Anyone here do a van conversion?

[msdoolittle]

Hi all.

We (my boyfriend and I) are on the lookout to buy a Sprinter Van and want to do a camper conversion.

The plan, so far, is to have a bed, sink, stove and refrigerator with overhead cupboards for storage. It will be a dry set up; we'll be camping mostly in National Forest areas without water/electric hookup.

Has anyone here ever done anything of the sort? Got pictures or advice? We're constantly on the search for ideas.

We like the idea of loading up mountain bikes and heading for places like Weston Pass here in CO.

Thanks in advance!

[alex k]

check out cheaprvliving.com . has lots of imfo on converting vans for living spaces.

[WalkingMan]

I've seen it done but I don't know anywhere to get plans. The one's I've seen have just done what they wanted and used their imagination.

[IndianaHiker]

You might not want to go this far but there is a couple in southern Indiana where I live that used to do van conversions. They stopped doing them as the market bottomed out and now specialized in redoing interiors for cars. If you are interested in talking with someone so far away let me know and I can swing by there and get a number for you.

[oldmangunner]

I am doing a van conversion. I got an old handicap van and removed the lift and seats. I have a great deal of room at this point. I am kind of using houseboats for inspiration because there are some creative ideas that work in houseboats that also work in van conversions with some modifications.

[sailorman]

It sounds like some of you have a really neat project going on. What made you guys decide to do a van conversion instead of just buying a small trailer?

[msdoolittle]

Thank you for the replies, everyone.

OMG (that's Oldmandgunner, not Oh My God) ~ Do you have pics of your conversion? Did you insulate the van before putting up wall coverings?

My boyfriend is wanting to use 80/20 framing to lock everything into place. It looks like a great idea, but holy heck is it expensive!

Sailorman ~ we wanted to go this route because we ocassionally pull a 3-rail trailer with motorcycles. And if we wanted to, we wanted to be able to get back into some areas that you might not be able to pull a camper. With a van, we can load up our choice of outdoor sport and go for the weekend. And in the winter, we'd be able to "stealth camp" nearby the slopes to get an early jump on snowboarding.

IndianaHiker ~ shoot me their number if you can get a hold of it. A lot of people that do this sort of thing for money aren't so willing to just talk. They want business. Understandable.

[charley]

pm sent to you.

[msdoolittle]

Thanks for the PM Charley, I'm going to start searching some of those places as well.

Well, as of last night, we are officially the owners of a brand new 2011 Mercedes Sprinter complete with Bluetec.

Ed leaves tomorrow morning and is riding out to NV to pick the beast up. Really excited to start putting our ideas together.

[firedancer]

Wow - I have no help to offer, but it sounds awesome! Looking forward to your tales