The Heathens are getting a Ford Transit van this winter and we are looking for a good resources and info. For bikes you have NSMB and pinkbike but i have yet to stumble upon such a wealth of information for van conversions. Far Out ride is good but that is just info on their build. Ford Transit forum is a bit of Yankee jumble f#ck.
What are the resources you found helpful and if you have done a conversion or are living the van life what are your tips, tricks and don'ts?
lots of stuff on Youtube.
Insulation is probably the biggest consideration imo. This page does a good job of breaking it down.
Posted by: syncro
Insulation is probably the biggest consideration imo. This page does a good job of breaking it down.
Great find. Thanks Mark
There is a TGR thread on people who sleep in parkinglots. Lot of good info there, though you have to trawl to get it. I'd be really, really, really skeptical of vanlifers on youtube or instagram, they generally seem to be optimizing for what looks good on youtube and instagram and not actual problems you have when sleeping in a van in the winter. I've done a bunch of weekends in honda element with the gf on a mattress in the back. If you're staying in the PNW, you basically never have to worry about being cold. Our biggest problem, by far, is moisture and condensation, which we haven't really found a good way to manage. Happy to answer any questions, though with a ford transit you'll likely be able to do a lot more than we could.
This is another good link on all sorts of practical things you may not consider before getting into van life
An Overland forum would be a good place to look. Maybe pirate4x4 has a sub-forum?
Getting moisture/condensation out with low voltage rooftop fan has to be top priority. I’d also look into spray foam insulation.
Everything you might need to know is buried in here somewhere.
https://expeditionportal.com/forum
What's your plan/goal for the build?
Posted by: earleb
Everything you might need to know is buried in here somewhere.
https://expeditionportal.com/forum
What's your plan/goal for the build?
Buy a 2020 AWD Transit extended high roof dually and build it up. My father is an amazing wood worker and retired auto mechanic. Myself and the Mrz get 1 month vacation a year so we want to travel more.
Posted by: heathen
Myself and the Mrz get 1 month vacation a year so we want to travel more.
Posted by: Adam-West
Posted by: heathen
Myself and the Mrz get 1 month vacation a year so we want to travel more.
Gold
Your going full yuppie. Nice.
Seriously though this will be fun. We just got a small travel trailer (18’) and have loved it all year.
I would definitely be cautious with too much wood. It can be heavy and you will want to be cognisant of the full system weight. There are several companies, mostly in Colorado it seems, that have tonnes of DIY parts and kits. I have a coworker based in Denver that has a really sick Mercedes rig he takes all over and in all seasons.
Posted by: Poz
Your going full yuppie. Nice.
Seriously though this will be fun. We just got a small travel trailer (18’) and have loved it all year.
I would definitely be cautious with too much wood. It can be heavy and you will want to be cognisant of the full system weight. There are several companies, mostly in Colorado it seems, that have tonnes of DIY parts and kits. I have a coworker based in Denver that has a really sick Mercedes rig he takes all over and in all seasons.
Do you have a link to the companies?
I don’t but in my research last winter I used this really cool tool to find such interest stuff on the inter webs.
I think it was called the google or something like that.
Posted by: Poz
I don’t but in my research last winter I used this really cool tool to find such interest stuff on the inter webs.
I think it was called the google or something like that.
Funny guy..... I too have heard of this magic
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