We Screwed Up | 9 MISTAKES We Made on our VAN Build | Ford Transit Conversion

[@svleoc1201]

Sliding doors are best for overhead cabinets. You won't need struts. You won't need a latch or lock on them because they wont open when your driving, You can't hit your head on them, and you can make them out of 3mm aluminium composite panel which is very light, doesn't need painting and comes in nice colours.

[@cali2752]

Hi! I'm very interested in the sliding doors idea. Do you have a good reference for it?

[@alanhat5252]

@@cali2752 cut a 3.5mm groove in the top & bottom frames with the top groove much deeper, cut a 3mm sheet tall enough to go into both grooves but short enough that when it's fully into the top groove it will come out at the bottom. Minimum 2 doors per aperture, with generous overlap. Most people just drill a 25mm or larger hole each end to operate it. Lubricating strips &/or rounded corners make the doors slide easier.

[@alfredshearing6793]

3mm acrylic panels worked for me. Lightweight and opaque, lots of colour choice

[@debmary2999]

Congratulations!!! Great info and help that you are giving us; especially accommodating a range of needs 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@mctrustsnoone3781]

Thank you for this brilliant idea, I’m designing my build and I will be incorporating this! Brush aluminum will contrast my woods nicely and happy to reduce weight wherever possible. Wonder what else I could use 3mm aluminum composite for?

[@wardsdotnet]

For the dim light problem just install some LED fairy lights around the edges of the ceiling

[@doughosig6798]

and another : "next time" use full length piano hinges on your overhead cabinets....no "twisiting" that way with the lighter /thinner overhead doors....

[@saltyvanventures]

Not a bad idea to consider!

[@doraexplora9046]

Having done this myself: 1. Keep things SUPER LIGHT! No solid wood. No 2x1's. All frameless or thing frames epoxy glued together with a 'Coreflute' plastic insert (Bamboo for the Greenies). 2. Definitely align your work surfaces with your power needs. Use 12V to 19VDC(any laptop voltage selectable) adapters/chargers. 3. NO bright lights anywhere. Dimmable, everywhere. 4. Only have removable storage for the back slide outs. 5. Don't tamper with anything that might stop you from getting your Blue Slip (Road Worthy Certificate)[MOT]. Do all that afterwards. Make the car as stock as possible (engineering wise) 'just in case' so you are sure you will get it passed. (Only necessary if your van is not registered already or you need to get it reclassified. 6. Be VERY careful about the number and type of 'holes' you make in the side of the van. ie. Utility, LPG, H2O, Shore Power etc. Make sure these comply with the local Standards. 7. Don't over spec your 12VDC wiring unnecessarily. Understand which gauge can carry what current. 8. Use either wood glue or Locktite on every nut and bolt for rougher roads, including dirt. Avoid self-tapers like you avoid your mother-in-law. 9. RUST PROOF RUST PROOF RUST PROOF RUST PROOF 10. Take this guys advice about 'washing lines' and everything else he mentions, as it is spot on advice.

[@superbettynow]

Thanks for this! Am a young woman in her 40s, and I'm brand new to planning a van conversion, have ZERO experience with building, using tools, etc, but am keen to learn. Love the idea of going as lightweight as possible while looking good. Can you please tell me in point 2 what you mean by a coreflute insert? I know what coreflute is but where is it being inserted? Ha. Cheers! (btw i love your user name - do you have a channel/blog/somewhere I can see what you've done?)

[@doraexplora9046]

@@superbettynow Holy SH!T Batman! I think you should scower the Innertube for women building vans. Its really not that easy. Pick a van no more than 10yo. Pick a common van in your area with a perfect reputation and then expect to fix things. Make sure it has NO RUST. as all your efforts could be undone through that. Figure out why you want one. i.e Weekends away? To live in? etc. Notice the climate you are in. ie. is it hot or cold. Build your van accordingly. Then work out how many days at a time you need to be independant.ie. water, toilets, sleeping food storage, cooking arrangements etc. If you can figure all that out and not throw up. Then you are ready to 'start thinking about the idea of building a van'! just the idea. The tools alone will set you back $1000 and then you have to know how to use them. Suggestion: Better to outsource everything and Project Manage the build. More chance of success. COREFLUTE: instead of solid doors. make a 35mm(1.5") frame and route a groove on the inside of the frame to take the Coreflute. Strong but light...and pretty too!

[@Canoecamper]

Thanks for the ideas about what to watch for. I'm far from being a carpenter, but I'm pretty good at solving problems. You said you framed your overhead cupboards with wood that is too thin. Well, why not make the entire cabinet door out of one piece of plywood, then glue and brad a thin veneer frame on top of the plywood. No worries about the miters separating because they sit atop a solid piece of plywood.

[@Djauntywanker]

Yeah I noticed many people don’t think about weight . It does my head in especially with petrol costs .

[@JipseeGirl]

Instead of remaking the doors just add another strut on the other side for equal pressure

[@horusrage]

An alternative to the dimmer switch in the wall is bluetooth led light lights. You can set it up to control from your phone. And several have a variety of options including dimming, warm/cold light, scene lighting & colour sound lighting. You can also schedule tasks for it. MIrabella has a variety of them that you could look in at bunnings.

[@gieb6428]

I do not have a phone

[@jeffsteinmetz7188]

These kind of videos are of the most value. Thank you for telling us like it is.

[@saltyvanventures]

You're very welcome

[@I_Am_SciCurious]

Thank you so much for this information! I was planning a pull out deck like yours but I’ll scrap that idea now. The undercoat info just saved me a ton of headaches too. I seriously appreciate it.

[@saltyvanventures]

Glad it was helpful and informative for you!

[@yornavSY]

Well done! Weight of the wood or weight in general during building, is a very common forgotten element. I saw many vans build with these pinewood planks. Some owners definitely did not like the driving behaviour of the car. I believe 5 mm light multiplex for ceiling and 8 mm maximum for walls. For furniture also 5 to 12 mm and 15 mm for seats. Anyhow enjoy your van, it is beautiful.

[@alicel3992]

I'm not considering van life but I enjoy watching videos. I can tell you from "mistakes" you've discussed items I've not heard before. 1. Payload/weight 2. Clothes line and someone suggested a broom could be stored along side under solar panels. 3. Frig always too small but having a frig and freezer sounds good. Oh, Now I remember seeing someone who did have both. One person, one time. 4. Bright light when trying to be stealth and ideas to soften the problem. 5. Someone mentioned security locks. 6. Using boards that can become spears in an accident. 7. Knives on metal strips not taken down before taking off. Someone could be seriously hurt if an accident occurred Good job. I'm glad I watched. Edited bc I remembered more items.

[@saltyvanventures]

Thank you 😊

[@MyLittleFarmhouse]

Ten !! The Insulation! Put a vapour barrier in and fill “every” gap with insulation. I look at your van and I think of the mould and rust that would be behind those walls 😖

[@prepparig144]

Your lines are so clean especially where walls meet the ceiling. Great video!! I'm in the process of converting a shuttle bus and finishing off a transit van and this definitely solidifies some of my decisions. I'm an overthinker, which usually leads to procrastination, and videos like this definitely help me focus and make decisions.

[@Liv-hj2jg]

I’m really close to finishing my van build and I am glad to see that I haven’t made any of those mistakes. We put hammock rails on the roof that extend and I haven’t even thought about how handy it will be to use them for wet laundry! I’m sure though I made a bunch of other mistakes 😂 nothing is ever perfect, you live and you lern. Thanks for your video!

[@saltyvanventures]

Exactly, learn by mistakes. or learn by my mistakes 😂

[@helenellsworth9556]

Learn, you did so well until that lern 😊

[@iandalton9147]

Maybe stretch the budget to a paired gas strut to minimize the flexing ! Just noticed today that all Ikea wall cabinets have paired struts ! Thanks to your brilliant video, now I know why !

[@michaelhackethal8187]

Nice work, man! Just one thing that keeps coming to my mind: with long pieces of solid wood covering the length of the walls what might happen in case of a highway accident is they can crack and come flying towards you like pointed spears. Plywood avoids that danger. Also I see magnets for kitchen knives time and again in these vans and people don‘t seem to take them off when driving. I don‘t want to imagine having a crash with these blades swirling tthrough the car… But thanks a lot for sharing your ideas and mistakes, it helps me with my planning even though I will keep it way simpler. Anyway, there is no perfect camper van for everything. You always have to compromise. And that‘s perfectly fine.

[@saltyvanventures]

I would say that would be highly unlikely with how they are all intertwined with the tongue and groove friction and attached. The knifes though would be a different story for sure!

[@beanfrompa7483]

Regarding your computer charging cords when in the office, it appears you could relatively easily add USB ports to your desk slider. The cords will move with the slider (in dedicated conduit / tracks) but be always available.

[@neverquit6939]

Such a great idea. Writing to you from Jacksonville Florida :) Australia is why better though. Way better.!

[@jewelrussell8288]

Re stealth lighting, would you consider fairy lights. They're often used in vans and can either run off solar or batteries. I use them in my bedroom and the light they give off might do the trick for a van.

[@isstuff]

I think I have all the points covered, but your point about the clothes line is a good idea. There is still time for that one to be implemented and I think there is enough room under the roof racks to sneak in a couple of poles for a clothes line. I think you would be able to find a way to insert a broom stick or two into some loops just under your roof rack.

[@saltyvanventures]

I would highly recommend incorporating a clothes line in some ways shape or form for sure

[@pompestcontrol]

I have single seats on my transit van. Used drivers seat base and a single suspension passenger seat van from a merc benz . Both drives and passenger seats have swivels installed and have been checked off by a engineer. This gives us an extra lounge area and room in the van which is a E350 transit

[@saltyvanventures]

Was this in Australia? We have super strict guidelines we need to follow

[@pompestcontrol]

yes in Australia because I used original manufactures seat base and passengers seat from another van with air bags. The only thing the engineer wanted to check out was the engineering certificate for the swivel unit i used and check out the welding I had to do to adapt swivel to base and seat.

[@NullStaticVoid]

Watched a video review of 12V fridges before I got mine and the reviewer made an extremely good point. Cold air falls, it seeks the bottom. Thats just basic thermodynamics. Front opening fridges dump their cold air when you open them. Top opening ones hold in the cold air when they are open. So top opening fridges are more efficient. That said, I got a top opening 47 liter 12V fridge which works great to keep my food cold. It can even be a freezer if I crank it down enough on the thermostat. Downside is that it requires almost a whole meter to slide out, which is kind of a pain. Also, if I was going to do it over I would go with 24V. Thinner power wires for the same wattage. And there are a ton of 24V products made for truck drivers. Fans, lights, fridges etc. I had to rebuild my cabinets all over again from scratch. My first run I made them out of 6mm plywood. With plastic bins from Ikea for drawers. Those worked for about a month, then they started working themselves apart from constant vibration and stress. Tore those out and spent almost 4 months building a whole new set that go top to bottom behind the driver seat out of 12mm ply. These are solid and have more capacity. And I added a sink! But I measured too well. I had a very hard time squeezing the unit into the space between the floor and ceiling. It's not coming out now! When I started building my van I laughed at people that took over a year to build theirs. Here I am 1 and half years later and not quite finished with the water system. Guess I didn't count on electrical problems which take a month to solve, or spending a whole weekend working on getting one piece of wood to fit. ps a good alternative to dimmers are naval cabin lights which have a a two way switch, one side is white, the other red. The red wavelength won't come through your curtains and tinted windows as much as full spectrum white. It also doesn't mess with your ability to see in the dark as much as white light. So you need less of it. Bonus if you have a film camera, you can change film under a red light!

[@elsaparsons4444]

I’ve enjoyed all your build videos, this one included. I have dimmer lights, but I use my dimmable fairy lights (Amazon) even more. It adds a cozy feel to my rolling home, plus they can be bright enough to cook etc, but low enough to just be cozy. Second, I do have a laundry line in the van, again on Amazon, that is retractable. What I would do different on mine is to have a toe kick on the kitchen cupboards because now that the doors are settling, they are scraping the ground. Question - are you happy with all your door locks and securement devices? That’s been a big one for me and I wished I would’ve planned the locks when designing all the cabinets and pull out drawers

[@vociferonheraldofthewinter2284]

I think that any novice could get some helpful things to think about from this video, no matter where they're coming from. I'm much older and disabled. (Just had another spinal surgery. Will absolutely need at least one more.) So pointing out that it's difficult to crawl through from the front to the back without enough space is 100% something that matters to me. The ice chest. OMG, this is something I missed and, for me, it's VITAL. I need ice packs. Lots and lots of ice packs. I can't believe that I didn't think about this. I've got a good 12v convertible fridge/freezer that I was going to use as our fridge, and now it's going to be a dedicated freezer and I'll find something else for the fridge. Cabinet strength: This is kind of an obsession of mine. I made the mistake of watching a ton of conversion crash aftermath videos... yeah. The wood turns into toothpicks and basically explodes. No plank wood ceiling for me. Lightweight plastic sheets, covered in a layer of high density foam, covered with a good quality jute carpet underlayment, covered in an exterior vinyl. I'm seriously considering a steel upper cabinet for the galley that's bolted (or welded) directly to the ribs. I'm trying to find the line between "hysterical overbuild and forcing everyone to wear helmets and kevlar" and "tossing the grandkids in a Final Destination death trap" and that line isn't as clear as one might think. smh Thanks for the food for thought. In many ways, the regrets are more important than the 'how to' videos.

[@doraexplora9046]

Like you said. Use your 12VDC thing as a dedicated Freezer. Buy a fancy, well insulated Esky(ice Box) for everyday use. Put all you frozen stuff at the top of the Ice Box and let it chill what's underneath. With luck, everything should be thawed out within two days, ready for you to cook. Use a separate locker for non perishable vegetables. Avocados, bananas, apples, cucumbers, eggs etc. just look at the super markets how they store stuff.

[@jano5531]

Brilliant idea with the clothes line. Slotting that one in to the memory banks. I'm going to be using 8020 for my construction so if it goes on the solar panel rack, then it can be done so easily.

[@saltyvanventures]

Hopefully it will work out for you!

[@oppositeistrue]

I love the design and the skills you put in to your van, aluminium and plastic.

[@saltyvanventures]

Thank you!

[@juanitadaniels7511]

Thank you, it's very helpful to see where challenges can crop up, now I'm forewarned it will help immensely!

[@saltyvanventures]

Glad it helped! The only way you learn and to find out these things is to do it any trail them firsthand. At least I did anyway and can share it with others so they don't make the same mistakes as me

[@mikereeder309]

Thanks for all your insights. Payload is such an issue with the Transit. We have the jumbo so even less payload and more materials required. Hopefully the Transit’s great ride will make all the hassle worth while. Happy Travels 👍

[@saltyvanventures]

Thank you. They do have a great ride don't they! good luck with your build

[@darrenjordan841]

Great vid mate. Don't be hard on yourself. Your van is awesome.

[@saltyvanventures]

Thank you, I wont 😊

[@hankcuccina5260]

It's important to be able access the cab if you free camp, we have had to leave during the night because of drunk 'locals'.

[@LouveniaMusic]

A folding table might be a good alternative. Lightweight and takes up little space.

[@michaelborlini569]

Crazy! Thanks for taking the time to share this. I am less than half way through my transit build and taken so much from you videos. Up until about point 6, I had made those changes already and im so glad to hear these were the right decisions. I have even just purchased the 85L bushman haha. Thanks again mate.

[@saltyvanventures]

Thats awesome to hear. Glad you made the changes early on in your build! he 85L bushman "must be nice" 😂 I think the freezer is bigger in that model too right?

[@scoro8964]

I love your honesty. A fantastic design and build but always from for improvement. Thanks so much for sharing.

[@saltyvanventures]

Hope it was helpful!

[@generalinbox3740]

Would red lights fix the lighting issue for stealth ?? Like military field lighting

[@mcphee224]

Thanks Marcel, I love your videos. With regards to drying clothes I have seen some vans that have also vented their diesel heater into their shower so that it becomes like a drying space. Really good for wet days. And when sunny use a washing line.

[@saltyvanventures]

Yes thats a great idea. If we were to build another van with a shower i would for sure be venting the diesel heater vent into the shower for that reason and i think it would work really well. I'd still also like some kind of outdoor drying rack too

[@cathymcmahon7289]

Great video with lots of ideas and hints. Love the clothes line idea and yes I agree a secondary fridge/freezer in the back is a good solution. Thanks for sharing! Great sponsor too 😉 we definitely reach out down the track when building my own van!

[@saltyvanventures]

Glad you liked it and we'll hopefully hear from you in the future soon!

[@gieb6428]

Running two units uses too much power. Use a combination unit and Make It work. Your an engineer. I'm an IE

[@GoodieJoy-hh9uc]

The issue with having a freezer in the back is you forget what is in it, unlike the frig we daily view.

[@MicckMicck]

Just bought one, researching all aspects of fitting it out. I found your video super helpful.

[@saltyvanventures]

Thanks for the feedback. Glad they were helpful to you

[@daversj]

There isn’t a paint in the world that will keep knots from transferring through paint long term. I have thirty years experience in high end residential construction. Use clear lumber if you don’t want to see the knots. The pre primed lumber is usually finger jointed and knot free which shows through eventually as well.

[@strawberryroad1347]

I have a clothesline that I attach to the side with suction cups. Haven't used it yet, so haven't tested how functional it actually is.. You have done a good job covering a lot of issues you usually don't see before you live in the van for a period of time.. 😊 So thanks for the tips.

[@saltyvanventures]

Exactly and let us know how your clothes line goes!

[@emilybesserer1999]

Love your build! It's funny you were trying to remove the double seat upfront, we are trying to figure out how to add an additional seat so our pup can ride upfront with us LOL but it is good to know we might be able to replace the single seat with double!! Just have to figure out what to do with the parking brake lol

[@mwhoville581]

I saw another person build a box between the seats for their pup. Then the box can be pup food storage.

[@saltyvanventures]

You should be able to source a double seat from the wreckers. The bolt holes are the same and the handbrake should also not be an issue as ford make the seats transferable.

[@bigman2xl905]

Use a Mortise and Tennon joint on the cabinet doors or a Rail and Stile router bit set in a router table.

[@saltyvanventures]

Great idea

[@jackjacko8706]

A cheap and excellent sealer to prevent resin seepage is Bondcrete. The old slogan. Bondcrete sticks to everything and everything sticks to Bondcrete . Also works on Aluminum as a sealer that you may want to paint.

[@saltyvanventures]

thanks, good to know!

[@stevesuckling8705]

I have a the same van that I'm building For your cloths line I'm putting a curtain rod across the back doors when there open to hang cloths off plus I have a shower curtain for my out side shower at the back door

[@saltyvanventures]

I was considering that but it would be nicer to be able to have the clothes drying and have all the doors closed at the same time. For instance if you wanted to go for a walk while drying your clothes

[@WeLikeGoPro]

Great points. Also jealous of your Aussie build weather as I'm doing mine in Scotland's freezing, pi55ing rain : )

[@cattythecat9161]

Dimmable lights: Why dont you use one of these 12V LED stripe systems... you can dimm it and you got a remote controll you can use maybe from inside the bed ?

[@MrKeenaz]

Your a man of many ideas Marcel. You will find a way to overcome these minor issues. One thing I’d do is turn the rear platform into a fold up drying rack. Only if I didn’t use it. Or incorporate the rack into it so you have both. Regards, Mario.

[@saltyvanventures]

Interesting thought! I'll have to consider it.

[@nexpro6985]

In the UK we use a product called Patent Knotting which is brushed onto knots prior to priming/undercoating.

[@saltyvanventures]

I will know this for next time!

[@veeaustin6894]

Great video and tips! For the lighting, have you thought about installing a battery operated LED strip light below the overheads? Could save you from opening the overheads when you want dimmer lighting.

[@saltyvanventures]

Kinda, i really just need to install a dimmer switch i think 😂. I 2 have independently switched led down lights below the overhead cabinets for could for sure have a dimmer installed too.

[@rogermccaslin5963]

Your cabinet door problem could be solved with half lap joints. You'd need a router table or a table saw to create them but they would be a lot stronger than those mitered corners. Also, you don't need a gas strut to hold it open. You can use a hinged stick to prop the door open.

[@saltyvanventures]

The lapped joint would be much stronger yes I agree

[@thudang3039]

@@saltyvanventures I've seen another solution here in lieu of a gas strut - marine support springs. Depending on your application, it might cost a bit more, but depending on how secure the items are inside, you might not need the locking mechanism to keep the door shut. In my years of prep for my van build (was a dream turned van order) I've been storing away all the tidbits for a van build.

[@jiri4023]

Thanks for the tips! I'm definitely adding a power outlet exactly in the spot above the table you pointed out. I also thought that running the power cable from an outlet nearby isn't a problem, but adding an outlet is just so easy. The clothes line thing it's a precious tip too. Thanks! Not sure how I'm going to do that yet, but I custom-built the roof rack so it shouldn't be a problem to add a thing or two.

[@saltyvanventures]

Glad it was helpful! When we get a change i think i'm going to modify the roof rack to incorporate the clothes line for sure!

[@jiri4023]

Our van is too tall so I couldn't find a simple way to add a clothes line that we could reach from the ground. What I'm going to do instead is adapt one of those wall-mounted aluminum folding drying racks on a piece of hardwood with two hooks and just mount it on the ladder whenever needed.

[@jonclement]

it's worth it to have 3 seats in the front. We keep our ice cream/berries in a separate 8L compressor fridge, keep a clothes dryer holder over the diesel heater.

[@saltyvanventures]

nice idea with the fridge

[@donna6376]

Wet clothes could go under your pullout deck? Just heavy bungees? Could you buy or make roll-top cupboard doors? I've seen a few old roll-top breadboxes I'm thinking of collecting for my future rig.

[@its_jrdx9]

Planning on purchasing a van and having it build for me. Video gave me a lot of things to think about so I don't make the same mistakes. Didn't really think about weight of build being an issue.

[@saltyvanventures]

Yes it’s a big issue a lot of people don’t realise and it can really cause major issues later down the track.

[@bakki27]

Building the over head cabinet doors out of plywood, and then putting a frame on to that small sheet of ply, would solve the strut problem. Rather than making a frame with a plywood filling. 9-12mm sheet of plywood and frame on top of it with 4-6 mm ply, still pretty light and strong.

[@chachol3ptico190]

great video and thanks for sharing the mistakes the wooding frame and the passenger sit opened my eyes.

[@saltyvanventures]

Glad it helped

[@davenoseyparker]

This Video presentation was like hearing myself. I have to say i watched all your build vids whilst I was doing a very similar build. Thanks for some ideas for sure, but hey how come your concerns mirror mine well most of them. The freezer fridge bit is def need of upgrade like you say. keep it up guys, Salty as you need to be.

[@saltyvanventures]

That's awesome and no problem! Maybe they are just common problems 😂

[@BenRobinson1974]

You could still easily put USB sockets in the end face of the pull out desk - usable even when desk is closed

[@saltyvanventures]

Yes and we will!

[@PatandJele]

Great video! Check out the "Free Space" hinges from Hafele. You have one on either side (inside the overhead cabinet) and because they have springs in them the door stays open without having to use gas struts on one side, so there shouldn't be as much bending happening. How did the pine lining go in terms of expansion or shrinking? What primer did you use when painting them? We used Dulux One Step Prep 3 in 1 and didn't have any issues with stains coming through yet (hopefully stays that way :)) So true about the power points! That was literally one of the first things we were trying figure out and decided to put one under the table, but also having some where we store our gear so we can charge them when we don't use them. Enjoy your time in Europe guys! If you visit Germany, let us know (especially if you go to Stuttgart). We can organize a guide (my brother and his gf ;)). PS: Patrick is feeling the same way as an engineer :D

[@saltyvanventures]

I'm liking those hinges and would probably look into something similar in a future build. The gas struts are a bit of an overkill. The lining does a bit of expanding in the heat, but if you paint your panelling before you install it, so that the entire tongue is painted, you won't notice any expansion/shrinking as you won't see the bar timber exposing itself. I would keep an eye on those knots. It took about 3 or so months for them to make an appearance. And thank you for the very kind offer!

[@chistopherjohnson6881]

Nice change from the common van build video. Good info.

[@saltyvanventures]

Very common, Glad you liked it!

[@chrislaw2680]

Greetings from the UK. Great video and thanks for the inspiration. You have given me some good ideas for my self build.

[@saltyvanventures]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@LisaRenewsLife]

Check out Stainless Steel Hatch Springs instead of gas struts. Easy switch-out to prevent further door damage. :) Great vid! Thank you!

[@saltyvanventures]

Will do thank you!

[@PatrykRElektronika]

The best video I’ve seen and I’ve seen a lot 😂 I’m not interested in another “how to connect a bulb” video, I learn on mistakes. Being able to learn on someone else’s mistakes is just great 😁 Very helpful hint on plywood pine imitation, I’ll use that in my build for sure. I don’t understand why don’t you simply add USB sockets where you want now, or add the ceiling dimmer? your van is not made of concrete 😉 (even if it was, that’s not a problem). Anyways, thank you for such informative video.

[@saltyvanventures]

Glad it was helpful to you. I can for sure add more sockets I just haven’t gotten around to it yet! As for the dimmer, I haven’t found one I liked yet

[@stevesims8232]

Great videos, although I'm not building a van. We do have a caravan. For your extra fride/freezer , you can buy draw style ones in the size you want, just make sure it can freeze as some don't. Also doing this you do away with the need for a separate slide.

[@saltyvanventures]

Yes i have seen those!

[@noahpan496]

great tips my dude, I'm working on making alot of things smart in my van using Home assistant. Its a ton of software setup but you can do some cool stuff with security camera, dimming LED strips, security contact sensors, etc.

[@saltyvanventures]

Oh wow thats pretty interesting. What security cameras are you using?

[@noahpan496]

@@saltyvanventures Using some Wyze V3 camera that are water proof and pretty discrete. We could create the ultimate van if we worked together! Im in NY in the states tho :/

[@andyc1175]

Good work mate...

[@saltyvanventures]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@BLASTIC0]

One thing I overlooked on mine, which I think most people do… is the little switches, USB ports, etc having blue led’s… not good at nighttime… that is, if you are fan of sleep. Sucks, because most of these things have blue LEDS and it is a bit more difficult to find red LED’s.

[@saltyvanventures]

I made that mistake in our first van and ended up making a magnetic curtain for it. This time installed them in the cupboard to block out the light. I think i did mention that somewhere down the track in one of the build episodes.

[@michellegaeb2291]

For the overhead cabinets, instead of heavier wood how about just adding another strut/lifter on the opposite side to even out the pressure?

[@saltyvanventures]

The struts are already an overkill for the cupboards in terms of their lifting force. Adding an extra one would make it quite difficult to close the dam thing!

[@sadejasmin]

LOVE this video. Thanks for being transparent and giving us lots to think about. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[@saltyvanventures]

You are so welcome!

[@hazelem1266]

We are based in Melbourne. We have a ford transit as well and was built out a couple of times by my husband, Ian, who is a recently retired 72 year old technician. Looking at what you regard as mistakes, I want to give a massive shoutout to this incredible man who had such a vision of potential problems (ok he also worked under instruction of the minister of what we needed and wanted) aka his wife 😂 aka me. When we bought the van we realised the problems of an engineering certificate so we straightaway looked for a two seater and didn’t even entertain adding a third seat at the back. He put in a permanent dining table with seats facing each other (not swivel) facing the sliding because we wanted to be able to get up without disturbing the other and put power points as well as charging station at the table which can lift up with narrow storage at the side. Our double door fridge freezer is 170 litre. Cassette thedford toilet, narrow sliding crockery cupboards, pantry measured precisely for our needs, induction stove, laundry chute, tambour wardrobe are a few features. We have a portable sink. The bedside tables are hinged pop ups with an alcove for charging cables. In the garage a slide out for storage which has a removable hot water system and shower which can be used under a tree and a second slide out for whatever with a round table stored under because I love a round table. Also a heater and specific section for our backpacks. We didn’t even contemplate any deck because of our age, and we didn’t put in a pull out table at the back because we didn’t want any restrictions where to sit. I love your van and how you show what you would do differently and this is not a criticism, just an acknowledgment to a wonderful man who sometimes thinks he could’ve done things differently. Oh, and for damp washing at night, he has put in a cord across the cab and there are two hooks there for our jacket. I have shown your video to Ian and he just went “yeah” 😂

[@lisadolan689]

So glad you guys are doing this. 🙌😁

[@saltyvanventures]

Us too!

[@paulutd69]

Cool brother... Nice to see how it's done down under. Electric is kinda different from stateside U.S. Just discovered your channel...so will check it out more in the coming weeks

[@saltyvanventures]

Thanks and welcome!

[@Scrambler85]

My van is built now and I have so many ideas for another 2.0 build. The regret videos or wish I had of done it differently are my favorite videos now. I liked all your ideas but the roof rack for lounging. I have 1,200 watts of solar panels and if I build another one I will have 1,600. I like to run my mini split ac in the Summer and the heat pump in the winter. The clothes line is a good idea, I have a similar setup for hanging bird feeders to see the birds in the area as I travel about. Definitely a thumbs up 👍

[@saltyvanventures]

Extra solar would be nice to have but we also mainly use the roof deck for storing surfboards so it wouldn't be possible to add more panels for us. Wow you have quite the solar array. Can you sustain the ac and heater with it?

[@Scrambler85]

@@saltyvanventures 900 amp hours of lithium batteries will run the heat for about 14 overnight, longer with a sunny day. The ac on economy setting about 48 hours. I live in the South Eastern part of the USA. It doesn't get that cold here mostly heat and humidity. I have a cutaway van with a lot of insulation. I built it for 4 season travel. The main source of heat is a Propex HS2000 propane heater. But I like the quiet of the mini split at night.

[@jonclement]

Go for a diesel heater -- dry heat and endless fuel (they have gasoline ones too). I'd likely upgrade to 120A alternator charger(s) rather then more solar (since less sun up north)

[@gieb6428]

Yes, being an engineer is a frustrating life. During the designing and building stages everything is great. Then after things are built you start inspecting and find things that could have been better, that's the frustration part! It doesn't matter what you are engineering. As you get older the engineering frustration diminishes as you realize Nothing is Perfect. (Retired IE)

[@saltyvanventures]

Haha nothing is every perfect for our engineering eyes

[@SusanBurke-c3o]

Loved your honesty and ideas ❤

[@saltyvanventures]

Thank you so much 😊

[@abit2556]

Awesome, thanks so much for your videos. I've bought my van and just starting out and it's so overwhelming but watching your channel really helps!

[@saltyvanventures]

Best of luck! Your can do it, but if you can't, don't be afraid to reach out for help

[@SandVan]

Beautiful Van ❤would love to incorporate a rear deck but your build has got me rethinking the idea 🤩awesome video 😊🙏❤️❤️🚐

[@saltyvanventures]

Thank you 😊 glad i'm getting people thinking!

[@chanazify]

thank you so much, please MAKE A SERIES OF MORE OF THIS KIND OF VIDEOS

[@saltyvanventures]

We have another one in the pipeline

[@clarkspiemuncher24]

on the knot stains you should coat the knots with a solution called knotting

[@saltyvanventures]

Great to know, thank you!

[@nancysc]

But, you still have a beautiful van so don’t be hard on yourself. I would love to have a van like yours and I bet a lot of other people would say the same.

[@saltyvanventures]

Thank you 😊

[@karenthomas4454]

Thank you !!

[@saltyvanventures]

You're welcome!

[@mjbusmc]

Thanks for your honest reflection. These are great tips

[@saltyvanventures]

You're very welcome

[@jamieevans871]

the clothes line idea was cool

[@saltyvanventures]

thanks!

[@ketmateo]

I feel like anyone with a pull out deck and a roof deck has lost touch with the common man... Thanks for the video buddy, it's great to have people sharing their mistakes/regrets

[@QUANGNguyen-kw3lf]

Please get the online courses ready. We have been waiting for ur courses for so long. Thank you

[@saltyvanventures]

Working on it!

[@Grouch3682]

Gas struts are a bit overkill for light weight cabinets… Down sizing to marine springs would probably do a lot of people a world of good. (And it’ll save some money)

[@saltyvanventures]

I agree with that statement now. Trail and error in this game. Will know now for next time.

[@juliewright6889]

Awesome! Thanks for the update and suggestions ☺️

[@saltyvanventures]

Our pleasure!

[@desdoolan5781]

Awesome video man!

[@saltyvanventures]

Thanks mate, glad you enjoyed it

[@cheryl1766]

i wanted a slide out deck for ours based on yours..hb said for the use it would get compared to the weight and space factor a firm no..not showing him this lol

[@patedwards6968]

Well this was quite confronting to watch. Kudos to you for making this clip. In terms of weight savings, there is a special plywood called "Falcata" plywood from Indonesia. I found a supplier in Lavington (Albury) "The Bunker". It was well worth the 4hr trip for me as the weight savings are impressive. It feels like half the weight of standard ply and is very easy to work with. Note; I took my own saw to cut the sheets down for transport.

[@saltyvanventures]

It was quite confronting to film too 😛 I hope it sheds some light on the issues arising from our build. That plywood looks interesting. Do you have a price of what the sheet cost? What thickness did you go with?

[@patedwards6968]

@@saltyvanventures I got 3 x 9mm and 1 x 15mm sheets. Total cost was $235. It is also available in 24mm. It's closer to hard balsa wood than plywood.

[@olemauda6187]

thank you for the honesty

[@saltyvanventures]

Always!

[@neildean7515]

You mention replacing pine wood with plywood, why not just a form of lightweight plastic with a wood effect..thanks for advice on weight, really making me think… great video

[@saltyvanventures]

I really don't know if that would be any lighter. Or achieve a real wood like look. Well I have never seen anything like that before

[@BenRobinson1974]

12mmm panelling! That is CRAZY!

[@flapper111uk]

12mm panel ?? Fair play my shed in yard is thinner than that 😅

[@saltyvanventures]

Yes, unfortunately its hard to buy T&G timber in AUZ much thinner than that, unless you plane it down yourself with a thicknesser.

[@gsue33]

The stain will still come through. Gotta sand it down so the stain blocker soaks into the wood.

[@saltyvanventures]

Interesting. I hope not. I’ll see how it goes then and keep and eye on it

[@susannemulholland4804]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge

[@saltyvanventures]

you're welcome!

[@thudang3039]

Also, re: weight - have you seen Nomad's use of foam? www.youtube.com/@falkornomad/about Thank you so much for sharing your experiences! The outdoor drying rack with extendable bars seems like a great idea too. Thank you for that. I'm going to see what I can do about having some bars extend from the back, maybe nested in or with a roof rack system. The plan earlier was an "outdoor" shower, extending out the back with the drawer slides, or something mounted to the trailer hitch as a platform to stand on to be off the ground. I can see how a solar awning with laundry hanging storage below could be super useful when parked!

[@swinderlich]

Hi. Looking at a Ford Trandit to convert. If I buy it, I will be contacting you officially for guidance. A question for now. Have you seen anyone successfully swivel the double bench or driver's seat? I saw someone in the UK swivel a double bench.

[@tacky9954]

get a driverside seat from the uk, this will solve the problems with the airbags :)

[@saltyvanventures]

The problem I found with that was firstly I couldn’t find a second hand seat in the uk (I searched the web dar and wide) and secondly the engineer I spoke to said he would only sign off on the seat if does Australia supplied a letter of compliance, which apparently they would never ever do.

[@tacky9954]

@@saltyvanventures ah i see, well that sucks, and srry btw didnt remember austrailia also has right hand side driving, so the seat would have been supplied from a europe van, but since the engineer wouldnt sign of it anyways it dosnt really matter, really strickt in austraila, even for me that lives in norway hehe :)

[@chachol3ptico190]

bigger fridge and store kitchen pots with food in it?

[@saltyvanventures]

Great idea!

[@PureGlide]

OMG we can take out that arm rest. I didn't know. Thanks!!!

[@saltyvanventures]

Yes its just a little clip holding it in