Transit AWD build overland style-I'm back in a van

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Deleted member 9101

Guest
My wife doesn’t like the state parks vault toilets. After a few years I’ve figured out it stems from an episode of the X files that features some kind of sewer monster. Makes perfect sense.


My wife was in the X Files fan club back in the day... She probably has the same thought process...haha.
 

RVflyfish

Fishing is life. The rest is details.
from organized chaos (actually got cleaned up and loomed after photo because im kind of OCD about wiring)

to installed mobile command center
View attachment 646322
That is so clean! Better than professional.

Does the toggle switch on the right say Slide Room?? Is that for the bed...or are you really gonna blow our minds with a slideout?
 

coguzzi

Adventurer
That is so clean! Better than professional.

Does the toggle switch on the right say Slide Room?? Is that for the bed...or are you really gonna blow our minds with a slideout?
ive seen some pretty questionable "pro-builds"

its for the future bed, couldnt find one that said "bed up/down" so figured slide room makes sense since it is making the "room" bigger and has nice big arrows.
 

coguzzi

Adventurer
I am still amazed that you found a garage big enough for the van in Quebec...

:)
I built it for the purpose of working on vans and overland vehicles. I had a fairly big shop in denver, but 10ft ceiling limited me, so designed and built this shop with 12 ft. Code had me split it up into 2 structures which I didn’t like, but working well-1 is dusty work 1 is clean work. And 2 floors each-sew shop and storage upstairs. I was literally building before I even had the moving truck unloaded since my father in law was already here working. The 2 of us did the whole thing pretty much with occasional other family help.

Still miss my denver shop though even if this one is better. Denver I could work with the doors open And sun shining in most of the year

ps, I spent morning til night my entire first year in Quebec building. I honestly feel like I haven’t explored much yet-now with Covid lockdowns.....
 
Last edited:

Christian P.

Expedition Leader
Staff member
I built it for the purpose of working on vans and overland vehicles. I had a fairly big shop in denver, but 10ft ceiling limited me, so designed and built this shop with 12 ft. Code had me split it up into 2 structures which I didn’t like, but working well-1 is dusty work 1 is clean work. And 2 floors each-sew shop and storage upstairs. I was literally building before I even had the moving truck unloaded since my father in law was already here working. The 2 of us did the whole thing pretty much with occasional other family help.

Still miss my denver shop though even if this one is better. Denver I could work with the doors open And sun shining in most of the year

ps, I spent morning til night my entire first year in Quebec building. I honestly feel like I haven’t explored much yet-now with Covid lockdowns.....

That makes sense. There are few houses in Quebec with garages, even more so large like that...but I also intend to build one at my parent's place.

Where are you located again? We need to hang out next time I drive back - hopefully by May or June. We can compare notes...
 

Farfrumwork

Well-known member
X-files fans here too - along with coguzzi (used to have watch parties back in the day).

However, as much as I can see why people don't like cold-blowing-air vault toilets, there is no 'sewer' to worry about - haha

My wife doesn’t like the state parks vault toilets. After a few years I’ve figured out it stems from an episode of the X files that features some kind of sewer monster. Makes perfect sense.

My wife was in the X Files fan club back in the day... She probably has the same thought process...haha.


Nice work Blotz!
 

coguzzi

Adventurer
That makes sense. There are few houses in Quebec with garages, even more so large like that...but I also intend to build one at my parent's place.

Where are you located again? We need to hang out next time I drive back - hopefully by May or June. We can compare notes...
I am in Wendake, Quebec City pretty much
 

coguzzi

Adventurer
X-files fans here too - along with coguzzi (used to have watch parties back in the day).

However, as much as I can see why people don't like cold-blowing-air vault toilets, there is no 'sewer' to worry about - haha






Nice work Blotz!
I’ll never forget when I was at peaceful valley riding moto (Colorado off peak to peak highway-or freak to freak as I call it), and had a bathroom emergency and had to use the pit toilets in one of Colorado’s wind storms-probably at least 80mph winds. Yeah-pit toilet wind tunnels are zero fun
 

coguzzi

Adventurer
been a while it seems. lots of things happening as well as customer work flooding in (only kind of complaining), but the big thing is getting the electrical done for the most part, just hooking up various things as they get installed now (water pump, fridge, heater, power ports etc)

love my pocket hole jig
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loomed and organized
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the end result with the redarc manager 30 battery management system. not sure why redarc is not more popular in the van world (overland is winning here), i think van people just like the color blue or recommendations from.... The manager 30 handles it all: dc/dc charger, solar mppt, shore power charger as well as built in monitor. i bought this a while ago before Redvision was released (total vehicle managment system) otherwise it would have it as well
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And GASP, 2 AGM group 31 batteries and not lithium!!!???!!!. ha, i am not a fan of lithium batteries for the climate i live in currently where many months out of the year its below freezing, so many months out of the year the batteries require heating so they can be used in a van which is not daily driven (kept warm) which in turn is using life cycles. only advantage i see is weight, and yes i have experience with them. If i still lived in the US SW/desert i may just do lithium. to each their own, this is my set up. as a friend who is also professional van builder said, "if you have to heat your batteries to use them you have the wrong battery"

Canadians probably also notice Canadian Tire brand deep cycle batteries which historically dont have best track record. something i recently discovered when i saw the batteries on the shelf and recognized them and came home and did some research. CT recently changed suppliers for level 1 and 2 (out of 3) tier deep cycle batteries. these are level 2, and new supplier is East Penn mfg, otherwise known as Deka Intimidator. Deka is one of my favorite batteries ive worked with over the years for value/quality and I've had a set of 31's in my four wheel camper since 2012 and they are still going strong. level 1 tier is supplied by Northstar if you wanted to go higher up. the entry level i have no idea about and probably same as before. lil secret for you canadians
 

coguzzi

Adventurer
and i got part 4 time lapse done. its weird to go back and see things ive forgotten ive even done--and realize maybe its time for a hair cut...

 

REDARC Tech Team

Supporting Sponsor / Approved Vendor
the end result with the redarc manager 30 battery management system. not sure why redarc is not more popular in the van world (overland is winning here), i think van people just like the color blue or recommendations from.... The manager 30 handles it all: dc/dc charger, solar mppt, shore power charger as well as built in monitor. i bought this a while ago before Redvision was released (total vehicle managment system) otherwise it would have it as well

You can buy the RedVision system separate, and add it in later ;)
 

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