Our DIY build journey

I purchased Amazon Basics Car Sound Deadening Mats and installed them around the van where it seemed appropriate. These are easy to install, they have self-adhesive backing. You just cut them to size and place as desired. They work by adding weight to sheet metal, reducing vibrations and therefore noise.

If I had to do it again, I’d probably skip installing these. I used a sound meter to measure noise levels before and after installation and the meter didn’t see much of a difference. They also add a lot of weight. Honestly, I’ve seen YouTube videos where people install this product incorrectly. If you do use it, make sure to read the installation instructions.

Next came the Arctic Tern windows which I purchased from Campervan HQ. The first step was cutting holes in the van. I used a technique from the  Seven O Savage YouTube channel: I made a cardboard template and positioned it inside the van, then drilled a few holes through the template and sheet metal. These holes allowed me to align the template on the outside and mark the cut area accurately.

I used a jigsaw to cut the openings, smoothed the edges, and painted the raw metal. Inside, some metal supports had to be trimmed back about three inches to make room for the wooden window frames. I used an angle grinder carefully to avoid damaging the sheet metal.

Arctic Tern windows require an interior frame since they’re not designed for sheet metal. I built 1-inch-thick wooden frames to match the foam insulation I planned to use. I glued them in place with permanent double-sided tape. Because the windows are designed for flat surfaces, I had to use a lot of clamps to flatten the van’s curved metal to the wooden frame. Once that was done, installing the windows was straightforward.

While other windows are better suited to curved van surfaces, we really like the built-in blackout shades and bug screens. We use them every night, so I’d choose these windows again, unless another brand offers that same feature. I might make the two larger windows slightly narrower next time to reduce the challenge of fitting them too curved metal.

To cover some of the interior metal and make the van feel more comfortable, I upholstered the piers, doors, and some interior panels. It’s a bit time-consuming but fairly easy. I first applied a layer of ⅛-inch Lamda foam using spray-on contact cement, then stretched upholstery fabric over the foam. Several YouTube videos show how to do this. AVC RIG provided some of the best You TUbe videos for doing this.

In other areas, I used ¼-inch painted wood panels. I really like how this looks and feels! It has made the van much more inviting. I’d definitely do this again.

The original step up into the van was pretty high, so we installed running boards. After reviewing several styles, we chose boards from N-Fab, which were easy to install. I like the ones we picked because they provide a broad step and don’t collect dust.

I’d use these again without hesitation

We wanted a platform bed mounted across the van, it is stable yet removable. I built the frame using 80/20 aluminum and created a ledge on each side wall of the van for the frame to sit on. The Transit has a line of factory holes on a structural support that are level on both sides, which seemed ideal, but they were too low for our desired bed height.

I used rivet nuts throughout the van to create anchor points. I installed them in those factory holes to mount the ledge, then stacked 80/20 to reach the correct height. To minimize metal-on-metal noise, I added rubber gaskets on top of the ledge.

I built the bed in two sections to make it easily removable, lifting and maneuvering a full queen-size metal frame would’ve been difficult. I added a pivot mechanism to lift the head of the bed and used linear actuators to handle the heavy lifting. When extended, they raise the head of the bed; when retracted, they lower it. I topped the metal frame with wooden slats from an old bed to support the mattress.

I built this early in the process to test the design and ensure it would be strong enough. The basic ledge system has worked well, though I had to reinforce the lifting mechanism. My initial crossbeam attachment wasn’t strong enough, so I reworked it with beefier supports, and it has held up great.

We love the bed and the lift feature. I installed a tablet holder under the cabinet at the foot of the bed, and almost every night we raise our heads of the bed and watch downloaded videos. It’s incredibly comfortable, and I’d absolutely do it again despite the cost

I purchased a 20-gallon over-the-wheel freshwater tank from Agile Offroad and built a box out of 80/20 to enclose it. Above the tank, I added a shelf for the pump and accumulator tank. The tank has three ports which I use as follows: one for filling, one for overflow, and one for the pump intake. I used a kit from Panther RV Products for the basic plumbing components.

On one end of the box, I cut a slot to view the water level. This makes it easier to see the level, I also wired in a light and switch. On the other end, I installed a 4.5-gallon hot water tank.

The Surflo pump works great, with a 3.0 GPM flow rate it is more than enough for our needs. If I were doing it again, I’d make a couple of changes.

• Switch to a 2.5-gallon hot water tank. The 4.5-gallon unit uses too much battery power, and we rarely need that much hot water.
• Redesign the overflow vent. I originally used a downward-facing elbow, but water sloshes out during acceleration or on hills.

We choose the weBoost Drive Reach RV. The weBoost system uses an external antenna connected to an amplifier, which powers the internal antenna. Ideally, the two antennas should be as far apart as possible. Since the internal antenna was placed near the driver’s seat, I mounted the external antenna on the far back passenger side of the van.

I used one of the Transit’s pre-planned cable pass-through locations and created a mount using the solar panel’s 80/20 bracket system. This way I could avoid having the antenna inadvertently ripped off the surface of the van. I routed the cables to the full cabinet area for the amplifier. Installation was easy. I also made the antenna mount adjustable so the antenna could be lowered when needed.

Adding the weBoost to the van along with a hot spot allows us to work from the road and stay connected to our family in many wilderness areas. Starlink is an option if you really need internet anywhere. This issue may be mute if cell phones get satellite service directly in the near future.

The next major cabinet was the sink cabinet, which includes the sink, gray water tank, and three drawers for the induction cooktop, Ninja AirFryer, and various kitchen items. It’s a standard frameless design with undermount drawer slides. I used butcher block for the countertop, keeping the depth at 20 inches to allow more aisle space. Boat hatch latches serve as both latch and handle without protruding—’yeah, no sticky out bits’, as my wife would say).

The biggest issue was cutting a hole in the stainless-steel sink for the built-in soap dispenser. After trying several bits, I bought a specialty metal bit that worked.

If I were to do this again, I’d keep the basic shape and size. The sink’s bottom grate requires a lot of water to fill the sink, which isn’t ideal for water conservation. We now use a plastic tub that fits inside the sink. The 10-inch depth isn’t used for washing but is great for storing our small coffee makers and cups out of sight while traveling.

One change I’d make is switching to side-mount drawer slides. Occasionally, drawers don’t latch properly and slide out while driving. The plastic retainers aren’t designed for that force and break. I think side mounts would be more durable. We initially used plastic boat hatch latches because they were cheaper and supported ¾” drawer faces. A few broke after sometime, so I replaced them with metal latches, reusing the original plastic back plates. These hold up well but, we do catch ourselves looking at those drawers with suspicion.

Storage is at a premium, so I built upper cabinets all the way around. I built three different sizes. I used cardboard templates to help me fit the cabinets to the curves of the van. The cabinets above the head of the bed are shorter in height than those at the end of the bed. This way we don’t bump our heads when using the bed raising feature or just sitting up on the bed.

All but two cabinets have latched faces and gas struts to hold them open. I used the same latches as the drawers for consistency.

We are satisfied with this build, no major changes needed here.

Originally, I planned a permanent bench seat, but my wife preferred a flexible layout. Plan B was a structure that hides the Espar heater (with access for maintenance), stores the 2 Lagun table tops, and folds out into a bench seat. Using piano hinges made the bench easy to build.

I created a slot to store the tabletops with a screw knob to hold them securely while traveling. Each primary seat has a Lagun mount. The driver’s side is larger and lets us eat or play games like cribbage using the bench. We love the Lagun tables and bench seats, I would definitely do this again. On the passenger side, I found an aluminum mount on eBay designed for the Transit’s B-pillar. On the driver’s side, that mount didn’t work with swivel seats. I’m still working on a better solution. Currently, only two of the four screws are mounted to the metal wall frame, which causes some drooping.

We installed an Airhead Composting Toilet on a 500lb drawer slide. Installation was simple, it’s just screws and metal brackets. Composting toilets require a vent. Most recommend venting through the top or side, but I chose to vent through the floor.

I drilled a hole and mounted a PVC pipe with a fan. The tricky part was connecting a pipe from the toilet that could slide in and out. After trying three different pipes, I found one flexible enough to work. We love the convenience  and cleanliness of the toilet. There is no smell, and easy maintenance. We would absolutely choose this type again of set up again. Trading a dedicated space to a full bathroom for this solution, has allowed us a roomy and flexible interior space in our 20’ van.

After a few outings in the van, I realized we really needed more storage. I had made every effort to use all available space, but it still wasn’t enough. Items were also sliding forward from the garage area.

I had already started using collapsible crates and wondered if there was a way to use those more effectively. I had some extra 80/20 aluminum left over from the build, so I came up with the idea of creating two shelves using 80/20. The crates were designed to support stacking, so I built a shelf system that would hold 12″ x 12″ crates.

I built the 80/20 frame and attached it to the sink and full cabinet to hold it in place. The frame supports two shelves, each with three 12″ x 12″ plastic crates. This setup has added a significant amount of pantry storage. With it, we can easily carry enough food for several weeks.