A Look At Our Van

by Jeff Gunn | Dec 9, 2022 | Australia and New Zealand | 37 comments

Just before we go any further with the trip to Australia, I thought it probably timely to share a little more with our readers about the Sprinter van itself. Many of you, and others who have seen the van conversion in progress, have been asking to see pictures of the end result. I’ll put the trip details on pause this week ( to be continued next week ) and now, for those of you who have asked for finished pictures and more details, here they are:

Passenger side. Side steps added, VanCompass helper springs and Falcon shocks provide a much improved and stable/level ride after the added weight of the conversion. BF Goodrich 17” KO2 tires and Black Rhino “Arsenal” rims replaced the stock Mercedes product. Very happy with both the improved appearance and performance.

We’ve all heard the expression, “I could see light at the end of the tunnel, then realized it was another train coming”. I swear whoever dreamed that one up must have coined the phrase while camperizing a Sprinter van. To say that completing this van dominated my life for 15 months, was more than a full time job for all of that time and caused more stress and anxiety than any corporate position I ever held, would be an understatement. Ultimately, however, with a very supportive wife, the help and technical advice of some amazing friends, colleagues, supportive local businesses, YouTube “How to” clips, guidance from those who had gone before ( posting their invaluable tips on the Sprinter Forum ) as well as countless other sources of help, the van was travel ready just in advance of our November departure for Australia. Truly, there were times I thought the day would never come. It was a labour of love, for sure, but nonetheless a huge relief to have it done. Truly, I could write a book on the experience – but won’t ! .

Van from the front – hood wrapped in 3M matte black vinyl, custom nudge/light bar added.

I’d have loved time to give it a good summer test drive ( and it was a great northern summer ) but it just took longer, and was more complex than I could have possibly imagined. I suppose it did not help that I came into the project with ZERO experience, a tool kit that consisted of little more than a hammer, a drill and a few wrenches and had to work on it from start to finish in my front driveway ( in summer AND winter ). Thank you Brent, Lisa, the Wilden trades folks and my neighbours for putting up with me and your moral encouragement to keep going when it all seemed too much. You helped in more ways than you know. I’m just glad it’s done. I’ll be posting more detailed specs on the Sprinter Forum in due course for those interested in the mechanical minutiae ( I’ll include a link in a future blog ):

Driver side, 700 watts of solar panels visible on the roof ( 300 watts of external detachable panels ). Should be ample to power our small AC unit on a very sunny day or at least slow the draw on our battery system.

Van from rear. Graphics by Patchwork Productions in Victoria, BC

Inside, looking to rear. Maxxfan above kitchen, skylight above bed. Counter is white Corian, solid surface, cabinets are 5/8” laminated Baltic Birch. Southco style marine snap latches on all cabinet doors.

Insulated panel to close off the sleeping area. AC is ducted in on a hot night to concentrate the cooling around the bed, and during the day it seals off the sleeping area concentrating cooling in the living area

Front captains chairs ( covered in sheepskin for comfort in hot/cold weather ) both swivel. Insulated reflective panels cover the windshield and both side windows. These have proven very effective at insulating and provide 100% privacy when parked at night. Stored in cabover shelf ( above ) when not in use .

We opted for a Lagun swivel/ height adjustable table and used the same Corian top for the surface. The table mounts either in front of, or at the end of the sofa for multiple seating configurations

All windows have built in insect screens/privacy blinds and are awning style acrylic.

Double burner induction cooktop. Early days but we are loving it. Fast, easy to clean, and …..no propane ! Vents underneath are for the induction cooling fans

Toaster oven. Lois bakes bread so we opted for the toaster over vs a microwave. It’s been very handy.

Bed is a full width ( 60”) queen. Scirocco fan ( folds down ) is at right and just visible is the heating duct that brings hot air from the diesel heater to the bedroom. Skylight above keeps this part of the van bright.

Fridge is a stainless steel Vitrifrigo C130 ( 130 litre ) model with separate compressor. More space inside the fridge and easier access to the compressor ( behind big cabinet drawer ) in the event of any mechanical issue.

Steps to bed are recessed into the mid-van bulkhead when not in use. Lower cabinet drawer to the right is the kitchen pantry which slides out for access

Steps to bed shown in the down position. Kitchen sink includes main faucet, dedicated drinking water faucet and soap dispenser on the end. Magnetic knife bar, spice rack visible on the kitchen wall.

I promised Lois a closet ( I didn’t say how big ).

Full shower with ( removable ) wet toilet and sliding ( vertical cassette ) Rol’dour waterproof fabric “door”. Shower pan was custom made of stainless steel with a lowered ( teak platform ) area for standing. Heat is ducted into the shower (beside the toilet) so that wet clothes can be dried when the door is closed. Think a very slow dryer ! Dedicated shower fan above. Shower finish is white acrylic.

Boxed-in area under sofa is for the diesel heater and associated insulated ducting. Our 1100w air conditioning unit is stored in the large cutout area. Ordered too late for shipment to Canada , it will meet us in Australia.

Shoe storage door below kitchen cabinet in doorway

“Garage” area at rear of van under the bed. Batteries, electrical components and hot water tank behind doors on the left side. There is a 40 gallon custom made vertical fresh water tank behind the expandable ladder and 22 gallon internal waste water tank on the right. Thin vertical cutouts are for visual water level checks in the event the electronic systems fail. Both these tanks are inside as the garage is heated ( see duct at top left ) making 4 season camping possible. We survived -26.5 celsius crossing Canada and nothing froze in there. There is an additional 20 gallon ( 3 season ) waste tank under the drivers side of the van. We had expected there’d be room for 2 bikes. Not a chance with all the stuff we have since put in here !

Victron 3,000 watt inverter charger and Blue Sea AC distribution panel in the main electrical cabinet.

Secondary electrical cabinet contains other Victron electrical, and solar components (above) with the Whale electric water pump below. Pink antifreeze still visible in lines when this pic was taken. Enerdrive 40amp DC/DC charger on left.

Indel 15 litre electric hot water tank. This can be configured ( and will be later ) to heat the vehicle water supply from the heat of the engine ( when it’s driven ). Well insulated, the water will stay hot enough for a shower all day. Ours is timed to automatically heat the water early in the am each day before we get up.

Compressor is mounted inside the garage, controllable from rear wall of garage, right side.

Compressor is mounted to the garage cabinet floor and is hard-wired to the van 12v system. Additional room in the cabinet is for general storage and spare parts.

Left side of garage: 120v AC, USB, and 12v outlets, along with an external shower outlet.

This cabinet usually contains our laundry bag, hung from the top. Dirty clothes can be dropped down a chute from beside the bed above. Visible below ( the orange box ) is a motorized ball valve that allows waste water ( from the tank beside ) to be released by an electric switch in the kitchen. No need to climb underneath and turn levers to empty the tank…!

In a nutshell, that’s our rig. We had the following priorities for the van itself:

A van that was sold all over the world with a configuration big enough to live in for extended periods
It had to have 4×4 ( high and low range ideally )
It had to be diesel

The Mercedes Sprinter 170 4×4, 3.0 litre V6 turbo diesel was the ONLY vehicle in Canada that met all three criteria. Choice was simple – and I have always admired them having met countless overlanders travelling with them over the past years

We also had certain requirements we needed for the internal layout/design based on years of past experience:

A toilet and shower
A north/south bed ( sleeping lengthwise in the vehicle, not “across” )
Induction cooktop – we wanted no propane given the shipping headaches and hassles of travelling abroad with it
Diesel heater
As much solar as we could put on the roof and a big lithium battery system to comfortably drive an electric water heater and induction cooktop ( and a small AIr Conditioner for when we are plugged in )

We managed to design it with all this included and are very happy with the layout so far. But, it’s early days. I’ll provide more commentary in the weeks ahead regarding the actual van build process ( perhaps over our Christmas/New Year break at home ) and a van “review” update a few months down the road- for now it’s time to enjoy what we have built !

37 Comments

Ollie on December 9, 2022 at 6:22 pm

Amazing!
- Jeff Gunn on December 10, 2022 at 12:04 pm
  
  Thanks Ollie !
  - Tonia Roggeveen on December 11, 2022 at 5:51 am
    
    Great perseverance to an amazing finish. Love the iconic hat in the picture. Safe journey and loom forward to your next blog.
    - Jeff Gunn on December 11, 2022 at 10:10 am
      
      Thanks Tonia !
Chris Woods on December 10, 2022 at 8:49 am

Now all you need is a Starlink internet connection for wilderness browsing and posting blogs!
- Jeff Gunn on December 10, 2022 at 12:05 pm
  
  That would be nice…….but $$$$$$ !
Joe & Sylvie on December 10, 2022 at 8:53 am

Hi Jeff and Lois, How things go overthere… Very strange but i put a msg on your last post but i never saw it….
Well i can that you are near ready for a new long trip with your new model ! For sure it’a a big change with the model we saw at Kika’s house in Colombia.
I like very much your vehicule and it’s a pleasure to see the configuration you put as the ‘nuclear power’ lol… Be sure that with 700 w, you will put lights in campsites for neighbors.
Since we came back from south america, we sold the camper. We bought a similair one like you but not 4×4. The warm is with gasoil also but we use a ‘whale’ for having warm water.
On the top we have 440 w and lithium battery of 180 A.
The bed in the back is like you but it’s an electric one, it’s quite useful when bringing electric bicycles.
This model is of course shorter than that one you saw in Sth America but enough for travelling and enjoying life …
We are still in preparation for coming in Nth America and central america but for the moment we are occupied with my dear Mom 94 y.0
Well, dear Jeff and Lois, enjoy this new experience and let me know if you get that msg here.
hugs from both of us
- Jeff Gunn on December 10, 2022 at 12:05 pm
  
  Thanks Joe……see my email back.
Gary Masur on December 10, 2022 at 10:06 am

Wow! Well done pulling this all together. I am sure you will have many great times in this machine! Enjoy!!!
- Jeff Gunn on December 10, 2022 at 12:04 pm
  
  Thanks, Gary. We hope so !
Tami Mikkelsen on December 10, 2022 at 12:10 pm

Totally WOW!! What an amazing job you’ve done. Now comes the time for you both to enjoy after all the hard work. Can’t wait to read the new chapters of ‘Oneendlessroad’….
- Jeff Gunn on December 10, 2022 at 1:13 pm
  
  Thanks Tami. We’ll have a short break over Xmas/NewYear then get back at it..! Best of the season to you both !
Tom Metz on December 10, 2022 at 12:16 pm

Wow! Brilliant!! Enjoy!
- Jeff Gunn on December 10, 2022 at 1:12 pm
  
  Thanks Tom, hope you are well. Best for Xmas and the New Year !
Norbert Berard on December 10, 2022 at 3:08 pm

Nice job on the van. Happy travels and good health.
- Jeff Gunn on December 10, 2022 at 5:34 pm
  
  Thanks Norbert !
Jared on December 10, 2022 at 4:08 pm

Hey guys, love the van! Excited to follow ypur trip too! Best of luck
- Jeff Gunn on December 10, 2022 at 5:35 pm
  
  Hey Jared, nice to hear from you. We will pop in and say hi when we get back between Xmas and New Year.
- Jeff Gunn on December 17, 2022 at 5:19 am
  
  Thanks Jared ! Will pop by and say hi while we are back at Christmas.
Mark Devereux on December 10, 2022 at 4:48 pm

That is truly mind-boggling. It looks great! Looking forward to your adventures!
- Jeff Gunn on December 10, 2022 at 5:38 pm
  
  Hi Mark,
  
  Well, “mind boggling” might be a bit of a stretch but we are certainly very happy with, and proud of, the result. Let’s now see how it handles the open road !
  
  So great to see you last month and hope our paths cross again soon….if you are up in K town over the holidays let’s get together.
  - Mark Devereux on December 15, 2022 at 10:07 pm
    
    Hey Jeff,
    Rani and I are flying up during the first week in Jan so let’s connect if you guys are around!
    Cheers,
    Mark
    - Jeff Gunn on December 16, 2022 at 9:44 am
      
      Hi Mark,
      
      We will be and look forward to it !
Philippa Thomas on December 11, 2022 at 12:44 am

Hey Jeff and Lois so impressed to see the ingenuity of your design (and read about all the hard labour that went into it).
Congrats and enjoy!
Philippa
- Jeff Gunn on December 11, 2022 at 5:12 am
  
  Wonderful to hear from you Philippa!
  
  Thank you, and we are very glad it’s done. I hope you are enjoying yours ? Look forward to our paths crossing at some point ahead !
Joanne McQuary on December 11, 2022 at 5:57 am

So great to see you guys heading out again, look forward to following your stories in the land downunder. Van conversion looks amazing and challenging but definately looks like a step up from the truck and camper. Can not wait for your story to begin again. Joanne
- Jeff Gunn on December 11, 2022 at 10:10 am
  
  Thanks Jo ! We almost visited you on the way east but ended up taking Hwy 1 due to adverse weather on 3.
  
  Yes, more room than the camper and some extra mod cons but there was lots to like about the truck as well ( we miss the power !! ). Hope you are enjoying the new gig,
  
  Ciao !
  
  Jeff
Bryan Buggey on December 11, 2022 at 8:27 am

Amazing work, Jeff! It’s all quite luxurious and I love how you have integrated all of the small things that will make such a difference to your enjoyment. Question: you’re initial criteria included a diesel engine, but why?
- Jeff Gunn on December 11, 2022 at 10:04 am
  
  Thanks Bryan, and yes, many of the “small things” took a lot of time so I hope they become worthwhile !
  Re the choice of diesel – 95% of Overlanders we meet have diesel vehicles. The current global “diesel squeeze” ( and elevated diesel prices ) aside it provides greater fuel economy ( under load and in hilly terrain substantially greater – you never see a gasoline powered lorry/semi trailer 😊 ), considerably more torque, greater longevity and ( in practically every corner of the globe, save for a handful of places ) is considerably less expensive than gasoline. Since fuel is our biggest cost it makes economic sense and justifies the higher up front cost. It’s also much safer to store than gasoline and there will be times we carry extra fuel on board. Have I convinced you ? lol !!!!
Katie on December 12, 2022 at 10:06 am

It looks so great!!! You did such a good job!
- Jeff Gunn on December 12, 2022 at 10:44 am
  
  Thanks ! You forgot to come see it 😞
Norm Zulps on December 13, 2022 at 4:28 am

Wow! Great job Jeff. Always knew you were more than just a banker!
Looks amazing, and say hi to Lois for us. Merry Christmas.
- Jeff Gunn on December 16, 2022 at 9:44 am
  
  Thanks Norm ! We never did get over to the island this past summer – ran way behind with my “project”. You’ll have to visit us in Oz !
Steve Cheline on December 16, 2022 at 9:25 pm

Looks great Jeff, you should be well prepared for the Ausie roads and weather.
Anxiously awaiting your arrival down under!
- Jeff Gunn on December 17, 2022 at 5:18 am
  
  Thanks Steve, and yes, we are really looking forward to getting down there. Merry Christmas to you, Melissa and the girls !
Scott & Kim Porritt on December 18, 2022 at 8:52 am

Jeff and Lois the van is truly amazing! I know we got a sneak peek at it over the summer but it’s even more impressive seeing the finished product. It really is a house on wheels with all of the creature comforts. Looking forward to following the next chapter in your lives, thanks for the wonderful blog. Merry Christmas!

Cheers,
Scott & Kim
- Jeff Gunn on December 18, 2022 at 10:05 am
  
  Thanks guys, and let’s try to connect before we head out again ( to Oz ). Merry Christmas and HNY to both of you and the kids !

A Look At Our Van

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Jeff + Lois

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