A few early changes to the camper and truck!

Posted on by CGENGO

The camper had some features that we wanted to change, repair and upgrade.  Here are a few of those changes.

microwave-removed
Microwave removed.  Shelves and a door will be added.  Additional storage space increase!
remove-the-old-stereo
“Power vampire” car stereo removed.  We use a portable bluetooth speaker for sound. Stereo and antenna were drawing power even when off!
fridge-is-gone
Huge 3-way refrigerator removed.  The large, side opening fridges are energy wasters and they allow cold air to “fall out” every time the door is opened.  Additionally they add a lot of weight.
sealing-a-fridge-vent
Removing the fridge meant sealing up the vent holes that the old fridge needed.  The roof vent was sealed with insulation and then a metal plate on the roof.  The inside walls were then lined with a thin, oak wood to complete the look inside the new closet space!
the-new-fridge
The new refrigerator is an Engel that we ordered through AT Overland  This unit draws low amps and chills food efficiently.  We can also locate it wherever is most convenient for us.  On this bench/step, on the floor or even outside of the camper! We love the space this opens up for us!
new-rear-window
The truck received a new rear window.  This one has a sliding mechanism which will allow pass through between the cab and the camper.
side-view-of-bed-frame
We added a new bed frame to raise up the mattress.  A common concern in truck campers is mildew beneath the mattress (gross!)  This raised frame will allow air to circulate and dry out moisture.
the-bed-frame
The slatted system is from Ikea.  Mike developed the wood frame for underneath.  But when we used it, we discovered that it was too tall with the new mattress. So now we are just on the Ikea frame! It’s perfect and comfy.

 

map-behind-the-stove
Behind the cooktop we added this cool map covered with acrylic as a backsplash. Beside the stove is a piece of lightweight metal which will hold magnets.  The dangling wires are from the range hood which we removed.  We will add LED lighting and a storage drawer there instead.
new-cabinet-latches
All of the cheap, plastic cabinet latches were removed.  We replaced them with stronger, magnetized latches.
arrow-damage
The camper had one area of external damage.  Someone must have loaded it crooked and compromised the metal.  This was repaired easily.
patching-the-only-damage-on-the-unit
The damaged area was patched and sealed.  The red tape comes off once the adhesive dries.  This will be invisible once the storage boxes are mounted.
working on the camper.JPG
Much of our spare time has been spent working on the camper changes and upgrades.  Some of the woodworking was beyond our skill level, so we hired Mountain Dave to come over and assist!  This man knows his wood projects.

 

13 thoughts on “A few early changes to the camper and truck!”

  10. Awesome project! You guys are such customizers. You can’t do that without creativity. I think the Vanagon community gets stuck in “not” wanting to alter their rigs from original that they get stuck with a less than ideal setup. I guess they’re thinking “resale value?”

  12. You guys think of everything! I am amazed at what you can do…keep up the good work!

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