Van Build Video Series- building a nice BASIC Campervan on a budget the right way. How to copy our 150k Pop Top AWD for 40k+ less!

VAN IS FOR SALE AND AVAILABLE SOON $109K

We decided to post some basic videos documenting our most recent build in progress. This will be updated over the next few months as we complete this build.

Why crew trim van for a family? = Saves a ton of money, rear seating, wall panels, turn key right away

You have to take it totally apart first, Forget the eye candy fancy bolt on lipstick on the outside, this is what really transforms a van starting on the inside. You should start here first before adding tires/wheels, racks, lights...do your electrical, sound deadening, insulation, then go to your walls, flooring, bed, cabinets, ...

Yes you have to take it apart, even a cargo van you need to take the doors apart.

Electrical work first, this van we are installing a DC only house battery in the engine compartment to leave room inside for gear. This will be charged by alternator and solar providing more than enough power to run a fridge, charge phones, fridge, roof fan, heater, and laptop-all the basics you need. This system is simple and greatly reduces build costs, most don't need more than this in their van. You cannot however run appliances (AC) with this set up.

You would not put your wall in before your electrical and plumbing would you before your drywall? In this case we had to take the van apart first to metal...then go from there

HOUSE AUX BATTERY that leaves room inside your van for gear and people

Aux DC Battery System in hood- keeping inside of the van open for storage as well as keeping build costs down significantly. No need for a box or complicated wiring inside the van. More than enough to power heater, fridge, fan, phones, laptop with solar and alternator charging

SOUND DEADENING AND INSULATION - where most van fall short, some examples of what we do and why its so much work, details matter. Most over looked or area short cuts are taken, but on those long road trips so worth the extra effort to do it right.

Your stock van is like a tin can!

Comparison stock vs modified

Do as much as possible for best results and use top quality materials.

Insulation doors

Next Level?...do the front floor!

Sliding Door

Front Doors

Doesn't look like much at this point...but to this point you can easily have put in 100 hours to get here. In this case we are about 70% done, as we will have to take the headliner down (again) to cut out a hole for Pop Top entry, install roof solar, power to a fan in the pop top, then secure the L track for the cabinets. It will be a few months before pop top shows up so we decided to put it back together at this point. If there was not pop top, we would have installed a fan and button up the headliner for good.

FLOORING:

Flooring - High Quality interwoven vinyl flooring

Upgraded Flooring and seat track modification single to double dual position

Floor Completed with OEM trim

Simple 3 panel fixed height removable bed. Everything we build we make the bed removable so you can use the van as a cargo van. Why wouldn't we? These vans are to expensive to just use as a campervan.

Full Size windows are they better than a wall or a pill style window? Yes! Your camping don't you want a view? (At least that's my opinion)

You don't see this with a wall or pill window...taking a nap with a view!

We got the "lower" main part of the van completed. Just waiting for the Pop Top, Will install 400w of solar, a fan, and lighting on the top and put it on the van. We have still to do the finish trim for the opening...can't do that till top shows up, however this gives you an idea pretty much of the layout of the van except for the Pop Top itself.

Interior layout of van lower part. Tops take 3 months currently to get...so its a chore finishing one of these, will be the only one we will likely have or even build for the summer as we can't get tops till almost end of summer even if we order one now in April!

Comfort is #1, don't take short cuts. We have not made any "shortcuts" in this build, just approached things a bit differently, but not with the mattress, we went to the very best. Still keeping it totally modular.

Why sacrifice on comfort? This van that is the #1 focus from comfort bench seat to rear mattress and even the one used in the Pop Top!

You can never have enough storage- no shortcuts in this van on storage solutions for family gear