Selling Navion, Looking for MB dealer to buy/order new Sprinter Van for conversion

[Philip53]

Hello, I've got my Navion listed for sale here on the classifieds forum. I think I am going to downsize to a DIY van conversion. Still in the preliminary planning stages, but have plenty of time as I will be having shoulder surgery next month, and they are telling me I will be out of commission with my arm for up to SIX months! Is there anyone that would like to recommend a dealer to buy or order an OEM Sprinter van from? Close to Louisiana would be nice, but willing to consider any dealer that is recommended here.

Thanks!

 

[Winterbagoal]

I will commiserate on the shoulder surgery issue.
Both mine are toast, and the estimated recovery timeframe for me to get both done is extremly inconvenient. Although with the Can/US border closure seemingly going to last forever, I have the opportunity to get them repaired.
If you want a Class B van conversion, already done, I'd go with the best deal available. Lichtsinn gets good marks if a Winnebago conversion is your preference. Not near Louisiana, but worth the drive to Forest City, IA, by many accounts.
If you just want the van shell, same advice, work the best deal at MB Sprinter dealers near you.

 

[Philip53]

Sorry for your shoulder(s) condition as well. My other shoulder is not quite as bad, but the same day I am scheduled for pre op info, I will be having an MRI on my left knee. Damn it's tough to get old.

I do like Lichtsinn. I think they have their provbervial sh... together. But I really want to do the conversion myself. I have found that most people don't do things the way I do them. I am really, really particular. I just have a lot of research and viewing of other conversions to get the floorplan that suits us. And, I'll have the time....... So, looking for a dealer to buy/order a new van from.

 

[Winterbagoal]

Yeah, us old farts are like aging Sprinters. We need a lot more spare parts and TLC to keep us going. My estimated recovery time for sequential procedures is in line with yours, so twice the fun, and twice the recovery time. Assuming no other issues, or surprises, along the way.

I think if I was going to downsize again (We went from a Roadtrek to a Sunstar to our current Navion), I might consider a compromise between DIY and off the shelf designs, and see if I could use Sportsmobile or another custom builder (don't think I can afford ARV) as the tools and parts supplier, with my personal choices of floorplan and systems. Might be spendy, but it would give me more of what I like/want in a B van, without the mainstream bloatware and clutter.

 

[Philip53]

Choosing the 'right' floorplan is going to be challenging. Many competing wants and desires, and very limited space. It will be interesting, for sure.

 

[Winterbagoal]

Our reason for "upsizing" originally was to get more living space and a dry bath. We got both in the Sunstar, but the other shortcomings that we overlooked when we bought it, became apparent very quickly (we only used it once), and so we downsized to the Navion, where we got both again, in a much better overall package. Our current concern is prices have gone nuts with the recent skyrocketing demand, and that's going to be an issue if we do decide another change is in our future. We'll probably stand pat for a year or more (my surgery being a factor there), and then see what's available new and used. Like you, our timetable is pretty flexible, and that certainly helps. My only other concern is towing capability - we could easily park a Sprinter based B at an RV park for a few months in the winter, but then we'd need to bring our Wrangler along as the errand bus. That requires at least a Sprinter B van, and they're getting spendy.

 

[Alphacarina]

I'd say it's good to see I'm not the only one falling apart . . . . but it's not. I had my left hip replaced last December. Recovery wasn't all that bad - I used a walker for the first 3 weeks and then a cane for the next 3 weeks and then just took it easy with it until my 6 month check-up when the doc turned me loose to do pretty much anything I wanted

The wife and I keep looking at van conversions on YouTube and if we ever downsize from our current Navion, I think that's the way we would go - Build it out ourselves, using either a Sprinter chassis or a Ford Transit. Not *sure* I'd go diesel again and that's partly what makes the Transit look pretty good. Rather than a new one, I think I'd get a 2 or 3 year old one with 25 to 50K on it and go from there - High roof, long wheelbase and design it just like we want it. The price of new, ready to go Class B's is just . . . . ridiculous!

Don

 

[Philip53]

Don, you are certainly not the only old guy with problems. But you gotta keep going......

And I certainly agree the Class B's are way overpriced. I know it's tight quarters, but I just can't pay those prices.

 

[Forest]

If you want some inspiration here is a van build by a real carpenter with a proper shop and tools.

 

[Philip53]

Forest, I do not see any attachment, etc. for the van build. Can you try again? I would be interested in seeing it.

Thanks

 

[Forest]

Forest, I do not see any attachment, etc. for the van build. Can you try again? I would be interested in seeing it.

Thanks

See if this works ( watch, below). If not, it is on youtube " This is Carpentry". So far it is a 16 part series. He does amazing work.
watch

 

[Alphacarina]

My wife and I watched that series. Fantastic, and he claims not to be a cabinet maker . . . . sure could'a fooled us!

He has another video where he gives a tour of his shop, which is much larger than his house. He has 12 or 15 routers, each one with a different bit installed, so he never has to change bits. Same with drills, he has 10 or 12, each with a different bit, so he just grabs the one he needs and doesn't have to mess with bits. I think he has 3 different tablesaws and one of them stays set up just to make drawers - Think he called it the quarter, quarter, quarter method. He uses a dado set *exactly* 1/4 inch wide, spaced exactly 1/4 inch from the guide and the dado is exactly 1/4 inch high. Using cabinet grade plywood which is exactly 1/2 inch thick, he can make every cut to assemble the 4 pieces of ply into a box with a bottom using only glue to hold them together . . . . without ever changing anything on the setup on the saw - It's amazing to watch. What a craftsman! Think he's in his 60's and he has more 'issues' than most of us, but he sure doesn't let anything slow him down

Don

 

[Philip53]

Thanks Forest, he had some very good ideas.