WHAT VANS DID WE CONSIDER?
Remember - we like "new" things so buying a used van wasn't something we seriously considered. Given that we had a fairly long list of "wants" we figured it needed to be an extended length with a high roof. Possible options included: Ram ProMaster, Mercedes Sprinter, and Ford Transit. Each of them have particular pros and cons. Terrific RVs are made based on each van and everyone has their reasons for the choices they make. Here is what fit us. There are comparable accessories available for all three brands.
Ram ProMaster The walls are more square (which is a good thing for building) and similar to the Ford Transit, cost and availability of maintenance we believe is better than the Mercedes. Neither of us really like the front end styling of the van and it was the shortest of the three at just under 21'. We had seen a number of these in commercially built units and they just didn't click with us.
Ford Transit There are Fords everywhere you go in North America. We figure if we run into a mechanical problem, we'll be able to find somewhere to get parts and someone who can fix it. Compared to a Mercedes specialty shop, maintenance and repair costs should be lower for the Transit. While the Ford eco-boost turbo provides plenty of horsepower and torque, it does mean a higher likelihood of a problem compared to a normally aspirated engine (well... at least that's my impression). We liked the size of the Ford (22' long) and thought it looked quite good too.
Mercedes Sprinter A very nice looking vehicle. While the base price is higher, it does come with more features at that level. By the time we added on all the features we wanted to the Transit (AWD, higher GVW package, improved infotainment system, etc.) the price climbed. However, regular maintenance on the Ford would be less in the long run. The shape of the Transit was also "in between" the ProMaster (fairly straight walls) and the Sprinter (curved upper walls).
In the end, we opted to go for a Ford Transit cargo van. The one we have on order has: extended length body, high roof, AWD, dual rear wheels, all of the driver safety features, front and rear cameras, dual AGM batteries, dual alternators, 8" touch screen, and a 120V outlet in the front.
It's on order and we're waiting... We do have a build date from Ford so hopefully it will be here soon. Fingers crossed for late April 2021. Not a day goes by when I don't say to Angela, "I WANT THE VAN!!"
Ram ProMaster The walls are more square (which is a good thing for building) and similar to the Ford Transit, cost and availability of maintenance we believe is better than the Mercedes. Neither of us really like the front end styling of the van and it was the shortest of the three at just under 21'. We had seen a number of these in commercially built units and they just didn't click with us.
Ford Transit There are Fords everywhere you go in North America. We figure if we run into a mechanical problem, we'll be able to find somewhere to get parts and someone who can fix it. Compared to a Mercedes specialty shop, maintenance and repair costs should be lower for the Transit. While the Ford eco-boost turbo provides plenty of horsepower and torque, it does mean a higher likelihood of a problem compared to a normally aspirated engine (well... at least that's my impression). We liked the size of the Ford (22' long) and thought it looked quite good too.
Mercedes Sprinter A very nice looking vehicle. While the base price is higher, it does come with more features at that level. By the time we added on all the features we wanted to the Transit (AWD, higher GVW package, improved infotainment system, etc.) the price climbed. However, regular maintenance on the Ford would be less in the long run. The shape of the Transit was also "in between" the ProMaster (fairly straight walls) and the Sprinter (curved upper walls).
In the end, we opted to go for a Ford Transit cargo van. The one we have on order has: extended length body, high roof, AWD, dual rear wheels, all of the driver safety features, front and rear cameras, dual AGM batteries, dual alternators, 8" touch screen, and a 120V outlet in the front.
It's on order and we're waiting... We do have a build date from Ford so hopefully it will be here soon. Fingers crossed for late April 2021. Not a day goes by when I don't say to Angela, "I WANT THE VAN!!"
OUR RV SPECIFICATIONS
After watching many YouTube walk-throughs of commercially built units as well as self-converted VanLife RVs, going to many RV dealers, and checking out all sorts of manufacturer websites, we finally had a pretty good idea of class B capabilities and what we thought would fit our needs. In general, I tend to be the type of person who "over engineers" when planning and building, and remember that I said Angela tends to worry about running out of things. As a result, we ended up with what I think is a fairly demanding list of specifications.
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• washroom with toilet and standing shower
• two burner induction cooktop • a hot water spray option outside at rear • large compressor refrigerator with freezer compartment • 7 gallon electric hot water tank (manually switched on/off, not on demand) • minimum 30 gallons of fresh water • minimum 15 gallons of black tank capacity • minimum 15 gallons of grey water capacity • decent sized sink for washing pots and pans • storage for a propane tank, grill, fire pit, and tool box • an easily convertible bed-dining area (for up to 6 people) and also a front seating area in the cab for two people • two interior table options: Lagun for 2 people (rear or cab) or 48" table in rear • subfloor storage for camp chairs, shoes, and other items • awning with exterior lighting • roof rack for mounting solar and also a small seating area at rear |
• all electric house power (618Ah lithium battery)
• 3000W pure sine wave inverter • electric heat and fans (two MaxxAir fans) • solar power (currently 4 x 100W in the plan) • alternator charging and shore power connection/charging • microwave convection oven • windows for views and ventilation • flip up counter top extension • closet, overhead storage, drawers • TV, sound bar, cell signal booster • plenty of 12V DC outlets for power • several 120V AC outlets where needed • good LED lighting throughout with 3-way on/off and dimmers • night lights and chargers in sleeping area • privacy curtain and window blinds • well-insulated (Noico mat, Hushmat, and two rolls of Thinsulate 600) • bug screens on rear and sliding cargo doors |
DESIGN LAYOUTS
We did our drawings in Adobe Illustrator at 1:26 scale. These drawings are not completely accurate, but they give us a good idea of what we're working with.
WHO? WHAT? HOW? WHERE?
WHO? It will be me (Calvin) 99% of the time doing the build. There will be times when I need someone else to help with something like installing the three windows, but for the most part my plan is to work alone. Of course Angela will check on progress after she comes home from work (remember the plan is for her to retire at the end of June) and have input into design and build specifics. I KNOW that there will be some places I mess things up a bit but hopefully that won't be a frequent occurrence...
WHAT? The van, the van, the van. As mentioned previously, we ordered back in December (2020) and were told a build date in early March (2021)... fingers crossed for the van to arrive in late April. In the meantime we've ordered and purchased a ton of the supplies and materials for the conversion. The basement is looking like a (messy) warehouse with piles of boxes and parts laying about. Some of the supplies had to be ordered from specific suppliers (refrigerator, certain types of electrical wire.) For some equipment we wanted to be able to see the item in real-life (microwave/convection oven, TV, sound bar, etc.) to test them out or see certain specifications so we bought from local stores. Otherwise, the vast majority of the supplies have come through Amazon.ca. The number of deliveries arriving did get to be a bit much but we survived the onslaught.
HOW? I'm on a timeline! My intention is to basically look at this like a full-time job. I retired almost two years ago (and I did do a bit of part-time work last school year) so it's not so far removed that I've forgotten how to be on a schedule. I'll have to revert back to being disciplined about doing the shopping and cooking (both of which I like to do.) With Angela still working full-time the rest of this school year it will feel like we're both working full-time again. I think we'll manage okay.
WHERE on Earth were we going to find space to work on this thing and where would we store it when not in use? I have to admit that we are fortunate to live on a property that has space for me to work on Redford in an enclosed area. We also have a workshop with most of the tools and equipment needed. There have been a few tools (pneumatic metal nibbler, heavy duty wire cutters, heavy duty riv-nut tool, and a wire crimping tool) that I needed to buy as this task has some unique requirements, but it hasn't been too bad - most of everything else we already have on hand.
WHAT? The van, the van, the van. As mentioned previously, we ordered back in December (2020) and were told a build date in early March (2021)... fingers crossed for the van to arrive in late April. In the meantime we've ordered and purchased a ton of the supplies and materials for the conversion. The basement is looking like a (messy) warehouse with piles of boxes and parts laying about. Some of the supplies had to be ordered from specific suppliers (refrigerator, certain types of electrical wire.) For some equipment we wanted to be able to see the item in real-life (microwave/convection oven, TV, sound bar, etc.) to test them out or see certain specifications so we bought from local stores. Otherwise, the vast majority of the supplies have come through Amazon.ca. The number of deliveries arriving did get to be a bit much but we survived the onslaught.
HOW? I'm on a timeline! My intention is to basically look at this like a full-time job. I retired almost two years ago (and I did do a bit of part-time work last school year) so it's not so far removed that I've forgotten how to be on a schedule. I'll have to revert back to being disciplined about doing the shopping and cooking (both of which I like to do.) With Angela still working full-time the rest of this school year it will feel like we're both working full-time again. I think we'll manage okay.
WHERE on Earth were we going to find space to work on this thing and where would we store it when not in use? I have to admit that we are fortunate to live on a property that has space for me to work on Redford in an enclosed area. We also have a workshop with most of the tools and equipment needed. There have been a few tools (pneumatic metal nibbler, heavy duty wire cutters, heavy duty riv-nut tool, and a wire crimping tool) that I needed to buy as this task has some unique requirements, but it hasn't been too bad - most of everything else we already have on hand.
WHAT'S BEEN HELPFUL?
ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS FOR RVs
While I've done some wiring for the home, RV electrical was a whole new world to me. Sure, there's one part of the system that we knew we needed 120V AC and another part would be 12V DC, but besides that, I was ignorant. I also didn't know much (and still don't know much) about car electrical systems. Having said all of that, it's not like I'm a total newbie to electricity either as I took a basic shop course in high school (MANY years ago), but also taught about basic home circuits and safety in a high school science classes. After looking at a number of websites and YouTube videos, I started developing a framework to understand how things work in an RV electrical system. One source in particular was super helpful.
www.explorist.life Nate Yarbrough has a fantastic site that should give you virtually all the information you need if you want to install your own electrical system. There are complete system illustrations along with shopping lists (with links to sources for buying supplies), videos on system specifics, and a Q/A contact where you can ask him questions. The illustrations are very inexpensive and his website is an invaluable resource.
While I've done some wiring for the home, RV electrical was a whole new world to me. Sure, there's one part of the system that we knew we needed 120V AC and another part would be 12V DC, but besides that, I was ignorant. I also didn't know much (and still don't know much) about car electrical systems. Having said all of that, it's not like I'm a total newbie to electricity either as I took a basic shop course in high school (MANY years ago), but also taught about basic home circuits and safety in a high school science classes. After looking at a number of websites and YouTube videos, I started developing a framework to understand how things work in an RV electrical system. One source in particular was super helpful.
www.explorist.life Nate Yarbrough has a fantastic site that should give you virtually all the information you need if you want to install your own electrical system. There are complete system illustrations along with shopping lists (with links to sources for buying supplies), videos on system specifics, and a Q/A contact where you can ask him questions. The illustrations are very inexpensive and his website is an invaluable resource.
