Project Vanlyfe

Forward

I do not intend to remove any information unless it is incorrect or contains errors, though I may comment out information that becomes irrelevent. However, each major iteration will be archived to the Wayback Machine.

This document will contain internal/local links to sections, and those are unlikely to change (unless the document undergoes a major overhaul), so feel free to bookmark individual sections. Even if the section moves, the local link will remain the same.

Many parts of this document already exist in disparate locations, some of which are entirely private or have restricted access. Through conversations with a new friend, I have accepted their assertion that this information should be publicly available. While much of it is derived from publicly available sources, I have compiled from many, and am already striving to document my journey as thoroughly and publicly as possible. This is one of the results.

Additionally, for completion and full documentation (and to minimize the requirement on the reader to consume the entire document), individual sections may contain repeated material and notes.

Furthermore, I invite the reader to peruse my related blog series which follows my journey and encourage you to comment (a link to the comment form exists at the bottom of most pages and does not require providing your contact information).

Table of Contents

0. Document History
1. Intentions
2. Climate
3. Vehicles
• Ram Promaster
• Ford Transit
• Other
4. Build
• Interior
• HVAC
• Electric
• Water
• Food Prep
• Bedding
• Storage
• Misc
• Exterior
• HVAC
• Electric
• Shore
• Misc
5. External Resources

Document History

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Intentions

Climate

Vehicles

At present, my top picks for vehicles are, in order:

1. Ram Promaster, 136-inch wheelbase, high roof.
2. Ram Promaster, 136-inch wheelbase, standard roof.
3. Ram Promaster, 118-inch wheelbase, standard roof.
4. Ford Transit, 130-inch wheelbase, medium roof.

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Ram Promaster

I am not dissuaded by the strictly 2-wheel drive offered in these vehicles, as I have taken far less adventurous vehicles (most notably my 2015 Smart Fortwo) out into the wild and not suffered for the choice.

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Ford Transit

Others

In the US, there are two other car-makers who have provided utility vans in the past, but these have both been discontinued: the Chevy City Express and the Nissan NV.

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Build

Interior

HVAC

I will be installing a heater, and it will most likely be a gas heater. Probably installed under the passenger's seat, as I've seen many others do. I'm undecided whether it will have a dedicated tank or just tapped into the vehicle's tank (assuming I even buy a heater that takes the same fuel as the vehicle).

I haven't yet looked into battery-bank-connected clothing or sleeping bags. They're definitely on my radar (and I certainly have a surplus of battery banks).

I do want to install a ceiling fan, and it will almost certainly be a Maxxair. (Every vanlifer I've seen with a Maxxair, loves it, and every one who picked a different brand seems to regret not getting a Maxxair.)

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Electric

Water

Water will be on the passenger's (right) side of the van.

Few things to know about water:

• One gallon weighs approximately 8⅓ pounds.
• One cubic foot is just under 7½ gallons.

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Food Prep

Bedding

To that end, and to optimize storage, I expect to be building a custom hammock stand out of 4040 extruded aluminum. This stand will allow me to mount the hammock as close to the ceiling as possible.

My preferred hang length is 9½-feet long (though I can sleep on a mere 8-foot span), and to that end, I calculated the maximum diagonal suspension length across the array of vehicles in my selection, with the following results:

• All Ram Promasters except the City are of sufficient size for the 114-inch ideal hang length.
• All Ford Transits except the Connect are of sufficient size for the 114-in ideal hang length.
• The diagonal on the Chevy City Express is exactly the size for the 96-inch minimum hang length.
• The Ram Promaster City and the Ford Transit Connect are too small for even the minimum hang length.

My home-hammock-stand is itself 9½ feet long, and has a height of approximately 40 inches. With this height, subtracted from the total interior height of each vehicle, I am estimating my required storage dimensions.

Working with the standard height roof, I am allowed a maximum storage height of 28 inches in a Ram Promaster and 13 inches in a Ford Transit. If I were to obtain a taller vehicle, I could raise that allowance, but I am conducting my storage estimates based on the smallest vehicles to reduce the amount of alternate designs I have to complete. (It's far easier to size up than it is to size down.)

Additionally, 24 inches is a comfortable chair height for me, and as such, I am prioritizing that height in my designs.

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Storage

This is one of the contributing factors in the decision to hang my hammock as close to the ceiling as possible. If I were instead moving forward with a bed-centric design, I had already been looking into raising the bed platform higher than many other vanlifers opt to place it.

The 24-inch height appears to (so far) be more than sufficient storage according to my current estimates. I would like to have a tall cabinet in the back that is within easy reach while inside the hammock, for things such as my water bottle, medication, phone chargers, etc, all of which currently reside on my bed-side hammock-side table.

Further considerations for my storage:

• I intend to build the majority of my cabinetry out of reinforced XPS.
• I want to minimize the number of pull-out drawers in my setup. (The XPS is a contributing factor to this goal.)
• I want to minimize the amount of dishware, cooking equipment, and eating utencils in the van, with the goal to encourage/force me to clean after every meal instead of letting the mess accumulate.
• I have a modest collection of camping gear, which currently occupies roughly 7 cubic feet, the vast majority of which I keep permanently in my current car. I intend for all of it to reside in the van.
• I have roughly 2½ cubic feet of TTRPGs. I intend for all of it to reside in the van.
• I own an Inlet-model Oru Kayak. I intend for it (and the associated gear) to reside in the van.

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Misc

Exterior

HVAC

One catch though: Jack's EBH has the power connector (NEMA 5-15P) sticking out the front grill. I'll want the power connector in the van exiting into the interior of the van, so I can easily plug it into the onboard battery bank instead of the grid. (It seems to be not just possible but relatively straightforward, according to responses to my inquiry on fedi.)

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Electric

Shore

Misc

External Resources

Leave a comment or join my journey.

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