VAN TOUR | Off-Grid Camper Conversion from Chevy Astro, Full-Time Solo Van Life
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- čas přidán 9. 07. 2024
- DIY off-grid camper van conversion built from a 2000 Chevy Astro cargo van. I built the van myself in 6 weeks. I'm living full-time in this van now. This is a detailed walkthrough of my Chevy Astro camper van conversion post-build, where I go through and explain all of the components and features of the van build, and how I use it in my day to day van life. I'm using this van off-grid while doing overlanding and camping, exploring old mines and rockhounding, as well as in-between long distance hiking and backpacking adventures.
**FULL PARTS & MATERIALS LIST: seekinglost.com/wp-content/up...
Visit my website for written documentation (with photos) of my Chevy Astro Stealth Camper Van Build project: seekinglost.com/van-life/stea...
10-part video series documenting the build process of my Chevy Astro Camper Van Conversion: • Chevy Astro DIY Stealt...
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That’s the best build I’ve seen in an Astro Van. Your power station is so well organized and clean!
I’m completely impressed by what you’ve accomplished. And a great video too. Thank you for this.
I like your set-up. Keep rolling, man.❤ Be safe bro.👏🙏😎✌️💯👍
Thats what i want a spacious look not too cluttered with more cabinets to take up space.
As someone who is looking to “geo bachelor” in the national guard. This rig and its basic setup is spot on basic need’s without busting the bank!
I've gotta say I am impressed by your van build and I have also always been impressed with Astro vans. Used to have a 1989 AWD Safari which is the same as an Astro but made by GMC. 😎
I've got a similar setup in my Astro and you show how much can be jammed under the fixed bed. Sliding drawers take away A LOT of that available space.
Absolutely great. The best. No anally retentive perfect job but just a very serviceable solution for every imaginable problem you may encounter. I like that you know what kind of tools you need to fix whatever issues will come up. I like the semi-messy, casual, realistic approach to van camping. You are a true explorer. Congratulations.
Just incredible Eric! I watched your build, but never saw the final product until now. Wow!! Hard to believe you have 40k miles on it. You tailored every square inch, to your satisfaction. As a car guy, I'm completely blown away by what you accomplished here!
Thanks! It was a fun project, and I remember how exciting it was to hit to road after I finished it. One of the best decisions of my life, building this out
Awesome build.
Thank you
All my power comes from my two Blueitti AC200P power banks and I love them. I used power strips were needed to plug all my equipment in. For water, I have two 6 gal tanks plus more water storage on the roof rack.
Simple and reliable.
Love it
Thank you for the excellent, detailed trail report! Beautiful photography and beta!
@seekinglost, you have a wonderful rig. Amazingly practical . I will be adding your innovations to my '94 Astro .
Wow! I like it! I built out an f150 during Covid.
A trip you might enjoy as a rock hound is to Michigan's upper peninsula along Lake Superior's south shore looking for what are called "Yooperlites" which are Syenite rock rich with fluorescent sodalite that are fun to hunt at night with a backlight. Finding Petoskey stones along lake Michigan is also a fun time.
I did a Michigan upper peninsula trip last fall, but we concentrated on the old copper mines. It was a great trip. I found some great native copper pieces, and surprisingly, a wide variety of interesting minerals that I wasn't expecting. I even found a yooperlite at one of the mines, presumably a discard from another rockhound since it was out of place there
Very well organized for the things you do! This is good for anyone to watch, you have to figure out what you will be doing in your rig other than just living, cause those hobbies/work things will need space, power and organization. Good job!
Exactly, it's all about customizing the setup based on your needs and activities. That's half the fun in a build like this!
Very nice job a lot of planing a head of time.
Thanks for sharing.
Great job, you thought of everything! Crazy how versatile your set up is, plus the backwards passenger seat has gotta be so nice. Well done!
The swivel seat makes the van feel so much bigger when faced backwards. It's a must-have for a small van build. In fact, it never faces forward anymore, unless I have a passenger
@@SeekingLost yep I would do the same
Super psyched to watch this. Your build videos have been the source of a lot of inspiration for my plans for the 05 AWD I just picked up!
Very informative & nice
Your van is looking great. I have a 2000 Ford Econoline Van that I am converting right now to an RV and it should be on the road in about 3 months. I plan to spend the winter in AZ and attend the next RTR and Big Tent show in Quartzsite. Good luck and have fun. Mike, currently in Oregon.
I have a bad back and neck, so after trying to sleep in my brand new bed I was so uncomfortable month after month, that I finally got a hammock/stand...and I'm able to sleep like a baby! When my lease is up in 4.5 months, I want to trade my Jeep in for a minivan, so that I can sleep comfortably and it won't take up any floor space during the day.
Nice and simple...hello from Hillsdale Michigan
Nice set up!
Thank you!
Thank you for sharing your build. It’s very practical for the long weekends. Not too daunting to attempt, or expensive. The core design is so well thought out & tidy. Looks like it can be adapted pretty easily too, for personal preference- or expanded in a larger Van. Really nicely done!!!!
Really well thought out and built! One of the best I've seen!
Thank you!
Awsome build but I'm just wondering where is your kitchen? Where do you wash dishes and get water for cooking. I think your setup is perfect apart from the fact that you are missing a sink!
Good Job...!
Thank you!
I like ur build
Thanks!
General Grabber we salute you!
He worked his way up from "private grabber" all the way to General. A true underdog story
You did a great job, i like your setup as well, the tv on the mount is also a pretty cool idea. 👍
Thank you!
Probably the biggy for me was the swivel seat.been contemplating one for my areostar.sold me.
It's a must have, imo. Or as a temporary solution, just unbolt the seat turn it around and bolt it back down again
I really enjoyed your van tour; very creative and thoughtful! Thank you
Thanks Jen!
Nice layout, perfect for an adventurous type of person.
Thank you! It's working great for me 2.5 years after the build
@@SeekingLost how is the Astro proving in terms of reliability a d maintenance costs over time? I really like its simplicity and design, unlike newer vans looking like tall boxes
@@mattc9875 i did a lot of maintenance up front and it's been relatively trouble free. I'm tearing up tires and suspension parts, but i put this van through a lot. This van had some electrical gremlins, but I figured most of them out overtime. The van has always ran pretty good for me and it gets pretty good gas mileage, generally 18-20. But i usually keep it under 70, preferably 65.
Nicely done.
Crazy you’ve never used the fan. I’ve been living in my van for 4.5 years and cannot tell you the last time it wasn’t on.
@@rschreck876 i didn't mean to say that i never use it, since i do use it a lot when it's hot out. But when i filmed this video, I hadn't used the fan in a few months since it was winter and generally too cold.
I've started designing and building my 94 Astro for camping/biking adventures, your video gives me great ideas and motivation! Thank you very much 😊
Awesome, that's what i like to hear! Good luck with your build!
@@SeekingLost Thank you!
Great build, efficient and functional. I’m a rock enthusiast too, lately it’s discovering rocks that are plentiful on my property here in the foothills of the San Gabriel’s and Mojave Desert. I have a Honda Element that I’m thinking about how to best utilize the space for day trips for now. 🌟
Thanks Giselle, Hope you got some good ideas for your Element!
Very well thought out
Thanks Jim!
What a great build! And your ideas are spot on! Even simple things, like having redundant nails and screws, etc, from when you were initially building it. Thanks so much for sharing this with us. I can't tell you how much I learned from the video. I, too, will be doing an Astro/Safari conversion, and I'll certainly be using many of your ideas. Thanks again.
Michael
Luv the layout, it has a very rustic touch, very nice 👍 take care
Thank you!
Well thought out build - looks very homey too. I can't see anything I'd change.
Thank you! It's been working great for me for over 2 years now
Nice setup. What kind of shoes are you wearing? Lol. Thanks
Thanks! They are Brooks Cascadia shoes. My go to for hiking and day to day
Great build. Really well done.
Thanks Tucker!
Thanks for the tour of your van! I had viewed a couple of the actual build videos enjoying your attention to the details of actual construction. There is so much utility that you've included. Did you draft a blueprint? Kudos for the electrical and the electronics. One of the nicest small frame home on wheels ever!
Great stuff.
I noticed no cooking setup I know this cat doesn’t cook in the backountry but I realize he doesn’t cook a hot meal camping ever?. That’d be a bummer for me.
Is that for real Dr Lost?
Good catch. And yep, basically true, i never cook. I just don't like cooking, and cleaning dishes... when hiking, in the Van, or at home. Thought about bringing one of those Coleman propane stoves(plus all of the other necessary cookware), but with the limited space in the Van, it's just not that high on my priorities list. Would really like to have a microwave, but power issues aside, I'm not ready to sacrifice the space on my shelf. But I'm a seasoned bachelor, this is all normal stuff for me. Ha.
Awesome
Thanks Daniel!
woow !❤🎉
Good job on the build.
Thank you!
A lot of Astro owners eventually learn: they should have gotten a bigger van.
Signed: a former Astro owner.😊
the RWD and V6 models get great gas mileage. A ford econoline or chevy express is not much bigger but almost half the MPG
@@stevejeffrey11 Yea , your right on that point
@@rvvanlife I was going to get a v8 chev express but damn they are gas hogs!
Got my raspberry pi 4 recalbox system too. Like my tablets laptops retrobat better though. Ps 2 ps vita games. Least you got a tv. Get those things when i buy my van dream i guess.
Hey there! Love your build. I have a 2004 GMC Safari. Did you have rear door water leaks? If so, how’d you fix it?
Thanks! I did have rear door leaks. My doors won't close evenly/properly, I've never been able to fix it. Body shop didn't fix it either. I bought this (really expensive) rear weather stripping replacement: www.steelerubber.com/rear-cargo-door-weatherstrip-70-4162-72
Also bought a set of universal weather stripping for the interior part of the door weather-stripping (not included in the very expensive steel rubber kit). Couldn't find a link for that, sorry.
I've also drilled some 1/8" or so holes in the metal area where the water collects after running off the rear door weather stripping. Without the drain holes, water would pool up here in a big rain storm.
Hope this helps!
Just revisited your van build after a few months researching Astro campers. I must say your build looks like it works really well Is there anything you would have done differently now after all this time using it? How much height is there from the mattress to the ceiling? I like the build. Seems smart.👍
Thank you. It's 30" mattress to ceiling. It's fine to sit down on it for a minute but being nearly 6 feet, I have to crouch. If I want to do any sitting I do it on my passenger swivel chair. I think I'm going to do a video on that very question, because several people have asked me about that now. And honestly, there isn't a whole lot that I would do differently is pretty much just small stuff. For example, the 12 V DC outlet I have next to my bed, I wish I had put that inside the little coffee hole instead of above where my pillow is. Sometimes my head will rub up against The charging adapter in cables in the middle of the night. So I don't even use that outlet really. But that's super minor stuff, I don't really have any major complaints after using the van now for 2 years
very cool. inspiring! do you put ice in your cooler or is it powered?
No need for ice, it's fully powered by the battery and recharge by solar. I love it!
awwesome. never knew about these. thanks!@@SeekingLost
do you like the Astro? I have been looking at them. From what I read they are the better van because they are on a truck chassis vs a car.
Yeah, I like it for a small van. I've heard the same thing about the Astro being pretty off-road capable due to the truck frame, and I can attest to that. I have some rust though, since it's from Michigan, and decided against doing a lift kit on it. Even with stock clearance, only a good set of AT tires, I've driven this van many places I never thought it was capable of reaching. I thought I would need 4x4, but the recovery tracks have been a great tool to compliment the 2WD, getting me untuck when 4WD probably would have come in handy. It's a great platform for the solo van camper, who wishes to get off the beaten path a little.
Is the roof rack custom? It's pretty sweet! If it's not, and you see this, would you drop a brand/link? Amazing job!
I think it was a custom job, but not sure... it was on the van when i bought it. Super glad to have it though!
Man, you thought this build out really well, made the most of the limited space, for sure. Curious though, what made you go with the Astro? I had a really nice '02, but was really disappointed in it; it got about the same MPG as the 1990 G20 (350 V8) that I had before it, but with a lot less space, and it was a pain to work on, comparatively. Now I have a '01 Ford E150 with the small (4.6) V8; it gets about 3-5 MPG better on the highway, about the same around town, and sooo much space. I do wish it was AWD though; might try a Chevy Express AWD next, but the Ford has been excellent for the last 5 years, would be hard to let it go.
Thanks! I already had this van before I decided to build it into a camper, I was using it for work and to haul my kayak. I didn't want to dump a bunch of money into a van, and this one allowed me to build everything I need (mostly) at a fairly minimal cost. I figured, if I enjoy doing the van thing, maybe I'll invest more into the next one and get something a little bigger. For now, it's perfect. I figured I could get at least 5 years out of it. I like that it's small, fits in a normal garage, fairly off-road capable. The AWD Astros get a few MPGs less than the RWD model, that I have. I get pretty decent gas mileage on this, 18-19 on the highway, sometimes slightly more. I originally wanted to buy an AWD van, but couldn't find any locally at a decent price. But now, I don't regret it at all... have been really surprised what a good set of all-terrain tires can do on a RWD van. I don't go places where it snows, and avoid muddy areas, so RWD seems to be just fine for my application. I use my recovery tracks a few times a year when I get stuck, and those work pretty well.
@@SeekingLost Hey Buddy, nice build, you Really made the most of the limited space of a mid-size van. Have had a G20 and Astro, the G20 has so much more space, am still missing that van. Wanted to mention that I added a Powertrax rear end to Both the G20 and Astro AWD, it make a Huge difference in where you can go w/out needing to go fast (or use recovery-tracks). Just food for thought. Thanks for this post, it's inspiring.
My opinion this build is the cleanest & most functional I’ve seen in a Astro/Safari…. Wondering how much the lumber alone cost , I’m getting ready to attempt a build in my Safari
This is what inspired me … Very nice !!!
Like MTV Cribs Hiker Trash Edition
$1600 bucks!?
Nice build.
Thanks! Yep, Got a lot of bang for my buck with this van
哈哈 我有一辆GMC 她也会越来越好🎉