Is that what's called a sh1tty driver?

 

Careful if you fall off while moving, you'll leave skid marks!

 

Here is a nifty idea for a cabinet mounted on the side barn door for cooking and storage.

 

If you slam the half door, anything in the cabinet will fly around. Reminds me of my old '86 GMC Turtle Top camper. It had cupboards with doors and drawers along the driver's side. I got some alloy wheels and grippy 255/70's on them, and in "testing" did a real hard left turn with the van. One of the drawers flew out and hit the right side of the van. Having a bunch of loose stuff in a camper van is not compatible with spirited driving...

George

 

I really like that galley.
Securing loose stuff is a must for me anyway with my driving style. Some people say I tend to drive like I just stole a rental.............

 

Here is an idea for a cheap sink with running water.



The sink basin is a steam table pan and a fitting would have to installed to connect to the drain hose.
The pan in the pic is $14 and measures 12"x10"x6".. You can get one 4" deep for $8. Cheaper if you have a used restaurant equipment dealer in your area you can also get smaller or larger ones.. what ever suits your needs.
Cut the hole in the counter, silicone, and set it in place..

The faucet is under $10 at ebay,, OR you can get a nice chrome 1/4 turn supply line shut off and a chrome supply line tube, bend it with a tubing bender and cut it to what ever length you desire.

A 12v water pump can be found for $10 to $15

The water jugs, price depends on what you want to use and what fits your cabinets..
I would recommend one color for fresh water and the other for grey water..

Counting up all parts, for complete sink with running water, around $60
You might be able to find a small used sink with faucet a little cheaper at the used restaurant supply dealer..

 

I laid out a floor-plan for my van if I was going to make it a camper. Probably won't ever build it, but it is fun to design.


It's tough going back. I just graduated after going back at 36yrs old. My brain just didn't seem to absorb the info like it used to. Made it through though....Accosiates in Network Admin and BS in Info Security.

 

Here are some pics that I downloaded from a website a couple weeks ago that have floor plans. I was planning on printing them out and cutting them up and laying my own out with a better reference for sizes needed and such, but I still haven't gotten around to it just yet. I figured that some of you guys might actually like to use them for the same reason.

 

I just ran across this link while I was looking for some formulae to calculate the R value of what I intend to do. There is also some other information regarding fiberglass' performance in the winter months that you guys will want to read. Let's just say that after reading that I'm glad that I was already dead set against using fiberglass when possible. Granted it won't be completely 100% feasible considering all the tiny access holes and dead spaces in the wall, but I will do my best. I am also considering using polyester fiberfill, similar to that of what is in your pillows and sleeping bags, but I haven't found any info yet on its R value yet.

R-Values in the Real World SIPs | SIPA - Structural Insulated Panel Association

 

Just an idea for the ones who are only casually camping...especially in an average sized van. This post is about water used for cleaning and personal care...drinking water is a separate issue and not covered here.

I don't need an actual sink and running water...for me thats something needed (and of course expected) at home, but rarely if ever when camping.

In a camper, where water can be a precious resource, sinks can be quite wasteful when it comes to water use and limited camper space. Large water storage tanks can be heavy, bulky, and the plumbing required adds mechanical complexity and has the potential of freezing and/or leaking.

You can make do quite easily with a couple of spray bottles and some other supplies, (scouring pads, soap, washcloths, towels) depending on what you need.

I keep a trigger sprayer, a very small pump sprayer, and a small squeeze bottle, all filled with clean water. I do keep a few gallons of fresh clean water in small one gallon bottles. I also have a couple of small squeeze bottles (one with shampoo and one with dish soap)
diluted about 10:1 (water to soap ratio).

I can rinse and clean dishes, bowls, and cups, do some light cleanup, take a spit bath, wash my hair, keep up with personal hygiene, and clean up after light cooking and mealtimes. Of course I'm using plastic disposable utensils and paper plates a lot.

No installation or cabinet work needed, takes up very little space, no large tanks of grey water, and its all very portable and cheap.

Might not work for everyone, but us bachelors can live pretty simple when camping.

 

I always used to carry 2 of those with me when camping:




These are 5 gallon heavy duty rubber water containers, surplus from the Swiss army.
If you hang them out in the sun during the day you have nearly hot water for the dinner dishes or a warm shower. They are extremely heavy duty, to that point that you run them over with your van with no leakage at all.




When they're empty you just roll them up and tuck them away.

 

Hi Karsten.

I tried the black solar shower bags and found they didnt work that well for me. They might work well for summer use out in the boonies, and for the females (or dudes) with long hair, they would probably work well.

But they are heavy when filled and need to be hung pretty high above the user, and thats not always practical in my situation.

I found that a clean, new, black, HDPE plastic, oil recovery bottle works well for warming water in the sunshine, and then you can pour a quart or so into a spray bottle and have a nice little mini-shower available either inside the van or outside the van in an enclosed area such as a stand-up tent or shower tent or between a few trees, or anywhere you can find that provides whatever privacy you need.

I have seen the black solar shower tubes that are mounted on the top of the van, but the cost seems a bit high for the little use I would get from one.

Anyway, I think that all of these options can help anyone thats trying 'van-camping' for the first time.

 

Coming up with ideas for my van has been challenging as I have 3 vertical windows on the drivers side and one behind the barn doors.

Here are a couple of interesting space saving ideas I came across for a camper van.
This looks to be a full length bed where the foot section can fold down so it doesn't block the side door. If you notice it also includes storage for a porta potty under the foot of the bed..

The sink idea is quite simple eliminating the need for a pump. It looks like you just lift the sink/pan to dump it and push it back in the cabinet when not needed. One could always add a grey water tank at the bottom.


other pics here
https://get.google.com/albumarchive/...to_?source=pwa

 

I wish I had seen this thread last year. I have an extended E350 van that I converted into a stealth camper. I installed 2 folding beds and it sleeps 4.

We can sleep anywhere for free. My biggest challenge is my wife does not like to use a porta potty. We have to leave early in the morning for real toilets.

 

Do you have enough room to sleep side to side?