Jolly Green Giant

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Mopar Sam said:
My wife has been wanting to get an old van to use for camping and we picked this up today.
Thanks to @318willrun for his camper van video!! That kind of started off the idea.

We plan on doing something similar, except with the extra length we can carry more groceries...

It is a a '97 15 pass. B3500 It has the 360 magnum. It is pretty solid and ran fine on the interstate, as well as some hillly 2 lane roads on the way home.

It is a really dark green and since it is so long she named it the Jolly Green Giant.

If anyone else has converted one for camping, please post your pics or videos here.

This will be a fun project, a little at a time.

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And, my Old Yeller 67 sweptline is still a go, small progress being made almost everyday, nothing worth posting yet, but progress none the less...
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If this vans a rocking come on in and dont bother knock'n. LOL
 
Well, we finally got to do a little work on this. We started on carpet and making lower sidewalls out of 1/4" luan. My wife, Jenny is painting the panels as I make them.

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We also started making a queen size bed frame and getting it in.


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Mopar Sam said:
Well, we finally got to do a little work on this. We started on carpet and making lower sidewalls out of 1/4" luan. My wife, Jenny is painting the panels as I make them.

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We also started making a queen size bed frame and getting it in.


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I see a comfortable nap in your near future.... LOL. Looking good, and can't wait to see more updates !!!
:thumbsup:
 
Jenny made up some removable window covers for the inside. Here is a picture of one of them.

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She also made a license plate for us.

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We did make a little more progress, but didn't take pictures of it yet. More to come...
 
318willrun said:
we have no name for the black van, we'll have to work on that. The grey was is "van of war".... :D :D
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so "the maxi pad" is officially of the table?

are you gonna put some drawers on sliders for storage, underneath the bed?
 
Awesome score! Congrats!!! We just scored this b200 from El Paso! Full custom job from the 70's. Will be an awesome cruiser/tow rig for the duster.
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Working on a 1957 Airstream Are you going boondocking or campsite. You can simplify what systems to add once you figure that out. Cook top or camp fire. How much water do you want to store? Lots of cool stuff out there, including custom mattresses and portable AC.
 
66fs said:
Working on a 1957 Airstream Are you going boondocking or campsite. You can simplify what systems to add once you figure that out. Cook top or camp fire. How much water do you want to store? Lots of cool stuff out there, including custom mattresses and portable AC.
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We are planning a little of both. Probably campsites at first. We have been trying to figure out what all we want/need, and can fit into the limited space. I am sure we will make changes as we go. I am making everything so that it can be removed easily if we want to change it later.
 
If anyone wants to post pictures of their camping vans, we would like to see them!
 
I'd just be sure you have a way or thought to bring power into the van. Most campsites offer electric. Nice for coffee makers, lights, charging, tiny space heater (it don't take much to roast ya in a van we found out), and they even make small portable A/C units that we are checking into. Much better to pull from a 110 than the van.
 
318willrun said:
I'd just be sure you have a way or thought to bring power into the van. Most campsites offer electric. Nice for coffee makers, lights, charging, tiny space heater (it don't take much to roast ya in a van we found out), and they even make small portable A/C units that we are checking into. Much better to pull from a 110 than the van.
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We ordered an RV cord and receptacle to bring power in. The drivers side will have an 8" wide storage area running alongside the bed that will be where I run the wiring. We are planning some sort of A/C too. And, if I can't have coffee, I ain't goin'. We still need to figure out water storage. We will probably buy a little fold up table to eat on.

Keep the suggestions coming!
 
Mopar Sam said:
We ordered an RV cord and receptacle to bring power in. The drivers side will have an 8" wide storage area running alongside the bed that will be where I run the wiring. We are planning some sort of A/C too. And, if I can't have coffee, I ain't goin'. We still need to figure out water storage. We will probably buy a little fold up table to eat on.

Keep the suggestions coming!
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Unless you are disappearing in the desert for weeks..... we found that the 32 pack of bottled water at Dollar General for 3 bucks is most convenient. They can store in one place or several places tucked here an there, and are very easy to pour in a coffee pot or your mouth. They can be refilled at almost every campsite spicket or replenished when you pass another grocery store, or Dollar general. But, that's just us..... much better ideas out there for sure
 
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These guys have a neat idea for water. They used long, narrow tanks along the roof/side to carry like 30 gallons of water. It's also a Green Giant. Interesting.....
 
Congratulations on the Green Giant! Three teens videos had my wife and I thinking about something like this but thank goodness we live in the city and don't have room for it! LOL..
 
Mopar Sam said:
We ordered an RV cord and receptacle to bring power in. The drivers side will have an 8" wide storage area running alongside the bed that will be where I run the wiring. We are planning some sort of A/C too. And, if I can't have coffee, I ain't goin'. We still need to figure out water storage. We will probably buy a little fold up table to eat on.

Keep the suggestions coming!
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regular 110 or 220?

i put one of these in the front bumper of my plow truck

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(the block heater sits on the passenger side and with the plow in front and the snow coming down, it just wanst a good spot for it, so i wired this into the heater cord and now i can get to it right as i get into the truck)

if i were adding 110 to a van, this is probably what i would use
pop an extension cord in, plug it and bob's yer uncle
 
Oh, and bolt a picnic table to the roof, always a place to eat
 
diymirage said:
regular 110 or 220?

i put one of these in the front bumper of my plow truck

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(the block heater sits on the passenger side and with the plow in front and the snow coming down, it just wanst a good spot for it, so i wired this into the heater cord and now i can get to it right as i get into the truck)

if i were adding 110 to a van, this is probably what i would use
pop an extension cord in, plug it and bob's yer uncle
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I ordered one of these. 30 amp 110v twist lock, and a matching 25' cord. I bought a small 2 breaker box that will fit in my 8" wide cabinet. We should just need a couple of outlets.

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diymirage, where did you get the one you have? I wouldn't mind having one of those too.
 
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