Finished build March 12, 2021. Check out the tour video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjX9yEtncFw
I am a perfectionist Engineer and I spent a LOT of time on this as I built this to be my personal van to travel in. It is very comfortable and I find myself forgetting where I am because I am so comfortable in it. Everywhere I go, I have people wanting to see it. They are always impressed and want to have one of their own. It is fun.
THIS WAS BUILD FOR SOLO TRAVEL BUT I WOULD BE WILLING TO CONVERT TO A FULL BED. You would have to cover the cost of my labor and materials, and be willing to put a deposit down. Also I would have to remove some of the inside storage, but you would have more storage in the garage.
Living Room/Workstation
Work remotely on the road. Removable workstation built into van for use programming, but could be used for video editing, office work, etc. Laptop ledge, monitor and sound built into Lagun table.
Lagun table can be in 3 configurations: Removed, table only, and full workstation with sound and monitor mount.
Laptop ledge next to seat allows you to use 2 screens: You laptop to your right and your larger monitor in front of you. Most of the time I shut my laptop and just used the one larger monitor.
Bench seat built for ALL DAY comfort unlike many vans that I have seen that just have a cushion underneath and a straight hard back. , I spend a lot of time and research seat height, seat angle, back angle, foam densities etc, to design a seat that will be comfortable for me all day - and I am very picky. Soft velvet upholstered seat with high end fabric rated to 250,000 double rubs. 2 inches of high density foam, 2 inches of memory foam, and dacron. Built in memory foam lumbar support. Back tilts to adjust for the most comfortable seating position. Made wide enough for 2 to sit and watch a movie or eat together.
3 Bright recessed 3000k LED lights reading mounted in cabinets above provide plenty of light for maximum ability to read, write, and work at the table.
3 Low level (1 Watt each) warm lights (2200K) are great to still be able to see the keyboard and your food, but also create a mood lighting. These are the same type of lights used for string lights used for backyards and outdoor seating at restaurants.
Low power inverter (300W) installed to run workstation for hours with low power usage
Light switches and Inverter can be switched while seated for convenience.
Inverter has USB chargers built in.
Sound system with subwoofer - sounds great! Mine is included upon request or you can put your own in.
The trash can and 2 storage drawers are accessible from seat for convenience.
I simply used my phone to tether to get internet. This worked very well.
Kitchen
Two pull-out kitchen pantries
Microwave
Refrigerator: Xtreme Power 52-Quart Bluetooth Cooler Refrigerator Portable Car Low Wattage Electric Fridge. You can see the temperature and change setting from your phone. It only used about 3% of my battery power overnight.
Large sink. Faucet with pull out sprayer.
Beautiful matching epoxy resin countertops and desktop. Countertop extension for extra cooking space.
Silverware drawer is a drawer in a drawer (as seen in video)
Drawers custom built to hug sink to provide as much storage as possible. Also a toe kick is built into the bottom drawer.
Bathroom
Indoor hot water shower with light and nautilus retractable shower door.
Showerhead can be used stationary or moved around on flexible hose.
Toilet ready. There is space in the shower for your toilet of choice. I have a luggage loo for emergencies, but I never needed it as there was always a Walmart or rest area handy.
Bedroom
I may be willing to convert from a narrow twin bed to a full bed for the cost of the materials and labor.
5 inch memory foam mattress (75 x 30 inches) that is more comfortable than the mattress in my house. There is some pricey venting material under mattress to prevent mold.
Built to sleep 1 (solo traveler) to make more interior storage space, but will sleep 1 or maybe 2 guests on floor if needed. Or I can convert to a full bed for an extra charge.
Closet for hanging closes and shoes and a drawer built in for other clothes
Full length mirror with surrounding dimmable LED lights that automatically come on when you open the closet door. I like this mirror better than any mirror in my house! There isn't a sink in your way and the lighting is exceptional so you can see your face VERY well when getting ready.
Wireless Charger shelf for phone and other accessory constructed for a Galaxy S10+ but can be modified to work with most any phone. Even as is can be used as a shelf to hold and charge any phone.
Reading lights angled from above head of bed with light switch next to bed.
Collapsible step stool to assist getting in and out of bed. This is also helpful when washing windshield.
Electrical
All designed and installed by a Purdue Electrical Engineer
500 watts of solar (I have another 250 watt panel that will fit on the roof available upon request)
206 Ah of lithium batteries. On a typical day I never got below 90% battery. I don't think I ever got below 80% battery.
3 ways to charge batteries: solar, 40 amp Renogy battery to battery charger to properly charge lithium from an alternator, and 75 amp battery charger to charge from generator or extension cord from house.
2 Inverters to save power (2000W for kitchen and water heater, 300w for laptop/monitor/sound system)
Battery monitor shows percent of battery charge, Amp hours remaining, Amps being added or removed, battery voltage
EPEVER 40 Amp solar charge controller with remote monitor configured for lithium batteries. This charge controller works very well!
All electrical circuits are properly fused for safety and labeled.
Custom Construction
Beautiful cedar ceiling and accent walls. Cedar enhanced with boiled linseed oil and 4 coats of shellac to give a perfect warm satin finish. Materials are all 100% natural/not toxic.
Low VOC materials throughout including premium ($$$) plywood without formaldehyde for a very heathy indoor environment.
Double insulated, blackout curtains that overlap by 2 feet to completely block out light leakage. Curtains slide easily tracks to provide access to the driver's compartment.
Custom cabinets and drawers made in van to fit van perfectly
Soft-close hinges and magnetic catches on cabinets
Full extension drawer slides and adjustable ball-catches hold drawers closed
Cabinets are held open by stainless steel hatch supports made for yachts that never have to be replaced unlike piston type supports.
There are a couple of places a long the ceiling that haven't been completely trimmed out. They are in the pictures, but may not be noticeable.
Sliding door is projection tv ready. Just add a projector and watch a big screen in the van with your date.
Garage access from inside through door under bed. This also allows you to transport long items.
Very well insulated all around with polyiso up to 2 inches thick and Havlock wool and spray foam in areas where polyiso will not fit.
Lighting (Lots of Lights)
I hate cold clinical white lights so I installed warm lights as much as possible including the special 2200 kelvin desk area lights that I used quite a bit.
Overhead lights 3 x 3 watts 3200K. It is amazing how much these 3 lights alone illuminate everything.
Desk Reading lights 3 x 3 watts 3200K
Desk Warm low wattage lights 3 x 1 watts 2200K
Bedroom reading lights 2 x 3 watts 3200K
Kitchen countertop lights 2 x 3 watts 3200K
Shower light 1 x 3 watts 3200K
Mirror lights 3 x 6 watts 3000K (Auto on/off)
Garage lights 2 x 3 watts 5000k
Dreamcolor individually addressable LED lights in professional aluminum channels that move in hundreds of rainbow and solid color patterns or move to music. You can also set you own custom color to create your own "feel". Create anything from a chill evening to a party with built in sound. Brightness can be controlled and the speed of the moving patterns. All can be controlled from an app on your phone. Full brightness is around 45 watts Watch video for demo!
Heating/Cooling
Maxxair Fan, 10 speeds in 10 speeds out, remote, can be operated in the rain.
Space saved and prewired for 2nd roof fan
2 omni directional fans designed for yachts. One in desk area, one over bed. These are pricey but well worth the money! Allow air to blow directly on you. Game changer.
5000 BTU diesel heater that will keep you warm even on the coldest nights. intake from garage area to keep it warm.
10 Liter diesel tank in garage area provides easy access to fuel pump and allows visible confirmation of remaining fuel.
Water System
33 Gallon fresh water tank kept indoors so it will not freeze when visiting cold areas. This is fillable by a hose with a quick connect and is vented so you can fill it much quicker than a gravity fed system.
10 gallon indoor grey water tank with electric ball valve so you can flip a switch to drain it. Like the fresh water tank, this is also vented outdoors.
2.5 gallon water heater connected to shower and sink
Shurflo pressure sensing water pump with switch by sink.
Van
I did get 15 to 18 mpg until I removed the leading and trailing edge of the roof rack (not needed due to the rigid solar panels.) now I get 18 to over 21 mpg highway. I was surprised at the improvement, but happy for the increased fuel mileage!
Blindspot cameras under side mirrors with 7 inch screen. The van came with a backup camera that is very useful. Lines show how close you can park and still get the back doors open.
This was used as a cargo van for 20,000 miles before I purchased it. Therefore there are some normal dings and wear and tear from use. There is a 1.25 inch tear in the back of the passenger seat that is normally covered by the curtain. Overall it is in good shape and very dependable. It is still under a partial factory warranty.
Swivel seat ready - curtains used to allow the use of a swivel seat in the future.
Aftermarket Cruise Control Installed
Front wheeled drive for better traction in winter.
All the tires have a lot of tread life left on them. The rear tires only have 10k miles on them.
This van is a exceptional van that I would not be afraid to take anywhere. I'm frankly going to be sorry to see it go, because I may never build anything this nice ever again.
