How could we outfit our old $4,000 Ford Econoline into a livable DIY campervan? We really wanted a campervan bed design that could become a couch as well. Dodge Ram Promaster: Widest van interior. With diesel options for your Sprinter Van, it can be a bit harder to travel to more southern countries where diesel and low-sulfur fuel is as less-available and sometimes the quality that is available isn't what Mercedes recommends for use in their vehicles. Timberline currently offers both à la carte components used in our Ford Econoline conversion process as well as comprehensive kits to convert your own van. The best wheelbase for you really depends on your personal preference and needs for the van conversion! While the title reflects Sprinter vans, the concepts can be used on any DIY campervan conversion. Ford has an AWD option starting in 2020 so you are no longer limited to the Sprinter van for 4x4/AWD van conversion options. Example: Check out our most recent Promaster Conversion here. As you can imagine, the glue was harsh, and we had to use masks. 'What bus is the best for skoolie conversion?' The Ford Transit van with a 130" WB gives you 8'8.3" of buildable floor space, similar to the Promaster, whereas the 148" WB gives you 10'3" of buildable space with the longest version giving you 12'8" of useable floorspace for your conversion, The Mercedes Sprinter van with a 144" WB gives you 10'6" of buildable floor space, whereas the 170" WB gives you 14" of buildable space with the longest version giving you 15'6" of useable floorspace for your conversion. Diesel gives you the option for a Webasto or Espar heating system without building an auxiliary diesel tank. the 4x4 Sprinter is one of the most popular options on the market but with the AWD Transit coming out in 2020. It's not unheard of to hit 300,000+ miles on your vehicle before it’s considered high mileage. Ford Transit: Highest van interior & the option for AWD in 2020+ with a mid-range price. Our van changed our lives and helped us save enough money to buy a truck camper with a bathroom, an oven, and a four-burner stove, which we’ve lived in full-time since January 2018. The longest version of the Transit, Promaster and both models of the Sprinter 170 is a great choice for a conversion if you are looking to travel long term in your conversion van. Check out our most recent Sprinter van conversion named Ace Vantura. Nowadays, Rhody works in the solar industry. There is a whole bunch of space and two extra comfy seats at the front, why not use them. Parallel parking is tricky when you get into the longest versions of each the Transit and Promaster and next to impossible with the 170" WB Long body Sprinter. However, the 2WD to be is an awesome and capable vehicle for a much more reasonable price, especially with the weight of the van conversions cargo area preventing it from being too light to drive in snow and ice. $ 23,500.00. Well, these vans are not really that alike. Extreme 4x4 Van Conversions, Big 4x4 Van, 4x4 Van Custom, 4x4 Van Camper Conversion, Cool 4x4 Vans, Sportsmobile 4x4 Van, Lifted 4x4 Ford Van, New Ford Vans 4x4, Ultimate 4x4 Van, Extreme 4x4 Van Camper, Off-Road Camper Van Conversion, 4x4 Sprinter Vans Conversions, Ford Econoline Van 4x4 Camper, Dodge 4x4 Van, Diesel 4x4 Van Conversion, Dodge Ram Van 4x4, Adventure Van 4x4, Best 4x4 Vans … Wow what an in-depth review, really enjoyed reading this. Nearly all of the conversion vans that we work on are high roofs. The foam and carpeting were really tough to pry up in places, so it took a lot longer than we thought. So naturally we built a custom cabinet for her. 6" Chevy AWD Lift Kit. It takes a dedicated individual to live in a small space. Overall, the Sprinter van conversion is the most popular option for most DIYers and people looking to get their own rig made by a conversion company. The hardest van to cover internally with panels (if you plan on a DIY conversion). Additional alternator or heavy duty alternator–. When the couch was pulled open to become a bed, there were two deep storage wells underneath. These are a must! Good luck . Installing the ceiling in our Ford Econoline camper came first. It's not unheard of to hit 300,000+ miles on your vehicle before it’s considered high mileage. There's plenty of standing height in the Sprinter as well. We mounted them on top of the van using brackets. Thanks for any input you guys have. Each van has it's pros and cons and your choice is dependant on your use. We cut a large X into the square he’d made, slid the cabinet in, and screwed it securely into the wall. Once that was done, we glued them down and screwed them in. At the time, we thought it was cute (and I still stand by it as an aesthetic choice). Is there height restrictions where you live that you'll need to take van height into consideration? $ 75.00 – $ 200.00. We do not offer pop-top conversions in-house. These components are engineered to install easily into your van build using factory holes, and can be easily removed as needed to convert your van back into a daily driver or as needed for repairs/upgrades to whatever lies behind the walls. Totally zero waste conversions are tens of thousands of dollars (if not impossible), but in my next build, I hope to make wiser choices where I can. We can convert your Chevrolet Express, GMC Savana, or Ford Econoline van to 4x4. You're in! Depending on what your intended use is, this may be beneficial for manoeuvring back roads and bushwacking. We've built many custom vans and school bus conversions. To go with the big purchase price tag, your maintenance fees are going to be more than a Ford Transit or Ram Promaster. Although we had a floor-to-ceiling insulated curtain, the cab sucked out a lot of the warmth in the winter. They've replaced those gas guzzling, turnin' like a tank, short vans that you needed a pop-top or roof cap with these beautiful Transits. Here are some questions to ask yourself before starting your van conversion: What will your average length of trip be? Even if you're not tall, that little extra space might make a world of difference to you! This is a no brainer! I then mosaiced the bottom to make it pretty, and Rhody figured out how to give us running water with a submersible pump and faucet specifically designed for RVs. That’s great to hear, Tony! 6" AWD GMC Lift Kit with 33" Tires. The three different wheelbase options for the Transit van are:130"148"148" EXT. Usually a secondary alternator is only necessary if you have a large battery bank. To do that, we soaked the wood in hot water for several hours, then clamped it to the door and let it dry in place. I’d love to hear about it in the comments! It's easily the most expensive option to go with from the factory. Will you be near civilization and amenities? The van arguably offers the best looking exterior for a stock cargo van and offers the most options for aftermarket parts from companies like Aluminess who specialize in van conversion accessories. You'd be right. Most futons need to be pushed back from the wall when they are turned into a bed, which wasn’t an option for our narrow cabin, and the other design plans were way too complicated for us. In saying that, not all mechanics are qualified to work on all vehicles. It was a great journey and I loved writing about it. We prefer using the Isotemp hot water heater for gas powered van conversions because you can power it from your battery bank as well as your coolant lines! Think of your solar panel setup or hauling additional gear. If you plan on adventuring south of the US border where diesel options are limited, you may want to steer towards a gas option for your van conversion. I also like the second thoughts about what would have been done if it was done again. Are you a weekend warrior? Each van has it's pros and cons and your choice is dependant on your use. At the end of the day it is your van conversion and your use that determines the van you buy, but you should get by with the Ford Transit AWD or a 2WD van in any of the models. How would we turn our van into a home? Ford Transits have the tallest roofs available in a factory van. Everyone deserves to be set free from rent. What You Need to Know in 2020, The 13 Best Vans to Live In for Van Life and Camping in 2020. For the medicine cabinet in our DIY camper, it was even more simple. This info should give you a good base to start thinking proactively in your search for the optimal van to convert. Dec 4, 2020 - 1999 Ford E-350 Extended 15 Passenger 4x4 Van (12552) What to look for when ordering/buying a factory conversion van for #vanlife. Final touches on our Ford Econoline: The fun stuff! 4x4 Trucks Custom Trucks Cool Trucks Ford Van Conversion Ambulance Lifted Van 4x4 Camper Van Big Van Kit S. Kudos on the effort put in and thank you very much for the article very helpful on my build that I’m currently working on. Once our necessities were taken care of, we could focus on aesthetics like the doors. need to take van height into consideration? If so, you might need to convert a longer wheelbase van as it'll provide more layout space. Renting an apartment was swallowing most of our paychecks and we were both tired of hustling all the time just to break even. Please note, comments must be approved before they are published. Time was not on our side – and neither were our skills – so we were set on reusing the walls and ceiling that came with the Ford Econoline conversion, even though foam from the upholstery clung to it in pieces. A Promaster conversion is a great option for you if you're looking to keep it simple, affordable, yet functional and dont need a 4x4 or AWD option. Example: Check out our most recent Sprinter van conversion named Ace Vantura. guide. We’d originally planned to paint or stain the walls, but the tackiness from the stubborn glue left an awkward texture. If you find a great conversion van on the lot already and it doesn't have windows, we can add some at our shop! There's plenty to think about and consider, we go more in depth on this below. options, 40+ ways to make money from your campervan, The Best Marine Toilets for Your Liveaboard Boat, How to do an awesome camper van conversion, DIY or custom-build, DIY campervan: Tips from the experts on building a van in 2019, The best campervan gear in 2019 to start living the van life, Campervan Conversion Kit: 7 simple ways to DIY your van, Campervan Interior: Building out your van - The Wayward Home, Small Class C RV: Our top small motorhome picks of 2019, Campervan Rental in Europe: Our Best Tips for Getting the Perfect Van, Dreaming of a Sprinter Van Conversion? The reasons being, if you get an interior wet bath or need additional seating or storage in your van, you're going to need a longer van as it takes up a large footprint. It's also the most expensive. Hot water in a gas powered van is a little harder as there is no 'dual top' or Espar setup for a gas powered van leaving you needing something else. Summer trips with the family? This is mostly because you can stand up in them BUT if you feel you'd have enough space with a medium roof, or something smaller, for parking, budget, or other reasons, we can work on that as well. That’s very exciting to hear! We typically recommend the AT LEAST 250/2500 class Sprinters, Transits, and Promasters, but upgrading the suspension and wheels to increase the GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating). When we built our Ford Econoline campervan on the cheap, we did it with Colorado in mind, where it gets down to 0 °F in the winter. I hadn’t touched a power tool since shop class in seventh grade. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. However, the 2WD to be is an awesome and capable vehicle for a much more reasonable price, especially with the weight of the van conversions cargo area preventing it from being too light to drive in snow and ice. Chevy express AWD 1500 6" lift. It's nice to look at this chart to compare the vans for your conversion for a few reasons. The 170" wheelbase can comfortably fit a family of 4 and fit most of the amenities from home with room to spare.