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Re-Covering the Cab Headliner
Throughout this project, we’ve been removing, repairing or recovering, and then reinstalling various parts of the van as time allows. Next on the list was the headliner. We began by removing the button snaps that cover the screws. Once the screws were out, we brought the headliner inside and set to work recovering it with…
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Installing Dometic FreshJet 3 in Our Van
Now that we have dealt with the ceiling thickness issue, and installed all the shore power connections, we are ready to install the FreshJet 3 AC unit in the van. Technically this wasn’t our first time installing one of these units, see a long time ago post Installing the AC Units on our MCI Bus…
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Installing Shore Power for the Camper Van
This is part of our ongoing installation of the AC, which started with Making an AC Frame for Dometic FreshJet 3 and the Review on How to Install a Dometic SmartStart Accessory Kit. Today, we had to wire the inside of the van to accept the 120V power from the source and then transfer it…
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How to Prep a Van for a Dometic FreshJet 3 AC Install
Living in the Southern USA, one undeniable fact is the intense summer heat. Before air conditioning, it’s hard to imagine how people managed. Personally, I can endure cold weather without a heater—just light a fire. However, when faced with 90-degree temperatures and humidity exceeding 60%, all you can do is sweat. There’s only so much…
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How to Install Dometic SmartStart for Your AC
We are in the middle of a van conversion with LOKI our Ford E250 Econoline extended van. Most van conversions I see on the internet don’t include air conditioners on the roof, but where we live, you either install one, or you just don’t use the van—there’s really no other option. This actually wasn’t our…
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Any View is Good From the Van
We try to take short trips in LOKI, our 2000 Ford E250 XL van conversion in progress, just as we would long journeys. Although we’re still halfway to being ready for overnight trips in Loki, we’ve made good use of him for grocery runs and date nights. Groceries Loki is an extended van, which means…
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Finishing Wave Decals on the Van
One of the things we needed to change about Loki was its exterior appearance. The van was purchased locally, and every so often, someone would mistake it for being driven by its previous owner—a homeschooling mother of twelve. To truly make Loki ours, we had to alter its look and feel both inside and out.…
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Adding More Wave Decals to the Van
To give the van a new look without spending a lot of money on a new paint job or vinyl wrap, we decided to apply vinyl decals to the blue stripe that runs almost entirely around the van. You can also see the first post Adding Waves to the Side of the Van which is…
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Building a Bed Frame in the Van
The walls were covered and installed, and now it was time to build the bed frame. The hardest part of installing the bed was deciding on the orientation of the mattress. We had an extra queen-sized memory foam mattress from our glass sunroom patio that we designated for use in the van. The Mattress If…
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Adding Waves to the Side of the Van
Every van or boat owner likes to add something to their vehicle to make it feel unique and different from all the others. This can be done with a new paint job, a vinyl wrap, or, in our case, vinyl decals that we made ourselves. Background We purchased Loki from Scott’s sister when her growing…
About
We have a passion for living and traveling on a shoestring budget and want to pass along what we have learned.
