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[peeela]

Anyone know of any more lively and recent van build forums?


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[Camper_Dan]

Greetings & Welcome!

There are a couple of other forums that are busier, but I can't recommend them.  They are busier because they are filled with worthless garbage, bad advice by people looking to make money, and newbies giving advice when they don't really have a clue.

When it comes to forums, you want quality not quantity, and this forum is one of the best.

Cheers!

[peeela]

Hi Camper Dan, what are you building?


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[Camper_Dan]

I built my current camper van about 10 years ago, and have been living in it happily ever since.  Prior to that, I had numerous vans, and basically made every mistake in the book and then some, mainly thanks to people online who gave the worst advice possible.  Today, in my spare time, I help others build their vans, hopefully avoiding all the mistakes I made.

Here's a few of the highlights of what I've learned:

• Cargo Vans ARE NOT stealthy!
  Being stealthy isn't about hiding, only criminals hide,  honest campers have no reason to hide.  The more you try to hide the more attention you attract.  Unknown cargo vans aren't welcome in the city at night, and attract cops, thieves, vandalism, and complaints from neighbors.  Nobody gives a second thought to an obvious camper, they just figure you're visiting a friend or relative...


• Cargo Vans COST MORE to convert.
  Not only do they cost considerably more to convert, but the finished product will be far inferior to following better advice.
  
  There are several types of people who recommend cargo vans:
  
  
  
  • A) People who have realized their mistake, and are looking to sell theirs.
  • B) Newbies with no experience passing on the advice they've heard, not understanding that it was bad advice.
  • C) People looking to profit.  They know that outfitting a cargo van to their specs will cost you 10x more, and hopefully make them a huge profit.
• Window Vans make far better camper vans!
  Window vans are safer to drive, don't attract negative attention, cost far less to convert, and having a view in all directions at all times helps keep you safe, and allows you to enjoy the view without opening doors.  Opening windows also allow far better ventilation than roof vents to