He Converted A Van From Scratch - Camper Build With 8020 Aluminum | Sprinter Campervan W/Shower
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- čas přidán 1. 12. 2023
- In today’s video we feature Rick and his 2022 Mercedes Sprinter 144" WB chassis with the optional 4x4 that he converted into a DIY campervan. This build uses extruded aluminum cabinet structures and everything sits in the van without much modification to the chassis and can be easily removed.
He has it listed currently for $159,000 USD
vanlifetrader.com/listing/2022...
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New Jersey Outdoor Adventures CZcams channel is about vanlife , camper vans, Van builders, DIY conversions and RV walk through tours in and around New Jersey.
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I see the Humble Road stamp on the design. Rick worked for them, no wonder. Nice build.
I love this shower stall. In case anyone wondered, the tiles in the bathroom are ultralight vinyl foamboard tiles called Innovera by Palram sold at Home Depot. They come in 12" x 24" panels, tongue in groove and in marble or stone designs. Lowes has a similar one called Palisades. I prefer the Palram tiles. You have to stick them on with adhesive over any existing waterproof surface, then grout the seams with mildew resistant silicone. PL Marine or Loctite Powergrab are good adhesives. Substrate can be Kerdiboard or Kerdi membrane stuck on with thinset over plywood. Kerdi says they only supply for real tile, but I've seen this done. The key is the substrate material that must be water proofed. I wonder how Rick did his? I have to remodel my RV bathroom so would be helpful to know if Kerdi works or not.
Thinsulate is the best insulating material (and pricey). The white fluffy side goes on next to the Reflectix to provide the air gap that Reflectix needs. I also found another material meant for underlayment called Silent Silver or Blue, a 1/8" thin closed cell neoprene covered with foil on one side that insulates, deadens sound, moisture barrier, and cushions that can be used as an additional layer in making window shades.. Finding the right materials is key in RV builds.
Nice components from Victron. The SOK batteries are made in China with a US based distributor. Cost runs $1150 for 280 AH, and $400 for 100 AH sizes. There is a video online on how they are assembled.
It is a pity that the flare outs are permanently covered up and no window space or ventilation from them. This creates a lack of light in the bedroom area. Imagine if it is raining or you have an ocean scene, you want to see that. You can always add curtains?
Very nice overall look and feel for this van build. I question if there is enough power to run a fridge and other devices on 200 watts of solar and 200 AH battery power though. The components are high quality with Isotherm, Victron, Sprinter - really nice luxury feel. Thanks for the tour, Patrick, and Rick. Most enjoyable.
Humble Road taught him right. That's another fine looking conversation.
Glad you liked it
Sweet build!
I’m enjoying these van tours
Thanks Jim I’m happy you’re enjoying them. I spent a lot of time filming them and editing them and it’s good that people find value in them.
Very nice. Beautiful metallic blue color. I would have gone with a little less countertop space near the door because of the Sprinter being a little small. Dedicated shower, love it.
Great ideas
Of all the builds I've seen is probably qualifies as the perfect build!
Sweet
Thanks, it's the culmination of living aboard a catamaran for over 11 years, and 5 years in my last van build.
Wow, Nicely done!!! Your real world experience shows. Thanks for sharing this quality van.
Our pleasure!
It's a quality (masculine esthetically) van. I love the outdoor trays, and the steps added for easy access. The garage is amazing. The thought process for protecting and maintaining the components is impressive. Thanks for the tour.
We agree!
What a lovely chap! He can feel very proud about this awesome build, indeed! ❤
Thanks Sofie
I love how he describes everything in sailing terms. 😊
Exactly
I lived aboard a sailing catamaran for over 11 years and spent 8 years working in Alaska as a captain on a commercial salmon fishing vessel, the van is essentially a yacht on wheels.
GREAT build, very nice job sir. Thanks for sharing Patrick, nice job as well.
Patrick does an awesome job on the content, I really enjoy building these vans, always trying to take it to the next level.
Hey Scott , happy holidays to you and your family
Oh I love it! Of course I would have a twin sized bed instead of a queen, since it is just me, But I love everything about this van 😍, thank you Patrick for sharing .
Thank you! 😊 twins would be great too
Thought about that however the bikes won't fit under with a twin, everything is a compromise and everything needs to serve 2 purposes.
@kitchenhui3502 Yes, It totally makes sense , beautiful van. Thank you for sharing ⚘️
Special build. This man really knows what he's doing! Very impressive. Just as soon as I win the lottery I'm giving him a call
Good luck, I hope you’re playing
Thanks, I'm with you, bought two lottery tickets yesterday!
I love the color of the van! The wood selection of the cabinets is beautiful. I wish the flooring had more of honey tones, rather than the gray tones. By doing that, the floor and cabinets would compliment one-another.
Thanks so much!
Excellent video 👍 Thank you
Glad you enjoyed it
Patrick is the best!
Wow! Nicely done, well planned layout.
Thank you very much!
Thanks, enjoy building these!
Perfect van for one person plus it’s well built. The interior slide up garage door is unique and a smart idea. If your going to buy a Mercedes van you might as well get the air conditioner! Great job, thanks
We agree!
Thanks, in my last van I never really needed AC, however if I were to be in the southeast during summer that would be a different story, that's why I wired the Maxair fan for AC, the AC units typically have the same 14" footprint as the fan, also an AC unit would add $3-5K to the van price.
Thanks for sharing
Patrick does a great job at producing these videos.
I’m happy you enjoyed it
Great build.
Appreciate it
Thanks, I really enjoy doing these!
Just saw this one.. Kool
I’m happy you found this, Terry
Thanks, I enjoy building these, more to come!
I love the choice of woods...maple and cedar ceiling. I like where you put interior control panel. Wish I could afford it. Great build.❤Jane
Thanks so much!
Thanks, the wood is actually Poplar, I wish I could afford it as well!
Big fan, especially the emphasis on the garage a applicability to mountain life. Hopefully one day I can get one of your builds in a 170 layout
Glad you enjoyed it
Thanks, putting $6K+ bikes on a rack outside and subject them to the elements from the road is not the best way to prolong their life. My last van was a 170, enjoyed it for 5 years.
Very nice video 👍👍😳🤗🤔thank you. Pullout step for bed is very handy. Yes, is a spectacular, comfy van/home.
I am anxious to see what Rick comes up with next
Thanks for the comment, in my last van I didn't really think about getting in and out of the bed, ended up using a folding step stool. So when I designed/built this van I felt the need for something better than a folding step stool that's where the step/drawer idea came from and it will be incorporated into my next build.
Very nice
Glad you like it
Nice job Rick
Thank you
Thanks, I really enjoy building these, worked for 5 months straight didn't miss a day, I did take off the afternoon on July 4th!
Nice wood-working. I like the breathability of the van design. 👍
Glad you like it!
Thanks, it's really important to have air flow especially around the electrical components.
MaxAir are a waste of money. Get the cheaper remote control ones.
What brand make it model is the cheap one?
I’ll take one with A/C and a party stereo
Alight!
phenomenal build. bordering on perfection. so rare to see a full enclosed shower in a short body van. congrats !! this may be my next van.
Wow, thank you!
Thanks for the kind words, shower is also for hanging wet ski/snowboarding clothes and wet suits.
Do you have a link to the close pack that you used by the bed?
Saludos desde ct 🤠🙋♂️🌿🐕
Hello Pedro welcome to the channel
Great build. How would you feel about a raisable bed in a small van like this?
They definitely are practical. It’s been used in a very popular Winnebago revel since 2018, which is the same size size
This van would never be welcomed in US due to no A/C.. I love, love Humble Road's craftsmanship and creativity. This too has that same feel. Thank you for sharing.
The front fan has the same size opening opening as a rooftop air conditioner so it could easily be adapted, and the air-conditioning could be added anytime
Thanks for the comment, the Maxxair fan is wired with 10/3 and the cutout is 14" which is what a typical AC unit needs, it's also why I choose the MultiPlus II inverter/charger as it has two dedicated AC 110V legs, one for the house 110V AC stuff and one dedicated for an air conditioner
Bob Lazar would approve of the van name
Absolutely
Thanks, agree! I have a degree in Chemistry and taught high school and college chem for over 11 years, the recent stuff from Gram Hancocks podcasts with Rogan solidified my reasoning.
Another great van build! Keep em coming! Thanks Patrick!😊 BTW, is this van for sale, and what’s the asking price?
Thanks Susan. He has it listed at $189,999
Thanks, enjoyed building the van. The van is currently for sale at $159K, I also have two build slots available starting this spring.
@@kitchenhui3502is there a package manual? What if I have the van already? What do you charge to build it?
Sorry, I keep chuckling....is the wood "Popular" ot Poplar😅...as good as the refrigerator is I would have to go with a top loading one. I can't see getting down to floor level to see what is in the 'fridge. Seems no one else finds it worth mentioning....but it comes with age I suppose. Good luck to whomever buys the van....hope they enjoy it.
Thanks for checking it out
Thanks, I have a hard time pronouncing Poplar, it's a hardwood native to Maine where I built the van, I agree that a top loading fridge saves on energy, had both types on the catamaran that I lived aboard for over 11 years, each had it's advantages and disadvantages.
Humble Road is the master mentor of van builds!
Absolutely
Yes, George and crew are top notch!
Beautiful van. Such quality! I would just add the AC and change the mattress. Now - if it was just in my budget! 😀 Not saying it's not worth it, I'm just not in that league.
Appreciate the feedback
Thanks, the Maxxair far is wired for AC with 10/3 wire and the cutout is 14" which is the same as a typical AC unit. It amazed me how quickly the price of the materials grew as I built the van; the van itself cost $68K, taxes $5K, extended warranty $3K, $36K in materials and 1100 hours labor @ $45/hr is $49.5K, which puts the total cost to slightly over $160K
Oh yes! I think we all are shocked every time we go to buy even the necessities these days. Really pleased to see the quality you put into the van. I'm sure it will be sold in no time!
@@kitchenhui3502
Welcome. It's just me on the mattress change. I CANNOT sleep on memory foam.@@NewJerseyOutdoorAdventures
Everything is great in the van but I would rather have a full size or even a twin bed to gain a little more space in the living space. I wonder what the asking price is for the van?
Twin beds is the way to go
Thanks for the comment, the bed is 78" x 58" a queen which I cut a few inches off the width, if the width were decreased any more bikes won't fit under the bed, everything is a compromise when building a van and hopefully everything can serve more than one purpose. The van itself cost $68, taxes $5K, extended 100,000mile/5 year warranty $3K, $36K in materials and 1100 hours labor @ $45/hr puts the total cost at over $160K, I'm asking $159K
All that insulation is useless if you have them plastic windows and the exposed metal on back dors... Insulation value - 200%
How do you assume the back doors are not insulated?
The back doors are insulated, the hatch and MaxxAir fan both have covers, the van has 2 layers of Thinsulate, in my last van, similar build I was down to -20F and very comfortable inside. I'm working on a video documenting the build process hope to have it up on my YT channel soon.
nice build.
I’m curious the advantages of wiring going across the van under the mattress? Are the wires usually above the ceiling going across the van.
Is it for easy access if wiring issue?
You would never be able to remove your platform bed in want to use the van for a large cargo need. Not criticizing by any means, just curious.
It’s for easy access so upgrades can be made in the future without tearing the whole van apart
Wire runs are best kept to a minimum length to reduce voltage drop, you are correct that the van will not accommodated a large cargo need, however with the pass thru you could have surfboards, a kayak or other longer storage, everything is a trade off in designing a small living area.
nobody removes their bed platform to haul cargo in their 100k+ van. Its a nice random thought people have. But nobody actually does that.
@@CS30123 I know someone that does.
@@CS30123except I do. You aren’t the expert you think you are.
Very nice build. Why do you have only 200W solar and 512aH batteries? Not enough room?
Thanks, in my last build I had 300aH and 300W solar, never really had the batteries below 70%, main use was to heat the hot water for showers. With 412aH along with the Victron Orion DC/DC charger I felt that 200 was good, more is always better however it's a 144 so roof space is limited and I wanted to leave the space so AC could be added where the Maxair fan is located, it's wired for AC. And having the hatch over the bed not only provides access to the roof to clean the panels, it makes a great spot to watch the sunset from, if I added panels there would be no room to sit up there!
Plenty of battery and solar for 95% of the time
Yeah, I believe this is plenty of solar and battery for majority of how this is going to be used
Sweet. "He has it listed currently for $159,000 USD"
I think it’s a good price
Great price considering a loaded 4WD/MB has got to be near $80k w/dealer mark-up c/o post-pademic RV mania.@@NewJerseyOutdoorAdventures
I wanted to see if you had the number for the gentleman that built the sprinter van he said it took him five months interested in the product. Thank you.
He is answering comments here and his information is listed in the video description
The link listed above to the van's listing on Vanlife Trader has a "contact seller" form which I've been responding to, I'd give you my phone # and direct email here but in past van sales I've gotten too many false correspondences when I went that route. Please feel free to ask any questions on this van or if you are interested in securing a build spot for this spring - summer. Thanks
I have interest this skylight this builder have link ?
The skylight is a Lewmar 40 Low Profile, if you got to my last van build tour on my YT channel there is a link in the description.
Thanks Rick
@@kitchenhui3502 can you post here again，i follow you chancel already
I'm getting ready to build another van, I dropped the price to $143K
Great value
vans arent really selling these days. Especially at the high price points. good luck tho.
My only comment is the mattress won't be able to wick dry if moisture gets between it and the board under it.
There is a mesh membrane available for between the mattress and platform
Thanks for the comment, as Partick said you can add a mesh membrane, although you can't see it in the video the mattress board has holes cut into it to let air circulate.
How tall is that guy?
I'm 6' the bed is 6' 5" head to toe.
Thanks, Rick
13:56
What if somenoe pees in their sleep with all the wires right below?
No problem, all the wires are marine grade Ancor wiring with WEGO connectors, not sure how the mattress would react.
Marine grade wiring got you covered, but you may want to see a doctor
Rick's contract information please ❤
Details in the description
No TV screen?
No, it’s not necessary
Thanks for the comment, I thought about that, the van can accommodate a 12V ceiling mounted unit utilizing the wiring for the ceiling lights. I've found that most people seem to be using their laptop's as their TV's.
I'd prefer no split kitchen and have a seating area More for a man this design I think.
Appreciate the feedback
Thanks for the comment, everything is a compromise in a van, in my last van a 170 there was more room, with a 144 with a full shower, room for bikes space becomes "limited".
Missed the high end water filling detail. Open ended pipe seems to have been added as an afterthought. Slippery dip for mice. Most of the van is good for a single person. The design is way too cramped for two people. Well done however.
Appreciate the feedback
Thanks for the comment, I found that in my last van most of the time I was filling the water tank with 1 - 5 gallon containers of water, the pipe makes it easier to fill that way and also serves as the vent, if I did use a hose to fill the tank I just stuck it in the pipe. I also didn't want an exterior water fill spout, since the video was shot I finished it off with a venting cap,
Too bad: no window in the rear bedroom, only that roof hatch. The water tank filling set-up is a terrible idea.
Thanks for the feedback, rear windows can easily be added. I found that in my last van, which I had for 5 years that most of the time I was filling the water tank with 1 - 5 gallon containers of water, the pipe makes it easier to fill that way and also serves as the vent, if I did use a hose to fill the tank I just stuck it in the pipe. I also didn't want an exterior water fill spout, since the video was shot I finished it off with a venting cap, the tank can also be fill thru the marine hatch located on the top of the tank.
This van was built from 1st hand experience and lessons from a previous build
If the Van is ''New'' and is one of the last Sprinter 3.0l V6 Bi-Turbo, and it's up for Sale? I think the ''Pree build'' has devalued the hole Sprinter Van. 🤠 It's best left as a ''cleen Canvas'' and shuld realy end up as the '''Ouners''' personal and tecnical Build''? and to tell you, If I found the interior personally atractive, Aaaa? like the shower fitting in a 144, but only for an elderly adult? Sow is the Van Up For GRABS...?
Thanks for looking
@@NewJerseyOutdoorAdventuresSorry if it came thru a bit harsh but i know too much abaut the Merc Sprinter it is for me the Best house on weels and i can get very toochy if the bild is not to my tase... And thanks for Shareing NewJerseyOutdoorAdventures, 💞 Sorry if I get a bit ''too'' touchy with interior designe some times ❤🪄💯 Greetings from Europe.
@@julianv.5848yes. Your comments were harsh and frankly, quite rude.