I built my Chevy Express passenger van, but it doesn't look as good as yours because I am not good at woodwork and cutting. But overall, it's comfortable for me because it goes with my flow. It feels good to enjoy our own build. You should be so proud.
@@pattyqubensis8222 so now I go ahead and daily drive my camper van and camp in it when I’m not working. I try to get away for at least 1 months out of the year and travel in it full time. Other than that, I just do weekend trips up to a week long trips.
Nice job Taylor! What an informative video as well. I can vouch for you for sure because I got to stay in with you in it for 6 days. Very comfortable and quite ride with the wood work you've done in it. Keep up the great work!
You did an amazing job!! I'm so impressed!! I'm a girl so I need a porta potty and a sink. Lol. That fan is absolutely amazing and the wood looks great. I love the way you talk to your dog like she's the most important thing in the world. It is just so cute!! Shows you're a good person and I wish you all the best. Hope your mom is doing well.
Thats an awesome build, absolutely love the wood! My wife and I just picked a very similar van just the shorter version and scored the awd. Were going to do the interior very similar also. Did you show how you went around the windows and the walls somewhere? Ive been watching all the vids on the van and cant find that part. Sweet ass van rhough man! Hope ours turns out half that nice
Thanks man! And I never ended up filming the rest of me building the van. Wish I would have! One thing I recommend if you're building out a 1500 awd is to do the 1/4 inch tongue and groove instead of the 3/4 inch like I did in my van. If I were to build another camper, I would have done the 1/4 to save weight. This build is heavy in my rig but it is a 3500 so it handles the weight fine
Fixing to get an express myself. Not necessarily to travel and do van life but simply to have something mainly to transport my dirt bike and other junk.... And when you rent you never know what the future holds...... Worst case scenario you can always go and live in a van down by the river !
Yup! That's the plan. I just put AC in this van so going to buy a generator and start making more videos. It's too hot here in Florida to camp with no AC! haha
Holy smokes, this is sick as fuck. Absolutely love the wood and tinted windows where can't see in. Curious how this takes with some crazy backroad adventures. Sweet job!
@TaylorVanBeek Looked big enough to sleep with my dirtbike, but damn I'm hella jelly lol. Especially that you have it insulated really good. Snow camping must be amazing!
@@tmamaz can't quite fit a dirt bike inside. I've had a KLX 110L on the inside before but a big bike, I put it on a bike carrier or a trailer. And oh yeah, snow camping is sickkkkkk
I have a similar van -- like what you did to hide the irregular contour of the van. Big question for you, what about the airbags? I can imagine a situation in which a front/rear low speed collision that would otherwise not total the van would totally destroy the build. Also, did you cut off the seat mounts to make the floor flat or did you build around them. Same question with the seat belts.
This van never came with airbags in the rear of this van. This model van is an 05. I don't think airbags started until 2011. The wood is all screwed and glued onto the walls so in a collision, I think this thing is more structurally sound now than it was just a stock passenger van. I left the seat rails in and built around them. As far as the seat belts, I removed them. Anything from the driver/passenger seat back, I removed except for the rear HVAC unit
So I've got another video on my channel that's newer than this one that talks about the AC setup I ended up adding. It's a 6k btu stand up ac that I run off a generator. Thing works great for this rig!
I haven't had a single issue with the window tint. Only part that's not legal with the window tint is the driver and passenger window. Every other window is allowed to be that dark. But yeah, I haven't been messed with yet.
I drive so much that solar didn't make sense for me. My buddy builds vans for a living and he said in order for the solar to do much, I'd have to cover my whole roof. I like to use my roof rack to haul kayaks and stuff so I could maybe only fit one small panel on my roof. I just let my dc to dc charger charge my batteries while I'm driving.
Yeah I have an outdoor shower. But the toilet I do not have haha I either use gas station restrooms if I'm in the city or I go out in nature if I'm in the woods. Having a bathroom or toilet inside of your small camper just stinks the space up.
@@RyanNagy thank you! And I installed a 40amp renogy charger so when the van is running, it charges the batteries. I’m never in one spot for too long so that set up made the most sense for me
@@fatasiancat yes I remember your original comment you left! I appreciate it. It was a fun project for sure! I’ve added a few more things since as well. Built some nice window covers and installed an AC unit. Helps so much with this Florida heat
@@nniicckk1223 because it looks cool…never heard of that being illegal. As long as they can see the taillights illuminate, that’s all that matters. And these lights illuminate very bright.
Yeah not where I live at in Florida. Born and raised. I've had limo tint on every vehicle I've ever owned and only been pulled over once. Got a warning and still never took the tint off. If I get pulled over, I just roll the windows down. Only the front windows matter. You can have the rears as dark as you want.
It's just 4 deep cycle 120amp hour batteries. It's a little overkill but it works great for my set up in my van. I've got a renogy charger hooked up to the batteries to charge them while driving. The batteries are hooked up to a fuse box and all the 12v is hooked up to the fuse box.
I'm a van guy, 2 weeks ago I found a 91 conversion van 98k miles for 3k. Anyways if the swing arm is fabricated one in". Longer your door will clear that tire.
Hey man really enjoy your videos! I recently (finally) bought a 2015 express 2500 passenger with pretty low miles and planning on turning it into something similar to what you have. So love the ideas from your channel! 1 question tho is did you do the walls and all the wood work yourself as well? I seen the floor build video but never noticed any of the walls and framing. That's the part I'm trying to decide what way to do mine.
I did do the whole build myself. I was on a time crunch before I was leaving on my trip so I did not have a chance to film the rest of the build. I wish I would have.
If I was closer, I'd help out haha but this is by far my favorite set up i've ever done. And since it's a low roof and a passenger van, it's perfect for a daily driver. I don't own another vehicle haha
Yes, you can still see in. You'd need really dark tint to not see any lights through the tint at night. During the day, you can have lights on and not see anything no matter how hard you try to look through.
@@Julry7 nope, I’ve never had any issues with it. You’re legally allowed to have it as dark as you want behind the driver and passenger window. It’s just the driver and passenger window that are illegal
@@TaylorVanBeek yes I’m from Delaware and was told the same thing but I see traffic stops in other States and the reason is that the cops couldn’t see in the vehicle,thank you for your response and be safe 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾
@@Julry7 Yeah to be honest, I've only been pulled over once in this van. When I get pulled over, I just roll both windows down. I've always done that with my pickup trucks too. I'd roll down every window just so the cop felt safe.
Do u suggest a 5kw heater for a none insulated van ,other then the factory installation in it. ❤❤😊😊dealing with Minnesota winters.what do u suggest if iam not interested in ripping it apart to insulated.
Yes, a 5k would do plenty. I'd honestly still go with a 3k. My 5k on low cooks me out. I was in the Sierra Nevada mountains and it was -18, I still had the heater on the medium setting and it was in the 60s inside of my van
The van came that color from the factory. And I don't have a link for the headlights but if you go on amazon and type in "Chevy Express Smoked Head Lights" they should pop right up.
If you want to send me a message on instagram, “taylorvanbeeek”, I can send you some pictures of the back. I just used tongue and groove wood and screwed it into the metal. Then tucked the wires behind the wood.
I just came across this video, very sharp looking ride, a great and practical job on the interior, good to see that you kept the rear hvac and worked around it for your design, anything to help cool or heat your vehicle while running i think is a bonus, nice video :)
regarding the propane to cook? Or the diesel heater tank? It hasn't been an issue for me. Lots of vehicles have the small camper propanes and even the bike tanks inside. As far as the diesel tank, I have never had any issues either with it. No smell or anything. I did not want it outside because the diesel fuel can gel in real cold temperatures and then my heater would not work.
It's easy to come out and say you did a great job with this build but how good is it really is my question. I want to do an express build myself. This is a good build craftsmanship wise. Floor plan is blah. Technology is blah. Not saying this to hate but if I'm going to spend 17,000 dollars. What I find is that people that come from other builds or other types of camping out in vehicles or even backpacking or traveling lifestyles don't actually know what to do when they get a van. You would think their passed experience would help them supercharge their version of a van build but it doesn't and they just end up wasting their money and the space in their vans. For your build you didn't make your version of a van, you made your version of the ultimate pickup truck bed camper that you couldn't actually do inside of a pickup truck bed because that's what you know and that's what you're accustomed to. In my opinion at this point to really maximize a van you have to know about the van not other things because all the other experience doesn't necessarily convert.
So what would you have done differently with a low roof GMC Savana van? I feel like this is about as good as you can do with this model van. It’s got 12v heat, an oven, fridge, rooftop fan, power to power all of your accessories, etc. the interior build only cost 5k. The total Investment with purchase of van, lift, wheels, tires and interior build is 17k pretty dang cheap for what this thing consists of. It’s not like you can put a shower on the inside of a low top van. What else would you add?
@@TaylorVanBeek A high top. I would add a high top roof. I'm in the market for a 25/3500 express/savanna extended right now, and I see 2006'ish vans for like $6,000. Sure I don't want a rust bucket, or a can of worms, but I still think a good deal is out there that would free up space on that same budget. I found a company that makes a 24 inch aerodynamic high top for American full size vans for like $4,000 not including installation (HTV - Hight Top Vans company in Washington). I Just hope I can find an installer that would help me for like $1,000. Van $6,000 + top $4,000 = $10,000. Tesla battery modules for power. 5.2kwh/250ah battery modules go for $500 each. I want 4, but I'll start with one first. No solar. Solar is too expensive. Just upgraded alternators. A 4,800 watt alternator is $400. I'd run GFCI outlets in the van. I like that you kept the stock heat and air. I would do something similar, so I want a passenger van to start with, or I'd be adding the stock blower to a cargo van. The heat and air would be stock in the front, but the back would have a diesel air heater for $100 as we know, but I will also duct in a 12v aftermarket AC system for another $800, use the stock blower with some DIY vents, and intergrade it all together. No visible protrusions outside, and no wasting gas on AC. Similarly I would get 6 inch max fans not 12 inch ones, because of their low profile. I'd have a shower in the van. Hot water from a diesel water heater $270, and a plate heat exchanger $50. I'd plumb a shower sprayer in the ceiling, and faucet mixer into the side of the high top. Could technically have one in a low top. I'd seen a girl shower inside of her civic, and I said there ain't no way she's gonna be outclassing me, just because my van ain't a sprinter. I can do better. I'd use curtains for the shower stall, not solid walls to leave the space in the van more open and versatile. I would only use Reflectix for all of the insolation; floor and walls and ceiling. You used away lot of space with pink foam, 2 inch wood boards, and tongue and groove planks. My interior finish would be more like the luxury conversion van builders did it, but just with better materials. Nice leathers, and high gloss wood finishes. Mimicking the aesthetic of a yacht, not quite a limousine, and somewhat like a private jet. The finish pieces would be dual functioning pieces just like how they are in a conversion van interiors. They function as covers for things like electrical panels, air ducts, and factory window sills. Saving space, weight, and making it look intended not accidental. I would have a cheap rubber floor at $100, on top on the Reflectix. Floor drain for the shower. Am considering heating mats for the floor but not sure. I would add a 65 gallon water bag at $35 for a fresh water tank, as they save space, and do not need to be vented. No gray water, black, cassette or composting toilet. Just a cheap collapsing toilet and male/female urinal bottle. You found yourself remaking the same thing that a sofa bed is, but just in DIY form, with thick wood, and taking up a lot of the space. I would just use a factory made van sofa for my bed. The nice luxury ones are like $1,300. A cheap one is like $5-600 though. A cheap amazon folding study desk at $140 for my initial countertop surface sits next to the bed. Something more fancy later. On that table sits a collapsing sink, USB water tap, and single burner induction total for another $80. A 4cu.ft fridge for $170 sits between the desk and the drivers seat back. Fortifying things like Hvac, plumbing, and electrical, make it easy to run appliances that make van life convenient. I would then add a mini clothes washer at $50. A mini clothes dryer at $600, and a mini dish washer at $100. The build stops there at about $15-17,000 until I move in, and start saving up again. More upgrades will ensue. An engine swap for LS 6.2L or 6.6L, cold air, exhaust, HHO, ECU tune, LSD/Locking diff, GM 10 speed transmission, 3.08 gear ratios, wheels, tires, aluminum bumpers, light bars, bull bar, wench, flood lights, truck horns, bumper tool box, spare wheel rack, CCTV camera system, dead bolt door locks, security window film, onboard air compressor, magnetic ride control dampers, launch control, full digital gauge cluster swap from Cadillac escalade, braum alpha x racing seats, roll bar hoops, graphic wrap with company logo, and social media handles. Through, and through, it's got to be a great whip when it's done.
Sliding all the way. Originally I wanted swing out doors but I got a good deal on this van. So glad I have the sliders. Makes it way easier to get in and out of in tight parking spots.
Sweet van! Love your set up and woodwork. I have a 2005 3500 15 passenger and love it! I must say though, 5000 smackaronies seems far from a "budget build", at least for my budget lol "married with 3 kiddos",, so far I've come up with a removable camp set up for roughly 700-800 bucks just because I need to use the van for other purposes. If I was to do a permanent build, yours is an awesome example of what I would want to do, besides a Quigley 4x, winch bumpers, and a high-top of course, if I hit a JACKPOT ha ha, thanks for the video and information! Nice work! Keep up the sheVANigans!
Yeah I guess I meant budget in the sense of a full 4 seasons camper van that's a permanent build haha I've camped in this van in -18 degree weather. And it's got every amenity needed for full time living other than a shower. But I'd love to have a quigley conversion! I'd like to do bumpers on mine also! If this wasn't my daily driver, I'd do a high roof
@@TaylorVanBeek your van is absolutely beautiful bro, I'm not to savy on material pricing thats for sure lol, everything is getting expensive and 5 g isn't a bad price compared to many other builds, and yours looks great man! Probably the coolest clean express I've seen, I dream of Quigley, winch bumpers, and high tops at night bahahaha 😂 not too sure about a high top in the Washington cascades though, seems they get in the way and can grow leaks from the backwood bumpy roads...
@@Thedudenurse in Florida, you can have whatever darkness tint on the windows behind the passenger and drivers window. But up front, it’s not legal. I haven’t had any issues with getting pulled over. Probably because it’s a van.
Your baby is so precious! We used everstart batteries when we first built our bus, and they worked just fine. A lot of people think you need to spend a lot of money on fancy batteries when doing a build, but those batteries work just fine for all your basic needs. We've been living in it for over 3 years now, and we've since been able to upgrade to lithium. Should you decide to upgrade someday, I highly recommended Big Batteries. They sell 170 amp batteries for about 900 dollars where battle born batteries arr 100 amp for the same price. Everybody gets battle born, and there are so many other options that are a lot more affordable and still excellent quality. Have fun on your adventures with your precious baby, and be safe!
@TaylorVanBeek just make sure you don't totally drain them, or you'll kill them, but you may already know that. We did that a couple of times. Luckily, it still fell under the one year warranty, so we just took them back to Walmart and got a replacement. For what you need to power up, the battery bank you have is definitely enough We're running appliances like a microwave and an air conditioner so when we finally had enough we invested a lot in our solar system. You have a great setup.
I'm pretty sure that's why a lot of people choose battle born lithium batteries. If you do drain them, it doesn't kill them. I'll going to use the bluetti ac200 max with the additional b300k battery. That's 5400 watts, plus it's a all in one unit. Little expensive, but it is portable. Whatever works, though. Great build in and out. If you ever need more room, you could get a twin size mattress and have the whole other side open. You would half to reorganize your storage, though.
Thanks! And I've honestly never noticed the smell of diesel inside the van. The tank is sealed pretty dang good. Was afraid to keep the tank outside with how cold of areas I was going too. Didn't want the diesel to gel.
I built my Chevy Express passenger van, but it doesn't look as good as yours because I am not good at woodwork and cutting. But overall, it's comfortable for me because it goes with my flow. It feels good to enjoy our own build. You should be so proud.
Oh yeah it's so much better building your own van! Then you know how to fix it too if anything breaks.
Hit the 👍🏻 just because I seen "Better Call Saul" in the thumbnail
Appreciate it!
sick
Thanks!
I appreciate how quickly the video starts moving 👍
@@perfectweather thanks! I try to cut out any unnecessary footage!
So, you went ahead and did what now
@@pattyqubensis8222 so now I go ahead and daily drive my camper van and camp in it when I’m not working. I try to get away for at least 1 months out of the year and travel in it full time. Other than that, I just do weekend trips up to a week long trips.
Nice job Taylor! What an informative video as well. I can vouch for you for sure because I got to stay in with you in it for 6 days. Very comfortable and quite ride with the wood work you've done in it. Keep up the great work!
You did an amazing job!! I'm so impressed!! I'm a girl so I need a porta potty and a sink. Lol. That fan is absolutely amazing and the wood looks great. I love the way you talk to your dog like she's the most important thing in the world. It is just so cute!! Shows you're a good person and I wish you all the best. Hope your mom is doing well.
Thank you!
Noooice. I'm glad you went ahead and did all that. I went ahead and got some ideas from you.
i went ahead and laughed at your comment, thanks
Love the Dog! True Man! Good Job, Bro! 💯
Thanks 💯
Thats an awesome build, absolutely love the wood! My wife and I just picked a very similar van just the shorter version and scored the awd. Were going to do the interior very similar also. Did you show how you went around the windows and the walls somewhere? Ive been watching all the vids on the van and cant find that part. Sweet ass van rhough man! Hope ours turns out half that nice
Thanks man! And I never ended up filming the rest of me building the van. Wish I would have! One thing I recommend if you're building out a 1500 awd is to do the 1/4 inch tongue and groove instead of the 3/4 inch like I did in my van. If I were to build another camper, I would have done the 1/4 to save weight. This build is heavy in my rig but it is a 3500 so it handles the weight fine
Awesome, it is perfect. It must be nice to be so knowledgeable about all that went into your build
As
Well
As
How it all works
@@LynnHeltsley thank you! It definitely helps building your own rig so then if something breaks, you know how to fix it
Fixing to get an express myself. Not necessarily to travel and do van life but simply to have something mainly to transport my dirt bike and other junk.... And when you rent you never know what the future holds......
Worst case scenario you can always go and live in a van down by the river !
Van amazing and inspiring..I going to start my truck life living oct 3 thanks for the tip🎉❤
Martin Jeffrey Brown David Miller Susan
You have to change up your speaking cadence. I can’t stand the robotic, same voice every sentence
Damn brother, that’s a nice looking build! So you gonna start having some camping videos coming out soon?
That’s the plan!!
Wilson Maria Garcia Christopher Lewis William
Johnson Kenneth Walker David Robinson Kenneth
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I suggest you do more vlogs but including meal times people really enjoy seeing that 🔥🫡
Yup! That's the plan. I just put AC in this van so going to buy a generator and start making more videos. It's too hot here in Florida to camp with no AC! haha
@@TaylorVanBeek I know what you mean I live in fort myers fl heat is unbearable 😂
Holy smokes, this is sick as fuck. Absolutely love the wood and tinted windows where can't see in. Curious how this takes with some crazy backroad adventures. Sweet job!
Oh it's sick to travel out of! I did a 2 month road trip out of it with my dog about a year and a half ago.
@TaylorVanBeek Looked big enough to sleep with my dirtbike, but damn I'm hella jelly lol. Especially that you have it insulated really good. Snow camping must be amazing!
@@tmamaz can't quite fit a dirt bike inside. I've had a KLX 110L on the inside before but a big bike, I put it on a bike carrier or a trailer. And oh yeah, snow camping is sickkkkkk
Young Donald Jones Linda Lee Margaret
What are the dimensions of the bed?
The bed is 54 inches wide by 75 inches long. It's a full size mattress. I'm 6'1" and fit on the mattress great.
Anderson Larry Garcia Sandra Gonzalez Karen
I have a similar van -- like what you did to hide the irregular contour of the van. Big question for you, what about the airbags? I can imagine a situation in which a front/rear low speed collision that would otherwise not total the van would totally destroy the build. Also, did you cut off the seat mounts to make the floor flat or did you build around them. Same question with the seat belts.
This van never came with airbags in the rear of this van. This model van is an 05. I don't think airbags started until 2011. The wood is all screwed and glued onto the walls so in a collision, I think this thing is more structurally sound now than it was just a stock passenger van. I left the seat rails in and built around them. As far as the seat belts, I removed them. Anything from the driver/passenger seat back, I removed except for the rear HVAC unit
Simple, stylish and stealthy! Awesome job!
Thank you! 😊
I'd like to know where everyone is getting all this money to do all those upgrades at once
I’ve only got like 5k into upgrades. Not that much money. I just worked and saved it up.
in what world is this "budget"? ??? ? ? ?? ? ??? ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
@@ParadoxdesignsOrg 5k to me seems like a budget. You see how much people spend on sprinters? 100k plus
Might wanna clean that corrosion up on the batteries, also not sure if I missed it, but you really need a Carbon Monoxide detector in there. Nice van!
Yeah I do need to clean those up ASAP! And I do have a carbon monoxide detector but totally forgot to mention that!
Those wheels ❤
Great job what did you for ac are using the factory ac at night as well?
So I've got another video on my channel that's newer than this one that talks about the AC setup I ended up adding. It's a 6k btu stand up ac that I run off a generator. Thing works great for this rig!
nice van.... how tall are you btw ? im 6'8 would i fit
@@FightTalk101 thanks! And no, you would not fit fully on the bed in this one. The mattress is a standard 74” long. I’m 6’1” and it fits me perfect
how to you get the police to leave you alone with windows that dark?
I haven't had a single issue with the window tint. Only part that's not legal with the window tint is the driver and passenger window. Every other window is allowed to be that dark. But yeah, I haven't been messed with yet.
How much was the build van not included
@@downtown7235 about $5000
That’s not wide dude still gonna sink.
@@mikelee7876 talking about the tires? Wider than most lol still helps having a 12.50 wide tire over an 8 wide tire
great work
This video is full of stupid speak by some silly young guy. It's just a work van. It's not badass or anything you imagined it to be...
Haha ok good night karen
Lay off the haterade douche
This a clean fucking van dude.
@@MrBlazzin101 thanks! A lot of hard work into building it
Nice
What about adding solar power to it.
I drive so much that solar didn't make sense for me. My buddy builds vans for a living and he said in order for the solar to do much, I'd have to cover my whole roof. I like to use my roof rack to haul kayaks and stuff so I could maybe only fit one small panel on my roof. I just let my dc to dc charger charge my batteries while I'm driving.
So, I went ahead and skipped this video.
-Tyler "Nutcracker" Vanbeek
You should black out the chrome bumpers and grill
@@22rsx so I eventually want to get some black bumpers. Some beefy ones! Hopefully here in the next 6 months or so
@@TaylorVanBeek sick!
Shower toilet system youll b set
Yeah I have an outdoor shower. But the toilet I do not have haha I either use gas station restrooms if I'm in the city or I go out in nature if I'm in the woods. Having a bathroom or toilet inside of your small camper just stinks the space up.
Dude wtf poster 😂
Haha my good buddy gave it to me and I was like shoot I've gotta get this thing laminated and tacked to the wall
no one believe this liar, he is a fake !!!!
@@slotcarj haha please explain how I’m a fake?
Great job! Hope you're doing good out there on the road - maybe we'll cross paths soon!
Thanks and for sure! That'd be awesome
That tint is illegal in a few states.
Just the front windows. The back ones can be as dark as I'd like
17k is a steal for what you have. Amazing.
Thank you! It was a fun project to build for sure!
By the way, a very beautiful design. What's nice about this van is, it's not too big, so it's easy to move around.
Nice build! Love your new set up and wow it didn't cost a ton to do it. Looks like I have some videos to watch and catch up on. 🙂
Do you have solar recharging those batteries? I didn’t see it in your video. Also The woodwork is amazing
@@RyanNagy thank you! And I installed a 40amp renogy charger so when the van is running, it charges the batteries. I’m never in one spot for too long so that set up made the most sense for me
🔥🔥🔥
Great Build Man ! Where's your puppy?! New sub.....so I will go watch a past post with her!
She's still with me! She's in almost all of my camping videos. About to start putting some more content out here!
I come back to watch this video occasionally and admire your wood-working skill even more after looking at my own build. This is dream!
@@fatasiancat yes I remember your original comment you left! I appreciate it. It was a fun project for sure! I’ve added a few more things since as well. Built some nice window covers and installed an AC unit. Helps so much with this Florida heat
why would you blackout the tail lights on a camper? That's illegal in a lot of places. You're just limiting where you can travel to.
@@nniicckk1223 because it looks cool…never heard of that being illegal. As long as they can see the taillights illuminate, that’s all that matters. And these lights illuminate very bright.
Your playing with fire having them windows so dark, In florida the cops would shoot first ask question later.
Yeah not where I live at in Florida. Born and raised. I've had limo tint on every vehicle I've ever owned and only been pulled over once. Got a warning and still never took the tint off. If I get pulled over, I just roll the windows down. Only the front windows matter. You can have the rears as dark as you want.
Can you tell me alittle more on your power supply, I'm getting a 2004 Chevrolet express 3500 and I Wana do the same thing
It's just 4 deep cycle 120amp hour batteries. It's a little overkill but it works great for my set up in my van. I've got a renogy charger hooked up to the batteries to charge them while driving. The batteries are hooked up to a fuse box and all the 12v is hooked up to the fuse box.
I'm a van guy, 2 weeks ago I found a 91 conversion van 98k miles for 3k. Anyways if the swing arm is fabricated one in". Longer your door will clear that tire.
Yeah I think there's a company that makes one but it honestly doesn't bother me at all that the tire stops the door. It opens up enough for me.
Hey man really enjoy your videos! I recently (finally) bought a 2015 express 2500 passenger with pretty low miles and planning on turning it into something similar to what you have. So love the ideas from your channel! 1 question tho is did you do the walls and all the wood work yourself as well? I seen the floor build video but never noticed any of the walls and framing. That's the part I'm trying to decide what way to do mine.
I did do the whole build myself. I was on a time crunch before I was leaving on my trip so I did not have a chance to film the rest of the build. I wish I would have.
Where do you live. I’m about to get one maybe you can show me how to do it! I live in Rancho Cucamonga! Bad as build!
I appreciate it man! And I'm down here in Florida
Very cool. Looking forward to more content!
Damn dude I’m thinking of doing a rebuild of my converted van. Come through to VA and help haha
If I was closer, I'd help out haha but this is by far my favorite set up i've ever done. And since it's a low roof and a passenger van, it's perfect for a daily driver. I don't own another vehicle haha
Nice van! With the limo tint can you see inside with lights on when it’s dark out?
Yes, you can still see in. You'd need really dark tint to not see any lights through the tint at night. During the day, you can have lights on and not see anything no matter how hard you try to look through.
The cops don’t bother you with that tint?
@@Julry7 nope, I’ve never had any issues with it. You’re legally allowed to have it as dark as you want behind the driver and passenger window. It’s just the driver and passenger window that are illegal
@@TaylorVanBeek yes I’m from Delaware and was told the same thing but I see traffic stops in other States and the reason is that the cops couldn’t see in the vehicle,thank you for your response and be safe 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾
@@Julry7 Yeah to be honest, I've only been pulled over once in this van. When I get pulled over, I just roll both windows down. I've always done that with my pickup trucks too. I'd roll down every window just so the cop felt safe.
very cool design brotha
Do u suggest a 5kw heater for a none insulated van ,other then the factory installation in it. ❤❤😊😊dealing with Minnesota winters.what do u suggest if iam not interested in ripping it apart to insulated.
Yes, a 5k would do plenty. I'd honestly still go with a 3k. My 5k on low cooks me out. I was in the Sierra Nevada mountains and it was -18, I still had the heater on the medium setting and it was in the 60s inside of my van
Man I love that van!
Looks so cool on the outside
I love the wood working
I got the same van
I’m so jealous lol I want a lift.
Thanks! It's my favorite vehicle I've ever owned for sure!
those blue stickers on the batteries are production dates, gonna need a new set soon 🙂 like the van
Just replaced the batteries haha they all took a crap at the same time. But yeah I love this van!
My English mastiff is named lola too! That's awesome 🙂
Nice! I love that name!
Any chance you could give a link to the headlights? Also, did you have the van painted or do it yourself?
The van came that color from the factory. And I don't have a link for the headlights but if you go on amazon and type in "Chevy Express Smoked Head Lights" they should pop right up.
That’s nice. I have the same van. Can you show how you finished the back where there are lots of wires.
If you want to send me a message on instagram, “taylorvanbeeek”, I can send you some pictures of the back. I just used tongue and groove wood and screwed it into the metal. Then tucked the wires behind the wood.
I just came across this video, very sharp looking ride, a great and practical job on the interior, good to see that you kept the rear hvac and worked around it for your design, anything to help cool or heat your vehicle while running i think is a bonus, nice video :)
Thanks!
I feel like the gas inside the van isn’t a good idea? Or is that just me
regarding the propane to cook? Or the diesel heater tank? It hasn't been an issue for me. Lots of vehicles have the small camper propanes and even the bike tanks inside. As far as the diesel tank, I have never had any issues either with it. No smell or anything. I did not want it outside because the diesel fuel can gel in real cold temperatures and then my heater would not work.
Nice work, the van looks like a beast.
It's easy to come out and say you did a great job with this build but how good is it really is my question. I want to do an express build myself. This is a good build craftsmanship wise. Floor plan is blah. Technology is blah. Not saying this to hate but if I'm going to spend 17,000 dollars. What I find is that people that come from other builds or other types of camping out in vehicles or even backpacking or traveling lifestyles don't actually know what to do when they get a van. You would think their passed experience would help them supercharge their version of a van build but it doesn't and they just end up wasting their money and the space in their vans. For your build you didn't make your version of a van, you made your version of the ultimate pickup truck bed camper that you couldn't actually do inside of a pickup truck bed because that's what you know and that's what you're accustomed to. In my opinion at this point to really maximize a van you have to know about the van not other things because all the other experience doesn't necessarily convert.
So what would you have done differently with a low roof GMC Savana van? I feel like this is about as good as you can do with this model van. It’s got 12v heat, an oven, fridge, rooftop fan, power to power all of your accessories, etc. the interior build only cost 5k. The total Investment with purchase of van, lift, wheels, tires and interior build is 17k pretty dang cheap for what this thing consists of. It’s not like you can put a shower on the inside of a low top van. What else would you add?
@@TaylorVanBeek A high top. I would add a high top roof. I'm in the market for a 25/3500 express/savanna extended right now, and I see 2006'ish vans for like $6,000. Sure I don't want a rust bucket, or a can of worms, but I still think a good deal is out there that would free up space on that same budget. I found a company that makes a 24 inch aerodynamic high top for American full size vans for like $4,000 not including installation (HTV - Hight Top Vans company in Washington). I Just hope I can find an installer that would help me for like $1,000.
Van $6,000 + top $4,000 = $10,000.
Tesla battery modules for power. 5.2kwh/250ah battery modules go for $500 each. I want 4, but I'll start with one first. No solar. Solar is too expensive. Just upgraded alternators. A 4,800 watt alternator is $400. I'd run GFCI outlets in the van. I like that you kept the stock heat and air. I would do something similar, so I want a passenger van to start with, or I'd be adding the stock blower to a cargo van. The heat and air would be stock in the front, but the back would have a diesel air heater for $100 as we know, but I will also duct in a 12v aftermarket AC system for another $800, use the stock blower with some DIY vents, and intergrade it all together. No visible protrusions outside, and no wasting gas on AC. Similarly I would get 6 inch max fans not 12 inch ones, because of their low profile. I'd have a shower in the van. Hot water from a diesel water heater $270, and a plate heat exchanger $50. I'd plumb a shower sprayer in the ceiling, and faucet mixer into the side of the high top. Could technically have one in a low top. I'd seen a girl shower inside of her civic, and I said there ain't no way she's gonna be outclassing me, just because my van ain't a sprinter. I can do better. I'd use curtains for the shower stall, not solid walls to leave the space in the van more open and versatile. I would only use Reflectix for all of the insolation; floor and walls and ceiling. You used away lot of space with pink foam, 2 inch wood boards, and tongue and groove planks. My interior finish would be more like the luxury conversion van builders did it, but just with better materials. Nice leathers, and high gloss wood finishes. Mimicking the aesthetic of a yacht, not quite a limousine, and somewhat like a private jet. The finish pieces would be dual functioning pieces just like how they are in a conversion van interiors. They function as covers for things like electrical panels, air ducts, and factory window sills. Saving space, weight, and making it look intended not accidental. I would have a cheap rubber floor at $100, on top on the Reflectix. Floor drain for the shower. Am considering heating mats for the floor but not sure. I would add a 65 gallon water bag at $35 for a fresh water tank, as they save space, and do not need to be vented. No gray water, black, cassette or composting toilet. Just a cheap collapsing toilet and male/female urinal bottle. You found yourself remaking the same thing that a sofa bed is, but just in DIY form, with thick wood, and taking up a lot of the space. I would just use a factory made van sofa for my bed. The nice luxury ones are like $1,300. A cheap one is like $5-600 though. A cheap amazon folding study desk at $140 for my initial countertop surface sits next to the bed. Something more fancy later. On that table sits a collapsing sink, USB water tap, and single burner induction total for another $80. A 4cu.ft fridge for $170 sits between the desk and the drivers seat back. Fortifying things like Hvac, plumbing, and electrical, make it easy to run appliances that make van life convenient. I would then add a mini clothes washer at $50. A mini clothes dryer at $600, and a mini dish washer at $100.
The build stops there at about $15-17,000 until I move in, and start saving up again. More upgrades will ensue. An engine swap for LS 6.2L or 6.6L, cold air, exhaust, HHO, ECU tune, LSD/Locking diff, GM 10 speed transmission, 3.08 gear ratios, wheels, tires, aluminum bumpers, light bars, bull bar, wench, flood lights, truck horns, bumper tool box, spare wheel rack, CCTV camera system, dead bolt door locks, security window film, onboard air compressor, magnetic ride control dampers, launch control, full digital gauge cluster swap from Cadillac escalade, braum alpha x racing seats, roll bar hoops, graphic wrap with company logo, and social media handles. Through, and through, it's got to be a great whip when it's done.
Can you stand straight up in it ? ( I'm 6,0)
nope, interior height is around 4.5 feet
Wish you the best, be safe out there, bro!
The lift and wheels look 🔥🔥
Good to see you again my friend... Happy New Year...
Happy new year!
How did you make that bench seat? I really like it.
It's just 2x4 framing and some tongue and groove on top of it. Very sturdy and convenient to have another place to sit while camping.
Do you prefer your sliding door or do you prefer the swing out doors?
Sliding all the way. Originally I wanted swing out doors but I got a good deal on this van. So glad I have the sliders. Makes it way easier to get in and out of in tight parking spots.
Love your van don’t kn about that many windows
@@Ruddy218 yeah it’s a lot for sure. It’s my daily driver so I wanted the passenger van so it didn’t look as creepy haha
You need a wedge behind your door slider to clear your wheel 😊
Yeah I do haha but I'll tell you, that door still opens a good amount. Enough to where it doesn't bother me at all.
Sweet van! Love your set up and woodwork. I have a 2005 3500 15 passenger and love it! I must say though, 5000 smackaronies seems far from a "budget build", at least for my budget lol "married with 3 kiddos",, so far I've come up with a removable camp set up for roughly 700-800 bucks just because I need to use the van for other purposes. If I was to do a permanent build, yours is an awesome example of what I would want to do, besides a Quigley 4x, winch bumpers, and a high-top of course, if I hit a JACKPOT ha ha, thanks for the video and information! Nice work! Keep up the sheVANigans!
Yeah I guess I meant budget in the sense of a full 4 seasons camper van that's a permanent build haha I've camped in this van in -18 degree weather. And it's got every amenity needed for full time living other than a shower. But I'd love to have a quigley conversion! I'd like to do bumpers on mine also! If this wasn't my daily driver, I'd do a high roof
@@TaylorVanBeek your van is absolutely beautiful bro, I'm not to savy on material pricing thats for sure lol, everything is getting expensive and 5 g isn't a bad price compared to many other builds, and yours looks great man! Probably the coolest clean express I've seen, I dream of Quigley, winch bumpers, and high tops at night bahahaha 😂 not too sure about a high top in the Washington cascades though, seems they get in the way and can grow leaks from the backwood bumpy roads...
Good evening , what kind of mpg do you get??
about 13 on the highway and 10-11 city
how do. you get away with the limo tent?
@@Thedudenurse in Florida, you can have whatever darkness tint on the windows behind the passenger and drivers window. But up front, it’s not legal. I haven’t had any issues with getting pulled over. Probably because it’s a van.
all that insulation for what when you got all that glass
It still helps maintain temperature way better than no insulation. Also quiets the drive way down while going down the highway.
Looks great inside and you did a great job on the woodwork.
Thank you! First time building something this in depth!
this build looks sick i think this is the route im going
Thanks! I love it. Works perfect for me.
This van is amazing. Good job man
Thanks!
I cant find the van tech cross bars you mentioned on the roof. Can you post a link please
@@beYourOwnCrowd upfitsupply.com/product/vantech-h3-ladder-rack-system-for-chevy-express-gmc-savana/ here’s the link for these exact crossbars
@TaylorVanBeek
Wow ty so much for your response
Fantastic
very nice
Your baby is so precious! We used everstart batteries when we first built our bus, and they worked just fine. A lot of people think you need to spend a lot of money on fancy batteries when doing a build, but those batteries work just fine for all your basic needs. We've been living in it for over 3 years now, and we've since been able to upgrade to lithium. Should you decide to upgrade someday, I highly recommended Big Batteries. They sell 170 amp batteries for about 900 dollars where battle born batteries arr 100 amp for the same price. Everybody gets battle born, and there are so many other options that are a lot more affordable and still excellent quality. Have fun on your adventures with your precious baby, and be safe!
Thank you! I'll definitely check out some nicer batteries once these hit the bucket
@TaylorVanBeek just make sure you don't totally drain them, or you'll kill them, but you may already know that. We did that a couple of times. Luckily, it still fell under the one year warranty, so we just took them back to Walmart and got a replacement. For what you need to power up, the battery bank you have is definitely enough We're running appliances like a microwave and an air conditioner so when we finally had enough we invested a lot in our solar system. You have a great setup.
I'm pretty sure that's why a lot of people choose battle born lithium batteries. If you do drain them, it doesn't kill them. I'll going to use the bluetti ac200 max with the additional b300k battery. That's 5400 watts, plus it's a all in one unit. Little expensive, but it is portable. Whatever works, though. Great build in and out. If you ever need more room, you could get a twin size mattress and have the whole other side open. You would half to reorganize your storage, though.
Love this van Should of found a way to put that diesel outside stinks lik crazy
Thanks! And I've honestly never noticed the smell of diesel inside the van. The tank is sealed pretty dang good. Was afraid to keep the tank outside with how cold of areas I was going too. Didn't want the diesel to gel.
@@TaylorVanBeek facts…
Where is your fire extinguisher?
Right behind my drivers seat
Where do you bathe and use the bathroom?
@@deecar3096 outdoor shower and I either go to the bathroom in the woods or I use gas station/rest stop bathrooms
Is nice
I love this van build 😍😍
Thanks!
Nice Job!