We've always been interested in the idea of "vanlife" where people build a vehicle to live out of. One day after a few espresso martini's we thought, "what if we actually DID it?"
We looked at a few companies that sold van conversions, but the prices were absurdley expensive. It also would not have given us the chance to design and build exactly what we wanted, which is half the fun!
After a few more martini's we landed on trying to find a new-ish Ford Transit. We chose the Ford since I already own a Ford and was familiar with how to work on them. The rest of what we decided on:
Hard requirements:
- Ford Transit 250 Cargo
- 148" Wheelbase, Non-Extended
- High Roof
- Sync 4 Stereo system
Nice to have:
- AWD
- Adaptive Cruise
- Towing Package
- Dual batteries
We got lucky and within a few weeks of starting our search, we found a 2023 on the lot just 30 miles away and went and picked it up. It met all of the hard requirements and other than the adaptive cruise, all of the nice-to-have items.
Once we had the van, we started designing the layout, and deciding on what we wanted/needed. Our goal was not to live out of the van full time, but rather go on 2-3 week long trips at a time. We'd need to be able to bring our dog, and also continue to be able to work from the van full time while on the road.
Exterior:
- Solar on the roof
- Small A/C unit and fan on the roof
- Outdoor shower
Interior:
- Quen size bed (would need to be in N-S configuration)
- Small sink inside
- Small composting toilet inside
- Pull out kitchen area (with fridge) in the "garage" area (under the bed)
- Large enough battery bank to be off grid, charging with solar and alternator for up to 3 weeks
- Enough fresh water for a week
- Space for 2 people to work inside the van
We are still working out many of the details - what we can fit, what we can afford, and what we will need. Josh is building much of the design in CAD and I'm working on planning out the electrical system. One of the first things we'll need to do it cut any necessary holes in the van, so a few of the first items we are looking at are the AC unit, fan, exterior connections (electrical, any plumbing, etc), and windows. As we finish up the planning process and start to build, we'll have many more posts to share!