No Build Stealth Minivan Camper with Fridge, Freezer, Stove, Toilet, Shower, Bed, Solar and more.
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- Опубліковано 16 вер 2024
- I've learned a lot in 7 years - Minivan Build 2.0 puts everything in reach that you need for doing van life or adventure travel
Check the current pricing on the stuff I use in this build:
amzn.to/49mpFtG - SetPower Refrigerator/Freezer
amzn.to/47I6xWy - Bluetti Power Station
amzn.to/47GKejW - Renogy 200 Solar Kit
amzn.to/3qf0W9E - 4 Inch Mattress 75x31 (Cot Size)
amzn.to/3MAfg47 - Coleman Heavy Duty Propane Stove
amzn.to/2HF3YOv - Heavy Duty Bed Frames (Narrow Twin)
amzn.to/3sMwN2t - Thetford Porta Potty (New Version)
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Check the current pricing on the stuff I use in this build:
amzn.to/49mpFtG - SetPower Refrigerator/Freezer
amzn.to/47I6xWy - Bluetti Power Station
amzn.to/47GKejW - Renogy 200 Solar Kit
amzn.to/3qf0W9E - 4 Inch Mattress 75x31 (Cot Size)
amzn.to/3MAfg47 - Coleman Heavy Duty Propane Stove
amzn.to/2HF3YOv - Heavy Duty Bed Frames (Narrow Twin)
amzn.to/3sMwN2t - Thetford Porta Potty (New Version)
____________________________________________
Go to Facebook and FOLLOW our page for other hints/tips/thoughts/fun stuff---
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BudgetTravelGuy is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. I also participate in other affiliate programs where I may be compensated for referring traffic.
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I had a machinist friend who made an aluminum adapter plate to reinstall his passenger seat back in place, but facing backwards. He used that seat for just sitting around and relaxing. He was a solo camper and said it worked out really good for his needs. He left the seat heater electrically connected and it could still recline for additional comfort. I realize that this doesn't fit the no-build philosophy, but the aluminum adapter plate was a DIY and he did reuse his passenger side front seat which matched the rest of the interior very nicely.
So now the seat back is against the dashboard. 1. How does it recline and 2. That seat back seems like it would DEFINITELY be a visual hazard trying to view out of the passenger side AND front windshield ? 🤔
@@Bitterstone3849 The adapter plate made the seat install far enough back that only the headrest hit the dash board when reclined so only about an 80% recline and when the seat was leaned forward (actually toward the back of the vehicle) it did not obstruct his view as much as a passenger would have. Sorry you're having a hard time picturing it. He did a lot of measuring and planning to make it work.
The wisdom of simplicity. The luxury of efficiency.
With your solar generator, you could purchase 2 items and cook inside with no flames. I purchased an electronic kettle and the Dezin electric pot I cook outside with it two but in windy rain it has been a game changer for me. I carry an IKEA poncho instead of a privacy tent... I have found I like having my front passenger seat, because I have picked up a passenger occasionally. Less is definitely more in a small space. Thank you for taking the time to create this video. ❤😊
Great video 🎉I really appreciate how open and honest you are with us. Your budget simplistic ideas give me much encouragement. I also love camping and traveling in my minivan.
Thanks for the kind words, Amanda - I'm glad you're finding some of the van/travel stuff I put out useful to you in your own adventures. More soon...safe travels!
Thanks you, I haven't seen one of your videos in a long time. Nice to see you back. Imissed your videos. You always have a lot of great info. I will be going back and looking for videos I might have missed.😊😊
FRIDGE: still using a 20L (big enough for me) runs on 12v in fridge mode, but about to experiment with it in freezer mode for frozen meals prepped at home to be slow cooked in my 12v HotLogic Mini while driving (or cooked in pan on camp stove in camp). A 2nd part of freezer experiment is to freeze 4 blue ice & rotate 2 in a small soft sided cooler while other 2 are being refrozen. Cooler is for produce/ fresh veggies
TOILET: mine is made by Clearwaste that is halfway between your flush toilet & a bucket. It folds up into the size of a briefcase for storage in travel mode, 3 legs that fold out strong enough to support 500 lbs Godzilla, and a cover that lets me use it as a bedside table or extra seat (& some people use it as a step into their minivan.
Karin, a 20L fridge is enough for most people - I've used one that size when traveling. I'll check out that toilet setup you mentioned...that sounds really interesting and could be a good space saver for a lot of people. Safe travels!!
@@BudgetTravelGuy oh, I have another “collapsible toilet” strong enough for us big people that we’ll be testing out minivan camping with friends this spring/summer as an alternative to “Tripod” mentioned above. It also folds up compactly for travel mode. We saw it on another YT channel & were curious if it would hold up to the hype & claim for big people safe. Our goal is to be “self contained. I’ll let you know how it goes after our road-trip testing this summer.
I don't like to hear the words collapsible and toilet in the same sentence! 🙄 And I've had enough of emptying black tanks. I love my bucket system!
@@lissaestes7017 well it’s more foldable than collapsible. Even though it is a tripod, it is very stable.
I really enjoy my Chrysler T&C minivan. I removed my second row stow-n-go seats so I have plenty of room in "my basement " for camping gear and tools. It also removed a lot of weight, those seats are heavy! I also have a no-build with pretty much the same things you do. I primarily use mine for camping trips. Thanks for sharing all your ideas. 👍
Yes! Removing that third row makes a huge difference. We still have the second row in (at least for now) because one of the kids still lives at home despite being old enough to move out, but we leave him at home when we go on trips now. Ours is our daily driver and our camper.
@@Brigand231 , Yes, mine is still my daily driver, also. I use the back for hauling supplies and kept the third row seats for occasional passengers. Those seats are a lot lighter and easier to maneuver.
Glad you found that vid useful to you, Lynne. We're all constantly trying to figure out how to best use space to the max in these vans. More soon...safe travels!
Every time I return to home base from a trip I remove anything I didn't use...amazing how much crap we think we need initially! Imagination and a bit of McGuyvering can handle most every situation. If not, there ARE stores on the road! BTW, if you stop and fold in your mirrors, you're less likely to knock them off...you are looking forward, not behind you.
Hey Kathleen - good tip about folding the mirrors in when I'm bouncing through the trees and bushes....Hope all is well. More soon...safe travels!
great video and thank you for all the links!!
Dale, glad you found the minivan build useful to you, and hope you'll find some of the newer stuff I'm rolling out useful as well. More soon...safe travels!
Kevin your fridge is huge lol I'm loving all your videos thank you so much for sharing Kevin I love your setup is very similar to mine. I have a very short van tour on my channel if you are ever bored and have 5 minutes to watch
I like the simplicity! It's true that you over plan sometimes and end up having to move things around a lot.. Keep it simple!
You nailed it, mats77 - the simpler we can make this van/van build stuff, the easiest it is when out day to day. More soon...safe travels!
Great & informative video. You always do a great job showing us what is needed to live in a campervan. Thanks.
Thanks for the compliment, Tom, and hope you find some of the other van/build stuff I'll be rolling out soon useful to you as well...safe travels!
I greatly enjoyed your views
Thanks. You dispel a lot of myths. I look forward to your follow--on videos. I've been a follower from the start & agree that you have incorporated everything (& there for me also) you have learned along the way.
Thank you for the compliment, kind sir. Figuring out what need (and have space for) is THE never ending challenge. More soon...safe travels!
you should make a checklist or packing list. Great video
Thanks for the suggestion, Alice - Great minds think alike :-) I'll be rolling out a vid soon showing everything I carry (and the reasons why) in the minimalist minivan build, including a checklist of items everyone interested will be able to download.
I could listen to you talk all day. Thank you for video. I love your no build.
Thanks johnnie - glad you liked that minivan camper "no build" vid, and hope you'll find some of the new stuff I'm rolling out useful to you as well. Safe travels!
You have some great ideas! But when it comes to a shower, i can't take a shower with any sort of pants on unless I want to feel like a dirt ball. Somehow, it seems like the nether regions are best served with soap and water 😸
that's a big 10-4 !!!
This is the type of set up I'm thinking of. Maybe less fridge space as I can food. Complete meals in a jar that only need to be heated up. If you don't eat them on a trip, they're still good. This is not for everyone as it's a lot of work. I love it, though.
I absolutely love the stealthiness of this set up!
seameology, thank you for the compliments about the van build video. Very interesting that you're using a lot of (self) canned food on your trips - I really hadn't even thought of that as an option, but it does make perfect sense! More soon...safe travels!
😱 That's a huge fridge, Kevin!😂 I'm about to do thd same. Keep It Simple Sweetie!😁
No doubt about that fridge being huge, Tim. I thought it was going to be overkill for a minivan (and didn't want to give up that much space), but there are actually some positives I didn't figure out at first. I'll have a full review of it up in a few weeks. Have you gotten any winter camping in ?
@BudgetTravelGuy No, I have been busy on the West Coast home base. I'm back in Illinois now. I will try to squeeze in one soon.
My system is pretty similar, minus the flush toilet (still using bucket) and solar. My fridge is much smaller and I run a small EcoFlow power station that I just recharge while the van is running. I am super jealous of your fridge.
Sounds like you have a nice setup, Dawn! I'll cover that monster fridge in an upcoming video as it does have some advantages, but many people can get by just fine using one 1/3 that size (I did, also.) . More soon...safe travels!
Nice work
Really nice.
Thanks, grandmaris...hope all is well if Mich, and hope you'll find some of the other stuff I'm rolling out useful to you as well!
The metal frame you chose is of quality but I was told that to put down a wood board to support the mattress so that it doesn't dig into the metal
Frank, that's interesting...I think if someone was using just a large piece of foam they had cut to size, then that could certainly happen, and using wood slats in between would be a good idea. The mattress I use has a removeable (zippered) cover ( amzn.to/2HCT4Zp ), so it hasn't been an issue for me. More soon...safe travels!
very valuable wisdom, thanks for sharing!
Thank you, ScienceAlliance, and hope you find some of the future van/build/travel vids useful to you as well. Safe travels!
Awsome video
Thanks, Steven - glad you liked the minivan camper 2.0 build vid, and hope you'll find some of the newer stuff I'm rolling out useful to you as well. Safe travels!
If it were me I'd put together a couple of screens that use magnets for when both the van doors are open. Would only need to carry them in buggy areas or buggy seasons. Like the heater they could be only in when needed.
Great idea!
You have provided me with a lot of valuable information. I hadn't seen that style of toilet that flushes before. The flushing toilets I've seen cost $800+. I am planning on having a garage built on my land, and I'm looking for a solar system that could run what you have, plus run inside things too. Definitely subscribed after watching this. Thank you.
Thanks, gonnadanceagain - glad you found that campervan vid useful. I'll have more vids detailing different things (including the solar aspects) out soon, and hope you'll find those useful to your garage project.
Ok Buddy You Have Got It Together Thanks For The Video Be Safe Wished I Had Your Setup Eddie From Athens Alabama.
Thanks, Eddie - glad you enjoyed that minivan build video, and I'll have some more detailed stuff up soon. Safe travels!
I have a very similar van to yours. I really dig that frigid of yours. I dig the freezer/refrigerator combo
Nurse Elliott, glad you liked the minivan camper 2.0 vid. I really didn't think I'd really use the freezer, but having the fridge/freezer combo is really nice (especially in the summer). Hope you find some of the next stuff I'm rolling out useful to you as well - safe travels!
First time watching. Thanks for your time. We're thinking of doing this with an old 80's van.
Alice, glad you found the minivan camper 2.0 vid useful to you. You can certainly have some great adventures with the 80s van of yours. Hope you'll find some of the new stuff I'm putting out useful to you as well. Safe travels!
Great setup ..
Thanks for sharing ..
Happy Travels !!
Glad you enjoyed the minivan camper 2.0 vid, and hope you'll find some of the other new stuff I'm rolling out useful to you, also. Safe travels!
Thanks for your videos 👍 I was gifted a 1998 town & country at 235k .went to 6 western states 👍 at 394k she's done. Engine issues. So looking on Craigslist etc for a replacement 🤞☘️ wish me luck. I'm in Ca so not too much rust issues. But prices are still coming down though. I really liked my t&c . Happy trails to y'all
Peter, getting that T&C to 394k miles is quite impressive!!!! Good luck on finding your next van. You may want to think about sticking with Dodge/Chrysler from the same era just because you're so familiar with them. More soon...safe travels!
Awesome! Keeping things simple and minimal is best. Im on my 3rd van!! 👍😎🇨🇦
Van builds are always evolving a bit for all of us, as we figure out how to use space better (and dump the stuff we don't use). I'll have some more detailed stuff out soon, including a vid on exactly what I carry.
Great video, looking forward to seeing it without the passenger seat!
I suggest a change of bed coverlet. I found a kid's Crayola a bit creepy looking.
Lol...Teresa, I agree. For some reason I thought the "retro" sleeping bag would work, and I was wrong. You'll see it'll be replaced by a normal one in the next video. More soon...safe travels!
This is clever:)
Thanks Kathy - glad you liked the minivan camper 2.0 vid, and hope you'll find the newer stuff I'm rolling out useful to you as well. Safe travels!
Kevin I appreciate the simplicity of your van and the fact that your getting out there…
One thing I’m curious about is the ability of a passenger mini van vs: a proper off road vehicle (Jeep Wrangler). I’m not looking at rock crawling, mud bogging etc., I just want something with more ground clearance (capability) than my MINI Cooper, but I also don’t want to get stuck someplace without a way of getting myself out of trouble.
Hugh, there are a few all-wheel drive minivans. I worried A LOT on my first trip to the desert in a 2WD minivan, but really didn't have any issues. I will say that it did require "scouting" an area on foot before driving into it when going far off road. More soon..safe travels!
awesome video!
Ill be very curious to see your front seat removal. Please make a tutorial video of it on the chance you are successful. At first i thought it would be very straight forward to remove the 4 bolts. But it appears to be complicated by air bag connections and computer cables and seat belt recognition.
Leslie, I'll get a vid made of that seat removal process, and how to bypass the airbag/seatbelt connector (if required on that van). More soon....safe travels!
Looking good. Have fun camping. I built my own composting toilet, and it's way better, I think than the smelly toilets, that you need to dump all the time.
Go4Corvette, it's interesting that you built your own composting toilet! In all honesty, the one I use is basically only used for late nights/emergencies, and luckily odors have never been an issue (although you are correct in emptying any of those is no fun!). More soon...safe travels!
Nice and easy 👍
missmajor5640, I agree nice and easy is the best way to go with van builds. Hope you'll find some of the newer van/travel/build stuff I'm rolling out useful to you as well. Safe travels!
Thank you for giving me much to think about. I'm looking forward to seeing the front seat removal. Did you have to go underneath the van to remove? Still puzzling over my future build in a Dodge GC that I want to have set up for full time. I took out all rear seats and leveled with plywood, plan to cut hatches after figuring out layout above the floor. Had to do some work while help was around, before the puzzle pieces were all in place, so I wouldn't have to wait another year to have fun with it.
Michelle, I'll have a vid out soon on that minivan front seat removal (and anything that has to be bypassed as far as the airbag/sensor cable). Sounds like you're well on the way with your own build!
Thanks for this video. I tend more toward the minimalistic as well. Wondering where you store your water. (I may have missed that!)
Good question on the water in the minivan camper. I store a couple of gallons (for showers) in area under the seat. I carry a case of bottled water for drinking/cooking. (More if in extreme temps out west.) I'll have a vid out soon showing exactly what I carry in that particular van. Safe travels!
My kind of build. KISS
You nailed it...the longer I do this van stuff, the simpler I try to make things. Safe travels!
I have too much stuff in my minivan. I'm going to try and get rid of some of it either by selling or giving away stuff. I also want to remove the passenger seat in the front for more space, but I don't know how. Right now, it just gets piled with stuff and if it has too much weight, it tells me that the passenger needs to buckle their seatbelt, so I can't put too much there. I'm swapping out my big cooler for a fridge (also a Setpower, but it's just 20 quart). There are a few other things I want to do over time when I have the time and money. I have this big table that I thought would be good, but it takes up too much space and isn't being used much. One thing I'm not getting rid of is my musical instruments. I have a guitar, two hand drums, and a ukulele (and I might get a small keyboard too at some point). Music is something that makes me happy and even though it takes up quite a bit of space, I like having my instruments.
Black window covers always
I container for mini Donuts 🍩 🤣
Lol, benjamin - I think you're the first to have noticed the "donut box" I had left in there. More soon...safe travels!
Great little, simple way to travel. What do you do about water and how much do you carry?
Craig, I generally carry a case of bottled water (drinking and cooking), and two 1-gallon jugs that I can refill anywhere to have for the daily shower. More soon (including more detail on that minivan build). Safe travels!
Glad you can live without a chair but for the life of me I don't understand why you wouldn't get yourself one of those TINY fold out type chairs with no back (just a seat) at the least. Don't you ever have the desire to move away from the van when its in the sun and perhaps sit under a tree with some shade as the sun moves????? Those chairs are TINY but more power to you if you never feel the need to sit somewhere other than on/in the van. Thanks for the video.
Hello there 😊 will that bed frame fit to the very rear door of the van? Thank you.
Thank you so much for the encouragement to go simple! Can the front passenger seat be taken out of a newer (2019) Dodge Grand Caravan?
What types of minivans do you recommend? AWD is important, I’m thinking. Are there other options you’d recommend when looking for a good minivan?
You'll find a whole playlist on the channel with vids about the different minivan brands, and which years to avoid (all brands have some bad years/generations). ua-cam.com/play/PL8lmhWP2r0emJbXux0inTzOiUTNAOHuaI.html
Cool, thanks for the update! Looking forward to the next one. Our van is pretty much the same color. How much does the power station in this iteration hold?
The little power station shown is about 250-300 watt hours - I'm testing it to do a vid on later once I know it will hold up. I have a Bluetti ( amzn.to/3SE0bBx )about the same size which has been rock solid. It never hurts to go with a larger one, but I wanted to show that it was possible to power a fridge through the night even with a small one.
@@BudgetTravelGuyCool, I'm curious too to find out how a "smaller" unit does with a fridge that size.
The passenger seat can be turned around permanently if desired.
When you leave the doors open, how do you prevent it from using the battery and creating a dead battery ?
Good question, Debbie. Most vans/minivans have some type of interior light override switch so leaving the doors open for long periods isn't a issue. Some vans also simply "time out" those interior lights after a few minutes. Each is different, and you'll need to check the manual for yours. More soon...safe travels!
How tall and how wide is your bed and how tall are you
Oh merry can
I don’t c the Roadtrek n e where!
Lol...I still have the Roadtrek - depends on the type of trip I'm doing. More soon (including some more Roadtrek stuff)....safe travels!
Where did you get the containers under your bed from?
What about screens?
Orby, good question about screens in the minivan build. To be honest, I don't even try to use mesh screens anymore, as I've found it just too much of a hassle. If bugs are too much of an issue, I simply relocate. (Sometimes just moving a few hundred yards is enough.) More soon...safe travels!
Sad if I cant but a rotating passenger side chair (my splurge) in a minivan. How secure are door locks?
vicki, they door locks on that minivan camper are as good as any other - which means anyone doing this is better off keeping valuables as "out of sight" as possible. Here is a vid showing how fast a break-in can happen... ua-cam.com/video/wnDDDRrrvIE/v-deo.html
Perhaps I don't understand the meaning of "stealth" when it comes to minivan campers but using solar panels just does not seem at all stealth to me. I'm not against using solar panels for minivan camping but what do I know, certainly I am no expert on minivan camping.
Good question about being "stealth" with solar panels. The secret is to mount them inside the luggage carrier frame - no one is going to notice the panels unless they are over 7 feet tall, or if they are somehow above you (such as looking out of an upstairs window). More soon...safe travels!
What happened to the alpikool refrigerator
Thomas, I still have the alpicool, but I've been playing with using the much larger fridge in the minivan. I'll make the final decision and show it in an upcoming video. I will say that the Alpicool has been rock solid. More soon...safe travels!
Dang Kevin I don't you replied to me
Does the bed have adjustable legs
Jamie, that particular bed frame ( amzn.to/2HF3YOv ) doesn't have adjustable legs. It's 14 inches tall (plenty of room underneath), so with a 4 inch mattress added it's 18 inches high. The great thing is that it allows you to sit on the edge (or sit up in the bed). More detailed vids coming soon on that minivan build...safe travels!
Which engine do you have.?
The Grand Caravan I have now has the V6.... 3.3L in that era, I think. Hope you'll find some of the next van/build stuff I'm rolling out useful to you. Safe travels!
Well, this won’t be on the top, so no one will see my comment, VERY disappointing , there are SO many other minivan camper builds, look at them, NO shower, there is an engineer that has a video series, “tiny campers”, he has many campers, but he did a build out with cardboard, he is Asian and an engineer.
Minivan camper builds can be as simple (or complicated) as someone wants one to be. I tend to go for simple/inexpensive/easily repairable when things break. There is no wrong answer, as long as what a person chooses works for them. More soon...safe travels!
Strange style of blanket for a grown man...🧐
Lol...good point. The "retro" sleeping bag was NOT a good choice, except maybe as a decoration. More detailed vids on that minivan build soon...safe travels!
Click bait bro😂😂😂