Wondering if you are using a program to design your 80/20? Looking for something that's user friendly...

 

Google Sketchup. Just import the 8020 and then you can resize and move around however you want. Seven-o-Savage on YouTube has a good video about using Sketchup for van planning in 8020.

 

Congratulations, Maia! My wife and I have very similar plans to yours. We’re eager to follow along until we have a van of our own.

 

Nice sketch of the layout. My only suggestion would be to think about the location of the refrigerator chest. It sure is nice to be able to load groceries directly out of the cart into the chest without having to climb into the van. You might switch the toilet for the chest and have it slide out in front of the slider. Just a thought from past experience. I have my ARB fridge and compostable toilet on sliders against the drivers side wall. Fridge slides out to the door and works as a table/leg rest, when passenger seat is turned around

 

Thanks for your input. I already considered this and in fact I had originally planned to have the fridge and toilet the other way around. I switched it because:

• The 75DZ lids hinge along the long side. If the fridge is in front of the passenger slider, either it's impossible to access the inside of the fridge from inside the van or it's impossible to access the inside of the fridge from outside the van.
• The unibody support nub near the passenger door would push the fridge out and decrease the aisle space by a significant amount.
• There is not enough room for the fridge to slide all the way out forward given the size and location of the Tiny Watts electrical housing.
• Current location makes use of difficult to access (and often dead) space in garage. The back end of the fridge sticks under the bed about a foot.
• Weight distribution is better this way. The Tiny Watts system already weighs down the passenger side. Since I don't have a huge water system, having the heavy big fridge centered is better than having the light toilet centered.

 

Dealer sent me some photos! Everybody says Avalanche Grey looks different depending on the light… well here’s your example of what it looks like when AQI is in the hazardous zone due to wildfires.

 

That’s an ambitious plan in my book. My van is going to look pretty dumb compared to these.
I just picked mine up today in Kansas City. Build will be delayed while I drive to Ohio and then to Seattle. It’s a little intimidating so take your time the first day.

 

Everyone has their own standard for what's ambitious! I'm looking at all these people putting in hydronic systems like

 

I like the stock 3D people. When doing 3D mockups for a bathroom rebuild last year, had family members ask if I could change the outfits they were wearing in the mockups - they didn't really like those clothes. 😲 🤣

 

Congratulations on getting the van.
Great layout! I would have something very similar if I didn't haul a full complement of windsurfers and associated kit, inside mine for 5 month of the year.
Depending on your height, you probably don't need to add flares in the window recesses to have an E-W bed. I'm 5'9" and can comfortably sleep E-W on our MOAB.

 

Depending on your height, you probably don't need to add flares in the window recesses to have an E-W bed. I'm 5'9" and can comfortably sleep E-W on our MOAB.

It's true that I'm 5'6" but I do often find myself... uh... "sharing" a bed with revolving cast of over 6' tall ski bums 🙃😏

 

Hopefully, your dealership experience was alright. I worked for Corwin for 10 years, and they are a very challenging to deal with. Nearly all of their dealerships have 2 stars for a reason

 

So far it's been super easy. They were honest about allocation, kept me posted when there were updates, are expediting an order for an option I forgot (wheel liners), sending me photos, easy communication by text... we'll see what the final purchase process ends up like but so far I'm happy.

 

Avalanche grey without the smoke filter seems fine, here's ours finally at home. Corwin in Idaho came through for us, that's all I can say so far. Our only defect so far is a factory chip on the passenger edge of the windshield, which they'll fix or replace. Plus some water leaks from the tray behind the hood onto the top of the engine. Just did a 400 mile shakedown through H3ll's Canyon (twice) and once around the Wallowas with no real squawks. Drives like a good car, very easy to handle but watch the overhead. You've got a great planning outline, thanks for sharing. Our mission is different but environmental challenges are similar at 5000' here also. Right now I'm struggling with AGM vs LiFePO4 because of temperature. Not an easy decision. First of many.

 

. Drives like a good car, very easy to handle but watch the overhead. You've got a great planning outline, thanks for sharing. Our mission is different but environmental challenges are similar at 5000' here also. Right now I'm struggling with AGM vs LiFePO4 because of temperature. Not an easy decision. First of many.

One of my van electrical customers is in ID - up fairly high elevation.

The AGM vs LiFe decision is definitely complicated there.

In some ways, it is more like the PWN when it comes to sunlight availability, so this make LiFe useful.

The winter conditions mean that AGM is a much better solution or you have to commit to doing "something" to keep the battery pack warmish ( ~ > 40 F) all of the time to be really useful.

The customer installed 300 watts, but 400 - 500 of an overcast tolerant panel type would have been better + Lifeline AGMs.

It really takes all three charging methods (solar) + (alternator) + (120 vac plug in) to really make it work year round in ID.

 

Maybe worth noting that our final purchase process had no surprises, no high pressure sales, but we didn't expect or receive any significant discounts or incentives either. In and out of F & I in 10 minutes or so. High roof transits basically get no perks from Ford. They know what we want and how bad, it's just supply and demand.

 

Great looking sketch up!

Is there any particular reason you choose the "Floor and wall kit from AVC Rig" instead something like the Adventure Wagon Kit?

 

Is there any particular reason you choose the "Floor and wall kit from AVC Rig" instead something like the Adventure Wagon Kit?

A few reasons:

• The AVC Rig guys have been really responsive and helpful with questions I've asked (after ordering their roof rack).
• Mostly I wanted to save myself the headache of templating floors and walls.
• I don't like or need all that L-track everywhere.
• The Adventure Wagon kit is on the order of $10k more... it comes with a bunch of stuff that I already have purchased (Thinsulate, electrical wiring / breakers / fuses, MaxxAir fan, etc).

 

I see, it's good to hear that they are responsive and that there are other kits out there. I'll be following your build to see how you secure your cabinets and other stuff to the van.
best of luck!

 

Those AVC products look tight. That roof rack could have worked for me if I wasn’t already down the Hein-angle approach.

 

I picked up the van on Sunday, Sept 6. One week of progress:

Installed sound deadener
Installed thinsulate insulation
Flarespace flares, Arctic Tern window, and MaxxAir fan installed by VanCo NorCal.




Up next: floor, electrical

 

I'll be following with interest, very curious about that floor kit from AVC Rig.

 

Now that you have it are you stoked on the Avalanche? I like all the thought into the layout.

 

Now that you have it are you stoked on the Avalanche?

I absolutely LOVE the color!

 

Looking good already.

What size window did you install? I am going to install an aftermarket window in the slider also. Thinking of going with arctic tern since it is double pained and comes with shade and screen.

 

What size window did you install?

450x900mm

 

It looks like you installed the window as far forward in the slider as possible. Was that to provide the greatest improvement in visibility when driving or ???

 

I just let the guys at VanCo NorCal decide. I was like.. whatever you think. They said they went with the more forward position based on how it looked from inside as well as outside. I like how it turned out! I'm not that picky about stuff like that. I got bigger electrical systems to fry ;P

 

I installed the same arctic tern on the slider door. The blind assembly rattles a LOT while driving on all types of roads. My short term solution was to stick a piece of foam in with the rollers while driving. Have you notice this also or did your professional installers implemented a better solution?

 

I don't have the blind installed yet.

 

You can hardly see it.

You could always take it out and install a full size window there any time in the future if it ever got worst.

 

Yeah, I wanted the double pane acrylic vs glass for insulating value, and I like how wide it opens for air flow. I am trying it out with one fan in the back and this window and will see if there is adequate airflow. If not, I'll add a front fan (maybe, if I can make my roof setup work out!).

 

The AVC Rig floor and wall kit came today. I was able to uncrate it and test fit the floor by myself. Glue-down for floor will definitely require at least two people. It was a lot of trips to take all the wall pieces down two flights of stairs inside to await their turn for install! All the pieces are clearly labeled.

 

Thank you maia for starting your thread. The similarities in our build has inspired me to start my own thread and start building again after taking a break. I almost missed it when you said you haven't installed the blind assembly yet on your slider door window. Be careful when you do. My blinds made contact with my flares when the door is fully opened. It looks like our windows are in the same location so you may encounter this also. The tolerance is very tight. Probably less than an 1/8" too tight. Check out my post here for more details.

 

The similarities in our build has inspired me to start my own thread and start building again after taking a break.

So similar!! I'll definitely be following along with you

 

Did some floor stuff today. Located where the Espar heater will go (driver's side just in front of the rear wheel well) and cut out that piece of the floor so the Espar heater can sit directly on the van floor. I gave plenty of clearance since I have the space in this location given my layout. Used a skilsaw to cut this part out. Keeping it just in case

I unrolled the Lonseal and used the AVC Rig floor pieces to template to save myself the trouble of templating with paper later.

Finally, we glued the AVC Rig floor to the van using 3M 90. You definitely need two people for this. We worked with all three pieces in place to help with placement. There is about 1/4-1/2" play in the kit and we ended up gluing the rear piece about 3/16" too far back, so the hole for the tire access is just slightly off center. We just continued on, no doing anything about that once the 3M 90 is on there! No issues with the doors closing and I don't expect any problems with the trim piece either. We just placed the front two pieces tight to this one.

I plan to go around the edges with some kind of expanding spray foam to keep any water from getting under or in the sides of the wood. Any recommendations on products?

 

Did some floor stuff today. Located where the Espar heater will go (driver's side just in front of the rear wheel well) and cut out that piece of the floor so the Espar heater can sit directly on the van floor. I gave plenty of clearance since I have the space in this location given my layout. Used a skilsaw to cut this part out. Keeping it just in case

View attachment 159566

I unrolled the Lonseal and used the AVC Rig floor pieces to template to save myself the trouble of templating with paper later.

View attachment 159567

Finally, we glued the AVC Rig floor to the van using 3M 90. You definitely need two people for this. We worked with all three pieces in place to help with placement. There is about 1/4-1/2" play in the kit and we ended up gluing the rear piece about 3/16" too far back, so the hole for the tire access is just slightly off center. We just continued on, no doing anything about that once the 3M 90 is on there! No issues with the doors closing and I don't expect any problems with the trim piece either. We just placed the front two pieces tight to this one.

View attachment 159572

I plan to go around the edges with some kind of expanding spray foam to keep any water from getting under or in the sides of the wood. Any recommendations on products?

After my bad experience with great stuff foam (squeaks), we are leaning towards using a body seam sealer to fill the space around the floor edges. The Ford factory product and a 3M product are available.

 

Why not reach out to AVC and see what they recommend? The clearance from the walls looks spot on. It might be tough to not end up with too much foam even if you use the minimally expanding stuff (AKA doors and windows). I suppose if you foam before installation of the finish floor will allow you to trim the excess. Then seal the edges of the finish floor with something else.
Could you do me a favor and measure the width of the floor at it's widest point? I'd like to copy that fit.

 

Why not reach out to AVC and see what they recommend? The clearance from the walls looks spot on. It might be tough to not end up with too much foam even if you use the minimally expanding stuff (AKA doors and windows). I suppose if you foam before installation of the finish floor will allow you to trim the excess. Then seal the edges of the finish floor with something else.

Good idea. They are very responsive on instagram. Their install recommends 3M 94 and I dm'd them on instagram to ask about 90 instead and they got back to me within a couple hours. The thought was mainly to protect the exposed edges of the sheathing since they use that zip system stuff with a built-in moisture barrier and then I'm puttig Lonseal on top, so any moisture would really get trapped. Especially around the big cutout for where the heater will go. I was thinking to apply before the finished floor then trim, and not worry about the edges of the Lonseal.

It is a nice fit indeed, but there are a few places where there is more space (around the wheel wells, for example).

Could you do me a favor and measure the width of the floor at it's widest point? I'd like to copy that fit.

I'll do that tomorrow.