Micro Camper Van Build / Ford Transit Connect Van Conversion Process / How to Convert a Van
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 31 ก.ค. 2021
- We are in the process of converting our 2013 Ford Transit Connect Van into a micro camper van. This DIY project has taken place over the span of many weeks and includes prepping the van, adding sound deadening to the van, a floor build (installing flooring), insulation and a sliding slat pull-out bed build. We also installed a Maxxair Fan and back up camera to our van.
The conversion van build is not complete yet but is finished just enough to be ready for our first road trip beginning in Fort Kent, Maine. We will be driving the entire Route 1 road to the end of Key West and getting our first taste of van life!
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#vanbuild #vanbuildseries #fordtransitconnect
![[4K] BABYMONSTER(베이비몬스터) “FOREVER” Band LIVE Concert “영원히” 베몬만을 사랑하게 되…💗 [it’s KPOP LIVE 잇츠라이브]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/TQfC0xdpiw4/mqdefault.jpg)
Mike, you hit the jackpot in the wife department buddy. She's beautiful, playful, and down with the vanlife. Congratulations to you my man. Tell me your secret because I'll be starting vanlife in the spring. Lol
I hit the 'subscribe' button as soon as she said, "Mouse!"
I am glad that you enjoyed that part as much as I did! (This is Heather responding to this comment, Mike obviously did not enjoy that part as much hahaha I still laugh way too hard when I watch it back!)
Same! Don’t divorce her, because that is the reason I subscribed.
DITTO!! Cracked me up!!
I love her so much already 🤗💝
LOL I was thinking she's working her butt off and he thinks it's time for spaghetti 🍝 O's then ohhhh I get it! 🤣..You make a great team...a adorable team💝 stay safe stay💝🌞 💪
Mike and Heather, it's great to see my grandpa's old homestead being used for the launch of your adventure. Also good to see the last of my dad at the 23 minute mark. It hasn't been quite a year since he left us. LIsten to my 'sis, Denise. She'll tell you which way is up (always pre-drill 1/8" holes in white pine whether using screws or nails). If you veer off Rt 66 and happen to come up to Washington State, please visit. Yeah, my brother and I took apart his 66 Chevy Malibu SS in that garage, and it never got put back together, so well-done. I built my share of wood projects in that garage. I still dream about that place.
Oh wow! If you ever want to borrow the garage for old times' sake and finish your 66 Chevy Malibu SS project you are more than welcome to! haha We actually have some other footage of your dad too, we would often have the camera rolling and he would pop over to say hi and check in on our progress 😊 If you would like any of it, please let us know ❤️
After our Route 66 trip we traveled up the Pacific Coast Highway all the way up to Washington! Unfortunately we are a bit behind in our videos and have already left but the next time we are out that way we would love to say hi. Thank you for the kind words and for watching, it means a lot!
"MOUSE!" That was great!!!
haha Heather thought so too! If you got a kick out of that you should watch us struggle through another animal encounter in this video, we skipped to the good part in this link if you are in need of a good laugh: th-cam.com/video/itrsvKWtbtw/w-d-xo.html
Thank you for watching, we really appreciate it!
Laughed so hard!
I love this real couple. So refreshing.
Awe! Thank you so much! We really appreciate it and you watching! Have a great day :)
I get more chuckles watching you two than the Comedy Central channel.
That is too funny! We are glad we can make you laugh :)
But I (Heather) probably have you beat with the amount of times I find myself laughing at Mike haha
I’m loving this! Keep posting as you travel and build.
My wife and I are also building out a 2013 transit connect. It’s in a very very primitive state at the moment but we’ve already done a few weekend trips. It’s awesome!
Looking forward to seeing the progress you make.
That is awesome! It's funny, every Ford Transit Connect we pass on the road we find ourselves investigating to see if it has been converted into a camper- we will have to keep an eye out for you both haha
They do make for the perfect weekend getaway, regardless of how done up they are. We will be posting what the inside of ours looked like when we traveled in it for our first road trip. It is nowhere near being done, that is for sure, but the most important part is the adventure!
Thank you for the support- we really appreciate it!
You guys give the best tips!!! We’re loving each video and doing your whole series!
You are too kind! Glad you enjoyed the video :)
Love that you both have positive outlooks
Thank you! We really appreciate the kind words and you watching!
Beautiful, inspiring build! "Pro-tip" from an avid,.disabled DIYer: predrill holes than drill in the screw. Thanks for the details and your hard work 🤠🤘🌻
You are right! We learned about pre-drilling holes the hard way haha Thank you for your kind words, we really appreciate it!
I owned a 66 Dodge split window at the time we fixed it up then next a 1980 Chevy van built a bed a fridge and a stereo with a cassette what fun we had . I'm sure this will be an adventure of good time and fun. Good luck.
Wow that sounds awesome! After building our van we are not sure we would ever do it again haha so the fact that you built out two is very impressive! Thank you so much for watching, we really appreciate it! We can only hope we have as much fun as you said you did :)
You guys are …. well, entertaining. Love watching your progress. 😂
Haha thank you! And thank you for watching, we really appreciate it!
Just got a van, scary tying to get started...you guy's did an awesome job, enjoy your journey!!! Will be following you!!!
That is awesome! We are so excited for you! You will have to keep us updated on your journey as well! We knew nothing about converting a van (if that wasn't obvious haha) but trust us, if we can do it, you can do it :) Thank you again for all of your support, we really do appreciate you!
21:27 If yall switched heights, then mike would be in heaven 🤣😂
I just started following you and I love this one. I do have a suggestion to cut down the wood splitting when you screw into it. Pre-drill the holes with a drill bit that is smaller than the diameter of the screw. Its good you have 2 drills. One for screws an one to pre-drill. You 2 have done an amazing job! My Dad was very interested in what you are working on and I know he would be very proud of what you have accomplished! ❤️
Thank you for the suggestion! Your dad actually told us the same thing when he saw us struggling with it in the driveway haha great minds think alike! Yes, he and Pat were very interested and always liked to help ❤️ Thank you for the kind words and for watching, we really appreciate it!
Great build and the "MOUSE!" comment made me laugh out loud as it's the sort of thing I would do to with my sense of humour haha. Subscribed to you and hope you are both well.
Haha we are glad you enjoyed it! And by we, we mean Heather. Heather is glad you enjoyed it, Mike is still recovering from the scare!
Thank you so much for watching, we really appreciate it! We hope you are well too :)
So glad I stumbled across your channel. Im on the jersey shore & looking forward to watching your uploads! Safe travels. 🚐💙🌊🍻
Thank you so much, we really appreciate it and you!
Also, we eventually want to visit the Jersey Shore so we will have to reach out to you when we start planning our trip to get an idea of the best places to visit, other than the Jersey Shore house haha (although, not going to lie, we both religiously watched that show when it was first out lol) Thank you again for your support!
@@mikeandheather I would totally love that. I literally live on the bay across from the Seaside Heights Boardwalk...I watch the ferris wheel from my deck :) you guys def reach out & can roll into my driveway for a night or 2 anytime! I'd be stoked to host you!
Great video 🤙🔥☀️
Thank you, we really appreciate it!
Great entertaining video 👍🏻 My BF and I have just started DIYing a Transit Custom conversion. We’re nowhere near finished but will be getting out for our first trip in a week’s time. Have fun on your travels x
That is so awesome! Good luck on your build, you will have to keep us updated on how it goes! Safe travels :)
You guys are using very good tools.
haha we stole them from our parents!
You two are adorable and hilarious.
Heather shouts: raatttt!!!!
Mike: heart stops 💔 frozen in time then calmly says we're getting a divorce 🤣
Great build 💕
Haha thank you! Heather found it hilarious as well, Mike not so much lol Thanks for watching :)
Wow really nice van build Congrats🙂😎🚎🚌
Thank you! We actually just finished the entire van build and are excited to test it out on a road trip! Thank you for watching, we really appreciate it!
@@mikeandheather Ur very welcome 🙂
I subscribed as soon as she said mouse too lol.
Awesome! Thank you for watching, we really appreciate it!
That was brilliant mouse 🐁 so funny.
Mike didn't think so but I (heather) found it particularly funny haha
Thank you for watching, we really appreciate it!
That mouse call.....never laughed so hard before...pure terror in his eyes...great joke, Heather 🙂
I (Heather) thought it was a great joke as well, Mike not so much lol
Thank you so much for watching, we really appreciate it!
I've watched this video like four times and every time I laugh 2tears over the mouse!!! situation. Thankhz so Much for sharing Your van build. Wholeness n Essence of Love ((-;
I (Heather) have replayed that clip many times and still laugh just as hard! If you like watching Mike be afraid of things a fraction of his size you have to watch this: th-cam.com/video/itrsvKWtbtw/w-d-xo.html
I started the video right before the good part, I hope you enjoy it! I really do, Mike not so much lol
Thank you for watching, we really do appreciate it and you!
You are so Welcome Heather. Wholeness n Essence of Love ((-;
I'm really enjoying going back to the beginning of your videos, since I only started with you in Vermont (because you drove past the vacation home we rent on 100 in Ludlow). I think we only started watching consistently as you neared the end of Route 66 though. Anyway, these early videos are so good that you clearly must have been vlogging elsewhere first. Any chance you'd mind sharing your other channel(s)? No worries if not! Happy travels! -Sean and Andy from Long Island
Thank you for the kind words and for watching, we really do appreciate it and both of you! Not sure if you are being sarcastic but no! lol We did not have another channel or any vlogging experience before we started this channel- we usually tell people to not go back to the beginning as the videos get more and more cringy- we had a lot of learning to do 😂 Thank you for the confidence boost and support, it means a lot to us!
@@mikeandheather Hahahaha, no sarcasm whatsoever! That's amazing! Your early videos are really well done, honestly! Stay safe and keep enjoying every wonderful minute of this experience! Many of the places you're seeing, as much as you keep saying "next time" about them, will unfortunately be one time only visits. That's life. It flies by. So definitely appreciate each place as if it's the last time you'll see it, just in case. Treasure the now. :)
@@angelenroute You are right! We are extremely fortunate to be able to do this and not only be able to travel to all these amazing places together but that we also get to share it with a kind and supportive group of people here on TH-cam. It truly is surreal to us, and we are so thankful for you following along on our journey more than you could ever know! We will do our best to treasure the now 😊
Great build! So glad to watch you two and what you accomplish. Do you know the length along floor from back to the seats? Wondering if it's around 72 inches?
Thank you
Hi! Thank you for watching, we really appreciate your support! Yes, from the back seats to the back of the van is 6ft (72 inches). The dimensions of the inside is 6ft by 4ft. Hope that helps!
Love the content! I'm late to the video but just incase, did the sound dampening pads make a big difference?
Just started watching y'alls channel and I'm loving it so far!
Being an ATLA/LOK nerd myself, my question to you both: Which nation would y'all belong to and what bending would y'all have?
Thank you for the kind words and for watching, we really appreciate it! Mike says he would be a water bender, I (Heather) after looking into how expensive international plane tickets are, would probably choose to be an air bender- the nomadic lifestyle is also appealing haha
Drill then scroll bolt that right way 😉
You are right! We learned that a bit later than we would have preferred haha
when it splits you pre-drill the hole
INSOLATE!!!!!!! Kids
Don't worry, we do add more insulation :)
This is wonderful! Thank you! I like the music, too! I just bought a 2013 and your videos make me think I can do more than I thought. How thick is the plywood on your floor?
Ok, maybe not the bed.
Trust us, if we can do it, you can absolutely do it! haha
We used 3/4 inch Birch plywood for the flooring. Hope that helps! Thank you so much for watching, we really appreciate it! Best of luck in your van build! (specifically the bed lol)
I am really curious about the solar panels and generator you guys use. Does anyone know if there a video on that?
Can you post any info on the make/model of the roof rack. I have a 2012 Transit Connect, and that one looks perfect.
The roof rack came with the van when we purchased it so we don't know the exact model but we did find this one on Walmart that we think is the one the previous owner must have purchased as it looks identical!
Here is the link: www.walmart.com/ip/80070-Transit-Connect-Roof-Rack/657367817?fbclid=IwAR0lgsYVbGbPI_mLr2etDDwMO-ZVwmQhXuRKi67Ndx_ZnPFvP4myT1Ohnlo
Hope that helps! Thank you for watching, we really appreciate it!
If you build again drill pilot holes to keep the wood from splitting.
Thank you for the suggestion, we really do appreciate it and you watching!
LMAO, “you’re an asshole” “we’re getting a divorce” 😂
Heather finds it hilarious as well, Mike not so much! haha
When dealing with mouse droppings, you should really be wearing a mask. Hantavirus is a true thing.
Thanks for the heads up! Thankfully we have been mouse free since that day! We also removed all of the material that the mice appeared to be on. (hopefully we don't jinx ourselves here haha)
So I hope you have also noticed the drivers door sticker with your gross vehicle weight? Thats the Max weight this van can carry. It will be either 1400 or 1600 pounds, most likely 1600 since your van has no windows. That weight includes the weight of a full tank of gas and both of you inside with ALL the additional material you are adding. Why does it matter - Fuel economy, power output, and more importantly, braking. My van is good up to 900 pounds and then you notice these things. I would add, and estimate what you have already done like insulation, sound deadening and don't forget - the roof rack and fan in your estimated weight during your build. And add everything else as you go along - and remember you will also be adding luggage, coolers, etc once you hit the road. I am getting 26 MPG when loaded, and 28 when unloaded. Van s are very personal as to what you do and don't build. But the fan will not do much unless you have the doors cracked open , or you front windows down an inch. I highly recommend you install some Atlanta Vent Shades. This will allow the windows down and no rain to enter. Also some Nylon screens to be cut the frame size of your front windows to be held with magnets to keep the critters out with the windows down. Also big screen to cover your rear opening with the doors open. You will be glad you did. Hope this helps, enjoy!
You are right! We do really need to watch the weight in our van. Thankfully, we have been researching and watching other TH-cam videos to try and find ideas for lightweight materials, however, it has been a challenge for sure!
It is like you read our minds with the fan and the Atlanta Vent Shades! We recently bought an off brand of the shades for that very reason, we were very excited to add them to our van and it has helped a lot. Great minds think alike! (just kidding, it was not our idea, we actually found it off of a TH-cam video as well, so you actually share a great mind with them and not us haha)
We will absolutely have to do your Nylon screen idea! That sounds fantastic. Thank you for all of your ideas and support, we really appreciate it! This has been a fun learning experience for us and any help is much appreciated. By the way, your van sounds very well thought out and awesome!
The wood needs to be predrilled when screwing in those size screws on the thin wood. @23:16
Haha yeah, we learned that the hard way...
Don't want to burst your bubble. I had one of those vans the motor is know to burn the #2 exhaust valve's after about 100,000 miles a scanner will show #2 misfire
Uh oh. Hopefully we have better luck than you did! We will definitely have to keep an eye out for that. Until then, we will just enjoy it for the time we have it (which is hopefully for a long time haha) Thank you for watching!
I'm so thankful y'all didn't go before the judge in divorce court & claim "she yelled rat & there was none!" Or..is that where Mike got those awesome pants? Aw..this grandma only picks on people she loves. Watching your videos make me happy-thank you ❌⭕❌⭕😘, Iris. Rat😂😂
Wood splits when you don't drill a guide hold with a drill and bit first :) I know in a year late but hey
Thank you! Better late than never haha We really appreciate it and you watching :)
do you prefer the Dynopad, the sound deadening pads, or is either or. also how many sq. ft of the stuff did you need
Hi- honestly it really depends, both ended up working for different areas of the van! The Dynopad worked better for filling areas like the doors and the walls. For the areas we had to build directly on top of the pads worked best. If we had to choose only one material, we would suggest the pads for the cost and ability to build on top of. The rolling takes a bit of time compared to just gluing the Dynopad but overall the pads are more versatile (in our opinion) especially if you are going to add insulation separate from the Dynopad.
In terms of how much sq ft. we used- too much! lol We probably could have gotten away with half as much as we actually used. We were given a lot of loose pieces so we do not know the actual amount. But we noticed there wasn't much difference after the first wave that we put down when we added more. We could have gotten away with way less. We only used as much as we did because it was free so we figured we would use it haha Sorry we don't have the actual number for you, hopefully this helps! Thank you for watching, we really appreciate it!
@@mikeandheather thanks soooo much
6:57 Do yall still have that mat? Ppl who are planning their transit connect will kill to have those dimensions!!! Maybe a sketchup model?
No we don't! Maybe we will make a video with all the dimensions in the future. Thank you for the suggestion and for watching, we really do appreciate it!
@@mikeandheather you're welcome :D
Canisius college Buffalo NY??
Yes! We both attended Canisius College, Go Griffs!
How much sound deadening did you get and which brand was it?
Hi-
Honestly we used too much! We were gifted 3 different kinds of sound deadening from our parents (left overs from their previous projects) so we probably added more than we actually needed to.
The black brand of sound deadening we used was from Dynamat. This is a name brand kind and quite expensive. You can get cheaper sound deadening that works just as great! The silver sound deadening was an off brand and more affordable option. (I think it was ordered off of Amazon) I am not sure who exactly manufactures the kind we used, as it was given to us without packaging. Sorry we couldn't give more information!
In our own research we found a lot of other people were using KILMAT which you can get off of Amazon as well. You can always check craigslist or online marketplaces too, we were able to get our reflective insulation brand new for a third of the cost that way! Hope this helps!
Thanks for watching, we really appreciate it!
What is the shelf made of? Metal or wood?
The overhead shelf is made out of both! You can see how we built it here: th-cam.com/video/n3711TscbhE/w-d-xo.htmlsi=Ly9s3B8mrYcOU68y
Hope that helps! Thanks for watching 😊
Hi good job. Is this a hightop ford transit connect? What height is it internally please
Thank you for the kind words and for watching, we really appreciate it! From 2010 to 2013 the Ford Transit Connects have a high roof which is why we went with an older model (ours is a 2013) over one of the newer Connects. From 2014 and beyond the roof height is significantly lower.
From our floor to our wooden ceiling panels is 51.5 inches. This measurement does not include the insulation we put in the floor and the 3/4 inch plywood or the difference in ceiling height from the van roof to our wood boards which may be another inch or 2. So the true height of the interior is a little higher but because we added a floor and ceiling we lost a little bit of space. Hope that helps!
@@mikeandheather then you for taking the time to get back to me. I'll watch for that as I'm in the process of buying one or looking for one at the moment. Thank you again
@@mckeon1960 No problem! Best of luck in your van search!
Hey! My girlfriend and I plan to do something that looks like your van. What are the dimensions of your bed? Do you find it small to sleep together since the space is smaller than a double-sized bed? Thank you!
Hi- the bed dimensions are 3.5 ft by 6ft when in "bed mode." With the passenger seat pushed up you can get some extra room which is what we do with Mike being 6'5'' haha It is a little bit wider than a twin bed, so you definitely have to like each other but it doesn't feel cramped lol
@@mikeandheather Thank you so much!
@@mikeandheather I'm currently designing a small van that features an internal kitchen AND 4 foot by 6 foot bed. The design would it a Transit Connect.
@@edenbreckhouse Wow that sounds awesome! haha we are envious... best of luck in your build!
What model did you get?
Hi! We have a 2013 Ford Transit Connect XLT :)
Any issues with transmission?
Nope! Thankfully we have not had any transmission issues. Thank you for watching, we really appreciate it!
@@mikeandheather how many miles do you guys have on it now?
@@TannerMcCartney We bought it at 97,000 miles and have put about 50,000 miles on it so now it is around 147,000 miles! We drove it from the east coast to the west coast and then all the way up to Alaska and back to New York with no issues :)
@@mikeandheather awesome. I just found a 2013 with 87k miles that I think I’m going to buy.
@@TannerMcCartney That is awesome! Best of luck in your van search/build! You will have to let us know how it goes, we love hearing about other people's builds :)
I hope you see what happened now! It's so funny right now but I would've been so irritated
You are right! Like most things with time we can look back on it and laugh but in the moment it was definitely annoying haha Thank you so much for watching, we really appreciate it!
Mouse! 😂🤣😂🤣
Heather still laughs about that all the time! Haha Thank you for watching :)
mike did you get scared?
Yes! I'm pretty sure his whole life flashed before his eyes haha
@@mikeandheather The look on his face was priceless! Mom and I still laugh at that! Highlight reel
Don't stick your hand in our face. Very annoying.