van. In this video, I start by gluing the edges of the fabric to…

https://youtu.be/oYD1Zsr7az0 Today, after a two month long wait, I received my Lithium battery cells form China. I’ve done period purchases through Alibaba and AliExpress now for the last 2 years, mostly below $20.00 each and haven’t had any issues so far. That gave me the confidence to try a $750.00 buy on Alibaba for eight…

https://youtu.be/uufDfME2cHA Much of the ceiling has been covered by 1in – 1-1/2in insulation and it’s time to cover it up. I plan to use a 4′ x 8′ (~120cm x ~240cm) sheet of 3/16″ (~5mm) thick plywood covered with an automotive tweed fabric, which I also use on some of the walls and around the…

With the Van Build coming to an end, several important projects need some attention. Today I’ll start working on the battery bank of my solar system. Originally, and that was at the beginning of the van build, I installed two 6V Golf cart batteries. This netted me only ~100Ah at 12V nominal. Sufficient for only…

After fitting and testing the gray water tank, I do the final installation. I also add a vent pipe, close an unused opening and add a 12V valve to the dump line. https://youtu.be/dUcvX2zJyuo TOOLS & MATERIALS*Gray Water Tank12V ValveWindow SealPVC Pipe Thread SealantHacksawPVC 1-1/4 inch threaded-to-slipPVC reducer 1-1/4 inch slip-to-3/4 inch slipPVC 3/4 inch pipeNPT…

Still have a small piece of window, next to the storage closet that needs to be finished. I’ll install a window frame/sill made from Hard Maple and add a plywood cover around it. Later I will use an automotive tweed to finish it. The corners of the frame are made differently than those of the…

I continue the installation of the Webasto Gas Heater by removing the passenger seat and pedestal. The hydraulic car jack that is stored under the seat will be moved to another location. To achieve a good seal between the heater and the floor, I install a separate base plate and seal it with some silicone….

Installed the overflow on the gray water tank. Simply a few PVC connectors with on top a small piece of window screen material, held in place with a clamp. Next will be the 12V electric valve, A switch at the steering wheel will allow me to open the valve and dump the content of the…

In the process of finishing up the passenger side of the interior, I need to insulate the walls. Before I do that, I pulled the last wiring through the wall cavities. https://youtu.be/SbU8es9USaI The wall insulation consists of rigid Poly-Iso, separated about 0.5 inch from the skin of the vehicle with a few dots of spray…

I fill-in most of the storage boxes in the ‘garage’ of my van. They are all open boxes with inter-locking bottoms, except for the top box, which receives a top lid. This Formica-finished top lid has three functions: as a top lid of course, as an extension of the kitchen countertop and as a worktop…