VAN TOUR: How we do vanlife in our partially converted Ford Transit camper van (Couple with cats)
Ep. 13: Don't wait to travel in your van until your build is finished! Enjoy it and learn what you need and don't need as you build! Here’s a look at the work we’ve done to convert our 2019 high roof Ford Transit into a DIY camper van plus a glimpse at how we do things as we travel in a partially converted van. We’re a couple from traveling with our two cats. See our sleeping arrangements (how we fit two tall people side to side in the van), how we poop and pee, what we do about van food storage and keeping food cold, how we make things comfortable for our two cats, and other details about van life so far.
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If you're interested in seeing more, check out our playlists. Links below!
VAN BUILD PLAYLIST:
• How to (& how NOT to) ...
VAN LIFE TRAVEL:
• NY & Vermont in Fall (...
HOW IT ALL STARTED:
• We bought a Ford Trans...
ABOUT US:
We're Steve and Audra, DIYers from South Florida that share a passion for travel and adventure! We've been working on converting a 2019 Ford Transit cargo van into a camper van and are sharing our build and adventures with you! We've started traveling the country with our two cats. We invite you to follow along on our journey! If you have any questions, we’re happy to answer! Comment below or send us a message on Facebook and we’ll respond as soon as possible. And please don’t forget to subscribe to our channel!
VAN TOUR SEGMENTS:
0:00 Traveling while building
0:30 Width wise bed for tall people
3:52 DIY no-sew window covers
4:59 Van cabinets (clothes storage)
6:03 Pallet wood walls & ceiling
6:55 Maxxair fan, lights, etc
8:27 Electrical (Ecoflow Delta)
10:32 Traveling with cats
13:10 Van life toilet
15:43 Unfinished kitchen area
18:36 Food storage in a van
19:39 Regulating van temps
20:57 CRL & AMA van windows
22:57 Securing loose objects
23:27 Privacy curtains & misc
24:30 Flooring & future plans
25:03 Ford Transit cab
30:16 Van garage & bike storage
31:52 Van tour wrap-up
MUSIC CREDITS:
Ice Flow by Kevin MacLeod
Link: incompetech.filmmusic.io/song...
License: creativecommons.org/licenses/b...
Imagefilm 036 by Sascha Ende
Link: filmmusic.io/song/2941-imagef...
License: creativecommons.org/licenses/b...
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#vantour #vanbuild #DIYVanConversion #FordTransitVanConversion #LowBudgetVanBuild
We hope you enjoy our van tour! We've now added segments so you can jump to the section that interests you. Our van is still a work in progress but we're glad we can enjoy it even when it's not all finished. If you're interested in seeing more, check out our playlists. Links below! VAN BUILD PLAYLIST: kzhead.info/sun/ibdpfa2dj2iVbHk/bejne.html VAN LIFE ADVENTURES: kzhead.info/sun/ksuHps5qqpyXhq8/bejne.html HOW IT ALL STARTED: kzhead.info/sun/mNVpgdijnGSnjK8/bejne.html
It’s encouraging to see how usable a partially finished van can be! As a single, senior female, maybe even I could do this!
I like your solid, defined way to put the screen in the back!!
You just figure out what works best for you. We used our van for 2.5 years before "finishing" it. We've also seen many people traveling with really simple setups! Before buying our van, we rented an empty cargo van (see earlier videos) and took it camping for a weekend to see how it would be with just a few things in there. We definitely recommend doing that.
I like how his shorts match the bed spread. High caliber luxury.
Ha, thanks! 😊 High caliber luxury indeed!
You could start a biz with your window coverings-customize to match peeps interiors! 🎉
I'd probably end up making about 5 cents an hour it would take me so long! 😆 But I'm definitely glad I made ours, being able to do a color I like and save us a bunch of money!
@@SteveAudra 😂
Thank you for going over the cat area. We switched to the pine pellet system for the cat litter and it works so well. So much cleaner and easier in our Class b.
Nice! We've heard others talk about that. So far, the litter we're using has worked well but we are keeping that in mind! Did your cat seem to mind the change? Take any getting used to? Thanks for watching!
@@SteveAudra Surprisingly it didn't take him long. We did a couple of weeks of mixing the old with new and then just did it. He did fine. He has asthma and we think the no dust is helping. No more tracking also. YAY! There are videos on youtube about it.
Good job, can't wait to see it when done.
Hi Judy! Thanks so much! You can see a video tour of our van all finished here: kzhead.info/sun/pcmlgatun6uMjKc/bejne.html
If I were building I'd power everything the same way. Who needs a whole bunch of wiring in this day age? Good for you guys 🥰❤️🚙🇨🇦
Thanks, Michelle! We're trying to keep things as simple and low cost as possible. That means we may have to give up a few comforts but so far, it's working pretty well overall. It's nice having less components and it was much easier to set up our system than what we see others doing. We're working on finishing up our build and plan to do an updated van tour soon!
I know I've watched this before, but probably while we were still deciding which one to buy. Much more interesting now watching it the second time around!
It is interesting for sure how your/our perspective changes based on where you are in the process! Thanks for taking the time to watch again. We can't wait until you get your van and can get started. We'll be so excited for you!!!!!
Well done , home sweet home
Thanks so much! We finished the build finally, much later, and now travel full time. You might find it interesting to also check out the van tour with it all finished. But it also serves us well during this stage!
Very creative with the toilet. I’m currently building out a 2020 Ford Transit MR 148”WB. I will definitely add curtains to the back and I really like the screened in back area option. I appreciate how you modify and build over time based on what works for you. And we can really only decipher what works by traveling in the van. Thanks for posting the video. I’m going to hold off on building a shelf in the cab area. I decided not to spend money on CR Lawrence windows and use that money for the rest of my build. Great job finding free wood.
Thanks so much for watching our van tour! We're glad you like some of what we shared. We went into the build thinking we'd do things much differently. Now we're really glad we have taken our time because as you said, traveling in it really helps you figure out what you need/don't need and what works/doesn't. We've been fortunate with how many materials we've been able to find instead of buy - even as we continue to build. Hopefully in the next month or two we'll finally "finish" the van and have a new tour to share with everyone. Stay tuned!
I'm a tall guy as well so seeing how you two make this work from a sleeping arrangement was extremely insightful... thank you for that!
We're glad it was helpful! We have a video showing how we build the bed area (kzhead.info/sun/prGPodGjf4GXp68/bejne.html). It was a little tricky maximizing the space due to all the curves of the van. Let us know if you have any questions. We're happy to answer!
I agree with the build and adjust as you go concept. My husband and I have a 1980 Vanagon and we are making adjustments to the interior as we get more travel time. We too are starting with some temporary ideas and keeping what works and trying different modifications. I enjoy following along and seeing what is working for you.
It's nice to hear from people with the same mindset. Are you sharing your process or adventures anywhere? We'd love to check it out and see your setup. Thanks for following along. We're glad you enjoy the videos. If you haven't already, please consider subscribing to our channel as that really helps us out! We appreciate every subscription!
@@SteveAudra Proud to have already subscribed :) I don't quite have the confidence to put our adventures out there, but you two are an encouragement.....so maybe someday soon.
Thank you so much! :) Let us know if you share anything here, on Instagram, or wherever! We love seeing what others are doing!
Wow I see you are in my area what a nice and quiet area you’re in
Hi Tanitha! Thanks for watching. What area are you in?
You 2 are the real deal! Great to see you using recycled material where you can and not buying every expensive van build item available. Now seeing where your power supply is I feel a bit less frantic as that is the route I was considering. I have subscribed and hope to follow some of your adventures. Your videos have definitely helped me out. If you get to Alaska we have a quiet and safe place to park for a couple days. Cheers
Thank you so much! We really appreciate your comments and subscription. We're also glad to be able to help you out! We definitely try to keep costs down but also realize there are some items where we can't be "cheap" so we try to find a good balance. We want to do things well but as affordably as possible. Stay tuned for more on the Delta! That would be awesome if we could get to Alaska sometime. Thank you for that offer!
Love your van conversion. You make me think my husband and I may be able to do this!
Thank you so much! We think if we can do it anyone can! But the process can be frustrating and exhausting! We've learned a lot along the way. The nice thing is that when you don't know how to do something you can just look for videos on how to or ask in online groups!
Love it - great video guys!
Thanks so much! We appreciate you watching and commenting. We hope you'll continue to follow along on our adventures and progress as we finish our build!
Great video guys 👍
Thanks so much!
Great video!
Thanks so much! We wanted to show that your van doesn't have to be finished to travel and enjoy it!
Binder clips to hold the emergency toilet bag is genius! I’m going to borrow that :-)
We're glad we could provide a helpful idea! :) Here's a link to the full video on our toilet: kzhead.info/sun/d8d8eZeCfIaGeJE/bejne.html Thanks so much for watching!
Great conversion, love the palet wood walls :)
Thank you! It's still a work in progress but we're pretty pleased with how it's turned out so far. We notice you have a channel too. We'll check it out! We love connecting with and supporting other vanlifers!
@@SteveAudra exactly looks great, and it's gets us all outdoors doesn't it :) yeahh we have thanks us too
You guys killed it! Great use of materials! Stoked to meet you guys some day out there in The great beyond!
Thanks so much for watching and for the feedback! We've been thrilled to be making more progress with our build lately and look forward to being able to do an updated tour of it finished sometime hopefully soonish. (Or at least mostly finished... we suppose it never quite ends just like any abode. Always something, right?) It would be awesome to meet you guys. Do you have any big travel plans for the coming months?
We have the same year and make of van. Fun to see how you are building it out. Hopefully, we will meet up someday.
It would be SO nice to be able to meet up. We look forward to checking out your van as well. Thanks for watching!
Awesome project guys.
Thanks so much, David! We've continued to work on the van little by little and it's starting to come together more. We have a sink now, which is especially nice. We hope you'll check out our other videos and hopefully we'll have any updated van tour sometime soon!
Buen vídeo, enhorabuena y gracias.
Gracias!
Awesome guys I like 👍
Thanks so much! We appreciate you checking out our videos. And we look forward to being able to do a final tour of our van sometime after we finish building it out!
Very useful! Haven't had a chance to watch all your videos yet. I'll also be traveling with 2 cats. Gabby grew up riding in my Sienna van which had a dash board that allowed her to walk across without blocking my safe driving view. She LOVED to lay in front of the steering wheel so I could play with her as I drove... Then I got an Odyssey and I would have to lean forward to see when she decided to walk the dash. So now that I got a 2016 Transit 350 XLT that I plan to convert, I have been discouraging her from walking the dash for safety-me, her and people on the road. A tissue box works great in that middle dash board tray.... I've been trying to think how to attach a better way to hold phones and chargers on the center console...
Thanks so much for watching! We hope you'll check out other videos and consider subscribing. We're still working on the conversion. In the process of adding a sink now. Congrats on getting your Transit! I'm sure your cats will do great! Safety is something we've discussed in other videos. Phaddy (who we have since lost unfortunately) loved to ride up in that middle section of the dash but it was pretty rare that we let him. I've seen some posts in some van groups on Facebook about what people have done for phones. You might want to check out groups like that if you already haven't. It seems like there are a lot of options and people love to share what they have done. As of now, we're not doing anything fancy. They just sit in the tray precariously! LOL!
You guys need to make a new van tour. You've built so much since this video. Love your adventures.
We're hoping to do a new tour soon!
Hey Michele, I was wondering how your pex tubing is holding up in your fresh water supply jug. We need to make some changes and I like your idea of a quick connect. Please let us know.
@@SteveAudra Hi there. The pex tubing is holding up really well. It drains the 6 gallon jug really well, leaving only a few ounces in the bottom because it bends slightly to fit in the tank without cutting. The quick connects are the best, they are easy to use even in a close space and really high quality. I don't think they will ever wear out or leak. Did you see my recent video about my new foot pump. It's the best upgrade I've made so far. Again it's so well made it was worth the money, don't think it will ever fail. Love your videos and your adventures.
@@SteveAudra Looking forward to it.
Cool. Thanks for the feedback on the pex tubing!
I would put up some window tinting on the rear window so the 🐈😻 can look out without baking and in privacy. 😊
That's a good idea (even for privacy for us too for when we want to see out the back) although our cat doesn't actually spend time on the bed during the day. She typically lays on the floor or sits on our counter looking out our half slider window. Thanks for watching!
It looks very homie 🏡
Thanks, Thomas! It has been pretty homie overall. It's getting better as we continue to make improvements. We're looking forward to finishing some of the bigger remaining items as we figure things out!
Love the snoring effects,lol.
Haha! You should hear the real thing!
Sprinkle salt in the bottles of before you freeze them and this will keep them frozen longer.
Thanks for that tip! We usually drink the water after it thaws but I guess if it's just a sprinkle we wouldn't notice any difference in taste. Any idea how much is actually necessary for the difference to be noticeable?
@@SteveAudra No sorry, I just remembered when my family would go on long driving trips my husband would sprinkle salt in the cooler so the ice would stay frozen longer. I'm not sure it would be drinkable.
FYI A electric knife works well for trimming foam.
Good tip! We had heard that. If only we had one! LOL!
Just saw you guys on I95 heading through va
Hey! Thanks for taking the time to look us up and get in touch with us! Are you from Virginia?
@@SteveAudra I am. I have a podcast and I do News videos… if your ever in va again love to have you on the podcast.. take care
Love the ceiling and the fact that you got it free. Can not figure out how 6’3” fits east to West tho.
Thank you! I'm quite proud of the ceiling and walls. Steve is just under 6'3" and we had to work REALLY hard to maximize the space - the right level for the bed and building very carefully to utilize the areas that are bumped out for windows. We have a video on that in our build series. That might help to clarify how we accomplished it.
It’s Steve & Audra night at our home! Having fun watching. Anxious for you to see our’s now. It’s not done so we’ve been hesitant to do a tour.
@@JeffPattiAkaElliptiVANgo Oh, we love that!!! Thank you! Steve had qualms about doing a tour of ours as well since it isn't done but I think people have appreciated it. Like us, I know you've been traveling in yours. I think it's helpful for people to see how you are doing that without it being finished. Do it!!!
This is the first video I have watched of yours so this may have been touched on before, but when you all go out biking how do your cats stay cool inside the van?
We have a good amount of airflow from our two windows and MaxxAir fan. Our van is also very well insulated. Cats seem to handle the heat a lot better than dogs. We were a little concerned when we were first starting van life but quickly realized we didn't need to worry at all. The cats actually really like heat, and sometimes choose warmer spots!
Where did you get windows and ceiling fan from. We have a fixed window in slider need a new window. Great video
Thanks, Sue! We ordered our windows (CRL t-vent and AMA slider) from vanwindowsdirect.com. We bought the MaxxAir fan on Amazon. We were able to save on shipping for the CRL window because there was a plant nearby and we were able to go pick it up there. We share installation of each in our van build playlist. Please feel free to reach out to us if you have more questions!
@@SteveAudra thank you 😊
@@suejohnson5794 You're welcome! What kind of van do you have? Forget if we mention it, but the t-vent doesn't open very far on a Transit. We love having one of each but they each have pros and cons! The AMA provides more airflow but rain comes in.
@@SteveAudra just bought Ford transit mid roof. Waiting for havelock wool to insulate 6 to 7 weeks lead time. Its been 4 weeks. Can't wait to get started.
@@suejohnson5794 Oh awesome! Congratulations, that is so exciting! Are you on Facebook or Instagram? Would love to see your progress as you work on your van! Bummer that there is such a lead time right now.
Are the bump outs insulated and/or covered with wood?
Hello and thanks for watching! We used two different materials to insulate that area behind the quarter inch lauan plywood - Frost King self adhesive duct insulation applied to the metal of the body and some half inch polystyrene insulation between the ribs. We wanted to maximize use of that area and those materials allowed that and have worked very well. You can see details in our build video where we show building out that area: kzhead.info/sun/prGPodGjf4GXp68/bejne.html
I have the same exact cargo van year and make an I am trying to convert it on my own but I'm having a difficulty with cabinets Can I ask how you put the cabinets up
Hi Leese - We find that nearly everything can be difficult when it comes to a van build! LOL! Kudos to you for doing it on your own! We have two different videos where we show building and installing our cabinets (links included below). We'd recommend watching those and then let us know if you have any questions. We're happy to answer anything and help as much as we can. Thanks so much for watching and we hope your build goes well! Kitchen cabinets: kzhead.info/sun/qLivj9qypWN8ko0/bejne.html Clothing cabinets over bed: kzhead.info/sun/ppimZNCjkamgeKM/bejne.html
Yes but what is it called in French? :) that round thing in the front.
Le volant or Le Steering Wheel.
Chrome says the same thing figure it out as you go
Chrome is smart! 🙂
I'm 5'10".... would I have room to sleep in a sideways bed in a Transit van? Thx!
Absolutely! Steve is 6'2" and just fits sleeping sideways.
EcoBoost motor? How's the liability so far?
Thanks for watching! We don't have EcoBoost and we're not sure what you mean about the liability. Let us know if you have more questions!
You're almost 6'3" but I'm 6'4". How tall can you stand inside? I mean, are you banging your head when standing straight up? I plan on doing twin beds for ease of getting out to use bathroom. We're a little older than you 2. Great video BTW.
Hi Frank! Thanks for watching. Good question! Steve still actually has plenty of headroom when he's standing straight. If you look around the 10:15 mark in this video, he's standing normally and you can probably see the space above. It's about 3 inches clearance for him in the center with finished ceiling and him wearing shoes! That's the main reason we chose the Transit high roof. We looked at the other vans and they just don't have that kind of headroom. We have a video about how we decided on the Transit (kzhead.info/sun/pLihZM-hj6eod4E/bejne.html). Around the 6:50 mark, we talk about the different vans and show some pics so you can see the headroom comparisons. The Transit starts with a height of 6'8". You lose some of that when you build it out but there is still plenty after finishing it!
Just thought, it's probably worth mentioning that there is even more headroom in the Nissan NV - but we just don't like that vehicle! LOL!
@@SteveAudra I don't like it either
Is this a medium height or tall transit?
It's the high roof/tall Transit. Thanks for watching!
The guy reminds me of Shane McMahon WWE fame. You could pass for His twin
We love that! We can see why you'd say that. 🙂
It would be a great storyline: Shanes long lost brother, Vince might go for that! @@SteveAudra
@@WideWorldofTrains 🙂🙂
Is this a 250 or 350?
Hello! It's a 250.
No disrespect but DAMNIT GIRL.
Thanks for watching. I guess we'll take that as a compliment?
"
Thanks for watching and subscribing, Josée! We appreciate it!
lol...no comment
Thanks for watching
I don’t care about your cats! Get to the van build!
We currently have 22 van build videos. Here's the link to the playlist: kzhead.info/channel/PL7bb1Ftno7hhoqzCZ7kZUx2jL3pUVd6UZ.html
@@SteveAudra Thanks! I’ve watched a bunch of them now. You guys are funny.
@@quaychester8346 Thanks, we appreciate that!