First Construction Task Completed!

Everything I have done with Ansel up to this point has been preparatory.  Now I have completed the first actual construction task...the sub-floor!!

This wasn't a difficult task, and it really didn't take too long.  What really helped was the rubber floor mat that was in the van when I bought it, which I was able to use as a template for the 3/4 inch extruded polystyrene (XPS) insulation.  Otherwise, I would have had to make my own template out of cardboard and do a fair bit of custom-fitting.

Couple pieces of cut XPS.  The rubber floor mat is visible in the foreground.

I was then able to use the cut pieces of insulation as templates for the 5/8 inch plywood that would comprise the actual sub-floor.  I cut 3/8 inch lap joints in the plywood so that I could glue and nail the seams, giving the sub-floor a bit more stability.

Lap joint in plywood.

Once I had everything cut and test-fit, I was ready to start gluing down the floor assembly.  I knew I needed more adhesive, but I thought the one tube I already had would be plenty to at least get the insulation down.  Wrong!  I got the biggest insulation piece glued down and was starting to lay down the glue for the adjacent piece when suddenly the tube went dry.  Crap.  I couldn't stop now since the adhesive would soon set up.  So off to the hardware store I went.  I decided to buy the contractor size tube, which was equivalent to nearly 3 smaller tubes, thinking this would be enough to complete the entire sub-floor.  Wrong again!!  I finished gluing the insulation down and started gluing down the plywood when I ran out of adhesive again.  So back to the hardware store.  This time I bought extra adhesive just in case, though in the end I didn't need it.  Fortunately these two missteps didn't cause any major issues, though I did have to use a pry bar to get the last board to slip into place as the adjoining board had begun to set.  Some brad nails in the lap joints, and I was done with the very first task!  That's what I'm talking about!!!

When I get back from our family vacation (which is where I am writing this), I will cut in the galley side window and the roof ventilation fan.

The templates were very helpful in cutting around the wheel wells due to the curves.

Some additional curved edges where a template is necessary.

Pieces and Parts

When you decide to start building your own campervan, you realize (hopefully before you actually buy the van itself) that you need to buy a lot of "things" -- i.e., pieces and parts -- to make the van functional and livable.  Aside from basic infrastructure such as insulation, flooring, walls, storage areas, etc., these things fall into six general categories:

1. Food storage, preparation & cooking
2. Water system (fresh & waste)
3. Sleeping accommodations
4. Electrical
5. Sanitary (i.e., toilet & shower)
6. Heating & ventilation (including windows)
   

The extent of these things largely depend on personal needs (wants?) and how the van will be used.  Will it be lived in full time or will it simply be used for short trips?  At one extreme you could spend tens of thousands of dollars and have all the amenities of home (a microwave, big screen TV, oven, shower, air conditioning, even a washer/dryer).  At the other, you could spend hardly anything and have just the bare essentials, such as a blow-up mattress, cooler, camp stove, etc.

For me, I plan to use Ansel for short to medium trips (2-10 days typically) so I don't need all of the luxuries of a big RV or a that of a full-time "van lifer".  But, I do want certain amenities to make the van fun and comfortable to travel in.  In particular, I like to cook so having a reasonably well-set up "galley", as it is called, is important.  And of course, having a nice, comfy place to sleep at night is critical.  Finally, I don't want the van interior to look or feel utilitarian -- because I'm a creative person, I want it to be aesthetically pleasing and "look cool".

So given all the above, the challenge is how to build Ansel cost-effectively.  I don't know that I have the complete answer to this, but there are three philosophies I have been using.  

• First, design the van "smartly" and minimize over-design.  For example, one campervan builder I saw used significantly more expensive marine-grade wiring for the electrical system.  Why, it's not a marine environment?  
• Second, consider alternate and creative ways to do things that are less expensive and -- hopefully -- easier to build/use as well.  This includes the use of lesser-grade materials that still do the job effectively (you don't need cabinet-grade plywood for the sub-floor, for example).
  
• Third, whenever possible, buy used, surplus and sale items/materials.  And, repurpose where possible.  For example, I will be be building the galley countertop from a bunch of knotty oak boards I already have, which should look very cool.

Anyway, the whole gist of this post is to tell you that I have started the process of purchasing the pieces and the parts for Ansel (see examples below), some from Amazon, some from eBay and some from RV surplus stores.  I have a lot more yet to get, especially the bulk of the electrical system (the single-most expensive part of the van build and the part that makes me the most anxious). 

Boxes from Amazon...I know, some folks are anti-Amazon but there are clear cost advantages in many cases, especially for me as a Prime member

16-gallon water storage tank.  More than I need, but a good deal from an RV surplus store

Another good deal from the same RV surplus store, a built-in propane stove.  No box or manual, but brand new.  I estimate I may have saved well over $100!

DVD/stereo purchased from RV surplus store at half price...long story but I actually needed (in addition to wanted) a stereo.  This will also enable me to power an LED monitor for photo editing (not pictured, but just recently bought a used 12V TV/monitor off eBay)

One of three 100W solar panels...these are brand new...don't want to go cheap on these though got for a very good price off Amazon!

Powered ceiling fan.  This is brand new but I did try to find, with no luck, a used or refurbished item.

The galley sink...actually a bar sink, but this one is extra deep.  My experience with campervan rentals is that the sinks are small and dish washing is cumbersome, so I wanted a deep one like this.  Again, looked for a used one but couldn't find any deals with the right specifications.

Painting....Ugh!

Some people enjoy painting things.  I'm not one of  them.  I don't mind (too much) painting a room.  Except for edging and detail work, painting a room is relatively painless...you dip a roller in a tray and roll the paint on the wall.  But, painting other things -- especially objects with a lot of nooks, crannies and crevices -- can be quite tedious and seemingly take forever.  This is where I was at with Ansel.  

I had primed all the areas where there was significant paint loss, but this was with spray paint, which was actually kinda fun.  I then needed to cover all the primed areas with white paint.  I wasn't worried about matching the exact white since virtually everything would be hidden behind the walls, flooring, etc.  It was more about protecting against rust from potential condensation.

I started out using spray paint, but this proved to be a major pain.  Not only was there over-spray everywhere, but it wasn't covering as well as I hoped.  After a couple spray cans, I decided to move to a roller and a brush.  While coverage was much better, this is where the tedium kicked in.  You see, there are TONS of nooks, crannies & crevices in the van.  Getting paint on every surface was proving to be a challenge.  The enamel rust-preventative paint was rather thick and hard to apply, and I actually started to get cramps in my hand!  Consequently, I abandoned the idea of hiding all hints of the gray primer...as long as it had some coating of white on it, that was good enough! 

After the white was done, I painted the edges of the doors and a few other strategic points with a dark gray spray paint (the interior color theme will be mostly black and grays) where I wouldn't be able to cover completely with wall coverings, cabinets, etc.  I didn't really want to see the white metal peaking through at these locations.

So the painting was done...FINALLY!  

Driver side rear door interior...the cavities will be filled with insulation and a wall covering applied.

The floor deck all painted...see the nooks and crannies created by the floor ribbing?

The passenger side wall...again, more nooks and crannies...and crevices too!

The big view of the cargo area all painted!  Compare with one of the "before" pictures I posted.

Driver's side wall and floor...you can still see hints of primer gray, but who cares!?

Example of gray paint around edges of rear cargo door to obscure bright white that cannot be covered by wall materials

The Transformation Begins

Ansel's previous life was as a work van, specifically for a property management company in Blissfield, MI (which, coincidentally, is where Mary Jo & I got engaged).  As such, he hauled around various parts, equipment and tools for the properties, both residential and commercial, that the company managed.  This was predominantly electrical and plumbing, but no doubt there was a wide range of services the company provided.

Not Ansel (I think this is a Ford Transit), but it's what the side looked like before they removed the decal.

 

Consequently, while the exterior and the mechanical aspects of the van are in amazingly good shape (you can still see the factory stickers on the shocks, unblemished), the cargo area of the van understandably showed signs of use.  There were two sets of steel shelves along the outside walls and a steel bulkhead separating the cargo area from the cab.  I didn't need these things, and the bulkhead chewed up about 6 inches of the usable floor space, which is significant.  My first plan was just to take these to the scrap yard and see what I could get for them, but I thought I would try selling on Facebook Marketplace first...who knows, right?  Well, within two days someone contacted me and a few days later I had sold the shelves and the bulkhead for my asking price!  (The guy is potentially interested in the tilt-own ladder rack as well, but so far we haven't finalized anything.)

Note T-track at bottom center of shelving.

Bulkhead...note rubber mat on floor

Getting the items out of the van was no small task.  A few of the floor bolts for the bulkhead were rusted in place, and I had to cut them off with an angle grinder.  There was a similar problem with the bolts used to secure the bottom T-tracks for the shelves.  However, these bolts were hardened steel and proved to to be quite stubborn.  We first tried to cut them out with a reciprocating saw, but after burning up a couple blades, we decided that wasn't going to cut it (pun intended).  Next we tried to drill the bolts out.  We went through a few drill bits, including a cobalt bit, with no luck.  Hmmmm, what to do?  Time to get the angle grinder out again!  I was able to grind the heads off with minimal damage to the T-tracks, allowing me to easily pop the tracks off the remaining bolt studs, which I then cut off.

Bolts for bulkhead before being cut off

Once the shelves and the bulkhead were out, I could pull up the rubber floor mat to see what was underneath.  OMG, what a mess!  There was oil, dirt and caked on mud that had managed to find its way underneath the mat.  

I don't need/want the rubber mat but I will save as a template for the floor insulation and floor underlayment...handy!!!

Once I cleaned all that up, which was quite a chore, I noticed some surface rust in some areas on the floor.  Nothing major, but it definitely needed to be addressed lest it continued to be a problem once insulation and the flooring was laid down.  So, out came the grinder again (boy, this was a good investment!), and I ground down all the affected areas.  I also decided that while I was at it, I might as well grind down all the areas on the walls and ceiling where there was major paint loss.  I wasn't  concerned about these areas as much, but there would always be some chance of condensation and in turn rust, so better safe than sorry.

Once I had everything ground down (except for the doors, which I'll discuss in a future post), I primed everything.  

Chose gray primer so I knew where I needed to top coat

Next step is to hit all the primed areas with white paint...I'm not concerned about matching the exact white (white is not always white) since everything will be covered up, so just plain white Rustoleum will do the trick!