You do not find many mini vans like a Promaster City able to have a full counter with a sink and still get a decent size bed into it. Very nice and a great job building this small little beauty out.
Even four years later, in February 2023 now, there still remains a strong demand for these wonderful Promaster City vans. What a crying shame the maker has cancelled this fine product.
Cascade campers just converted my promaster city and they did an amazing job! I would highly recommend them to anyone wanting this setup. Really great build quality and design. And the crew who works on your van are the same people who founded the company. They put their heart and soul into these vans and it shows. I already want a second one.
@@nikkinieyoga Hey there! I was van #89! These guys will really take care of you and make you feel welcome. I think you will be impressed it's a great design. I have no regrets choosing them at all they did a great job and are really great people! Have fun!
You all prolly dont care at all but does someone know a way to log back into an Instagram account?? I stupidly lost the login password. I love any help you can give me
I have a Promaster City as my locksmith van. I absolutely love it! I chose it because if the business ever goes under or when I retire, the van will be converted like this one! Great video!
Update - I checked the Cascade Camper website and they have raised the price of their basic camper conversion by $1,000! It went from $6,000 to $7,000. That's an awfully big price increase! I like the efficient design but that's too much. I'm no longer interested.
Looking to use the same vehicle, since it's the largest cargo of these small city vans - bigger than the Ford version or Nissan... Like the water setup; hadn't seen a submersible for drinking water quality. Also totally agree water should be accesible from the outside to simplify filling (or emptying if using gray water which you didn't mention). The plastic edge banding looks great, and certainly saved time since you likely have a router set up to just run everything past before tapping it in. Used it for some custom shelving in my music room and it's amazing that you can get it in so many colors. Looking to integrate a Lagun Table into my setup so that you can bring food or a laptop closer, yet move it out of the way if need be. Great build tho, closest I've seen to what I want to build!
When the motor is inside a doghouse (big bump next to the driver) the van temperature becomes critical at 70 degrees Fahrenheit or so. The muffler under the floor also caused hot floors. In Florida during summer/fall I had to stay out of the van for a half hour or more after a trip because the dog house and the floor were too hot. So, insulating the floor from heat from the road and muffler is also a good idea. The engine/muffler heat will also heat the metal sides of the van. So creating a thermos bottle to live in might be a good idea.
Motor is under the hood in this van so irrelevant, but good to know for other setups. Never thought having a motor under the passenger seat was a good idea!?
I still really like the van where the guy put the porta potty in the center console and built a seat around it. That was genius. And no smell whatsoever.
Way too small of a vehicle for that here. I have a Ram PMC like this doing a conversion and best looks like folding toilet chair with plastic bags and airtight storage box on hitch carrier until you can dump the bags, or even bury them with biodegradable bags. Chair will fold flat and stand behind passenger seat in mine. Most guys use a Dollar Store laundry soap bottle for pee since it doesn’t have fancy store brand our spout and yet seals well.
The last bit about the logo and not getting questions asked was interesting to me. Almost like by being less "sneaky" and more upfront you're being more stealthy and people just seem to ignore the white van. I'm thinking of putting a plumbing logo on or something so people don't think twice about it, but also don't realize all the belongings of someone living on the road are in there.
Thanks so much this gave tons of ideas!!! I know stealth is rather important on these kinds of vans, but for the sake of my budget, pannel health, and just lighting opinions. I would want hard pannels that lift off slightly from the roof to provide airflow underneath and a roof sky light fan so I could actually have sun light from above come through the van. Overall the pannels would be cheaper and the sky light a greater value to me then the stealth factor.
Glad it helped! Airflow is indeed a challenge, check out my video on CO2. Sun would be sweet, I wonder if you can keep stealth by running optical fiber or something.
this is simple and basic, but very well-crafted. and at an affordable price. i was wondering about grey water though. where does it go/get stored? and he's the first person i've heard who said to clean the solar panel. heck yes! i chuckled when he said he had a camper van in the parking lot ready to go after his high school graduation.
Grey water goes right out of a hose to the ground in the rear of the vehicle, it works at camp sites and while it's raining here. Zach has lots of awesome camper van stories! I may cut an extended interview later
I bet Zach can add that in as custom work. I recall the original versions of the van had a grey water tank but he removed it at some point. It'll be a tradeoff with space or capacity.
Tari Akpodiete Hi there, I agree that a small amount of grey waste isn't too much of a problem in that it's mostly washing up water or the dregs from a drink. Some people confuse grey and black waste. Completely different problem and the latter to be dealt with very carefully so as not to offend. 😊 Some good ideas, thanks for the video
Great build. I'd like to see one with a pop top that would provide standing head room the length of the van (no upper bed). It would compromise stealth but it might be worth it.
Agreed, that's definitely something I keep on my wish list. I know Colorado Camper Van will do a pop top for around 10k, Roy King has one on his PMC: ua-cam.com/video/CUWg4AQuLC0/v-deo.html
I like it! Looks great, price is right. Im looking at the Ram and the Nissan Recon NV200 but that has a 4 to 6 months build turn around time! Add a poptop option, not for a top bed, but so I can stand up. Thank you.
Really cool! These just kind of popped up on my radar so I haven’t actually got to look at one in person yet. About how long is the bed? I’m pretty tall so that’s the downside of a smaller van like this.
Hi Smart Van: Can you post a link to the clever water tank with integral pump, and also the water faucet with the switch to control the pump. I love this setup!
Hey Billder, I looked online but it seems like zach built that pump into a normal 5 gal plastic jerry can, you might be able to find the parts if you ask him on his website
Thks...I liked the straight forward descriptors (explanations of what and why). It's attractive, functional, user friendly...handy, simple, and seemingly everyman's vehicle. Query; how long and how wide is the "bed?" How "soft" is the mattress? What about a 74", 260 .lb male trying to live in it for 60 days? I note no camper style toilet, no AC...weather in Ok, TXS, etc. would fry you; stove amounts to coffee and oatmeal. $6K for paneling and Dollar General Store equipment seems way too expensive. But it is something to consider.
Bed is 43" by 75", mattress is made of high density foam so I wouldn't say it's soft, it's more on the firm side. I haven't seen any of the compact vans conversions include a toilet, I haven't found it necessary so far since campgrounds will typically have restrooms. Weather in Seattle never gets too hot luckily so no AC needed. I will need heating for the winter though. Thanks for watching!
hackberry flat I thought the same thing when he was describing it. Especially when I saw he only carries 5 gallons of water, and has no commode facility. When he said he relies on the campground pit toilets, I understood where he’s coming from. He didn’t build this to be a long term boondocker out in the wilderness, but a weekend camper for known local campgrounds he uses. The configuration he built would suit him fine.
On CVK UA-cam channel he interviewed 2 folks (their YT is named after their turtle Sheldon) that did their own Ram ProMaster City conversion to live in it. They have one of those round cassette toilet with a cushion on top to double as a seat.
That’s me, 6’ 2” and 255 lbs. and doing a Ram PMC conversion. Will be putting up videos as build my conversion, I have several firsts in my design. But a PMC easily sleeps our height behind passenger seat to rear doors. If building buy any mattress you want, my conversion will include a 5” mattress... I’ll be traveling up to 90 day stints in mine, and have a solution for hot weather I believe, as I am in Tampa and won’t get out of Florida every year...
Jonathan Hansen - I’m doing a PMC conversion and have solution for up to 2 weeks water, better seat / bed design... commode is a folding toilet seat and bags stored in sealed box on hitch cargo carrier until can dump, or bury if using biodegradable bags. Seat stands folded behind passenger seat, right in front of fridge in my layout.
Nice setup! I'd like to do my own couch cushion, though, since I like a firm bed. Also, since the flexible panels don't last very long, I'm wondering how hard/messy/destructive to the paint it is to replace a glued panel.
SmartVan, now that you’ve been in the van a while, can you comment on the build quality of the cascade campervan kit? How has it held up? Any issues with anything breaking, no working, leaks, solar or battery or fridge problems? Also how do you like the Promaster city? Any reliability issues with the van itself? You feedback would be much appreciated! Thanks a bunch
Hey Jeff, build quality is great so far. It's also been easy to modify too. No problems at all, everything is solid. Not too many miles on the PMC yet so I can't say about quality, but it hasn't required serious work yet (36k miles) Definitely try driving a PMC, it's a work van so it's barebones.
Quick question....is the solar/battery setup strong enough to power just the fridge 24/7?? Assuming of course you have full sun most days and don't use the system for anything but the fridge.
It is in the summertime when I park where there's direct sunlight. If you drive more than an hour a day, it'll also keep the fridge up in the winter too.
Transit connect??..can you climb in back without getting out ?..nice job..do you need solor ? I like having extra battery that charges off motor..couch bed is great and storage is nice..I would like windows that open and a big roof vent..bike rack in back and a roof storage locker....I'm good to go...keep it simple..thanks ..I like short vans..promaster makes the only short van..118 wheel base...does the job*
It’s a ram pro master city, biggest engine in this size van at 2.4 liter. I’m converting one now and will be starting a conversion video series with several firsts, like sleeping 2 (separately) and a better seat to bed conversion idea that is a first... solar is big help to run LED lights at night, fridge 7x24 and a vent are the big 3 uses and then it falls to charging a laptop and phone/tablet of course or even a cell phone repeater to get signal in boondocks. Solar is very reasonable cost these days with 75 amp hour battery under $120 and 100 watt solar panels around $100-120 and charge controllers like shown for $15-20, and a 750 watt inverter under $40 to run 110 appliances that are low power, like a 20 watt dehumidifier I just picked op for $40. First decision is whether you want to live in your van, or live out of your van and what those really mean... that helps decide vehicle to convert. I want to live out of van, can happily make all needs fit comfortably in the Promaster City, and still get 27 or 28 mpg...
What is the Brand/Model of that little fan? That's the one I want. Also....how my h dies it cost? Does the cap keep the rain from coming I inside? Thx.
CAJUN Jamis the vans has electric issues on mine the dash gauges would flip out then all the warning lights go one and it would not shift gears I live I've Texas had to drive 30miles to the wearhouse and full throttle the van would not move no power all five had the same problem Dodge recalled most vans I think idk if they got a fix someone told me something about a wire on the seat not really sure a fix I would do was unplug the battery for five minutes and it would get u down the road but that's only if it wouldn't start it all started with my first van i washed it then nothing no start lights came on just wouldn't start that's how it started for all my vans then my last van witch was the new one only 5000 miles on it I was at a customers home getting ready to leave and I needed to get signatures but my phone died so I ran out started it up and charged my phone for like five minutes ran back in got did my thing and came back out and there was water and steam just every where and apparently some part on the cooling system just blow wasn't even hot but other than that they was nice looking and comfortable just to low to the ground for South Texas and to much electrical issues the bigger vans ok tho but even my uncle laughed when he seen my van and said I was screwed he works at Dodge and says theses vans r a hit and miss one out of ten is good if I was y'all I'd take the VIN number go to dodge and see if there's anything recalled because me and everyone I know had no luck with it witch sucks because I liked it look good just built bad good luck man
Patrick Mitchell ...That on top of the fact they're so relatively new on the market. Parts are going to be a bitch to find. The transit connect is smaller, but at least it's been on the market for about 8 years.
taradead - you don’t know what you’re talking about. NOT new on market, been out for 18 years in Europe, and same was brought to US market in 2015. Did literally months of research before buying one, and see them much better than Transit Connect (tranny problems, like TobyNTransit), Nissan NV200 with a CVT transmission. And RAM has bigger engine than both at 2.4 liter versus 2.0 liter in all others so more HP...
No doubt on stealth! Your craftmanship is next level.. but on design, personally I don't get cooking and cleaning inside though. How far off the floor is the top of your seat/bed? Is that fan/extractor any good? loud? How many amps? I worry about proprietary products where parts can go bad .. I have this idea of just using a hard solar panel as a giant roof hatch and making the opening water tight by folding roof sheet metal up into it and have it pressure latch down into a 1 inch thick Neoprene weather strip .. but cutting a giant hole in my van makes me so nervous..
Speaking from experience, the problem isn't so much with the panels, as the way you have them mounted. They get very, very hot, so they need to have air flow underneath. That is why you see the heavy panels mounted a couple of inches off the roof. I burned my flat panels out mounted on top, but had some others that I used to make a folding panel, and they lasted just fine. If you raised them up so there is air flow underneath, they will last much, much longer.
I have the same solar panels. And unfortunately they lasted for 2 months. Not quite sure why they no longer worked. I too live and work in the Bay Area. Quick question regarding MPG. Did you notice a dip in MPG with the solar panel and all the added weight of the build? Do you still get the 24 MPG as advertised by Dodge Ram? Thanks.
My promaster city has no rear speakers. I have heard that there's some outputs hidding some were in the van for rears speakers. Does anybody know were are they? Thanks.
Really like this conversion! Just started to convert my NV200 to a camper and might steal some ideas ;) Obviously there’s not much insulation on walls, have you tried it on colder nights? How about condensation? Guess the alternative is to carpet the walls, but don’t really like the look...Would you mind sharing the height of the bed unit? Thanks!
It's quite comfy down to the low 50s, but around 49 degrees I start waking up shivering (not fun!). I ended up buying a really warm sleeping bag from REI, but that's not so comfy either. Wayfarer vans sells just the insulation part of their kit which I decided to try out to see if that's worth it, but heating is definitely still a challenge. Will discuss in a separate video all about heating. I'll get you the bed height too
You have to understand condensation before you even think about insulating a van like this. I’m doing exact van myself in DIY conversion with several firsts in the design. But most important thing is a vapor barrier, then ventilation, then understanding how various heating methods actually add moisture. So my design includes a 20w dehumidifier that can easily run off the Solar / Battery setup. Your Carpet is a very bad idea if you will be heating the van inside, because without a vapor barrier, walls will immediately condensate, and invite rust.
don't the uninsulated, uncovered bare metal areas let a lot of heat into the van? also if you use the white hoses made for water you don't get any "hose" taste to water. like the organization overall
This was my biggest concern at first. There's a section that didn't make the final cut where Zach mentions insulating the interior and adding custom trimmings, but he doesn't do it in order to reduce the cost. Luckily, I find that the existing paneling does a decent job for now: combined with the curtain, it keeps the back area of the van cool till late morning in the 87 degree desert (the driver's area will be scorching hot by then). In the future I'll probably stuff insulation and cover the remaining bits as I figure out an insulation strategy. In the meantime though, the exposed metal areas will help me run wiring in the coming months to get this van to live up to a "smart van". Stay tuned!
Can someone help me out with the water pump tank idea he did. Like what pump and what is that little vent fan in the back? Thank you advance. I want to add this to my trailer.
The most important part is stealth but you dont want something too stealthy (the logo or reflective sticker helps). A dedicated camper van would attract too much attention.
I take it it’s not easy to remove if you wanna go back to cargo van mode? Wayfarer vans makes it easy to go back to cargo van mode if needed. But I do like the couch/bed format cascade does.
I actually went to see a wayfarer conversion locally (the owner is very responsive if you reach out, he intro'd me to a local owner). After seeing both I made some impressions: 1. I found the build quality is much better with cascade campers, just in the quality of wood used, the fit, the polished and laminated edges, etc. It feels like quality furniture, whereas the wayfarer is much more basic (just plywood, rough edges, the table wasn't as strong as I wanted for my laptop). 2. I ended up preferring the design of the cascade camper, with the sink + couch combo being all internal (vs kitchen outside in wayfarer's design) 3. The wayfarer (maybe because it has to be removable) isn't all to comfortable to hang out in, and the chairs sit higher, so my head bumps the ceiling when I sit (I'm 5'10"). Even though they have the same amount of room to work with, the cascade camper just feels much more spacious. That's just off the top of my head, let me know if you want any more details, and thanks for watching!
Smart Van I hope you make more videos of the pro master city. How it holds up etc. I’m interested in how reliable it is really. I’m having a hard time decided what van to go with. Seems every American brand van gets bad reviews. Right now I would go with pro master city as well. You were right that they are perfect for van life in your previous video. Ford transit connect was too small when I saw it in person. Nissan nv200 lost me when people say it’s slow lol. I thought about minivans from Toyota or Honda but the carpeting is a problem. I’m not gonna gut out a brand new minivan. Carpet gets easily dirty as we all know but I’m really sick of carpets. I want easy clean up and some van lifers have some good setups that look easy to clean or sweep. Anyway I hope to see more videos of your adventures in the van. Day to day life in it. Very interested in that and how it works for you.
Josh Mann Hi. I have a 2017 Nissan NV200 and am absolutely thrilled with it. I am building it out right now. Soooo nice. Slow? I haven't noticed at all. I would have noticed for sure. It has more head room that it's competitors and the wheelbase is slightly shorter which makes for better maneuverability. Happy travels!
very nice work. $6k is your retail price? What model is that promaster? city, asking because they all don't come with the roof molding.. really like the way your panels and insulation are inside the pillars. Regarding forced ventilation do these vans already come with vents in the back that can be used so you don't have to cut into the roof?
I'm installing a $95 Fan-Tastic cause I don't want a remote to lose (especially since fan control will be 6 inches from my head), don't care about reverse, will never drive with the vent open and you can always close the vent just a little and if it's raining sideways I'll put up with some sprinkles which I do anyways cause I like driving with the windows open...
Not really, I have those REI bags for emergencies, lucky I haven't needed to use it yet. Large shade attachment, like an awning? You can definitely mount that to a roof rack, but it does reduce stealth.
awesome build smart van. you can tell that you have actually lived in a van before. one question. why not put a fold-able table that flips up from galley counter area? So that it serves a second purpose as an aesthetic covering of the water/stove/mechanical area? just a thought. and also, can you do this build with a maxair fan? I know its not as stealth but maxair is nice! Thanks.
I think that's a question for Zach from Cascade Campers who did the design and build. But he does do custom work, and you can reach out on his site www.cascadecampers.com/conversions.html It's not covered in the video but you can see that I got him to build in a fold up table mounted to the front of the counter so I can work on my laptop.
Fold up table clearly visible at 6:28 in the video. Better option tho is Lagun table. Swivels to anywhere so you can get up without taking stuff off of it. It’s spelled Maxx Fan and I’m sure he would do, just requires 14” square hole cut in roof and there’s plenty of room. I’m doing a PMC conversion myself.
How much does this van run with the conversation, and how much for one of the longer base Promaster vans? Also, could seat belts be added to the bench seat ? Also, after reading some of the comments from deep South states, I live in Texas and would need extra insulation due to extreme heat and cold conditions. It can get well over 101°F in the summertime and down to the teens and occasionally the rare single digits. I want to be comfortable at festivals and if I go on vacation with friends or family.
15k used van + 7k cascade campers conversion + 2k insulation, bench seats don't have seat belts, I think recon campers has a conversion with seat belts though, you might look into that. Extreme heat/cold sounds like quite the challenge!
@@SmartVan thank you for your response and help. That sounds like a good option. What is the contact info for recon campers? Yes, living with the Texas temperatures can be challenging. This week alone I have used the house a/c and heat in the same day. But as we say down here, if you don't like the weather, just wait and it will change!
You'll have to ask Zach on his website or instagram for more details. As someone who lives in the van though 2 might significantly increase airflow if you set one for intake and one for outflow.
You do not find many mini vans like a Promaster City able to have a full counter with a sink and still get a decent size bed into it. Very nice and a great job building this small little beauty out.
Even four years later, in February 2023 now, there still remains a strong demand for these wonderful Promaster City vans. What a crying shame the maker has cancelled this fine product.
I love this! Forgot to show the little table though!
Cascade campers just converted my promaster city and they did an amazing job! I would highly recommend them to anyone wanting this setup. Really great build quality and design. And the crew who works on your van are the same people who founded the company. They put their heart and soul into these vans and it shows. I already want a second one.
Ryan thanks for sharing! I’m getting my van converted by them in May! So stoked!
@@nikkinieyoga Hey there! I was van #89! These guys will really take care of you and make you feel welcome. I think you will be impressed it's a great design. I have no regrets choosing them at all they did a great job and are really great people! Have fun!
Can you fit a portable toilet under the bed?
@@mattstaten1271 no, there's not enough space under the bed. I purchased a folding toilet that can be stored behind the couch/bed
You all prolly dont care at all but does someone know a way to log back into an Instagram account??
I stupidly lost the login password. I love any help you can give me
I have a Promaster City as my locksmith van. I absolutely love it! I chose it because if the business ever goes under or when I retire, the van will be converted like this one! Great video!
Simple and nice, the only thing that I would add is port-a-potty with the bed higher so it would fit under it.
This is one of the nicest builds I've seen. And the best part is it looks very affordable! Definitely worth considering! I really like the vent fan.
Update - I checked the Cascade Camper website and they have raised the price of their basic camper conversion by $1,000! It went from $6,000 to $7,000. That's an awfully big price increase! I like the efficient design but that's too much. I'm no longer interested.
Nice job. I’m in the researching phase and weighing pros and cons of all the options. I really like these little vans.
That guy is really good at giving tours and explaining.
Looking to use the same vehicle, since it's the largest cargo of these small city vans - bigger than the Ford version or Nissan... Like the water setup; hadn't seen a submersible for drinking water quality. Also totally agree water should be accesible from the outside to simplify filling (or emptying if using gray water which you didn't mention). The plastic edge banding looks great, and certainly saved time since you likely have a router set up to just run everything past before tapping it in. Used it for some custom shelving in my music room and it's amazing that you can get it in so many colors. Looking to integrate a Lagun Table into my setup so that you can bring food or a laptop closer, yet move it out of the way if need be.
Great build tho, closest I've seen to what I want to build!
This van conversion rocks and is affordable.
by far the cleanest looking camper setup I've seen for these small Van's. I wonder if a kit is available for a transit connect
When the motor is inside a doghouse (big bump next to the driver) the van temperature becomes critical at 70 degrees Fahrenheit or so. The muffler under the floor also caused hot floors. In Florida during summer/fall I had to stay out of the van for a half hour or more after a trip because the dog house and the floor were too hot.
So, insulating the floor from heat from the road and muffler is also a good idea.
The engine/muffler heat will also heat the metal sides of the van.
So creating a thermos bottle to live in might be a good idea.
Motor is under the hood in this van so irrelevant, but good to know for other setups. Never thought having a motor under the passenger seat was a good idea!?
An excellent conversion. One of the best designs I've seen.
Cascade's power setup is inadequate.
Just heard about Zach and his sponsorship on the Tiny House Podcast. Nicely done!
Dang that's efficient for a small van! Impressive!
I love it! Simple but beautiful .
.......very nice........curtian behind front seats needs design attention.......love this van build.........smile.
I still really like the van where the guy put the porta potty in the center console and built a seat around it. That was genius. And no smell whatsoever.
Way too small of a vehicle for that here. I have a Ram PMC like this doing a conversion and best looks like folding toilet chair with plastic bags and airtight storage box on hitch carrier until you can dump the bags, or even bury them with biodegradable bags. Chair will fold flat and stand behind passenger seat in mine. Most guys use a Dollar Store laundry soap bottle for pee since it doesn’t have fancy store brand our spout and yet seals well.
Absolutely fantastic. Great design and execution.
so perfect. I love this so much.
The last bit about the logo and not getting questions asked was interesting to me. Almost like by being less "sneaky" and more upfront you're being more stealthy and people just seem to ignore the white van. I'm thinking of putting a plumbing logo on or something so people don't think twice about it, but also don't realize all the belongings of someone living on the road are in there.
Yes, definitely choose wisely, I've heard of people targeting pluming vans because copper pipes are worth a lot!
Was thinking a “Solar consulting and troubleshooting company” so no one questions solar panel on the roof!
Thanks so much this gave tons of ideas!!!
I know stealth is rather important on these kinds of vans, but for the sake of my budget, pannel health, and just lighting opinions. I would want hard pannels that lift off slightly from the roof to provide airflow underneath and a roof sky light fan so I could actually have sun light from above come through the van. Overall the pannels would be cheaper and the sky light a greater value to me then the stealth factor.
Glad it helped! Airflow is indeed a challenge, check out my video on CO2. Sun would be sweet, I wonder if you can keep stealth by running optical fiber or something.
this is simple and basic, but very well-crafted. and at an affordable price.
i was wondering about grey water though. where does it go/get stored?
and he's the first person i've heard who said to clean the solar panel. heck yes!
i chuckled when he said he had a camper van in the parking lot ready to go after his high school graduation.
Grey water goes right out of a hose to the ground in the rear of the vehicle, it works at camp sites and while it's raining here. Zach has lots of awesome camper van stories! I may cut an extended interview later
i do think there should be a container option for the grey water. it's not always possible to stealth dump.
I bet Zach can add that in as custom work. I recall the original versions of the van had a grey water tank but he removed it at some point. It'll be a tradeoff with space or capacity.
My westfalia is like that, not a problem most of the time, just have an awareness. Most of the time its not a problem, and super convenient.
Tari Akpodiete Hi there, I agree that a small amount of grey waste isn't too much of a problem in that it's mostly washing up water or the dregs from a drink. Some people confuse grey and black waste. Completely different problem and the latter to be dealt with very carefully so as not to offend. 😊
Some good ideas, thanks for the video
What I like most on this conversion is the convertible collapsible bed system. Can anyone please point me towards some tutorial on this ... ?
Totally awesome build
Nice little but comfortable van.
Great build. I'd like to see one with a pop top that would provide standing head room the length of the van (no upper bed). It would compromise stealth but it might be worth it.
Agreed, that's definitely something I keep on my wish list. I know Colorado Camper Van will do a pop top for around 10k, Roy King has one on his PMC: ua-cam.com/video/CUWg4AQuLC0/v-deo.html
So handsome....!
The van too.
Thanks for this video! I am having them convert my promaster next year.
Awesome was looking at one today
Very nice and stealthy....would love to see him do a sprinter Van conversion....thanks for sharing..... from Houston Texas
Awesome build, imagine that in a high top!!
I will build a camper like this ... when I have it ready I will upload the video to UA-cam
The thing about the Promaster is that there isn’t a 4WD option. I know a lot of ppl get away with 2WD but where I live 4x4 is a great thing to have.
Excellent demo!
Why block the sliding door on the one side instead of splitting the bench seat back into two cushions?
I like it! Looks great, price is right. Im looking at the Ram and the Nissan Recon NV200 but that has a 4 to 6 months build turn around time! Add a poptop option, not for a top bed, but so I can stand up. Thank you.
nice camper van kit
I'd swap out the sink-storage-counter, for a porta-potty toilet of some type....
How much for that exact conversion?
Really cool! These just kind of popped up on my radar so I haven’t actually got to look at one in person yet. About how long is the bed? I’m pretty tall so that’s the downside of a smaller van like this.
what is that vent fan? I really like it! super small!
www.campingworld.com/maxxair-maxxfan-dome-black-121672.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1OfW4MjG6gIV_z6tBh1aRghUEAQYFSABEgJbVPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
@@abcdxyz925 Wow that's awesome thank you! 🙂
Small but very efficient. Love it. The Promaster city was my choice. So how much for one like this. I need one.
Here's how to build it all yourself in a PMC, for under $1700, including a Shou Sugi Ban ceiling!
ua-cam.com/channels/YlR2t3yTZ8Z2cScBTQEZbg.html?
I was in for $6 but not $8. Cute set up, tho.
What is the brand for the sink?? I love that variable flow
Nice build and video. Saving it for when the time comes.
Is the Promaster the van of choice for these types of builds?
What brand and model was that fridge?
Hi Smart Van: Can you post a link to the clever water tank with integral pump, and also the water faucet with the switch to control the pump. I love this setup!
Hey Billder, I looked online but it seems like zach built that pump into a normal 5 gal plastic jerry can, you might be able to find the parts if you ask him on his website
Is there a way to get to the fuel pump door with this conversion installed?
Thks...I liked the straight forward descriptors (explanations of what and why). It's attractive, functional, user friendly...handy, simple, and seemingly everyman's vehicle. Query; how long and how wide is the "bed?" How "soft" is the mattress? What about a 74", 260 .lb male trying to live in it for 60 days? I note no camper style toilet, no AC...weather in Ok, TXS, etc. would fry you; stove amounts to coffee and oatmeal. $6K for paneling and Dollar General Store equipment seems way too expensive. But it is something to consider.
Bed is 43" by 75", mattress is made of high density foam so I wouldn't say it's soft, it's more on the firm side. I haven't seen any of the compact vans conversions include a toilet, I haven't found it necessary so far since campgrounds will typically have restrooms. Weather in Seattle never gets too hot luckily so no AC needed. I will need heating for the winter though. Thanks for watching!
hackberry flat I thought the same thing when he was describing it. Especially when I saw he only carries 5 gallons of water, and has no commode facility. When he said he relies on the campground pit toilets, I understood where he’s coming from. He didn’t build this to be a long term boondocker out in the wilderness, but a weekend camper for known local campgrounds he uses. The configuration he built would suit him fine.
On CVK UA-cam channel he interviewed 2 folks (their YT is named after their turtle Sheldon) that did their own Ram ProMaster City conversion to live in it. They have one of those round cassette toilet with a cushion on top to double as a seat.
That’s me, 6’ 2” and 255 lbs. and doing a Ram PMC conversion. Will be putting up videos as build my conversion, I have several firsts in my design. But a PMC easily sleeps our height behind passenger seat to rear doors. If building buy any mattress you want, my conversion will include a 5” mattress...
I’ll be traveling up to 90 day stints in mine, and have a solution for hot weather I believe, as I am in Tampa and won’t get out of Florida every year...
Jonathan Hansen - I’m doing a PMC conversion and have solution for up to 2 weeks water, better seat / bed design... commode is a folding toilet seat and bags stored in sealed box on hitch cargo carrier until can dump, or bury if using biodegradable bags. Seat stands folded behind passenger seat, right in front of fridge in my layout.
Can someone post some links for the parts to make that sink? Like the submersible pump and the faucet with the switch. Thanks
Nice setup! I'd like to do my own couch cushion, though, since I like a firm bed. Also, since the flexible panels don't last very long, I'm wondering how hard/messy/destructive to the paint it is to replace a glued panel.
I wonder if the flexible panels don't last as long because people move them. This seems mounted so tight it may last just as long as a hard panel.
Are you still in business. Where is your brick and mortar garage?
How well do these vans handle cold weather environments / wet environments?
SmartVan, now that you’ve been in the van a while, can you comment on the build quality of the cascade campervan kit? How has it held up? Any issues with anything breaking, no working, leaks, solar or battery or fridge problems? Also how do you like the Promaster city? Any reliability issues with the van itself? You feedback would be much appreciated! Thanks a bunch
Hey Jeff, build quality is great so far. It's also been easy to modify too. No problems at all, everything is solid.
Not too many miles on the PMC yet so I can't say about quality, but it hasn't required serious work yet (36k miles)
Definitely try driving a PMC, it's a work van so it's barebones.
Can you post a link to that fridge?
Did you make the bed or buy it?
Always worry about cooking in a camper...like the battery system design with solar panel!
Simple, and nice. For a simple need, where is a toilet, or way to clean yourself? Otherwise, I really like the build.
Nice build!
Quick question....is the solar/battery setup strong enough to power just the fridge 24/7?? Assuming of course you have full sun most days and don't use the system for anything but the fridge.
It is in the summertime when I park where there's direct sunlight. If you drive more than an hour a day, it'll also keep the fridge up in the winter too.
Do you do builds on vans that people already own?
Well done 👍🙂
Very nice 👌
How do I reach you or learn more about products. I’m considering the short Ram promaster cargo. Love your solutions.
Transit connect??..can you climb in back without getting out ?..nice job..do you need solor ? I like having extra battery that charges off motor..couch bed is great and storage is nice..I would like windows that open and a big roof vent..bike rack in back and a roof storage locker....I'm good to go...keep it simple..thanks ..I like short vans..promaster makes the only short van..118 wheel base...does the job*
It’s a ram pro master city, biggest engine in this size van at 2.4 liter. I’m converting one now and will be starting a conversion video series with several firsts, like sleeping 2 (separately) and a better seat to bed conversion idea that is a first... solar is big help to run LED lights at night, fridge 7x24 and a vent are the big 3 uses and then it falls to charging a laptop and phone/tablet of course or even a cell phone repeater to get signal in boondocks.
Solar is very reasonable cost these days with 75 amp hour battery under $120 and 100 watt solar panels around $100-120 and charge controllers like shown for $15-20, and a 750 watt inverter under $40 to run 110 appliances that are low power, like a 20 watt dehumidifier I just picked op for $40.
First decision is whether you want to live in your van, or live out of your van and what those really mean... that helps decide vehicle to convert. I want to live out of van, can happily make all needs fit comfortably in the Promaster City, and still get 27 or 28 mpg...
I like that small fan. Where can it be purchased and who is the maker?
Ventline Vanair: www.etrailer.com/Enclosed-Trailer-Parts/Ventline/VP-543SP.html
Freakin awesome!!!
nice built.i wanted to know if you did conversion for nissan nv2500?
Interesting video thanks .... I can't find anything on Sparkles the Bus? Thanks Laurie Carroll
Check out facebook.com/SparklesTheBus/ !
How about a screen for the door opening?
What is the Brand/Model of that little fan? That's the one I want. Also....how my h dies it cost? Does the cap keep the rain from coming I inside? Thx.
It looks like that bed is 44 inches wide. Is it hard for two middle-aged or older adults to sleep together on it? What have people found about that?
Quite cozy for 2 adults, and gets stuffy inside quicker too due to small volume. Works better if you're both smaller.
I really like the conversion it's awesome. How long did it take for the conversion to take after you drop it off. Thank's have a great day
2 Weeks
And its around 7 grand ?
Yea, it's $7k now, was 6 but prices went up due to demand I suppose. You can see on his website (link is in description)
I know this is an older post, but how tall are you Zack? Thanks for the great review!!
What’s the track system for the window curtains? Trying to find something similar to put in my van.
great video,thanks
Good luck I went through five of those vans in a month working for dish Network
Patrick Mitchell. You are the man we need to hear from!!! Please expound!!!
Problems?
CAJUN Jamis the vans has electric issues on mine the dash gauges would flip out then all the warning lights go one and it would not shift gears I live I've Texas had to drive 30miles to the wearhouse and full throttle the van would not move no power all five had the same problem Dodge recalled most vans I think idk if they got a fix someone told me something about a wire on the seat not really sure a fix I would do was unplug the battery for five minutes and it would get u down the road but that's only if it wouldn't start it all started with my first van i washed it then nothing no start lights came on just wouldn't start that's how it started for all my vans then my last van witch was the new one only 5000 miles on it I was at a customers home getting ready to leave and I needed to get signatures but my phone died so I ran out started it up and charged my phone for like five minutes ran back in got did my thing and came back out and there was water and steam just every where and apparently some part on the cooling system just blow wasn't even hot but other than that they was nice looking and comfortable just to low to the ground for South Texas and to much electrical issues the bigger vans ok tho but even my uncle laughed when he seen my van and said I was screwed he works at Dodge and says theses vans r a hit and miss one out of ten is good if I was y'all I'd take the VIN number go to dodge and see if there's anything recalled because me and everyone I know had no luck with it witch sucks because I liked it look good just built bad good luck man
Patrick Mitchell, thanks for the come back! WOW! sounds as though they are full blown POS!
Patrick Mitchell ...That on top of the fact they're so relatively new on the market. Parts are going to be a bitch to find. The transit connect is smaller, but at least it's been on the market for about 8 years.
taradead - you don’t know what you’re talking about. NOT new on market, been out for 18 years in Europe, and same was brought to US market in 2015. Did literally months of research before buying one, and see them much better than Transit Connect (tranny problems, like TobyNTransit), Nissan NV200 with a CVT transmission. And RAM has bigger engine than both at 2.4 liter versus 2.0 liter in all others so more HP...
No doubt on stealth!
Your craftmanship is next level.. but on design, personally I don't get cooking and cleaning inside though.
How far off the floor is the top of your seat/bed?
Is that fan/extractor any good? loud? How many amps? I worry about proprietary products where parts can go bad .. I have this idea of just using a hard solar panel as a giant roof hatch and making the opening water tight by folding roof sheet metal up into it and have it pressure latch down into a 1 inch thick Neoprene weather strip .. but cutting a giant hole in my van makes me so nervous..
Magic setup, pity you used solar panels that wont last ( I speak out of experience gone back to normal panels again )
Bummer, thanks for the heads up. It's pretty temperate in the PNW so I may get lucky.
Speaking from experience, the problem isn't so much with the panels, as the way you have them mounted. They get very, very hot, so they need to have air flow underneath. That is why you see the heavy panels mounted a couple of inches off the roof. I burned my flat panels out mounted on top, but had some others that I used to make a folding panel, and they lasted just fine. If you raised them up so there is air flow underneath, they will last much, much longer.
I hope you are right my friend, I would not waste any money on them again.
I agree the only Pro with Semi-Flexible Solar Panels is the stealth aspect, oh & the cost [they're cheap as hell}
I have the same solar panels. And unfortunately they lasted for 2 months. Not quite sure why they no longer worked. I too live and work in the Bay Area. Quick question regarding MPG. Did you notice a dip in MPG with the solar panel and all the added weight of the build? Do you still get the 24 MPG as advertised by Dodge Ram? Thanks.
My promaster city has no rear speakers. I have heard that there's some outputs hidding some were in the van for rears speakers. Does anybody know were are they? Thanks.
Really like this conversion! Just started to convert my NV200 to a camper and might steal some ideas ;) Obviously there’s not much insulation on walls, have you tried it on colder nights? How about condensation? Guess the alternative is to carpet the walls, but don’t really like the look...Would you mind sharing the height of the bed unit? Thanks!
It's quite comfy down to the low 50s, but around 49 degrees I start waking up shivering (not fun!). I ended up buying a really warm sleeping bag from REI, but that's not so comfy either. Wayfarer vans sells just the insulation part of their kit which I decided to try out to see if that's worth it, but heating is definitely still a challenge. Will discuss in a separate video all about heating. I'll get you the bed height too
Yeah, I think a small diesel heater would be great, you can't really do a perfect job with insulation in these vans...
Smart Van Did you get the bed height? :D
Hey Daniel, it's around 12 and a half inches from the top of the floor to the top of the mattress part.
You have to understand condensation before you even think about insulating a van like this. I’m doing exact van myself in DIY conversion with several firsts in the design. But most important thing is a vapor barrier, then ventilation, then understanding how various heating methods actually add moisture. So my design includes a 20w dehumidifier that can easily run off the Solar / Battery setup. Your Carpet is a very bad idea if you will be heating the van inside, because without a vapor barrier, walls will immediately condensate, and invite rust.
don't the uninsulated, uncovered bare metal areas let a lot of heat into the van? also if you use the white hoses made for water you don't get any "hose" taste to water. like the organization overall
This was my biggest concern at first. There's a section that didn't make the final cut where Zach mentions insulating the interior and adding custom trimmings, but he doesn't do it in order to reduce the cost.
Luckily, I find that the existing paneling does a decent job for now: combined with the curtain, it keeps the back area of the van cool till late morning in the 87 degree desert (the driver's area will be scorching hot by then). In the future I'll probably stuff insulation and cover the remaining bits as I figure out an insulation strategy.
In the meantime though, the exposed metal areas will help me run wiring in the coming months to get this van to live up to a "smart van". Stay tuned!
How do you drain the sink?
Can someone help me out with the water pump tank idea he did. Like what pump and what is that little vent fan in the back? Thank you advance. I want to add this to my trailer.
How many gallons of fresh water can you add? Also what types of batteries are used?
5 gallon tank and AGM marine battery
The most important part is stealth but you dont want something too stealthy (the logo or reflective sticker helps). A dedicated camper van would attract too much attention.
Amazing
I take it it’s not easy to remove if you wanna go back to cargo van mode? Wayfarer vans makes it easy to go back to cargo van mode if needed. But I do like the couch/bed format cascade does.
I actually went to see a wayfarer conversion locally (the owner is very responsive if you reach out, he intro'd me to a local owner). After seeing both I made some impressions:
1. I found the build quality is much better with cascade campers, just in the quality of wood used, the fit, the polished and laminated edges, etc. It feels like quality furniture, whereas the wayfarer is much more basic (just plywood, rough edges, the table wasn't as strong as I wanted for my laptop).
2. I ended up preferring the design of the cascade camper, with the sink + couch combo being all internal (vs kitchen outside in wayfarer's design)
3. The wayfarer (maybe because it has to be removable) isn't all to comfortable to hang out in, and the chairs sit higher, so my head bumps the ceiling when I sit (I'm 5'10"). Even though they have the same amount of room to work with, the cascade camper just feels much more spacious.
That's just off the top of my head, let me know if you want any more details, and thanks for watching!
Smart Van I hope you make more videos of the pro master city. How it holds up etc. I’m interested in how reliable it is really. I’m having a hard time decided what van to go with. Seems every American brand van gets bad reviews. Right now I would go with pro master city as well. You were right that they are perfect for van life in your previous video. Ford transit connect was too small when I saw it in person. Nissan nv200 lost me when people say it’s slow lol. I thought about minivans from Toyota or Honda but the carpeting is a problem. I’m not gonna gut out a brand new minivan. Carpet gets easily dirty as we all know but I’m really sick of carpets. I want easy clean up and some van lifers have some good setups that look easy to clean or sweep. Anyway I hope to see more videos of your adventures in the van. Day to day life in it. Very interested in that and how it works for you.
Josh Mann Hi. I have a 2017 Nissan NV200 and am absolutely thrilled with it. I am building it out right now. Soooo nice. Slow? I haven't noticed at all. I would have noticed for sure. It has more head room that it's competitors and the wheelbase is slightly shorter which makes for better maneuverability. Happy travels!
hope you'll put up pix and vids!
MAN! I wish "Toyota" would offer one!!!
very nice work. $6k is your retail price? What model is that promaster? city, asking because they all don't come with the roof molding.. really like the way your panels and insulation are inside the pillars. Regarding forced ventilation do these vans already come with vents in the back that can be used so you don't have to cut into the roof?
$7k now, check out cascade campers and email zach for questions! Conversion requires the cargo version of the van
I’m Doing a PMC conversion. Roof vent is not stock in any of these commercial trade vans. Best seems to be Maxx fan since can run even when raining.
I'm installing a $95 Fan-Tastic cause I don't want a remote to lose (especially since fan control will be 6 inches from my head), don't care about reverse, will never drive with the vent open and you can always close the vent just a little and if it's raining sideways I'll put up with some sprinkles which I do anyways cause I like driving with the windows open...
room for a small compost toilet anywhere? who about large shade attachment with grove slide to remove it?
Not really, I have those REI bags for emergencies, lucky I haven't needed to use it yet. Large shade attachment, like an awning? You can definitely mount that to a roof rack, but it does reduce stealth.
Nice! How can I order one of these Van’s?
awesome build smart van. you can tell that you have actually lived in a van before. one question. why not put a fold-able table that flips up from galley counter area? So that it serves a second purpose as an aesthetic covering of the water/stove/mechanical area? just a thought. and also, can you do this build with a maxair fan? I know its not as stealth but maxair is nice! Thanks.
I think that's a question for Zach from Cascade Campers who did the design and build. But he does do custom work, and you can reach out on his site www.cascadecampers.com/conversions.html
It's not covered in the video but you can see that I got him to build in a fold up table mounted to the front of the counter so I can work on my laptop.
Fold up table clearly visible at 6:28 in the video. Better option tho is Lagun table. Swivels to anywhere so you can get up without taking stuff off of it. It’s spelled Maxx Fan and I’m sure he would do, just requires 14” square hole cut in roof and there’s plenty of room. I’m doing a PMC conversion myself.
Where does the gray water go to?
Just goes out near the rear wheel. If camping somewhere where it isn't ok I use an oil pan to catch it (one of those that drains into a tub)
Please! What is the brand of the vent fan? Also, the solar panel. Please...brands and links if possible. Help! Thanks! Great video!
Looks like this: www.etrailer.com/Enclosed-Trailer-Parts/Ventline/VP-543SP.html
SuperDeut4 - Google "VentLine VanAir"
shayes323 👍
How much does this van run with the conversation, and how much for one of the longer base Promaster vans? Also, could seat belts be added to the bench seat ? Also, after reading some of the comments from deep South states, I live in Texas and would need extra insulation due to extreme heat and cold conditions. It can get well over 101°F in the summertime and down to the teens and occasionally the rare single digits. I want to be comfortable at festivals and if I go on vacation with friends or family.
15k used van + 7k cascade campers conversion + 2k insulation, bench seats don't have seat belts, I think recon campers has a conversion with seat belts though, you might look into that. Extreme heat/cold sounds like quite the challenge!
@@SmartVan thank you for your response and help. That sounds like a good option. What is the contact info for recon campers? Yes, living with the Texas temperatures can be challenging. This week alone I have used the house a/c and heat in the same day. But as we say down here, if you don't like the weather, just wait and it will change!
Where i can convert a van to be like this and how much it cost
What kind of vent fan is that
Nice video! I'm interested in your build. Do you recommend to have two ceiling fans? Thanks.
You'll have to ask Zach on his website or instagram for more details. As someone who lives in the van though 2 might significantly increase airflow if you set one for intake and one for outflow.
@@SmartVan Thank you! Make more video please.