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L4H3 no skills van conversion - build log

25K views 135 replies 20 participants last post by  McNulty 
It's nice to see what an extra-tall (H3) looks like on the inside. Lots more storage space in the forehead! @Lolaeliz beat me to it. Ditching the cab partition and adding swivel seat-bases would also bring the cab seats into play in the living space and eliminate the need for additional seating, freeing up valuable space for other stuff.

Here is a handy floorplan helper. Your L4 has the same floor footprint as the Promaster Long Body diagram. However, the L4 over here is properly called a Promaster 3500 EXT, but it only comes in H2 here.
 
Thanks for the floorplan helpers!

As @Lolaeliz also pointed out, there are some tradeoffs by keeping the cargo wall. However, I do like the design options I have by using the wall. I don't mind the hassle of going out from the drivers cabin and in the sliding door, makes the van more "stealth" which is also one benefit.

Either way, If I want to be able to actually use the car before its registered as an RV, there are tax regulations that prohibit me from modifying that wall. So there is that. So I make everything just a lot easier by designing everything with a wall still in place, so that will probably be they way forward for me.

Oh, and I simply love the extra cargo space in the headroom section :)

And yes, next step, floor plan :) (besides some rust treatment which I will do the coming days)
Ahh! We have variations on tax and registration limitations over here too, but yours sound a bit worse.

"Rust treatment"? Promaster bodies are galvinized at the Mexico factory. They rarely rust (like Sprinters). Are Fiat Ducatos different?
 
Love all that extra-tall space! I'd have a hard time deciding between upper cabinets and windows up there.

Your noise problems will largely go away once you insulate. The butyl sheet makes a noticeable difference at this point, but insulation will improve on that a great deal.

There is very little room for Insulation inside doors, plus it can get wet in there. I have not looked myself, but there may be some room for insulation on the back of the interior panels, like there is on Transits. Maybe wait and see what you think after insulating the rest of the van. The vapour barrier looks to be the same foam sheeting used for packing material. If you can't find a source for that, plastic vapour barrier sheeting for homes should work, too. That's what I found inside my old Ford van's doors. Get some double-stick outdoor carpet tape, and you'll be back in business.
 
I cannot source thinsulate from anywhere in my parts of the world, so I have to rely on other types of material. But I'm sure I'll find something I can stuff in there :)
I used poly-iso for the floor, walls, and ceiling. On the walls and ceiling, it is glued in place and edge-sealed with a non-expanding spray foam (GreatStuff Doors and Windows).

In the doors and channels, I used a polyester batting product called Tyvek Thermawrap. It may not be available in your area, but it shows there are alternatives to Thinsulate. You want a material, like polyester, that is hydrophobic and will not compress or migrate over time from the vibration of driving. This is especially important when insulating inside doors that get slammed all the time. A spray contact-cement will help hold it in place.

@GaryBIS and others have also questioned the benefit of insulating small channels (roof ribs, etc). It is probably insignificant compared to the thermal bridging of the surrounding metal. It is probably better to focus on insulating the outside of those channels. However, thermal bridging is still evident on the bigger channels that I insulated inside. In cold weather, I see condensation on those exposed metal surfaces.
 
my more "long-term" plan is to quit my job and go around Europe for a year or two living in the van.
We have rented RVs in Europe many times. While planning this build, be aware of the differences you will face in terms of shorepower (220V) and propane (tank fittings differ by country). Also, the PM's Chrysler engine and tranny are not common over there, so parts and service may be hard to find. The European Fiat Ducato (and its clones) don't have Chrysler engines and trannys.
 
I might have already blocked those off.. ahem ;) You mean the channels going along the doors from top to bottom in the rear? I have stuffed them with rockwool, which is why I want to seal them off (blocking those airborne particles from the insulation into the living space). I've spray-glued a reflectix type of material on top all the way, and planned on a finish with fabric, but if I really needed to I guess I could cut it open to access the channel. What is the probability I would need to access those? Like, do I have to open them to change a lightbulb, or similar maintenance work?
Yes, to change light bulbs, you first have to detach the taillight assembly from the inside.
 
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