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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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Beautifull work. personally I like a much less cluttered layout in a climbing van. Most conversion vans are way over done inmop. I especialy dislike any kind of captain style chairs in the back. they suck up liveing space. My vanagon I built a compact kitchen with cubbyhole storage like you would see in a boat. the cooler lived right behind the passenger seat/battery compartment and made a perfect seat. The only kind of seats I would want in a van other than the bed would be foot locker style with padded lid. I generaly prefered that simpler rig to Isa's decked out Westy. The westy is so full of useless sh#t that it feels cramped on bad weather rest days. By compareson my simpler set up in my vanagon had ample room for 2 people to sit and play full sized guitars out of the weather. The added bonus was my vanagon was a Syncro and an absolute beast on bad roads. I have very few photos of that rig:(
My current succession of mini vand have had no choice but to keep it simple..
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Ezra Ellis
Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
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Bump
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MisterE
Gym climber
Being In Sierra Happy Of Place
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 31, 2015 - 11:15am PT
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The gauntlet has been thrown down - the conversion by which all other conversions shall be compared. All hail the castle-truck, and bow down before it's awesomeness:
[Click to View YouTube Video]
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Ney Grant
Trad climber
Pollock Pines
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Jul 31, 2015 - 11:42am PT
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Someone had asked about a year ago to post photos of our Sprinter van after buildout. We've now had it about a year and have had a blast with it. The "climber" buildout with the platform bed and plenty of storage underneath is the way to go. We got the smallest shower/bath you can get to maximize windows, and we got the diesel furnace and additional insulation package for use in winter.
We get asked a lot, is it worth it to get the 4x4 version? For us it would be yes but we didn't want to wait since they are just now coming out. We've gotten stuck 4 or 5 times now in mud, sand and snow but we have taken it to places where only 4x4's normally go. I now carry traction sleds, a pick, shovel and air compressor.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Jul 31, 2015 - 11:52am PT
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I now carry traction sleds, a pick, shovel and air compressor
Have you considered getting a power augur and a winch?
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MisterE
Gym climber
Being In Sierra Happy Of Place
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 31, 2015 - 12:22pm PT
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Cool rig, Ney - can we see some more pictures of the inside? Shower, cabinets, etc?
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Bad Climber
climber
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Jul 31, 2015 - 12:48pm PT
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Yeah, Ney, very cool. More detail pics, please.
@MrE: That castle truck is amazing. Of course, you don't want to move camp very often. Oy, what a chore to setup/take down.
BAd
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Ney Grant
Trad climber
Pollock Pines
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Jul 31, 2015 - 01:47pm PT
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OK, here is another outside shot and some inside shots I just went out and took:
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TacomaDome
Trad climber
Tacoma, WA
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Jul 31, 2015 - 03:26pm PT
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Sweet looking van. In my mind I am sitting there at the beach too with wine in hand. Did you pay a company to do the conversion or did you do it yourself? If you don't mind can you let me know the total cost? Or cost of van + cost of conversion separated out.
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Ney Grant
Trad climber
Pollock Pines
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Jul 31, 2015 - 04:30pm PT
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We used Sportsmobile for the conversion. You can see photos of the van before conversion upthread a few pages. We bought a standard "fleet" van. I worked on the outside and my wife designed the interior. Sportsmobile did the interior and some exterior work. They are known for quality 4x4 van conversions and they did do an awesome job. I sent you a PM on the cost.
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JLP
Social climber
The internet
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Mar 15, 2019 - 02:21pm PT
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That's funny - that guy posts all day long to those sprinter and transit forums - never seen him in person. Skilled and a good craftsman - but his ideas in general seem often overthought and expensive.
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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Mar 16, 2019 - 07:06am PT
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roadtrip nostalgia bump... my astro is a full time tool truck now :(
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Happiegrrrl2
Trad climber
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Mar 16, 2019 - 07:47am PT
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Penny hasn't got much of a build out; just the bed platform with plenty of bin space below, and a clothes attic I made by slatting some boards between the upper side window frames and the *mood light* wooden covers. But, this is cross-country trip number five, with a Shenendoah Skyline and Blue Ridge Parkway winter also.
Here we are cooling her brakes after coming through the pass on Lingua Mountain into Jerome, AZ a few days ago.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Mar 16, 2019 - 07:11pm PT
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Screw stealth - go big or stay home! 🤡
The ‘living room’...
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Aeriq
Sport climber
100-year Visitor
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Mar 17, 2019 - 04:56pm PT
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Thanks for the bump!
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