[BigDogAdventures]

Purchased November 2014
Long Wheelbase---Extended Body---High Roof---2500 (3/4 ton) Power Stroke Diesel
6 speed automatic that can be shifted manually.
Power windows---Power locks--AC--Remote key entry--Cruise--Intermittent Wipers---Tilt and Telescoping Steering Wheel
Radio (nothing fancy)----complete tow package with reciever, trailer brake controller and a Tow Haul mode in the transmission.

Here is the finished product ------but how did I get there---read on.
Simple camper in front------toy hauler in rear.

I didn't order my van---found one on the lot that had pretty much what I wanted. One main priority besides cruise control was the factory tow package which includes a brake controller---also has 2 pluts at the rear---one is the 7 pin w/brake---and the other is a flat 4 connector.

With 15' of cargo I started my build------I will build a wall about 7'6" from the rear and will haul my dualsport motorcycles in there-----along with gear and all the dirty stuff.

The cargo area is 14' long------the back 8' will be for my bikes and I'll build a wall with a door to isolate the toy area.
The front 6' will be my camping and sleeping area. It will be comfy---but I will not put in a toilet, fridge, micro wave or shower.
I will be keeping it simple---but want a couch which makes into a bed very quickly in there.
I'm building this cabinet to go in the rear for riding gear and such.
I used 3/4" plywood---screwed everything together with sheet rock screws---but used wood glue also---the glue
makes it a lot stronger.

I got the steel part of the wall done-----I made it out of 1 5/8" uni-strut and welded the joints with my mig welder.
The Sides I bolted to the wall using 8mm bolts and fender washers. I made sure and used locking nuts so they don't work loose.
The 16" space in the middle will be a door. This will make easy access to things in the rear portion of the van.

The door fit absolutely perfect.
I used 2 magnets to hold the door closed---they are to weak---I'll have to do something else.
I used 1/2" plywood here---didn't need 3/4" and didn't want to use anything to thin as I may want to fasten
some things to the wall---maybe a cabinet ?????

A view from the rear----I'm pretty much done back here.
Maybe some paint on the back of the wall---a paper towel holder for sure.
A place to strap up my ramps---maybe strap them to the roof ????
Maybe a little easy to get to storage rack for WD-40, change lube--stuff like that.

Things are going well and fast-----this part here I was just bumfuzzled to what to do.
All of a sudden a lite went off in my head and I got my wire welder out and cut up some uni-strut and my combo couch and bed is in the making.
Most of this strut is 1 5/8".

More to come on the build.

 

[BigDogAdventures]

More

This is in couch mode---not totally finished yet---need to cover the wall and make some cushions.
The side is hinged and will swing up when I want to make a bed.
I fastened the back hinges for the top---to the top of the plywood and then the uni-strut on the wall.

The hinges for the fold down part I put underneath---so when it's folded up you won't even see them--and they
won't protrude up into your bed.
I used 3/4" plywood for the couch/bed.

Just like this---------I'll make some supports to hold it up.

Looking down under the couch---look at all the storage I got.
And in this picture you can see the hinges I put underneath on the fold down part.
I used 3 hinges on each piece of plywood---totaling 6 hinges----I used 3" hinges from Lowes.

Got the wall behind the couch/bed covered with plywood--I used 5mm thick plywood--------it's ready for carpet.
The plywood on the wall here needed to be really thin as there is a pretty good curve in that wall.
I don't think 1/2" plywood would have made the curve.

From the get go--------I new I didn't want a refrigerator.
I've had this Pelican ice chest for a while now---it's suppose to keep ice for 10 days----it won't.
But is 500% better than an ordinary ice cooler.
I think it's going to stay there---but if I want when at camp I can just take it out---or put it on the back.
I think I'll dream up something to hold it in place in case I stop suddenly.

Right above the ice cooler I put this light switch and power outlet.
This is the only power outlet I'll need----and it even has USB charging ports.
When charging stuff I can just set them on top of the ice chest.
The ice chest is extremely sturdy----it can do double duty as a place to sit.
I still plan on putting a cabinet above the cooler----I will buy one ready built.
The switch ??? What does it do ??????

It turns on my LED 110 volt ceiling lite.
Later I'll have a 12 volt too.
Maybe down the road I'll have 3 ways to have 110 volt--I'm still thinking about all this---lot's of options to accomplish
power out in the boonies-----I may go all out----------may not ??????.
1. shore power
2. my 2000 watt Honda inverter
3. And inverter.

And then there's the solar panels------I doubt very seriously I do that.
This is my traveling machine---not like I'm going to live in it.

I'm getting the camping part of the van almost totally done.
Got the carpet glued to the wall.
The couch/bed combo is folded out in this picture for sleeping.

For the 3 legs------I used 1/2" thin wall conduit.
I took 3 thin wall couplings--welded them to a 3" square plate---and screwed that to the bottom of the swing out part of the bed.
Then when I want to make bed----I just slip those legs into the couplings---takes just 15 seconds to set up the bed.

Again----I used 1/2" plywood on the seperator wall------5mm on the side walls where there were curves---and 3/4" for the bed
and cabinet in the rear.

And here it is folded down.
If you look close you can see I cut a 45 degree slice out of the folded down part---that is so I can still open the door to get to the back
and not have to tear down the bed.

I bought a black piece of carpet at Big Lots last night---I'll get in in there when I quit making messes.
I'm pretty good at making messes. My initial are MES.

Got my outside shore power RV type receptacle installed.
I can use shore power or my 2000 watt Honda generator.

 

[BigDogAdventures]

What do I think of my new transit ?????

What do I think of it after 400 miles ???????
Awesome----so smooth and quiet---no rattles, sqeaks, nothing.
Transmission shifts perfect.
Computer says I'm gettin' 23 mpg average around town---all stop and go and some idling.
Can't wait to see what it does on the open road-------keep in mind----I drive like an ole' man.
Some would say "that's smart"--------some would say----"get off the road you old geezer".
Motor is awesome but is no more powerful than my 2006 Mercedes Sprinter--but that's OK-----it was very powerful.
I truly can't belive how it rides---like a cadillac--------I did not expect that at all----a pleasant surprise.
Me and my wife can talk in it in our normal voices--------no shouting.

 

[ilovehotshot]

Awesome. I love all the pictures and explanation. Where are you located? I did not see any mention of insulation.

 

[VanMan]

How do you deal with gasoline and fumes, I have hauled MX bikes in vans, OK when they are clean, but when they are hot,dirty and smell like fuel after a ride/race stink up the inside fast.
My plan is to use a trailer and keep the slurp outside, how do you address this?
Are you going to put vents in?

What kind of bikes?

 

[Gianz]

Hi BigDog,

Good job on your van, very practical and straight forward. I should be receiving mine beginning of Jan and will also do a conversion which will allow a bike inside although I will bring it inside only when I leave the Van/Bike parked/stored somewhere and come back home for a while. Mine is also a diesel, HR, T250, LWB, not extended though.
I got a Transit because of the smooth ride you mentioned, much better than anything else in the market. Will post my progress once van arrives.
Keep the great adventure of live flowing, ride safely.
PS: Are you the guy involved in "The ride of my life"?

 

[BigDogAdventures]

Awesome. I love all the pictures and explanation. Where are you located? I did not see any mention of insulation.

I'm not going to insulate anything----just don't feel the need----It's just my travel can and it's not like I'm going to be living in it.
The gray carpet helps a lot. I've been using my sprinter for years with this minimal set up and it has worked out well. With the wall it won't have any trouble heating or cooling the front.
My emphasis is on simple----------no fridge--no micro-wave---no toilet---I don't want any of that.
I'm in Southern Illinois.
Here is a link to my website with all my travels.
Mark's Webpage

How do you deal with gasoline and fumes, I have hauled MX bikes in vans, OK when they are clean, but when they are hot,dirty and smell like fuel after a ride/race stink up the inside fast.
My plan is to use a trailer and keep the slurp outside, how do you address this?
Are you going to put vents in?

What kind of bikes?

I've had several toy haulers----and just sold my sprinter----I never ever smelled a thing. It's just not a problem. Been sleeping with bikes for years.
No vents.
I've got 4 bikes------------KTM690---KTM450EXC--Husky650 Terra---Yamaha WR250----but can only haul 2 at a time. I went to a hi-top van to ditch pulling a trailer. I can pretty much park anywhere and camp--sleep without being noticed.

Hi BigDog,

Good job on your van, very practical and straight forward. I should be receiving mine beginning of Jan and will also do a conversion which will allow a bike inside although I will bring it inside only when I leave the Van/Bike parked/stored somewhere and come back home for a while. Mine is also a diesel, HR, T250, LWB, not extended though.
I got a Transit because of the smooth ride you mentioned, much better than anything else in the market. Will post my progress once van arrives.
Keep the great adventure of live flowing, ride safely.
PS: Are you the guy involved in "The ride of my life"?

Thanks Gianz
No---I'm not involved with "The Ride Of My Life".

For people that don't know me-----I'm a motorcycle offroad adventure rider and have ridden from the tip of Baja to the Arctic ocean and a lot in-between----------all offroad.

BigDog

 

[PeterR]

Great to see a simple build taking shape! My first van was a 1970 Econoline cargo van, and my "build" was even more basic, but took me all over the USA over the course of 10 years. A platform bed, Coleman cooler, and a funky old upholstered chair someone had thrown out. Simple curtains behind the front seats.

Less is more . . .


"Hit the road, Jack . . . !"


PS -- Great photos and stories here:

Mark's Webpage

Transit

(I assume this is you.)

 

[JP4]

Nice work Big Dog! Reminds me of my old '89 stretched Econoline. Plywood bed, one secondhand captains chair, some paneling and curtains made of bed sheets and bungee cords. Drove all over Baja and up and down the west coast in that. Hauled a lot of motorcycles and surfboards in it. Never did more than change the oil and filters for 140,000 miles. Hope the new rigs are as reliable and trouble free.

JP

 

[BigDogAdventures]

Yes---I hope it is reliable. The 5 cylinder diesel in mine is in no other Ford product--at least the salesman told me that. I bet that changes.

Makes me feel better knowing there are Ford dealers everywhere.

With the sprinter -------it really made me nervous knowing there are so few places to get them worked on. I literally travel in the middle of nowhere all the time.

BigDog

 

[Zyzzyx]

Regarding the Ford diesel, I would also have some comfort knowing that its certified to handle up to B20 biodiesel. The new Sprinter 4cyl diesel is only 'rated' for B5. It may handle more bio content OK, but maybe not in the long run.

From what I've read over on the Sprinter forums, you're basically going to get anything from B5 to B20 when out on the road.

 

[Lefty724]

Awesome. This is basically what kind of build I want (same exact van except for your sliding door glass). I want to build the wall just like you, except the rear will be my garage area for tools and materials.

The front part will be the "living quarters". If the weather holds up, I plan on starting this week!

Thanks for the inspiration!!! It's threads like this that keep us motivated....

 

[BigDogAdventures]

Awesome. This is basically what kind of build I want (same exact van except for your sliding door glass). I want to build the wall just like you, except the rear will be my garage area for tools and materials.

The front part will be the "living quarters". If the weather holds up, I plan on starting this week!

Thanks for the inspiration!!! It's threads like this that keep us motivated....

Thanks Lefty,

You just reminded me of the one thing I wish was different in my van---not even sure it is an option----but I wish the sliding door was the old fashion double swing open doors--------I never did like a sliding door-------even when I was working out of a van before I retired. They are just more difficult to open and close. I think they made sliding doors so you can open them in tight places----but I just never did like them.

My wife has about got the couch/bed cushions done--------I'll post up those pictures when I get them installed.

She is also going to make a curtain for the side glass---lot's of time I'll want the curtain closed----I think we are going to use magnets to hold it up there---that will work well and be very simple.

A guy is picking up my 118" sprinter this weekend------flying in from Idaho to my home in Southern Illinois to drive it home. That was a very good vehicle---I loved that thing--a 2006 and the motor in it was just as powerful as the Transit------it was just so short---and I worried about getting it worked on.
In fact ---------the buyer wanted to take it somewhere to have it checked out------couldn't find nobody to even do that. Made me glad it will be gone.

The biggest difference I've noticed between my old sprinter and my new transit is how they ride. My 2006 2500 rode like a one ton 4-wheel drive pickup. It was very stiff---the transit is cushy. Other than that--they were on pretty equal ground.

Camping in my sprinter this year on my way to Montana--had my dualsport motorcycle in the back.

This is what I do---------I'll haul me and bike way out West--unload it and ride my bike for a month or so.

A couple years ago I hauled my bike to Washington state ---unloaded and rode to the Arctic ocean and back----on the "Ice Road Trucker" road.
On the way I stopped at the "Salmon Glacier" in Hyder, Alaska.
It was a 7,000 mile ride on the bike---and I spent a month up there.

Mark

 

[Lefty724]

Holy crap man! You will be getting very good use out of your Transit!

On mine, I plan on using the back half for work/storage and the front half for seating/sleeping, media, appliances, and to store my mountain bike, road bike, and running stuff (motorcycle days are gone for me) during the work week. This way I can just hit the trail on my way home.

I did a similar build on my old Econoline E250 but didn't like the lack of head room. Also the fact that I was getting 9mpg was a real bummer as well.

I was hoping to start the build this week, but it looks like more rain is coming our way, either way I'll take some pics and keep you guys posted.

Sent from my Q10 using Tapatalk

 

[Gianz]

Hi BigDog,
Looks like, again we have very similar plans
My goal with my transit is to wander around searching for nice places to ride my crf250l.
Hope to cross paths someday.

 

[Longboard]

What a strange site.....a rust-free Arctic White T1N Sprinter!

 

[VanMan]

BigDog,

What happened to the "950"?

I have a 640 adventure r, and many others (m/c)

 

[BigDogAdventures]

BigDog,

What happened to the "950"?

I have a 640 adventure r, and many others (m/c)

The 950 has been gone for years------I sold that bike for 2 reasons-----I couldn't hardly pick it up------and the gas mileage was tearing me up----------I didn't mind buying the gas----------but with almost 6 gallons of fuel it wouldn't take me as far as I wanted to go. My minimum now is 250 per tank-------it was way below that.

Mark

 

[Longboard]

Got my outside shore power RV type receptacle installed.
I can use shore power or my 2000 watt Honda generator.

What is on the interior aspect of the 15 amp receptacle?
Any idea how it compares to the black Marinco one?
I plan on doing the same, no need for a higher amperage unit.
On my Sprinter all I had was a small plastic door (the one Sportsmobile uses for their propane system access door) through which I fed a 110v cord, a 12 volt cord, and cable or antenna coax depending on my needs.

 

[BigDogAdventures]

What is on the interior aspect of the 15 amp receptacle?
Any idea how it compares to the black Marinco one?
I plan on doing the same, no need for a higher amperage unit.
On my Sprinter all I had was a small plastic door (the one Sportsmobile uses for their propane system access door) through which I fed a 110v cord, a 12 volt cord, and cable or antenna coax depending on my needs.

You didn't provide a link to exactly what model you are talking about---but I googled "black Marinco RV plug"-------------and it looks exactly like the white one I have---mine says marinco on it.

Here's a link to the one I bought-------so you can see the whole thing.

You have to drill a 1 7/8" hole in your van-------it can attach with screws on the outside--------or a threaded ring on the inside---but not both. On my sprinter I used the screws-----on the transit I used the ring on the inside--------liked that better. There is barely enough metal left after drilling the big hole for the screws on the outside.
I'm guessing the thing sticks about 3" inside the van ????
But it's in a cavity------so it doesn't matter.

Yep---can't imagine needing more than 15 amps for stuff inside the van.
Mark