Off grid or fully connected, this well insulated, complete build with a queen bed, indoor and outdoor hot shower, induction stove, sink and toilet is as comfortable as it is functional and reliable.
My wife and I drove to Colorado from Washington to get our hands on this gem from the engineer who built it. My wife wanted a better shower, so we had one built in. We also added a bug wall, bug screen to the side and rear doors. I added a dent backing into a mailbox, but there’s no extra charge for that. I have also noticed that in the right light you can see some warping in the walls/sides of the van in some places, apparently from the first layer of insulation. It was insulated for the Colorado climate. We did remove the microwave since we never use them.
2016 Ford Transit High Roof Extended van with high end build. Designed and built for full-time vanlife, but also great for weekend adventures. Carefully built with the best quality components (Victron, Battleborn, Espar, etc.). Large amounts of water, solar, and batteries to keep you in the backcountry! Van Compass lift kit and suspension upgrades make a HUGE difference in ride quality and offroad prowess vs. the stock suspension and tires. No corners cut. Every detail was built to last – It is safe, functional, and reliable.
Summary
- Premier components chosen throughout – No expense spared
- Low mileage, reliable Ford van
- Sleeps 2, Drives 2.
- VanCompass lift. You do NOT need 4WD! This van can handle rugged terrain with no problem.
- 50 gallons of fresh water, 670W of solar, 400 Ah Battery
- Stealthy urban living – No need to exit the vehicle when you park to sleep. Partition wall blocks light to keep a low profile.
- Lots of storage space for all your gear, clothes, and food
- Queen Mattress (60”x80”). Plenty of room to stretch out.
- High roof for lots of headroom inside van (6′ 4″ inside).
- Indoor and outdoor showers with hot and cold water.
Van
- 2016 Transit T-350 148” Wheelbase High Roof Extended
- 59,000 Miles
- 3.5L Ecoboost V6
- RWD
- Clean Arizona Title
- Passed Colorado Emissions 10/2023
- Oil changes every 5000 miles
- Undermount spare wheel and tire
Suspension & Tires
- VanCompass Topo Stage 3 Lift Kit including Bilstein front struts, Falcon rear shocks, 5 leaf spring pack, and sumo springs (professionally installed and aligned)
- Method 703 Black Wheels – 17×7.5”
- All Terrain Tires – BFGoodrich A/T K02 – 265/70R17
- The lift kit and tires make this van ride extremely tight and straight. The difference before and after the lift and suspension upgrades was astounding. It has been super capable on rugged offroad/dirt terrain and drives perfectly on the highway.
Electrical
- 400 Ah Battery Bank: 4 x 100 Ah Battle Born Lithium LiFePO4 Batteries
- 670 Watts of Solar: 2 x 335W Panasonic VBHN335SA17 Monocrystalline Panels
- WeBoost Drive Reach Fleet cell phone signal booster
- Victron Multiplus 3000 Watt Pure Sine Inverter with Shore Power Charging
- Victron Digital Multi Control GX Inverter Remote Panel
- Victron 100/30 SmartSolar MPPT Solar Controller
- Victron 360 Watt DC-DC Charger (Charge from alternator)
- Victron BMV-712 Battery Monitor with Temp Sensor
- Bluetooth connections on BMV, Solar, and DC-DC Charger
- All wiring properly sized with stranded marine wire (NO Romex)
- Conduit used as much as possible to protect wiring
- 6 x 20 amp 120V outlets
- 2 x 15 amp 120V outlets with USB
- USB outlets throughout van
- LED lights with dimmer switches
- 480W 12V Converter
- WFCO Distribution Panel (110V AC Breakers and 12V DC Fuses)
- Swivel reading light in bed
- 30A shore power outlet and adapter to standard 110V plug
General
- Custom Cabinets with ¾ Birch Plywood
- Well insulated with combination of 3M Thinsulate, Polyiso foam board, Rockwool, and spray foam. NO water absorbent insulation.
- Lifeproof plank flooring
- Maxxair Maxxfan Deluxe 7000K above bed (includes remote)
- Maxxair Maxxfan Dome above kitchen/shower area
- 2 big storage drawers (15″x50″ and 17.5″x50″) with 470 lb rated slides. Ready for bikes, skis, and all your gear!
- Partition wall between cab and living area with lockable sliding door for ultimate privacy/stealth. Quick access between front/back without having to exit the vehicle. This is great for SAFETY while sleeping in urban areas.
- Floating bed frame mounted directly into van structure for maximum storage under bed
- Laveo dry flush toilet. No smell.
- Pass through access doors to garage storage
- Storage area above cab for lightweight items
- Bug Wall on side and rear doors
Kitchen
- Butcher block countertops sealed with food-safe Rubio Monocoat
- Vitrifrigo 24V Sea Drawer stainless steel marine refrigerator and freezer (HUGE!)
- True Induction 1750 Watt 12” single burner induction cooktop
- Torva 15″x17″ undermount sink with countertop insert
- Pfister black kitchen faucet
- Three storage drawers and spice rack drawer
- Plumbing connection ready for water filter below kitchen sink
- Fold down countertop extension
- Outside countertop on drawer slides
Living
- Slide out butcher block table between two seats
- Indoor shower
- Seating for two
Water
- Bosch 4 Gallon 120V Electric Water Heater
- 45 Gallon fresh water tank (custom vertical tank to maximize rear storage)
- 18 Gallon gray water tank (external undermount)
- Shurflo 3.5GPM 12V water pump
- Indoor hot/cold shower
- Outdoor hot/cold shower Dura Faucet on rear panel
Heat
- Espar (Eberspaecher) B4L Airtronic Heater
- Espar pulls directly from the van gas tank. No external tank. Very efficient
