KGB Van

SOLBRTs

Member
I figured it was time to post some pictures.

THANKS to everyone on this forum who has given me advice.

In addition, I would like to thank Outside Vans, I couldn't afford one but they made some fundamental recommendations that saved us a lot of trouble later.

But most of all, I would like to thank Rob at Van Specialties who has been incredibly patient. To put it simply, I am not only cheap but I am obsessive compulsive and Rob has been nothing but supportive throughout the entire process, whether it was my crude designs or my nickel and dime-ing.

Total cost a little over $7000 including head unit, camera, thermal insulation, sound insulation, and rear windows.

Parameters:
1. Low cost

2. Light weight

3. Nothing permanent to affect resale value of the van.

4. Van is our daily driver, it should only carry the absolute minimum we can get away with and we should not drag around the weight of items/fixtures/equipment we don't actually use 80% of the time.

Build the van for the 80% not the 20% (that is, build it for what we do, not for what our egos imagine we do, even though that might be more fun).

4. Must be able to unload and convert van to an empty cargo van in less than 30 minutes

BTW mother-in-law bed now available from Van Specialties. Call Rob.


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The small bear? That's our boy (actually he's a complete momma's boy) ...always ready...one of the three best gifts I have been lucky enough to receive in this life (and...no he's not a Bouvier and no he doesn't look like one...)

In Russian "Black Bear", "Black Ghost", or "Blackie"...breed developed by the Russian Army...for sure, not a breed for everyone...at the moment, expressing his displeasure that our girl is on the field training and he is not....



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Team logo. We do not breed. We are part of a network and can refer you if you are interested, but a colonoscopy might be more enjoyable than our interview process and home inspection.

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Actually in Russia you don't get warned....
 

Attachments

SOLBRTs

Member


Bed is the 3 panel Van Specialties /OV system. For short stops we sleep on two panels, lying slightly diagonally. For long stops the two person bench moves to the front floor mounts, the third panel slides forward, and the mattress is turned 90 degrees. IKEA foam mattress... just like home.




Portable Pett toilet directly behind bench with Wag bags for emergency use. No cleaning, no stink, girl approved. 2 burner camp stove beneath.




Pens, etc. for show competition or rescue (not many more shows to come, working competition is where it's at).




All four corners have semi-permanent cable attachment to tie-down loops. Easy enough to remove shelf system if you know how but it is completely tied down in an accident. Not visible are vertical aluminum bar elements to keep fencing and pens in place.





Storage boxes cable locked to frame. One basic bedding/kitchen, one for the needs of the day - training gear or whatever.



Canopy and folding camp chairs on left top, folding cart with wheels and aluminum camp table on bottom left.

Side rails on upper shelf are removeable (male end at bottom of verticals slips into female at top of bottom shelf verticals) so the shelf is more flexible.

Shelf rails will be modified soon, I have some ideas for better use of the space on the right and left of the shelves above the wheel wells.

Wheel wells to right and left of shelf have been left open for later addition of battery boxes. It's only money right?
 

SOLBRTs

Member
MImageUploadedByTapatalk1344711080.374823.jpg
Fences are a pain in the butt to move around. I wanted a slide-out shelf for them but it would be costly. Instead, I added strips of a recycled, slippery, low friction, 1/2" thick plastic from Mastercraft plastics to the fences themselves. Now fences slide in and out nice and easy as if they were on rollers. No damage to floor.

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Canvasworks shields for all windows (ask for Ivan). Soon I plan to put bungee nets on walls on either side of bed and keep shields there, out of the way. Also just discovered that folding chair bags fit shields perfectly and I can color code them that way. Need more broken chairs I can steal bags from.

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Table top made from IKEA countertop ($39). D rings under table top at edges and on base at edges. Table can be strapped to leave in position while van is in motion. SS silverware holder attached to table by bolt/wingnut holds propane bottle for two burner stove.

Floor is covered with stall mats.

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7 gallon water jug, normally tied down Red kitchen case also carries a water filter system to fill it. I am terrified I will run out of water for the dogs and girlfriend and they will eat me.
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Table collapses and slides under seat. 16" is exactly wide enough to hold camp stove and fit between seat supports (propane tank holder does not need to be disconnected from table to to fit under seat)
 

SOLBRTs

Member
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1344711296.205528.jpg Table with cleats made from remaining IKEA counter top ImageUploadedByTapatalk1344711313.171247.jpg
Table fits over arm rests. When camp stove is on table this is the secondary preparation surface. ImageUploadedByTapatalk1344711325.419933.jpg
Mother-in-law bed in vertical position behind driver and passenger seat as dog barrier.
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Door to allow movement from front to back.
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A/C can flow along floor from front to back.
 

SOLBRTs

Member
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1344711380.855420.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1344711396.590382.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1344711411.372229.jpg
MIL bed can accommodate IKEA child's foam mattress (right at 5'5")

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Shift to a diagonal and 5'8" is possible.


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Daddy's girl...she owns me, lock, stock, and barrel, but don't let her cute looks fool you..Not happy about the MIL barrier and the fact that she can't be copilot....
 

SOLBRTs

Member
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Lefthand tie down behind driver seat.
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Flip down legs, bed platform is nice and stable.
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A real fridge - finally! Dry goods behind in blue box.

Next steps:

1. Portable battery system to power fridge for 8-10 hours

2. Remove fabric panel in MIL platform door and replace with some kind of metal screening and 2-3 computer CPU fans (?) to move more cold air from A/C to back of van.

3. Get water cube into a more useable position. Maybe behind passenger seat over fridge. We find we need to access water and food from inside van but mostly from outside, so we will keep it all near the slider. Still pondering this one....

4. Someday...Amp and sub under passenger seat for when I drive alone. I keep volume down low when dogs are in the van.
 

mean_in_green

>2,000,000m in MB vans
I used to sleep on a piece of brazilian plywood cut to fit the front seats much like that, with a camping mat on top. It worked surprisingly well. Very light, easy to store. Keeping it simple!
 

autostaretx

Erratic Member
How do I delete a picture?
Within 24 (or 48?) hours, Edit your message and simply delete the line that references it.
Or (more friendly, saves server space) invoke the Manage Attachments window and click "Remove" to the right of its name.
Then go in (as above) and delete the message line that references it.

--dick
 

SOLBRTs

Member
My rule is that every item must do two jobs. In this case, seat/bed keeps the dogs out of driver's compartment, and provide a place for mother-in-law or dogs to sleep (who ever gets there first!).

The dogs are big so we are always working to be sure they have enough room to stretch out.
 

220629

Well-known member
...and place for mother-in-law or digs to sleep (who ever gets there first!)
I presume you meant dogs. Between the two, no dog I've seen in the world would have a chance against my mother-in-law once her hackles are up. :lol:

Very nice looking rig by the way. :thumbup: :cheers: vic
 

jsilver

Member
Nice conversion. Did Van Specialties make that M-I-L bed for you, or did you fab it/have it fabbed somewhere else?

Thanks
John
 

SOLBRTs

Member
Nice conversion. Did Van Specialties make that M-I-L bed for you, or did you fab it/have it fabbed somewhere else?

Thanks
John
Thanks for the complement. We do what we can on a budget. I did the basic design, dimensioning, etc. for the MIL bed, shelving system and the other bits besides the VS-OV bed. Van Specialties took the van and my MIL bed plans and fabbed it for an exact fit. It's not overly complex they could knock one out for you fairly quickly. Normally I propose an idea and Rob and I talk it through to make sure it's sensible. He's been a big help.
 

68protour

07 D 144 high rebadged MB
Neat ideas for the front MIL bed (Hah!) and storing/using it. When camped, alot of things get piled in the seats in front and that would keep them more orderly and accessible..
 

SOLBRTs

Member
Neat ideas for the front MIL bed (Hah!) and storing/using it. When camped, alot of things get piled in the seats in front and that would keep them more orderly and accessible..
Would you believe originally I actually intended it for my MIL on our 8000 mile family visit loop around the U.S. last summer?! Some time before we left I thought better of it and decided to fly her to the East Coast instead...it was a good decision...not sure what the hell I was thinking!

Now it gives us more room so each dog has a space of their own to relax in.

I think kids would get a kick out of having their own space too.
 
Is there a way to leave the engine running, sprinter unoccupied, and lock the doors? I have two sets of keys. When I exit the sprinter with the engine running and try to lock the doors with the second set of keys, the doors will not lock. I would like to leave my two basset hounds in the van with the air conditioner on. I'm only talking about less than five minutes to run in a store. Here in Texas, five minutes is to long for them even with the windows cracked. 2013 crew van.
 

Spydus43

New member
I love the gate that separates the drivers area from the back of the van. All too often my dog camps out between the front seats and inadvertently down shifts the van with his butt when he leans against the shifter. :)
 

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