Tank-A Re-purposed Van build - Input Appreciated

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billintomahawk

Guest
Some history. $360 usd, included a full tank of fuel.
Would not restart when hot.
A low scream coming from the belt pulley area.
200 miles from home.































Just the usual stuff. New belt, tensioner, pulleys, water pump, alternator. Radiator, transmission lines, oil change, transmission servoced, etc,etc. Three dead mice in the heater blower fan box blew the thermal fuse on the speed control.
Replaced and working fine now

bill in tomahawk
 
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billintomahawk

Guest
Re: Tank-A Repurposed Van build

More.

























https://photos.smugmug.com/Sprinter-build-out/i-6dNNp6X/0/88948ac5/XL/IMG_4571-XL.jpg[/IMG

[IMG]https://photos.smugmug.com/Sprinter-build-out/i-BtCwDR2/0/920ed090/XL/IMG_4572-XL.jpg



Slowly we turn....

bill
 
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billintomahawk

Guest
Re: Tank-A Repurposed Van build



































Is there no end?

New tires from Walmart.
Oversized Hankook brand. $60 each mounted and guaranteed anywhere in the USA-Walmart.
Free rotation. Run at 42 psi, he's a big cushion.

Junkyard ladder $10, welded feet onto latter $30.

Junkyard windows from old RV, $20 each.

Holes cut with a angle grinder and a jig saw.

bill
 
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billintomahawk

Guest
Re: Tank-A Repurposed Van build























Winter is coming fast...Heat was need.

bill
 
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billintomahawk

Guest
Re: Tank-A Repurposed Van build















































A little more to come before I fall out the back of the van and break my right hip.

bill
 
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billintomahawk

Guest
Re: Tank-A Repurposed Van build

Gotta have a refrigerator white boy.


















So right about here I broke my hip falling out the back doors onto frozen ground.
Snap!
Then a long drag to the house and an ambulance and surgery and two months at my friends place on crutches.
The sawbones told me I had the hips pf a fourteen year old girl and that the bones were healthy so he pined my hip, no replacement parts. New old stock.

Like the van I am repurposed.

In desperation I bailed for Florida to get out of the ice and snow.
Those aren't my legs.



I went with what I had handy, a single bed and a hotplate.



It seemed like recovery took forever but it happened. The crutches became a cane and then the cane was left behind.

Now the build starts in earnest.

bill
 
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billintomahawk

Guest
Re: Tank-A Repurposed Van build

Yes, there was air in the lines caused by a leaking fuel filter.
I replaced the OEM water separating filter with a Baldwin filter without water separating ability(fewer places to leak) and redid all the connections with new clamps and hose where necessary.

Mostly I cut the rotten ends off the cloth covered hoses and got them well clamped. The problem went way and I saw no air in the clear line to the low pressure fuel pump. "02-3 years have a suck system different from '04 on.

It has not returned in 5k miles.

bill
 
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JoeyB

Active member
Re: Tank-A Repurposed Van build

Yes, there was air in the lines caused by a leaking fuel filter.
I replaced the OEM water separating filter with a Baldwin filter without water separating ability(fewer places to leak) and redid all the connections with new clamps and hose where necessary.

Mostly I cut the rotten ends off the cloth covered hoses and got them well clamped. The problem went way and I saw no air in the clear line to the low pressure fuel pump. "02-3 years have a suck system different from '04 on.

It has not returned in 5k miles.

bill
And you got the van for $360? or did I read the post wrong? thats an amazing deal, and I am glad you put together this little build thread!!

It looks great so far, hope to see what all you do with it bill. Sorry about your hip, but glad to hear you are recovering!
 
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billintomahawk

Guest
Back at it.
I decided I needed a refrigerator and well actually i had a great frig, only one problem...it didn't work.
I did everything, I flipped it upside down, ran it on electric and gas both. I put a nice Nepalese cloth paper insert on the door...but...it didn't get cold, in fact it made heat, it got hot.

I called RV Cool and talked to Wick, the owner and chief guru. I told him what I did and his comment, "That was good exercise!".

According to Wick the solution was simple. Buy a new cooling unit.

https://www.rvcool.com/

My model-Dometic 2410 made in 1974 in Sweden
Rebuilt cooling unit $480 including shipping and that included prepaid core return shipping.

Was I nuts...?? 1974?



























All done now...new unit installed and foil taped, thermal mastic-ed and silicone sealed in place. Was it easy, heck no but it's done now and tested on both electric and gas. RV cool's instructions are very precise. Follow them COMPLETELY!!!

And now little frig makes ice, the thermostat works and all is well and yes...it has been repurposed.



Hang in. The purple potatoes got planted.

bill
 
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billintomahawk

Guest
I smell gas.





















So all the real wood came from a torn down bleachers section 2x10s resized, the plywood was salvaged form my insulation delivery shipment. I had to knock off the glue pools off with a chisel.

As for the old cupboard insert, man I laid out $25 and cut it to fit.

Can you dig it?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnPRKM_lhSk

bill
 
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RJV

Active member
Bill, this is awesome. Nice work! Please tell me more about what kind of paint you used and how you painted the van.
 

GaryJ

Here since 2006
Bill,
What a wonderful read and visual feast. It brought back memories of when I cut the passage through my T1N cargo panel. After removing the glass I cut the gasket that held it to fit the remaining sides. Then I cut polycarbonate pieces to fit in each side and lined the pass through edges with aluminum trim. Just a small curtain at the pass through keeps the heat or cool where you want it without blocking your view.
Gary
 
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billintomahawk

Guest
Bill, this is awesome. Nice work! Please tell me more about what kind of paint you used and how you painted the van.
RJV,
Rustoleum all the way.

https://www.rustoleum.com/product-c...ofessional/high-performance-protective-enamel

Wheels too.

Very little prep.
Washed with detergent and well rinsed, may have used a sponge mop to get up high.

Only use this Rustoleum enamel. Do not use the acrylics, they dry to fast to level well.

Tape with this, it's expensive but very worth it.

https://www.target.com/p/frog-tape-...VFMJkCh2I6g3AEAQYDiABEgI2c_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Use a good brush.
2 1/2 inch or so.

Do it once, don't go back. Do a second coat, it will go fast.

Shade and no wind are your friends.

bill
 
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billintomahawk

Guest
Bill,
What a wonderful read and visual feast. It brought back memories of when I cut the passage through my T1N cargo panel. After removing the glass I cut the gasket that held it to fit the remaining sides. Then I cut polycarbonate pieces to fit in each side and lined the pass through edges with aluminum trim. Just a small curtain at the pass through keeps the heat or cool where you want it without blocking your view.
Gary
Gary, that's a great tip and I'm with you on blocking the opening.
Warm and cool are so much better.

I love the light in the back and the cab gets great solar for heat.

I might do a full curtain for privacy??

bill
 

RJV

Active member
RJV,
Rustoleum all the way.

https://www.rustoleum.com/product-c...ofessional/high-performance-protective-enamel

Wheels too.

Very little prep.
Washed with detergent and well rinsed, may have used a sponge mop to get up high.

Only use this Rustoleum enamel. Do not use the acrylics, they dry to fast to level well.

Tape with this, it's expensive but very worth it.

https://www.target.com/p/frog-tape-...VFMJkCh2I6g3AEAQYDiABEgI2c_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Use a good brush.
2 1/2 inch or so.

Do it once, don't go back. Do a second coat, it will go fast.

Shade and no wind are your friends.

bill
Great, thanks. This is the same stuff I've used on touch-ups on my 2006.
 

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