Typically, I'll install 40 to 50 gallons of fresh water. Knowing you had no need for such gallonage...I placed a 37 gallon fresh water tank in the garage for your walkthrough. Once we fitted the bicycles, I had to reduce the tank to a 31 gallon size. So YES! You've got over 30 gallons of fresh! 😊
We have a 30 gallon fresh tank and even with two people showering regularly, it has been plenty. Most of the time we don't even fill it to capacity, to save weight.
Now George needs matching small off road trailer to carry adventure gear that can be left at camp site with a screen room that attaches it to the van 😊
This was so cool seeing it from the client perspective. I have been following George since the pandemic and loving his mind and hence his builds. Seeing him going through the walk through was very interesting since you basically had him redo everything. I didn’t know whether to laugh, be sorry for him or be happy for you when he was amicable enough (someone else might not have been so accommodating) and seeing that he really wants you both to be genuinely happy since it’s your van. I am glad he explained the reason when he couldn’t do something. I am also glad you found each other. The van will be beautiful. Can’t wait to see it. Didn’t know you before this. Btw, very nice editing.
I have an OnTour, like yours only on the Ford chassis. I’ve always said I would love to have a “garage” I could put my bicycle in but am not willing to give up my wonderful couch. I love it that you will have a bed that can be raised at the head for reading and watching TH-cam with that big garage under it.
I just wanted to comment as a new subscriber to just say how much I enjoy your videos. I’m based in UK and have a Ford Transit Custom so I’ve enjoyed seeing how you guys use yours and the little details/tips that you share to make the best use of the space. But most of all I find your videos genuine and relaxing somehow. With so may TH-camrs now reaching for hits with various gimmicks it’s nice to just see a video that flows naturally and hear someone’s thought process so thank you.
I really love the way you guys look at this new van using all your past experiences on the road. The use of the bathroom also as an office had me remembering a very funny episode of Portlandia with Fred Armiston. I think it was season 5 episode 8 where they were living in a tiny house. He was on the toilet and she was facing him working on her computer. If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it. It’s not many people that get to build a van to their needs and I wish you all the luck in getting it right. If anybody can do it George can.
Thanks for your video. A customized van is the best van - I can only dream of. I am sure you will enjoy every minute traveling in it - once you will have it. -- Greetings from Eire (= the Republic of Ireland) this time.
I have been waiting for this video!!! My two favorite channels coming together to create a fabulous van. Enjoy the process and can't wait for the reveal.
I have the same RV you have now. This spring I had the toilet removed, cleaned and sealed the black tank and installed an OGO compost toilet. Very happy with the choice. Simple, compact easy to empty, no unattractive smell. I had the vent tube inserted into the vent pipe.
Your van looks like it will have some really good ideas! Cant wait to see the toilet choice! Humble Road looks like real proffessionalsl. So sorry we every got hooked into Freedom Vans. Oh yay very nice bikes!
The openness of this build will be so freeing. I’m sure George will do a wonderful job of making it all work! Looking forward to following the progress. Humble Road - we’re all family!
Man. They are top of the line. You make me wish I could have something like that too. I enquired, but thats way out of my reach right now.I have a good conversion but nothing like that. That's a work of art. I think they're the best I've seen.
Looks good so far. I can't wait to see the finished product. You don't shower in your current van but if you do in the new one, you will be happy with the larger water tank.
This is very exciting. I loved hearing the process of getting the design right. I did watch George’s video a few weeks ago and had a good idea of where you were going with your design. You know what feels right and what you need. George makes that happen. Incredible. I wish you the best of luck with your new van and many safe travels in it. 👍
Great video and love all your build choices. Must be hard to wait a whole year. So nice to look forward to more headroom and putting your own personal touches in the design.
Before you make a final decision about having a 12 volt AC in your new build, please know that we recently upgraded our 12 volt AC to a 120 volt Truma Aventa Eco in our 2022 Coachmen Beyond Transit AWD with Li3. We found that over 20,000 miles, as well as everyone we met at rallies with 12 volt AC, regardless of brand, that 12 volt AC simply can not sufficiently cool their class B in really hot weather. Our new Truma brought 105 degree Las Vegas heat down to the 77 degrees we set the thermostat to. Our prior 12 volt AC would have struggled to get it below 90. Coachmen, who pioneered using 12 volt AC, is now installing the whisper quiet 120 volt Truma in its B vans. The Truma even thru the inverter is about as efficient in battery use as the 12 volt was without going through the inverter. This is not RV show demonstrations, but real-world experience by just about everyone who has suffered through a 12 volt AC in the heat.
I appreciate your observations and have heard similar comments. Since we effectively haven't used an AC in all these years (too noisy), then having anything will be better than nothing. Nomadic cooling uses a standard 14" opening so we can always change it out if it doesn't work but I think it has already been ordered.
How nice! I am so excited for you & John. That will be fantastic. Can't wait to see the inaugural trip. And I totally agree with you about the wood. My van build I am doing doesn't have one single piece of wood in it.
How exciting , it’s getting close now and seeing the template really shows what you’re getting, I feel for John and his height, very awful to have feet overhanging the bed. My husband was 6 ft 3 in, that was bad enough. Cheers Judy from Australia
We wanted to get our bikes out of the van. Took up so much room. Put them on the outside with a hitch. Heavy duty Formosa bike cover and heavy duty bike locks. A month on the road in Utah. Had its drawbacks, though. Can’t fill the water tank or open the back doors without first taking the bikes off.
That was great, was wondering how the progress was going, started out watching these kind of videos with yours and George’s many years ago, nice to see how you both evolved, you’re pros and you know what works, I agree with all your ideas. Looking forward to seeing it done! Good job!
We like what you are having build into your Ford van. I noticed a MISSMIN Thermostatic RV Shower Faucet on the cardboard. I installed one on my 2021 Coachman. it is a game changer. Set the temp and it does not change. We just use the on/off side and it does not drip between soaping up and rinsing off. Looking forward to the finished van tour.
I love your videos and the way you travel. Your new van looks awesome. I bought a Promaster that was designed and mostly built by the previous owner and I think the fixed bed over a garage is the only way I would ever go. We need inside space for our bikes, skis, and dirty stuff 😜. My next van will have more lithium and maybe a rooftop 12 volt ac. You have inspired me to be more miserly with my water. I have 21 gallons, travel solo, and 5 days is about my max before refilling. My van doesn’t have a shower inside, and so far I prefer cabinetry over a shower.
Now I know big John and I see “Eye to Eye” as he has only an inch on me. Having a cardboard model is the best way to “See” how much wiggle room is available. Thoughtful Van Build.
You are welcome because your travels are to which I aspire in the Rolling Dog House. Visited Rungu - need more PT work on my hips to get my “good leg” over & into the saddle.
Thanks for the suggestion. Planning on getting a new shepherd as a Service Animal so “Rover” can go where I go. Unlike Debbie & John, Rover would need a GoPro attachment so I could be edited into the activity. My theme would be a Charles Kurault tour examining how people live and are governed by the Declaration of Independence.
You might want to put a cut on the lid so that the cup holder portion of the lid can still have a cup of liquid while accessing the contents of that cubby. You can open that lid when needed.
Looks like it will be another great build from George! One aspect you may want to consider is leaving your handlebars in tact but rotating them 90 degrees and attaching them to the pull out shelf with a quick-connect fork mount. We recently added bike mounts from Freedom Coast to our van and they add greater adjustability and offset bars. I have a feeling having to reset your bars every ride is going to get old. Best of luck!
I love the white chocolate cabinets from Pleasure Way too. Sorry to see them discontinued in the newer models. I also prefer that all surfaces be easy to clean.
Great videos and I love your new bikes, especially since we currently have bikes like your older ones and may have to upgrade. We have had a Nomadic 2000 AC unit with 400 amp hours of lithium in our van for 2 years now. It takes awhile to get used to and figuring out how to use it. We try not to camp when it’s 100 degrees or over. The unit will cool a bit (mostly in the back of the van) at that temp but not for long periods at all though we do have an onboard generator to recharge the batteries. We also found out that at times it will draw too much amperage from out Battle Born batteries when its that hot especially with the 12 volt fridge on and shut down. But it does work great at night and on eco mode when it cools a bit in the desert. Overall, we really like it and the Nomadic trouble shooting techs are the best. They helped me out a lot on a recent trip to Utah figuring out why the AC unit was shutting down.
Thanks. Good to know. Like you, we avoid those extra hot places and even if we have to get hookups it will be wonderful to have an AC quiet enough for sleeping.
Nicely coming along. Glad you have the inside shower and the pan in the floor. As long as the shower pan floor filler is ‘level’ with the rest of the floor there is no reason why the pan needs to be tight to the window, it could encroach in towards the centre line of van a little allowing for table storage right by window/wall. I don’t know if you saw the latest ARV video but the toilet stowing under the fridge could possibly also work in your van too. I have seen tables that lift up out of and cantilever from a thin cabinet next to wall that also might be a possible option instead of Lagune table. I don’t know what room you have at foot of bed for stairs however I managed to get 2 fold down stairs for getting into our bed by mounting Hideaway Solutions fold down 180 stairs on a back of a cabinet swing door, since our e-bikes are under an E/W queen bed and I could not have it slide under the bed with the bikes on my slide tray. I’m 6’4” and I got 84” length E/W queen bed space by making a 14” manual slide on the drivers side and my overhead storage cabinets over the feet part of the bed. When our slide is in there is no exterior bump out like flairspace and in camp we have a full time E/W queen bed with front a front face to face table lounge area. All this in 19’6” AWD Ford van. Can’t wait to see the finished van. The only thing we don’t have properly dialled in in our van is our bed mattress and I have been trolling Georges mattresses for a comfortable no more than 6” mattress. Your new mattress looks like it may fit the bill🙂.
Our beef with east west orientation is someone has to crawl over a body to get to the bathroom. But I wish I could see all these vans people tell me they have built. There needs to be a giant self built van show (preferably on the west coast). 😅
@@FromShetoMe True about the E/W bed, but does save some precious inches for everything in front of the bed. We are on the west coast but it is a long coast 🙂 - Vancouver BC
Since your new van is still under construction, I thought I'd mention a couple of things that might interest you. I don't recall whether your Pleasure Way has awning-style windows, but, as you might know, awning-style windows have the advantage of keeping out rain while opened. I believe that Humble Road tends to build with fixed non-opening windows. You might want to keep in mind that ventilation of your RV while it's not being used is important for reducing the chance of mold. Unless you plan on keeping powered ventilation running while your Humble Road is stored, you might want to add awning-style windows that can passively ventilate without worry of rain. Another tip that I've garnered, and that I follow, is to keep the chassis A/C switched to the on position at all times, especially in winter, because A/C is dehumidifying even when you are turning on the heat at the same time (you might know that turning on the defroster in your Mercedes, and probably in a Transit as well, automatically turns on the A/C compressor to remove moisture from the windows). Moisture and condensation (be careful with exposed aluminum) are the enemy of any RV. Also, as you might know, when your toilet retains the waste inside toilet cabinet instead of in an exterior tank, you might be more prone to odors in the living area, although some people with such toilets claim that there is "no smell." I understand that many such toilets (composting, dry, etc.) use active fans to pull odors to the outside of the van, which is fine when you have power. Although probably most people, if not all, with composting toilets in a van really don't compost much at all but, instead, toss their waste before any substantial composting occurs, remember that composting generates heat, and heat rises, if you know what I mean 💩. Being able to keep windows open in the rain and when parked or stored might be a consideration with a composting toilet. Another tip is to not make your campervan too "stealth." It seems that stealth campervans might be more prone to theft and burglary. I think this is because a thief generally wants to steal items that can be resold, so he/she looks for vans that might have an inventory of valuable items, like tools, parts, and equipment, which are typically found in commercial vans, even those with glass windows. Also, commercial vans are probably less likely to have somebody inside while parked, and thieves know this. Check out these TH-cam videos: "Stealth Camper Vans Can Be Targeted By Thieves" posted by New Jersey Outdoor Adventures and "Van Life Nightmare: A Stranger OPENS Her Door to Settle in for the Night & Shocking GAS Theft!" posted by Travel Grandma Elaine Lombardi. The man in the first video said that of all the vans parked on the street at a gathering, only his was broken into, and only his was stealth. All of the other vans looked like RVs and weren't touched. The woman in the second video has a van that looks stealth, and my guess is that the perpetrators probably thought that nobody was inside the van while it was parked. I hope this is helpful information to you as your build your exciting new van!
Thanks for all the tips. I did see that video a few weeks back and thought it interesting. And I watched the video that James at Fit RV did on special locks for RVs. I asked George to see if they could be added to our rear and sliding doors. Our van isn't likely to look stealth with all the stuff on the roof and factory windows all around. I have similar concerns to yours about opening windows. We have the awning type in our current van. Not sure about what we'll do there but we definitely have a max fan (with cover), opening skylight, and AC on the roof. Fortunately we live in a climate that is friendly to vehicles (no mold to date). As for the toilet situation, as you said, none of these are "composting" toilets. I've asked for a fan for ventilation but not worried about it because we will be disposing of bags frequently and the liquids will go to the "gray" tank. We know there will be mistakes made on our part and totally fine with making necessary adjustments down the road.
@@FromShetoMe You're very welcome. I hope it's more helpful than annoying. I realize that each person who is traveling in a van has different circumstances and different risk tolerances, so I appreciate that each owner chooses their configuration to suit their individual needs and wants. I do have one more tip that I learned from a couple of videos about a ladder to the roof of your van (I'm sorry that I don't have the titles or links to the videos handy). Solar panels can be a target for theft, and roof-top openings (skylights, vent fans) can be a target for entry. In these videos, someone climbed up on top of the van (while the owner was inside!) and tried to steal the solar panels (but failed). In another video, the owner shipped their van to Europe and found upon arrival that someone had tried unsuccessfully to get into the van by removing the Max Air roof-top fan, which they destroyed in the process (the other doors to the living area had been secured with special locks). Therefore, if you are thinking of having a ladder affixed to the outside of your new build, you might want to reconsider that or have it be removable or otherwise protected from unauthorized use. Just a thought. I don't want you or anyone to be handicapped by fear or live in constant paranoia, but I think we should consider possibilities and make informed decisions. We also have to beware of being influenced by what is popular, trendy, and cool without substance. If you want to get some great ideas, you might want to explore some of the European campervans, which have features and designs that are outside the U.S. box. An example is the video entitled "Oor New Campervan | SWIFT Carrera 144 | FULL VAN TOUR" [the misspelling of "Oor" is in the title] by Mike & Tricia, Oot 'n' Aboot.
@@FromShetoMe I'm sorry that I didn't tell you about a solution to the ladder problem that was staring right at me. In our bus, we have 2 skylights, which are actually boat hatches. These boat hatches have a folding ladder that connects securely to them on the inside. The ladder is metal and simple but very sturdy and light and folds flat in half. The hatch frames are anodized aluminum (which, unfortunately, does sweat a bit sometimes). There are no plastic components except for the lenses and the knobs for securing the hatch. The lenses were originally acrylic, but we changed them to shatter-proof polycarbonate. We don't stand on them, but I'm sure you safely could. Having the ladder inside allows access to the roof without going outside, and you could probably stand on the ladder and stick just your upper half outside to clean your solar panels. This is a bit safer for us seniors. The hatches are, of course, completely weather-proof and largely impenetrable when closed. The lenses are quite thick and probably could not be broken open even with a hammer. The hatches come in standard sizes, or you can order whatever custom size you want. Pretty much any marine supply could get you what you want. We have solid and screened covers for the inside, but those had to me custom-made and upholstered. Anyway, I think you'd like them and the internal roof access! Also, if you like to sit on the roof, you could put a small diamond-plate platform up there, if you have room. We have this on the bus, and it's very sturdy and non-slip. 👍
@@komtar7457 Thanks. We haven't made any decisions yet regarding ladders and our roof window will not be large enough to squeeze through. Space is at a premium on the roof with solar/AC/vents, etc.
Enjoy watching your videos, great content and I appreciate your perspective on things. Congrats on the new rig, looks like it is progressing. Hard to believe that it takes to long to build one out but things always seem to take longer than anticipated. Best of luck, safe travels.
This meeting of minds, skills, experience and creativity is fun to watch. Your priorities are unique and I’m excited for you and the build process. Hope you are outside the heat dome, or in the water by now. Like clockwork, our MB A/C acts up just in time for heat domes🥵 Thanks for sharing your build process!
We’ve been skirting the edge for the past week in the 90’s. Hoping for a small cool off as we cross back into CA tomorrow. Yep, ACs and fridges always fail in the heat.
Sorry, it's going to be hot! About your bathroom, I recently saw a video where a toilet was in a cabinet adjacent to the shower with a hatch and pulled out into the shower when needed. I'm sure George could do something like that if you were interested.
@@dancoughlin3331 I actually thought about that as well but that would require a different fridge and I'm stuck on the Vitrifrigo. Moreover, I need a place to sit if we use that space to eat and work.
Very interesting layout in the van. What will you use to sit at the table/desk? Researching the compost toilet it mentioned that in order to keep odors down the liquid should be separated. What is the plan for the liquid drainage? If my source is reliable it also mentioned the compost toilet attract bugs and if they get inside the toilet they can lay eggs that can hatch. In my class B+ we keep doors closed and use screens in hot weather, but flys, mosquitoes and other flying insects sneak inside. What is your plan to minimize insects coming in making sure they don’t fly into the toilet. Where, when and how will you empty the compost toilet? Will you carry with you the dry material to put in the empty toilet for composting? If yes, what type of container will you carry it in and where will you store it? Some states don’t allow composting so will your destinations avoid camping in these states and only travel thru them. I am not as creative as you so we settled on buying a standard model, what the manufacture refers to as a class B+ but everyone else a class C. We traded in our Airstream motorhome and bought a B+ that has a real bed. It’s a Murphy bed and extremely comfortable unlike the converted couch bed in the Airstream. The only thing missing with our motorhome is a chef and an outside/inside cleaning service. Our motorhome exterior color is white like your new one and it shows grim-probably brought to VA by the Canadian wildfire smoke. Wishing you and John happy and safe travel. Keep cool. Despina
Giving me a few items to consider in my build. I definitely want the pull up table top outside of the slider door. Ever think of leg reduction for John? 😂 Nomadic A/C, roof rack, and a rear ladder are things I want to add to my build. Good luck!
Thanks for sharing your process. Your style of travelling (frequent relocation) is consistent with alternator charging but onboard solar would be passive power ( as in more run time for the AC, fans, charging, disco balls etc).
We will also have a plug for charging with a stand alone panel that can be tilted toward the sun. The 200 AH we currently have has been plenty so far and we even have a compressor fridge.
GAME CHANGER FOR YOUR BUILD? I know that you are planning a composting or "dry" toilet, but just in case or for your fans who might be planning a build: A long time ago, it was more common and more legally permitted to dump gray water on the ground in certain places. Therefore, "black" waste was separated from "gray" waste, so gray waste by itself could be dumped on the ground where permitted. Nowadays, dumping even gray water on the ground is almost entirely prohibited almost everywhere. However, the separate black and gray tanks have persisted. If anyone thinks that separation of black and gray tanks is legal requirement, I challenge them to cite the regulation. RV dealers and manufacturers play on the psychology of consumers into thinking that gray and black water should not share the same tank, and they play on consumers who think it's "gross" or dangerous to do so. Although a house and an RV are not the same, probably no average house separates gray and black waste. They all go down the same pipes after a few feet to the same sewer system. Nobody seems to get grossed out about that in their house, and a backed-up toilet doesn't end up in the kitchen sink. And you don't smell your toilet waste through your kitchen sink, shower, dishwasher, or washing machine. It's just psychology without basis. We have a bus-based coach and a class B campervan. Both were professionally built, each with a combination gray-plus-black waste tank. This has been the absolute best setup in our direct experience over the years, because the black gets plenty of dilution with the gray water, and there's no need to flush out the black tank, because, well, it's already nicely diluted with the gray, which also contains soap, shampoo, and, in the case of the bus, detergent from our washing machine. The combination gray-plus-black keeps the SINGLE large waste tank nicely rinsed and loose and mixed. This combination waste tank gives us a lot of flexibility for boondocking, especially in the class B. The tank becomes a huge black tank or a huge gray tank or anything in between, and all we adjust is our use. We're never limited by the black tank "filling up" before the gray or vice-versa. We've not only never had any problems; we have had only benefits. We once traveled for 9 months continuously without a hitch. The illusion that odors or back-ups will come up through the kitchen sink or into the washing machine are false. We've never had any problems with clogs, sludge, smell, and, least of all, running out of black or gray waste space. No need for "flushing," and dumping is simply a breeze with only one thing to dump that flushes everything at the same time. Our bus is gravity dump and the class B has a macerator. The combo waste is great for the macerator. The gray water's soap, dishwashing liquid, shampoo, and body wash certainly help the tank stay cleaner. No "dry pile" in the tank, no sludge from chemicals that "melt" your doodie into slime paste. No chemicals needed. So, for an RV build, I strongly suggest a combo black+gray tank. It's the exception to the common mentality of nonsensical black and gray separation, which is, first, a carryover from days gone by and, second, a play on psychology for people who are "grossed out" by the idea of a combo tank, even though their house doesn't separate black from gray. It might be cheaper and easier to design and implement separate black and gray tanks, especially the "cassette" type, which is probably why the RV manufacturers do it, but it's a deception to the consumer and a play on the false "gross" factor. It is, however, so common that nobody questions it or thinks out of the box that's been constructed for them. Please know that I'm not talking in theory. We have years of hands-on experience with the combo tanks and, just to mention, we also have ordinary P-traps in our rigs. I hope this helps your viewers and is something for you to consider if it might be a benefit to you.
Those are excellent points and if we were going with a flush toilet, I would opt for that. We will in a small way be doing that because our toilet will divert the liquids to the gray tank.
Thanks for sharing your design walk through. I am doing similar with my "wheel estate". Although mine is older and smaller. I need to investigate dual alternator for myself. Those "airline cabinets are a good design. I will improve by making them a radius style rather than angular. Surely these is a barrel/pipe of the right dimension/diameter than can be "quartered". Bikes are advancing. Swivel/quick detachable handlebars, detachable pedals, hub motor, generator crank, no chain drive, folding/swivel frame, will be here soon. So garage space can be smaller. Want to observe how your shower/toilet design/system performs/meets your needs, without modification.
Fun to follow along with your Humble Road build! It was also fun to spot your van & chat briefly with John last Friday morning in Harrison while I was riding the Trail of the CDA-knew him by his bike & the Pleasure Way! If you are still in Spokane area( or next time), I suggest you try some of the best ice cream anywhere at the Scoop-located on the South Hill & also in Kendall Yards-all made in house. Safe travels-really enjoy your channel. My husband & I have a Revel & always carry bikes inside.
We push bikes forward for now when sleeping & bed is down (unless in a place where we are comfortable locking outside). It’s a work in progress. Not perfect & they aren’t e-bikes. We may add additional spacers under the bed or buy folding Bike Fridays at some point. Wish you’d been with John too, but hope you had a fun ride! It was a beautiful day & look forward to the video. We live in Spokane & have a daughter in Bishop, so a lot of your video routes are really helpful to us.😊
I was going to suggest the MKS Quick release pedals but as I see from the episode, you have already ordered them. I have them on my Brompton bike. They are so well made and easy to take on and off.
You and John know best what works and what you want 👍. On a side note can you tell me what you use so your son can see where you are when traveling? Trying to set something up for our son also. Is it using Google maps/ sharing location ?
No generator and no propane. We would love to get rid of the generator on our rig. Never use it except to "exercise" it so that it will keep working. And it is the lowest hanging object under the van. So noisy and smelly.
Here’s a totally different approach to converting an F250 Transit (or other van) into an RV: friends of mine are giving some thought to a “modular” approach to converting their F250 Transit into a part-time RV that will allow them to use the van for everyday, but then temporarily add in the RV components for travel.
I’ve always enjoyed your channel. I was attracted by the Pleasure-Way content. I ultimately decided to go in a different direction (Storyteller Overland), I still enjoy and learn from your videos. I think it is great to be able to discuss tradeoffs as long as it is done with respect. And given that you’ve travelled so much in the PW, you have a big background to draw from. As a former cyclist, I agree that taking the pedals off (even with the QR) would seem to get old quickly. In a similar area, did you investigate any options to store the bikes without having to life them up yourself? Not to sound morbid (and one of the unfitter dudes said something about adding steps to the bed as you get older). So as you get older, lifting the bikes up is going to get harder. I’m thinking about some sort of pulley/lift or ramp to make it easier. Anyway, thanks for bringing us on your journey. Fellow Californian and looking forward to seeing you and John in the wild.
The new bikes only weigh 40lbs and hopefully John will ask for help if/when he needs it. We met someone recently who did some consulting for Storyteller. They make a nice van.
Oh … I hope you are satisfied with your Nomatic 3X. We have it in our new 170 sprinter (not extended) 4 season van. It sits over a couch that folds into a bed. It is only good enough for that spot and that is where we sit. We keep it at 60 so it doesn’t keep cycling on and off. The kitchen area is never cooled by it alone. Thank goodness for the MaxAir fan and 2 small rechargable fans. So if you only want to cool your sleeping area and use a 2nd curtain … you should be fine. But so far we haven’t been able to use the AC when camping in the summer for a couple of days off grid and have had to resort to campgrounds with electric. You would think 600 amp hours of lithium and 360 watts of solar would be enough to keep up with it, but it isn’t. If we had it to do over again … we might still get one? But would expect only to keep the dog cool going down the road or stopped for a short period when we can easily recharge batteries. Her seat belt harness is luckily right under the unit. When we get back from this trip across country from NC to NM … I am getting 2 insulating curtains for the inside cabin to use with our existing thermal shades. Or maybe we just won’t try to travel in the summer. By the way …. L track all the way. We have it all over the van and use it for hanging bags, wet stuff and dog leash. It is on the floor for bikes or other toys. When I get those curtains … we will use it with the stupid AC unit. You should consider StarLink roam with your new vehicle. We love it.
I'm figuring that the AC is only for the bed area and just in the early evening when it is too hot. For the places we visit, it will probably be adequate. At least it has a standard 14" opening if it has to be replaced. We camped at a spot with hookups last night but didn't use the AC because it is just too noisy. Hopefully George can squeeze in L track in multiple places.
You should be fine then. And the 14 inch opening I think is fairly standard for 12v ACs. Our van was precut for a different model that went out of business. Our oldest daughter and her children live in Raleigh, NC and we are in the middle of the trip home to northern NM along I-40 in 90+ degree heat. Next time we will board the dog and fly to NC!!! Oh … I do think you will love the induction burner(s). I usually cook outside on propane but this trip the induction top has really saved me. BTW … love your channel and all that you share. I’ve used many of your ideas! I can’t wait for the tour of your build when it is finished.
As a follow up on the Nomadic AC. We replaced it. I just couldn’t stand the inadequacy of the Nomadic X3. I couldn’t even depend on it to keep the dog cool while we grocery shopped and temps were in the 80s! Our builder said they had numerous complaints from their customers about it and decided to quit putting them into their builds.
Fascinating your are in/were in New Jersey. Made an unanticipated trip to New Jersey too and replaced our transmission after 112K miles on our RV. You’re buying a new RV. We’re buying ours a second time part by part. Heading North toward Canada again
@@FromShetoMe We’ve been having problems with shifting on steep grades for a year. Was getting worse in the Appalachians. Too conservative/most expensive option because we travel in the boondocks so much
Oh my gosh, you are going to install those old fashion cup holders near the bed and just forget about your shoe cup holders? What on earth is your new plan for your shoes? ♥
Are you getting the dual alternators from Ford, or is the second alternator an after market one? We have a Coachmen Cross Trek (now Cross Trail) built on a Ford Transit. Coachmen ordered the unit from Ford with dual alternators and they are both tied into the SRC or "Smart Regenerative Charging" system from Ford. This has complicated getting a charge to our house battery bank while driving. Sometimes we see a negative amp flow from the house batteries while driving, and often do not get the charge we are hoping for while driving. Looks like the way the engine and house battery banks are tied together in our unit makes the Ford SRC see them as one big battery bank to be used as needed to increase gas mileage. There is a connector under the drivers seat where pins 1 and 3 (as I recall) can be tied together to alter the amp output from the alternators. But even this does not always give us the charge we are looking for. A DC to DC charger might solve the problem, but we haven't installed one in our unit yet. Our Ford Transit chassis is model year 2020.
We specifically didn't want a dually. Number of reasons, we will be upgrading the tires and suspension. We like to air up and down when driving on dirt roads. We want to go as light as possible. If you aren't carrying the extra weight, then why get a dually. Duallies get worse gas mileage, higher toll fees. Our current rig, fully loaded is around 8500 lbs. Our new van eliminates a lot of the weight we have now (generator, propane, awning) so can't see any reason to get a van with dually wheels.
Sorry to ask an off topic question but we’re heading for NS, PEI and Newfoundland in a few weeks. We can’t decide about our e-bikes. I know you left yours in the U.S.. We’re already over 21 feet so it won’t make a difference in ferry fees. Did you regret not bringing them to the Maritimes or we’re you glad you left them behind? Thank you in advance and have a great time out there!
We were glad we left them, especially in Newfoundland where it was windy, wet, and cold. There was a nice trail on PEI where we used our friend’s bikes but you can probably rent some.
Skylights are romantic but we’ve found that we don’t use ours because of how hot it makes our space. So we end up having to keep it closed and covered with an insulated insert when traveling in the summer.
Your new Van is the extended model, how many feet is it? 22-25 feet. The Mercedes 170 model is 22 feet and the 170 extended is 24.5 feet. I have the 144 model and I’m planning on my custom Van too. Dave
@@FromShetoMe … 22 feet is the sweet spot for Vans I was looking at the 170 extended but 25 feet isn’t the best for off roading. I’m going to my bikes in the garage too. I’m stoked for your build. Congrats. Dave
@@FromShetoMe Yes….. I haven’t researched it enough to leave the Mercedes . I love my Revel and want a little more space. I’m stoked y’all are getting more head room… 👍👍👍🚐🚐🚐💥💥💥💥💥
my bed is up high to accomadate my 29er, it can be tricky to get bike in, i leave it out when i get to destination and lock it up ! e bikes are exploding which means they will be getting stolen too ! my buddy who helped me build bed couldnt understand the importance i placed on getting bike in garage, he doesnt bike!!!!!
I predict that within a year you will have grown tired of pulling bikes out and assembling them, and revert to the rack on the hitch. I also predict that the composting toilet will also become a hassle. I do hope you'll enjoy it when it's done.
It's a trade off with the bikes, security vs easier access. It's nice to have the option. And maybe there will be better toilet designs coming--there is certainly the need for them.
Love how people who don’t know you, predict what you need and/or will get tired of. As George said, “this is your van.” Thinking you know more than most. And knowing that you will be kind to not challenge others, it is what fits for you and John. If anyone watches your channel, you love the bikes-so, that is the key.
@jann4732 On the contrary, I've been watching the "Searching For Icecream" channel at least since John and Debbie visited east Alabama looking for ancestors (and where a good many of mine were born, lived and died) some 3+ years ago. I love their videos and hope to see many more in the future.
@@CharlesinGA That is wonderful, I guess. Why make a prediction about what others want/need? Others, who you do not know. Thinking, they (and George) know best what they are seeking and will work for them for next 5 or so years. I get it, it will not work for you. Glad to know you can make decisions for others. And I apologize to Debbie and John for being a bit strong on this one, but I know you have put much thought into the next vehicle.
Great video, super exciting for you to have things the way you want in a van, and after 6 years of experience you should know exactly what you want. I was going to do a full on bath in my van and then decided I didn't want to enclose that upper space, I like my van feeling open and airy. I also made a urine diverting toilet to use until I could install my airhead toilet and am selling my Air Head toilet. If you care about and follow human waste disposal guidelines for cities and Parks, you can NOT put the compost poop in the regular trash. A lot of cities require you take them to the actual garbage dump station and National and State parks don't allow human waste into their trash. I never wanted to keep my poop long enough to let it start composting since I don't live in my van, even for extended trips, I don't want it in my van. I discovered the Wrappon toilet, which you put powder in the bag before you use it, it solidifies the liquid, seals the bag and you can dispose of it anywhere you can dispose of diapers and it doesn't smell. You can buy the sealing mecanisim by itself it you want to build it into your van from OK4WD. I also discovered the Tetravan folding shower that can be installed under your bed or at the end of the counter by your sliding door, it's a genius set up, it only takes up about 3 1/2" in depth into the space behind it , and about 6-7 inches behind it at the top where the plumbing attaches. It's easy to install and plumb. I'll send you links and more in-depth info via email in case you are interested in either. You are still my all time favorite TH-camrs!!! Continued safe happy travels to you!
You’ve certainly done your homework. I’ve seen the Tetravan shower and it looks interesting for sure. Someone could make a nice business designing a better toilet.
Thankyou so much for bringing to attention to what is becoming a huge problem in our country, as evidenced in that cute little blue Jeep. It is the increased number of what I believe to be unlicensed drivers. First of all can they actually read? Another is those types of motorists generally like to go fast when not in automobiles so how will they restrain themselves behind the wheel. Distraction is another issue with these “types”…keeping focused on maintaining their lane, not following too close and observing posted speed limits also is concerning to me. What if they see a squirrel, or another one of their kind running along side their vehicle???Just something to think about Y’all!!!🐕🐩🚗🛻🚐🚙 0:24
![PASULOL รามเกียรติ์ ตอนที่ 4 นนทกพบรัก [Ramakien Ep.4: Nonthok in love]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/tMUQgmZzf_A/mqdefault.jpg)
You truly have to admire George’s patience’s. In tune with the climate’s wishes while considering the possibilities of making it all fit together.
We love the van more each day.
Typically, I'll install 40 to 50 gallons of fresh water. Knowing you had no need for such gallonage...I placed a 37 gallon fresh water tank in the garage for your walkthrough. Once we fitted the bicycles, I had to reduce the tank to a 31 gallon size. So YES! You've got over 30 gallons of fresh! 😊
That will be awesome!
We have a 30 gallon fresh tank and even with two people showering regularly, it has been plenty. Most of the time we don't even fill it to capacity, to save weight.
Agree if water isn't a issue,you can always take less to make extra space.
Only thing you have to refilling it quicker
I am so happy to finally get to see your decisions on your custom build. THANK YOU for sharing.
It all boils down what works for you and enjoy
Great video,thanks for sharing
I love this, deciding best space saving layouts for your needs. ❤
You will have a beautiful van when George and his crew finish! Best of luck and can’t wait for it to be finished! ❤
Now George needs matching small off road trailer to carry adventure gear that can be left at camp site with a screen room that attaches it to the van 😊
Thank you for sharing your new travel home.
My prayers and condolences to the family and friends!
This was so cool seeing it from the client perspective. I have been following George since the pandemic and loving his mind and hence his builds. Seeing him going through the walk through was very interesting since you basically had him redo everything. I didn’t know whether to laugh, be sorry for him or be happy for you when he was amicable enough (someone else might not have been so accommodating) and seeing that he really wants you both to be genuinely happy since it’s your van. I am glad he explained the reason when he couldn’t do something. I am also glad you found each other. The van will be beautiful. Can’t wait to see it. Didn’t know you before this. Btw, very nice editing.
Thankfully cardboard is easy to change. But up until that point we really hadn’t gone through any details.
You will love the Ford Transit F250. We love ours! The windows are incredible in the passenger van 😊
Great video.
Fun to see you work with George making adjustments based on your experience, and vice-versa.
Thank you!
P.S.Nice editing, too.
Perhaps one year from now, John will shrink a little , we all do as we get older 😂 thanks for sharing your journey with us.
LOL, he already has!
I have an OnTour, like yours only on the Ford chassis. I’ve always said I would love to have a “garage” I could put my bicycle in but am not willing to give up my wonderful couch. I love it that you will have a bed that can be raised at the head for reading and watching TH-cam with that big garage under it.
Nice viewing your new RV. Your new bed is the best. Love your videos.
I just wanted to comment as a new subscriber to just say how much I enjoy your videos. I’m based in UK and have a Ford Transit Custom so I’ve enjoyed seeing how you guys use yours and the little details/tips that you share to make the best use of the space. But most of all I find your videos genuine and relaxing somehow. With so may TH-camrs now reaching for hits with various gimmicks it’s nice to just see a video that flows naturally and hear someone’s thought process so thank you.
Thank you so much! My favorite UK based channel is Thomas Heaton. It’s a photography channel but he travels in a van and I love watching his videos.
That looks great. You are going to be so happy and I love how the bikes will be inside with you.
I really love the way you guys look at this new van using all your past experiences on the road. The use of the bathroom also as an office had me remembering a very funny episode of Portlandia with Fred Armiston. I think it was season 5 episode 8 where they were living in a tiny house. He was on the toilet and she was facing him working on her computer. If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it. It’s not many people that get to build a van to their needs and I wish you all the luck in getting it right. If anybody can do it George can.
LOL, a friend told me they know someone who put their toilet in the kitchen.
Thanks for your video. A customized van is the best van - I can only dream of. I am sure you will enjoy every minute traveling in it - once you will have it. -- Greetings from Eire (= the Republic of Ireland) this time.
I have been waiting for this video!!! My two favorite channels coming together to create a fabulous van. Enjoy the process and can't wait for the reveal.
I have the same RV you have now. This spring I had the toilet removed, cleaned and sealed the black tank and installed an OGO compost toilet. Very happy with the choice. Simple, compact easy to empty, no unattractive smell. I had the vent tube inserted into the vent pipe.
Great to hear. Thanks
Your van looks like it will have some really good ideas! Cant wait to see the toilet choice! Humble Road looks like real proffessionalsl. So sorry we every got hooked into Freedom Vans. Oh yay very nice bikes!
What an exciting, challenging, fun process. So happy for you!💕🚐
The openness of this build will be so freeing. I’m sure George will do a wonderful job of making it all work! Looking forward to following the progress. Humble Road - we’re all family!
Man. They are top of the line. You make me wish I could have something like that too. I enquired, but thats way out of my reach right now.I have a good conversion but nothing like that. That's a work of art. I think they're the best I've seen.
We think so too. Although there are quite a few good builders out there.
So-no door on the bathroom? That’s true togetherness! Good for you 😊
Looks good so far. I can't wait to see the finished product. You don't shower in your current van but if you do in the new one, you will be happy with the larger water tank.
Actually, the pandemic changed that. We do shower in our van but looking forward to more space.
This is very exciting. I loved hearing the process of getting the design right. I did watch George’s video a few weeks ago and had a good idea of where you were going with your design. You know what feels right and what you need. George makes that happen. Incredible. I wish you the best of luck with your new van and many safe travels in it. 👍
Just wish he weren’t geographically undesirable. 😅
Very excited for you! Love seeing your decisions.
Love this video. Hoping to design our own van someday. Going to go small for short trips.
Coming to my neck of the woods, Gettysburg. Yay!
Great video and love all your build choices. Must be hard to wait a whole year. So nice to look forward to more headroom and putting your own personal touches in the design.
OMG i love you guys! i’ve been waiting for this cardboard review! Well done can’t wait for the maiden voyage ❤❤❤
Us too!
Before you make a final decision about having a 12 volt AC in your new build, please know that we recently upgraded our 12 volt AC to a 120 volt Truma Aventa Eco in our 2022 Coachmen Beyond Transit AWD with Li3. We found that over 20,000 miles, as well as everyone we met at rallies with 12 volt AC, regardless of brand, that 12 volt AC simply can not sufficiently cool their class B in really hot weather. Our new Truma brought 105 degree Las Vegas heat down to the 77 degrees we set the thermostat to. Our prior 12 volt AC would have struggled to get it below 90. Coachmen, who pioneered using 12 volt AC, is now installing the whisper quiet 120 volt Truma in its B vans. The Truma even thru the inverter is about as efficient in battery use as the 12 volt was without going through the inverter. This is not RV show demonstrations, but real-world experience by just about everyone who has suffered through a 12 volt AC in the heat.
I appreciate your observations and have heard similar comments. Since we effectively haven't used an AC in all these years (too noisy), then having anything will be better than nothing. Nomadic cooling uses a standard 14" opening so we can always change it out if it doesn't work but I think it has already been ordered.
So exciting! You will love having that garage space. It’s going to be a beautiful van!!
Exciting times ahead with the new van build!
How nice! I am so excited for you & John. That will be fantastic. Can't wait to see the inaugural trip. And I totally agree with you about the wood. My van build I am doing doesn't have one single piece of wood in it.
Those pedals look fantastic, must see if I can get some for our ebikes so they will fit better between the beds in the back of the campervan.
MKA makes great pedals.
How exciting , it’s getting close now and seeing the template really shows what you’re getting, I feel for John and his height, very awful to have feet overhanging the bed. My husband was 6 ft 3 in, that was bad enough. Cheers Judy from Australia
We wanted to get our bikes out of the van. Took up so much room. Put them on the outside with a hitch. Heavy duty Formosa bike cover and heavy duty bike locks. A month on the road in Utah. Had its drawbacks, though. Can’t fill the water tank or open the back doors without first taking the bikes off.
We worry about them on the back. But did get extra insurance just in case.
That was great, was wondering how the progress was going, started out watching these kind of videos with yours and George’s many years ago, nice to see how you both evolved, you’re pros and you know what works, I agree with all your ideas. Looking forward to seeing it done! Good job!
The removable pedals are so clever; we will look into those!
We like what you are having build into your Ford van. I noticed a MISSMIN Thermostatic RV Shower Faucet on the cardboard. I installed one on my 2021 Coachman. it is a game changer. Set the temp and it does not change. We just use the on/off side and it does not drip between soaping up and rinsing off. Looking forward to the finished van tour.
Good to know. We didn’t talk about plumbing stuff; just trusting George to pick good quality materials.
I love your videos and the way you travel. Your new van looks awesome. I bought a Promaster that was designed and mostly built by the previous owner and I think the fixed bed over a garage is the only way I would ever go. We need inside space for our bikes, skis, and dirty stuff 😜. My next van will have more lithium and maybe a rooftop 12 volt ac. You have inspired me to be more miserly with my water. I have 21 gallons, travel solo, and 5 days is about my max before refilling. My van doesn’t have a shower inside, and so far I prefer cabinetry over a shower.
If we were keeping our current van, we'd be switching out the AC ASAP.
Now I know big John and I see “Eye to Eye” as he has only an inch on me. Having a cardboard model is the best way to “See” how much wiggle room is available. Thoughtful Van Build.
George is correct about age activity deadgregation. Might consider the Middle European urinal at the edge of the bed.
You are welcome because your travels are to which I aspire in the Rolling Dog House. Visited Rungu - need more PT work on my hips to get my “good leg” over & into the saddle.
“Rolling Dog House” would be a great channel name. 😂
Thanks for the suggestion. Planning on getting a new shepherd as a Service Animal so “Rover” can go where I go. Unlike Debbie & John, Rover would need a GoPro attachment so I could be edited into the activity. My theme would be a Charles Kurault tour examining how people live and are governed by the Declaration of Independence.
Thanks for the video!
We do not live in our van…it is a system for us to live out of….at times!
Very cool
You might want to put a cut on the lid so that the cup holder portion of the lid can still have a cup of liquid while accessing the contents of that cubby. You can open that lid when needed.
Good idea.
Looks like it will be another great build from George! One aspect you may want to consider is leaving your handlebars in tact but rotating them 90 degrees and attaching them to the pull out shelf with a quick-connect fork mount. We recently added bike mounts from Freedom Coast to our van and they add greater adjustability and offset bars. I have a feeling having to reset your bars every ride is going to get old.
Best of luck!
It’s the height that is the problem. We have ratcheting extenders on the handlebars so it isn’t too bad.
I love the white chocolate cabinets from Pleasure Way too. Sorry to see them discontinued in the newer models. I also prefer that all surfaces be easy to clean.
Great videos and I love your new bikes, especially since we currently have bikes like your older ones and may have to upgrade. We have had a Nomadic 2000 AC unit with 400 amp hours of lithium in our van for 2 years now. It takes awhile to get used to and figuring out how to use it. We try not to camp when it’s 100 degrees or over. The unit will cool a bit (mostly in the back of the van) at that temp but not for long periods at all though we do have an onboard generator to recharge the batteries. We also found out that at times it will draw too much amperage from out Battle Born batteries when its that hot especially with the 12 volt fridge on and shut down. But it does work great at night and on eco mode when it cools a bit in the desert. Overall, we really like it and the Nomadic trouble shooting techs are the best. They helped me out a lot on a recent trip to Utah figuring out why the AC unit was shutting down.
Thanks. Good to know. Like you, we avoid those extra hot places and even if we have to get hookups it will be wonderful to have an AC quiet enough for sleeping.
Nicely coming along. Glad you have the inside shower and the pan in the floor. As long as the shower pan floor filler is ‘level’ with the rest of the floor there is no reason why the pan needs to be tight to the window, it could encroach in towards the centre line of van a little allowing for table storage right by window/wall.
I don’t know if you saw the latest ARV video but the toilet stowing under the fridge could possibly also work in your van too. I have seen tables that lift up out of and cantilever from a thin cabinet next to wall that also might be a possible option instead of Lagune table. I don’t know what room you have at foot of bed for stairs however I managed to get 2 fold down stairs for getting into our bed by mounting Hideaway Solutions fold down 180 stairs on a back of a cabinet swing door, since our e-bikes are under an E/W queen bed and I could not have it slide under the bed with the bikes on my slide tray. I’m 6’4” and I got 84” length E/W queen bed space by making a 14” manual slide on the drivers side and my overhead storage cabinets over the feet part of the bed. When our slide is in there is no exterior bump out like flairspace and in camp we have a full time E/W queen bed with front a front face to face table lounge area. All this in 19’6” AWD Ford van.
Can’t wait to see the finished van. The only thing we don’t have properly dialled in in our van is our bed mattress and I have been trolling Georges mattresses for a comfortable no more than 6” mattress. Your new mattress looks like it may fit the bill🙂.
Our beef with east west orientation is someone has to crawl over a body to get to the bathroom. But I wish I could see all these vans people tell me they have built. There needs to be a giant self built van show (preferably on the west coast). 😅
@@FromShetoMe True about the E/W bed, but does save some precious inches for everything in front of the bed. We are on the west coast but it is a long coast 🙂 - Vancouver BC
Since your new van is still under construction, I thought I'd mention a couple of things that might interest you. I don't recall whether your Pleasure Way has awning-style windows, but, as you might know, awning-style windows have the advantage of keeping out rain while opened. I believe that Humble Road tends to build with fixed non-opening windows. You might want to keep in mind that ventilation of your RV while it's not being used is important for reducing the chance of mold. Unless you plan on keeping powered ventilation running while your Humble Road is stored, you might want to add awning-style windows that can passively ventilate without worry of rain. Another tip that I've garnered, and that I follow, is to keep the chassis A/C switched to the on position at all times, especially in winter, because A/C is dehumidifying even when you are turning on the heat at the same time (you might know that turning on the defroster in your Mercedes, and probably in a Transit as well, automatically turns on the A/C compressor to remove moisture from the windows). Moisture and condensation (be careful with exposed aluminum) are the enemy of any RV.
Also, as you might know, when your toilet retains the waste inside toilet cabinet instead of in an exterior tank, you might be more prone to odors in the living area, although some people with such toilets claim that there is "no smell." I understand that many such toilets (composting, dry, etc.) use active fans to pull odors to the outside of the van, which is fine when you have power. Although probably most people, if not all, with composting toilets in a van really don't compost much at all but, instead, toss their waste before any substantial composting occurs, remember that composting generates heat, and heat rises, if you know what I mean 💩. Being able to keep windows open in the rain and when parked or stored might be a consideration with a composting toilet.
Another tip is to not make your campervan too "stealth." It seems that stealth campervans might be more prone to theft and burglary. I think this is because a thief generally wants to steal items that can be resold, so he/she looks for vans that might have an inventory of valuable items, like tools, parts, and equipment, which are typically found in commercial vans, even those with glass windows. Also, commercial vans are probably less likely to have somebody inside while parked, and thieves know this. Check out these TH-cam videos: "Stealth Camper Vans Can Be Targeted By Thieves" posted by New Jersey Outdoor Adventures and "Van Life Nightmare: A Stranger OPENS Her Door to Settle in for the Night & Shocking GAS Theft!" posted by Travel Grandma Elaine Lombardi. The man in the first video said that of all the vans parked on the street at a gathering, only his was broken into, and only his was stealth. All of the other vans looked like RVs and weren't touched. The woman in the second video has a van that looks stealth, and my guess is that the perpetrators probably thought that nobody was inside the van while it was parked.
I hope this is helpful information to you as your build your exciting new van!
Thanks for all the tips. I did see that video a few weeks back and thought it interesting. And I watched the video that James at Fit RV did on special locks for RVs. I asked George to see if they could be added to our rear and sliding doors. Our van isn't likely to look stealth with all the stuff on the roof and factory windows all around. I have similar concerns to yours about opening windows. We have the awning type in our current van. Not sure about what we'll do there but we definitely have a max fan (with cover), opening skylight, and AC on the roof. Fortunately we live in a climate that is friendly to vehicles (no mold to date). As for the toilet situation, as you said, none of these are "composting" toilets. I've asked for a fan for ventilation but not worried about it because we will be disposing of bags frequently and the liquids will go to the "gray" tank. We know there will be mistakes made on our part and totally fine with making necessary adjustments down the road.
@@FromShetoMe You're very welcome. I hope it's more helpful than annoying. I realize that each person who is traveling in a van has different circumstances and different risk tolerances, so I appreciate that each owner chooses their configuration to suit their individual needs and wants. I do have one more tip that I learned from a couple of videos about a ladder to the roof of your van (I'm sorry that I don't have the titles or links to the videos handy). Solar panels can be a target for theft, and roof-top openings (skylights, vent fans) can be a target for entry. In these videos, someone climbed up on top of the van (while the owner was inside!) and tried to steal the solar panels (but failed). In another video, the owner shipped their van to Europe and found upon arrival that someone had tried unsuccessfully to get into the van by removing the Max Air roof-top fan, which they destroyed in the process (the other doors to the living area had been secured with special locks). Therefore, if you are thinking of having a ladder affixed to the outside of your new build, you might want to reconsider that or have it be removable or otherwise protected from unauthorized use. Just a thought. I don't want you or anyone to be handicapped by fear or live in constant paranoia, but I think we should consider possibilities and make informed decisions. We also have to beware of being influenced by what is popular, trendy, and cool without substance. If you want to get some great ideas, you might want to explore some of the European campervans, which have features and designs that are outside the U.S. box. An example is the video entitled "Oor New Campervan | SWIFT Carrera 144 | FULL VAN TOUR" [the misspelling of "Oor" is in the title] by Mike & Tricia, Oot 'n' Aboot.
@@komtar7457 Thanks. Yes, the Europeans produce some very nice vans.
@@FromShetoMe I'm sorry that I didn't tell you about a solution to the ladder problem that was staring right at me. In our bus, we have 2 skylights, which are actually boat hatches. These boat hatches have a folding ladder that connects securely to them on the inside. The ladder is metal and simple but very sturdy and light and folds flat in half. The hatch frames are anodized aluminum (which, unfortunately, does sweat a bit sometimes). There are no plastic components except for the lenses and the knobs for securing the hatch. The lenses were originally acrylic, but we changed them to shatter-proof polycarbonate. We don't stand on them, but I'm sure you safely could. Having the ladder inside allows access to the roof without going outside, and you could probably stand on the ladder and stick just your upper half outside to clean your solar panels. This is a bit safer for us seniors. The hatches are, of course, completely weather-proof and largely impenetrable when closed. The lenses are quite thick and probably could not be broken open even with a hammer. The hatches come in standard sizes, or you can order whatever custom size you want. Pretty much any marine supply could get you what you want. We have solid and screened covers for the inside, but those had to me custom-made and upholstered. Anyway, I think you'd like them and the internal roof access! Also, if you like to sit on the roof, you could put a small diamond-plate platform up there, if you have room. We have this on the bus, and it's very sturdy and non-slip. 👍
@@komtar7457 Thanks. We haven't made any decisions yet regarding ladders and our roof window will not be large enough to squeeze through. Space is at a premium on the roof with solar/AC/vents, etc.
Enjoy watching your videos, great content and I appreciate your perspective on things. Congrats on the new rig, looks like it is progressing. Hard to believe that it takes to long to build one out but things always seem to take longer than anticipated. Best of luck, safe travels.
This meeting of minds, skills, experience and creativity is fun to watch. Your priorities are unique and I’m excited for you and the build process. Hope you are outside the heat dome, or in the water by now. Like clockwork, our MB A/C acts up just in time for heat domes🥵 Thanks for sharing your build process!
We’ve been skirting the edge for the past week in the 90’s. Hoping for a small cool off as we cross back into CA tomorrow. Yep, ACs and fridges always fail in the heat.
Sorry, it's going to be hot! About your bathroom, I recently saw a video where a toilet was in a cabinet adjacent to the shower with a hatch and pulled out into the shower when needed. I'm sure George could do something like that if you were interested.
@@dancoughlin3331 I actually thought about that as well but that would require a different fridge and I'm stuck on the Vitrifrigo. Moreover, I need a place to sit if we use that space to eat and work.
Very interesting layout in the van. What will you use to sit at the table/desk? Researching the compost toilet it mentioned that in order to keep odors down the liquid should be separated. What is the plan for the liquid drainage? If my source is reliable it also mentioned the compost toilet attract bugs and if they get inside the toilet they can lay eggs that can hatch. In my class B+ we keep doors closed and use screens in hot weather, but flys, mosquitoes and other flying insects sneak inside. What is your plan to minimize insects coming in making sure they don’t fly into the toilet. Where, when and how will you empty the compost toilet? Will you carry with you the dry material to put in the empty toilet for composting? If yes, what type of container will you carry it in and where will you store it? Some states don’t allow composting so will your destinations avoid camping in these states and only travel thru them. I am not as creative as you so we settled on buying a standard model, what the manufacture refers to as a class B+ but everyone else a class C. We traded in our Airstream motorhome and bought a B+ that has a real bed. It’s a Murphy bed and extremely comfortable unlike the converted couch bed in the Airstream. The only thing missing with our motorhome is a chef and an outside/inside cleaning service. Our motorhome exterior color is white like your new one and it shows grim-probably brought to VA by the Canadian wildfire smoke. Wishing you and John happy and safe travel. Keep cool. Despina
The liquids will be diverted to gray tank and the rest TBD.
Giving me a few items to consider in my build. I definitely want the pull up table top outside of the slider door. Ever think of leg reduction for John? 😂 Nomadic A/C, roof rack, and a rear ladder are things I want to add to my build. Good luck!
Thanks for sharing your process. Your style of travelling (frequent relocation) is consistent with alternator charging but onboard solar would be passive power ( as in more run time for the AC, fans, charging, disco balls etc).
We will also have a plug for charging with a stand alone panel that can be tilted toward the sun. The 200 AH we currently have has been plenty so far and we even have a compressor fridge.
I understand, I'm bad about spending other people's money!
GAME CHANGER FOR YOUR BUILD? I know that you are planning a composting or "dry" toilet, but just in case or for your fans who might be planning a build:
A long time ago, it was more common and more legally permitted to dump gray water on the ground in certain places. Therefore, "black" waste was separated from "gray" waste, so gray waste by itself could be dumped on the ground where permitted. Nowadays, dumping even gray water on the ground is almost entirely prohibited almost everywhere. However, the separate black and gray tanks have persisted.
If anyone thinks that separation of black and gray tanks is legal requirement, I challenge them to cite the regulation.
RV dealers and manufacturers play on the psychology of consumers into thinking that gray and black water should not share the same tank, and they play on consumers who think it's "gross" or dangerous to do so. Although a house and an RV are not the same, probably no average house separates gray and black waste. They all go down the same pipes after a few feet to the same sewer system. Nobody seems to get grossed out about that in their house, and a backed-up toilet doesn't end up in the kitchen sink. And you don't smell your toilet waste through your kitchen sink, shower, dishwasher, or washing machine. It's just psychology without basis.
We have a bus-based coach and a class B campervan. Both were professionally built, each with a combination gray-plus-black waste tank. This has been the absolute best setup in our direct experience over the years, because the black gets plenty of dilution with the gray water, and there's no need to flush out the black tank, because, well, it's already nicely diluted with the gray, which also contains soap, shampoo, and, in the case of the bus, detergent from our washing machine. The combination gray-plus-black keeps the SINGLE large waste tank nicely rinsed and loose and mixed.
This combination waste tank gives us a lot of flexibility for boondocking, especially in the class B. The tank becomes a huge black tank or a huge gray tank or anything in between, and all we adjust is our use. We're never limited by the black tank "filling up" before the gray or vice-versa.
We've not only never had any problems; we have had only benefits. We once traveled for 9 months continuously without a hitch. The illusion that odors or back-ups will come up through the kitchen sink or into the washing machine are false. We've never had any problems with clogs, sludge, smell, and, least of all, running out of black or gray waste space. No need for "flushing," and dumping is simply a breeze with only one thing to dump that flushes everything at the same time.
Our bus is gravity dump and the class B has a macerator. The combo waste is great for the macerator. The gray water's soap, dishwashing liquid, shampoo, and body wash certainly help the tank stay cleaner. No "dry pile" in the tank, no sludge from chemicals that "melt" your doodie into slime paste. No chemicals needed.
So, for an RV build, I strongly suggest a combo black+gray tank. It's the exception to the common mentality of nonsensical black and gray separation, which is, first, a carryover from days gone by and, second, a play on psychology for people who are "grossed out" by the idea of a combo tank, even though their house doesn't separate black from gray.
It might be cheaper and easier to design and implement separate black and gray tanks, especially the "cassette" type, which is probably why the RV manufacturers do it, but it's a deception to the consumer and a play on the false "gross" factor. It is, however, so common that nobody questions it or thinks out of the box that's been constructed for them.
Please know that I'm not talking in theory. We have years of hands-on experience with the combo tanks and, just to mention, we also have ordinary P-traps in our rigs. I hope this helps your viewers and is something for you to consider if it might be a benefit to you.
Those are excellent points and if we were going with a flush toilet, I would opt for that. We will in a small way be doing that because our toilet will divert the liquids to the gray tank.
Thanks for sharing your design walk through. I am doing similar with my "wheel estate". Although mine is older and smaller.
I need to investigate dual alternator for myself.
Those "airline cabinets are a good design. I will improve by making them a radius style rather than angular. Surely these is a barrel/pipe of the right dimension/diameter than can be "quartered".
Bikes are advancing. Swivel/quick detachable handlebars, detachable pedals, hub motor, generator crank, no chain drive, folding/swivel frame, will be here soon. So garage space can be smaller.
Want to observe how your shower/toilet design/system performs/meets your needs, without modification.
I'm excited about the bathroom design and I have another idea to throw at George.
Fun to follow along with your Humble Road build! It was also fun to spot your van & chat briefly with John last Friday morning in Harrison while I was riding the Trail of the CDA-knew him by his bike & the Pleasure Way! If you are still in Spokane area( or next time), I suggest you try some of the best ice cream anywhere at the Scoop-located on the South Hill & also in Kendall Yards-all made in house. Safe travels-really enjoy your channel. My husband & I have a Revel & always carry bikes inside.
I only wish I had been with him.
I assume you remove your bikes to sleep?
Thanks for the ice cream tips, we will check it out next time.
We push bikes forward for now when sleeping & bed is down (unless in a place where we are comfortable locking outside). It’s a work in progress. Not perfect & they aren’t e-bikes. We may add additional spacers under the bed or buy folding Bike Fridays at some point. Wish you’d been with John too, but hope you had a fun ride! It was a beautiful day & look forward to the video. We live in Spokane & have a daughter in Bishop, so a lot of your video routes are really helpful to us.😊
@@rolo8359 I bet you make that trek frequently. We are just leaving Goose Lake heading to Tahoe.
I was going to suggest the MKS Quick release pedals but as I see from the episode, you have already ordered them. I have them on my Brompton bike. They are so well made and easy to take on and off.
Funny thing is between ordering the first set and the second, the price had gone up $40!
You and John know best what works and what you want 👍. On a side note can you tell me what you use so your son can see where you are when traveling? Trying to set something up for our son also. Is it using Google maps/ sharing location ?
iPhone allows you to share location indefinitely
We're currently camping in our 2020 Ascent and just finished the video. Will you guys have a generator? Any need for propane? Love the videos.
No generator and no propane. We would love to get rid of the generator on our rig. Never use it except to "exercise" it so that it will keep working. And it is the lowest hanging object under the van. So noisy and smelly.
Here’s a totally different approach to converting an F250 Transit (or other van) into an RV: friends of mine are giving some thought to a “modular” approach to converting their F250 Transit into a part-time RV that will allow them to use the van for everyday, but then temporarily add in the RV components for travel.
Thankfully we don't need a van for any other reason. But I have heard about companies that make modular units to outfit a van more economically.
I’ve always enjoyed your channel. I was attracted by the Pleasure-Way content. I ultimately decided to go in a different direction (Storyteller Overland), I still enjoy and learn from your videos.
I think it is great to be able to discuss tradeoffs as long as it is done with respect. And given that you’ve travelled so much in the PW, you have a big background to draw from.
As a former cyclist, I agree that taking the pedals off (even with the QR) would seem to get old quickly.
In a similar area, did you investigate any options to store the bikes without having to life them up yourself? Not to sound morbid (and one of the unfitter dudes said something about adding steps to the bed as you get older). So as you get older, lifting the bikes up is going to get harder.
I’m thinking about some sort of pulley/lift or ramp to make it easier.
Anyway, thanks for bringing us on your journey. Fellow Californian and looking forward to seeing you and John in the wild.
The new bikes only weigh 40lbs and hopefully John will ask for help if/when he needs it.
We met someone recently who did some consulting for Storyteller. They make a nice van.
Oh … I hope you are satisfied with your Nomatic 3X. We have it in our new 170 sprinter (not extended) 4 season van. It sits over a couch that folds into a bed. It is only good enough for that spot and that is where we sit. We keep it at 60 so it doesn’t keep cycling on and off. The kitchen area is never cooled by it alone. Thank goodness for the MaxAir fan and 2 small rechargable fans. So if you only want to cool your sleeping area and use a 2nd curtain … you should be fine. But so far we haven’t been able to use the AC when camping in the summer for a couple of days off grid and have had to resort to campgrounds with electric. You would think 600 amp hours of lithium and 360 watts of solar would be enough to keep up with it, but it isn’t. If we had it to do over again … we might still get one? But would expect only to keep the dog cool going down the road or stopped for a short period when we can easily recharge batteries. Her seat belt harness is luckily right under the unit. When we get back from this trip across country from NC to NM … I am getting 2 insulating curtains for the inside cabin to use with our existing thermal shades. Or maybe we just won’t try to travel in the summer.
By the way …. L track all the way. We have it all over the van and use it for hanging bags, wet stuff and dog leash. It is on the floor for bikes or other toys. When I get those curtains … we will use it with the stupid AC unit.
You should consider StarLink roam with your new vehicle. We love it.
I'm figuring that the AC is only for the bed area and just in the early evening when it is too hot. For the places we visit, it will probably be adequate. At least it has a standard 14" opening if it has to be replaced. We camped at a spot with hookups last night but didn't use the AC because it is just too noisy. Hopefully George can squeeze in L track in multiple places.
You should be fine then. And the 14 inch opening I think is fairly standard for 12v ACs. Our van was precut for a different model that went out of business. Our oldest daughter and her children live in Raleigh, NC and we are in the middle of the trip home to northern NM along I-40 in 90+ degree heat. Next time we will board the dog and fly to NC!!! Oh … I do think you will love the induction burner(s). I usually cook outside on propane but this trip the induction top has really saved me. BTW … love your channel and all that you share. I’ve used many of your ideas! I can’t wait for the tour of your build when it is finished.
@@peggyjones392 This time of year, I'd fly too.
As a follow up on the Nomadic AC. We replaced it. I just couldn’t stand the inadequacy of the Nomadic X3. I couldn’t even depend on it to keep the dog cool while we grocery shopped and temps were in the 80s! Our builder said they had numerous complaints from their customers about it and decided to quit putting them into their builds.
Fascinating your are in/were in New Jersey. Made an unanticipated trip to New Jersey too and replaced our transmission after 112K miles on our RV. You’re buying a new RV. We’re buying ours a second time part by part. Heading North toward Canada again
What kind of van was it?
@@FromShetoMe Sprinter chassis
@@kxrv6629 That seems unusual. Now I'll have to do some research. We're about to go over 100k.
@@FromShetoMe We’ve been having problems with shifting on steep grades for a year. Was getting worse in the Appalachians. Too conservative/most expensive option because we travel in the boondocks so much
@@FromShetoMeit’s one of the most reliable transmissions. Just needs to have real MB fluid and filter change at around 40k miles.
Very exciting to build your own custom van! By the way, I retired from the corrugated box business. It's corrugated - not cardboard👍😄
LOL! I love corrections like this because it leads me to do some googling to learn more about its manufacture.
Oh my gosh, you are going to install those old fashion cup holders near the bed and just forget about your shoe cup holders? What on earth is your new plan for your shoes? ♥
Hmmm. I have some wooden shoes from Holland that have never been worn. Those might be perfect. Thanks for the inspiration. 😁
@@FromShetoMe You could start a new trend! Dutch cup holders! I like it!
looking great and i hope
it is a great build.. where did you stay while seeing the van?does he have visitor hook ups?
We stayed in his parking lot. We didn't hook up but I'm sure he would run a cord out if we had wanted one.
@@FromShetoMe thx
wishing you the best luck w the build and still AMAZED that you couldn’t find a western/ closer builder
@@brucemontgomery8136 We didn’t even look. I’ve seen/heard so many horror stories we wanted to go with someone we had confidence in.
Are you getting the dual alternators from Ford, or is the second alternator an after market one? We have a Coachmen Cross Trek (now Cross Trail) built on a Ford Transit. Coachmen ordered the unit from Ford with dual alternators and they are both tied into the SRC or "Smart Regenerative Charging" system from Ford. This has complicated getting a charge to our house battery bank while driving. Sometimes we see a negative amp flow from the house batteries while driving, and often do not get the charge we are hoping for while driving. Looks like the way the engine and house battery banks are tied together in our unit makes the Ford SRC see them as one big battery bank to be used as needed to increase gas mileage. There is a connector under the drivers seat where pins 1 and 3 (as I recall) can be tied together to alter the amp output from the alternators. But even this does not always give us the charge we are looking for. A DC to DC charger might solve the problem, but we haven't installed one in our unit yet. Our Ford Transit chassis is model year 2020.
Thanks so much for these tips. I'll be sure to pass on to George because the second alternator is like yours.
This is the second time I heard about the problems with then alternator. I belong to a Facebook group for transits, and this subject came up.
I’m curious why you didn’t opt for a dually for greater weight capacity or was that not available?
We specifically didn't want a dually. Number of reasons, we will be upgrading the tires and suspension. We like to air up and down when driving on dirt roads. We want to go as light as possible. If you aren't carrying the extra weight, then why get a dually. Duallies get worse gas mileage, higher toll fees. Our current rig, fully loaded is around 8500 lbs. Our new van eliminates a lot of the weight we have now (generator, propane, awning) so can't see any reason to get a van with dually wheels.
@@FromShetoMe Thanks. All makes good sense.
Sorry to ask an off topic question but we’re heading for NS, PEI and Newfoundland in a few weeks. We can’t decide about our e-bikes. I know you left yours in the U.S.. We’re already over 21 feet so it won’t make a difference in ferry fees. Did you regret not bringing them to the Maritimes or we’re you glad you left them behind? Thank you in advance and have a great time out there!
We were glad we left them, especially in Newfoundland where it was windy, wet, and cold. There was a nice trail on PEI where we used our friend’s bikes but you can probably rent some.
Skylights are romantic but we’ve found that we don’t use ours because of how hot it makes our space. So we end up having to keep it closed and covered with an insulated insert when traveling in the summer.
We’ll definitely have an insulated cover for it. But I had another motivation for it. Being able to stick a camera out of the opening. 😅
@@FromShetoMe Good idea!
yay! no wood i agree with you!
Your new Van is the extended model, how many feet is it? 22-25 feet.
The Mercedes 170 model is 22 feet and the 170 extended is 24.5 feet. I have the 144 model and I’m planning on my custom Van too.
Dave
Our new van is 22'. But the ability to put our bikes inside will mean we are 2+ feet shorter than with our 144.
@@FromShetoMe … 22 feet is the sweet spot for Vans I was looking at the 170 extended but 25 feet isn’t the best for off roading. I’m going to my bikes in the garage too.
I’m stoked for your build. Congrats.
Dave
@@controller2152 I think you know we're going to the Ford Transit this time around.
@@FromShetoMe Yes….. I haven’t researched it enough to leave the Mercedes . I love my Revel and want a little more space.
I’m stoked y’all are getting more head room… 👍👍👍🚐🚐🚐💥💥💥💥💥
Can you share the brand of the mattress?
I’ll ask George.
It's from Mattress Warehouse in Brick, NJ. George thinks it is the house brand.
Thank you. I was scrolling thru the comments looking for the bed info.
Does George make any Toyota-based camper vans?
I don’t think he has so far.
What insulation are you using for the ceiling please? I need buy that for my aluminum box truck.
I don’t know what George uses in his builds.
@@FromShetoMe Might be good to know for you since it is your own van!
@@coco9004 I think George has talked about it in one of his videos.
When John is lying down in bed- his feet look like they touch the front windshield
He's not that tall. We are absolutely loving the bed.
my bed is up high to accomadate my 29er, it can be tricky to get bike in, i leave it out when i get to destination and lock it up ! e bikes are exploding which means they will be getting stolen too ! my buddy who helped me build bed couldnt understand the importance i placed on getting bike in garage, he doesnt bike!!!!!
Isn’t that always the case! As Mark Twain said, “People know so much that ain’t so.”
I predict that within a year you will have grown tired of pulling bikes out and assembling them, and revert to the rack on the hitch. I also predict that the composting toilet will also become a hassle.
I do hope you'll enjoy it when it's done.
It's a trade off with the bikes, security vs easier access. It's nice to have the option. And maybe there will be better toilet designs coming--there is certainly the need for them.
Love how people who don’t know you, predict what you need and/or will get tired of. As George said, “this is your van.” Thinking you know more than most. And knowing that you will be kind to not challenge others, it is what fits for you and John. If anyone watches your channel, you love the bikes-so, that is the key.
@@jann4732 Thanks, I don’t mind. I guess it’s human nature.
@jann4732 On the contrary, I've been watching the "Searching For Icecream" channel at least since John and Debbie visited east Alabama looking for ancestors (and where a good many of mine were born, lived and died) some 3+ years ago. I love their videos and hope to see many more in the future.
@@CharlesinGA That is wonderful, I guess. Why make a prediction about what others want/need? Others, who you do not know. Thinking, they (and George) know best what they are seeking and will work for them for next 5 or so years. I get it, it will not work for you. Glad to know you can make decisions for others. And I apologize to Debbie and John for being a bit strong on this one, but I know you have put much thought into the next vehicle.
I didn't see any relationship with "smell". (May be because we use different organs to smell and to see)
That's disgusting you're going to be eating right way to take a poop back that's disgusting
Customise a van is so personnel, one mans water is another’s poison, good on you two, get what suits you.🚐
Great video, super exciting for you to have things the way you want in a van, and after 6 years of experience you should know exactly what you want. I was going to do a full on bath in my van and then decided I didn't want to enclose that upper space, I like my van feeling open and airy. I also made a urine diverting toilet to use until I could install my airhead toilet and am selling my Air Head toilet. If you care about and follow human waste disposal guidelines for cities and Parks, you can NOT put the compost poop in the regular trash. A lot of cities require you take them to the actual garbage dump station and National and State parks don't allow human waste into their trash. I never wanted to keep my poop long enough to let it start composting since I don't live in my van, even for extended trips, I don't want it in my van. I discovered the Wrappon toilet, which you put powder in the bag before you use it, it solidifies the liquid, seals the bag and you can dispose of it anywhere you can dispose of diapers and it doesn't smell. You can buy the sealing mecanisim by itself it you want to build it into your van from OK4WD. I also discovered the Tetravan folding shower that can be installed under your bed or at the end of the counter by your sliding door, it's a genius set up, it only takes up about 3 1/2" in depth into the space behind it , and about 6-7 inches behind it at the top where the plumbing attaches. It's easy to install and plumb. I'll send you links and more in-depth info via email in case you are interested in either. You are still my all time favorite TH-camrs!!! Continued safe happy travels to you!
You’ve certainly done your homework. I’ve seen the Tetravan shower and it looks interesting for sure. Someone could make a nice business designing a better toilet.
@@FromShetoMeit’s already been done. Laveo Dry Flush. We use it all the time in our Plateau
Thankyou so much for bringing to attention to what is becoming a huge problem in our country, as evidenced in that cute little blue Jeep. It is the increased number of what I believe to be unlicensed drivers. First of all can they actually read? Another is those types of motorists generally like to go fast when not in automobiles so how will they restrain themselves behind the wheel. Distraction is another issue with these “types”…keeping focused on maintaining their lane, not following too close and observing posted speed limits also is concerning to me. What if they see a squirrel, or another one of their kind running along side their vehicle???Just something to think about Y’all!!!🐕🐩🚗🛻🚐🚙 0:24
Too funny! John is listening to me laugh at your comment while he is driving. He said, share it with me...