keeping things modular - sprinter to bus

[sepudo]

My adventure rig for the past 3 years has been a self converted 2006 Mercedes Sprinter van.

It has been excellent for my needs and has checked off all the boxes that I needed for it to be my adventure mobile/rolling home/daily driver

It's taken me to the east coast and back as well as Baja and burning man a couple of times.

Our most recent adventure was a 3 month trip to Alaska and back and she ran trouble-free during the 8k miles trip and averaged 24mpg overall.

What has served me well the most is that most all my systems are MODULAR and can be taken out of the van without a lot of headache. I chose that when I found myself in Baja helping a friend fix up an off-grid casita without power or water.

I recently purchased several buses from a unique opportunity, sold a few and kept 2 and now I have decided to build the same sort of adventure rig with 1 bus and see if it will replace my sprinter...

I want to incorporate the same logic to the bus build and am open to feedback of some of the items I'll be purchasing soon. (*already purchased)

1 goal zero yeti lithium system (1000 or 3000), link adapters and 2 additional AGM batteries to expand the system. (since AGM's are available everywhere)
4 180w solar panels by grape solar *
2 top loading 12v fridges by dometic. 1 as a fridge, 1 as freezer and/or both as fridge as needed. *
2 20lb bbq style propane bottles (easy to swap out vs dedicated rv fill tank) *
1 dometic propane 3 burner cooktop/oven
1 butane/propane stand alone single burner *
1 dometic cassette toilet (modified to use disposable biodegradable bags) *
3 20 gallon water containers (1 for kitchen, 1 for drinking, 1 for shower)
1 self contained closed loop shower sytem (5 gallons at a time, approx 30lbs)
1 lithium battery powered instant water heater with quick connects for shower/kitchen
1 oxygenics shower head with 8 foot hose for in/out use and dog wash
1 couchbed for seating and guests *
1 full mattress in a box (purple, nest or layla)
4 ikea wire drawers (framed as underbed storage)
1 webasto 'style' diesel heater (5k or 8k still searching)
1 surecell cell phone extender antenna *
1 portable projector with mirror screening mode *
1 12v bose 2 speaker system with passive bass
2 16' usb powered led rope lights for inside/outside use
1 12v blower vac for pet hair (just until I learn how to tap into the bus' air tank while running) *

list will continue in the comments

[sepudo]

(future list items will follow)

[cadillackid]

I really like the idea of Modular.. it seems most things can be made that way except maybe tanks and water. only because for shower drain you need to drill through the floor unless the pan is raised enough to pump the water into an on-board recirc tank..



I like modular in the fact it seems that if you for some reason ruin the drivetrain in the bus that its cheaper to go buy another bus vs rebuild or install a new engine.. I guess thats over-simplified but a neat idea..


not to mention if you grow from say your van to a bus like you have.. or from the short bus to a longer one things can be moved over with less effort..



if your van is basically intact after you de-convert it im guessing it will still hold quite a bit of sale value in the current market.. whereas if it were converted permanently that goes down unless you find a buyer that wants the same layout as you had.. selling a bare shell with minimal holes in the body makes it ready for the next owner to start with a bare canvas..



cool stuff.. look forward to seeing the build

[Mountain Gnome]

^^^what Christopher said^^^


I'm doing an all-modular interior build, also. I can move things around if/when I like, or move then to another bus.

[WIbluebird]

If you buy a bus with wheelchair tracks in the floor leave them in there and design all your furniture to bolt to them.

[Mountain Gnome]

Originally Posted by WIbluebird

If you buy a bus with wheelchair tracks in the floor leave them in there and design all your furniture to bolt to them.

That's what I'm doing. Leaving the tracks above the windows, also.

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by WIbluebird

If you buy a bus with wheelchair tracks in the floor leave them in there and design all your furniture to bolt to them.

The upper ones yeah. The floor ones are usually buried into the often rotten plywood.

[ermracing]

I like your idea. Our bus came with the Q'straint floor/wall rails and 8 of the ratchets. They can be removed if you re-do the floor, just takes time. I suppose with the right router bits and skill you could inlay the rails into your new flooring.

One comment on the propane tanks. We also have 2, 20lb BBQ style tanks, one that we bought outright and one Blue Rhino. The idea was that we could either re-fill ours or swap out the Blue Rhino, depending on what is in the area.

Dave

[sepudo]

Originally Posted by ermracing

I like your idea. Our bus came with the Q'straint floor/wall rails and 8 of the ratchets. They can be removed if you re-do the floor, just takes time. I suppose with the right router bits and skill you could inlay the rails into your new flooring.

One comment on the propane tanks. We also have 2, 20lb BBQ style tanks, one that we bought outright and one Blue Rhino. The idea was that we could either re-fill ours or swap out the Blue Rhino, depending on what is in the area.

Dave

I like the 20lbs style tanks for that reason; you can swap them out at many places. Yet another reason to keep all systems modular.

Been reading up on closed loop showers and there's some cool examples online and youtube...then it hit me...pool and spa places. They have to know how to filter water. Afterall, they deal with lots of people and a high volume of water. Gonna continue my research before buying parts.

[sepudo]

Celebrating some small victories
1) Removed the seats. Zero issues or rust. Was able to save and potentially reuse much of the hardware

2) Retitled and registered bus from school bus to automobile (not as an RV) without issues. Mine has been retrofit for CA emissions.

3) Removed the 8 way light hoods and sampled some paint colors... Not sold on either yet but nice to visually see it on the bus rather than just a swatch. Really like the clean look of sans light hoods

[musigenesis]

Originally Posted by sepudo

Was able to save and potentially reuse much of the hardware

This is like reading a post from an alien describing his home planet.

[sepudo]

Got some small mods with big improvements.

New headlights lights and a steering wheel knob

Driving at night was great and I even found out a new feature about the bus; even with the headlights off, the bus lights turn on when I go from Park to Drive...Pretty neat.

Also the knob makes taking u turns and navigate parking lots a breeze. I even was able to 'hang a quick left' in a crowded street to grab a coffee last night. As minor as it sounds I wouldn't have tried a sudden maneuver without the knob help.

Paint/wrap coming soon