windguy

Sweet! Nice job finishing. What's next?

okay, thanks for the clarification. Just to summarize, the firmware update will enable a tech to disable the exterior lights from coming on when the door is open/closed. It does not affect the interior lights. Does your service ticket from Ford have any reference info regarding this service item, like an SSM# or Firmware #? It would be very cool to see a list of features that can be enabled/disabled by a service tech. I seem to remember the day time running lights is one of the features. I had mine done as an option at the factory, but would like to know what else is available.

I can see how a slightly textured type of paint would be a good idea, especially for the larger slider panels, since it would be hard to get a nice even coat of spray paint over a larger area. Thanks for the tip. This will be a winter time project for me.

@chong - great thread and custom build. Thanks for sharing. Fun to read about the many stages of your build and trip. You did a lot of hard work and it appears to have paid off. Job well done! I've been to Banff, but in September, which was cold enough, as it ended up snowing in Jasper. You and your wife are a pair of hard core polar bears for doing this in the winter and living out of your van no less. Not sure if I should commend you or recommend a psych eval Looking forward to reading about more mods and adventures. Keep up the good work.

@colby c - congrats - great install. thanks for sharing with great pics.

Sounds good. There are virtues to keeping it simple. You are right. Not too many trees in my neck of the woods, er desert. Please keep us posted on your lighting upgrades.

Saw the link below on MSN Sunday night. This is from June so perhaps someone else has already posted about this. http://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/autos-vans/nissan-nv200-recon-camper-van-review/ar-BBDqk0p?li=BBnb4R5#image=BBDqmza|14 Seems like an efficient use of space copying design features of the old Westfalia/Eurovan campervan. May be a good source for getting conversion ideas for the TC. Recon company website link below https://www.reconcampers.com/ Sportsmobile added the MBenz Metris to their conversion lineup. Another decent resource for conversion ideas. http://sportsmobile.com/mercedes-metris/

@Tiller - just had a chance to catch up on this thread. You did a really nice job in customizing your TC. Thanks for sharing with some excellent pics to document your craftsmanship. Job well done! Using the uni-strut as a frame for your platform was a great idea. Very creative. I would like to add some additional lighting in the cargo area as well. For the cargo van version, I have a single LED light on the passenger side but it's often blocked with gear offering limited lighting. Not very useful. Having something on both sides and/or one centered in the rear to project outward like you did is the hot ticket. Have you considered adding a porta potti to your rig? Something like a Thetford or Dometic. I've thought about getting one myself for road trips. It could be useful unless you and the pooch have a solidarity thing going on with a "What's good for him is good for me mantra." Looking forward to seeing more mods. Keep up the good work!

thanks GBL - I may just go the cheap route and spray them black with a clear lacquer top coat. I think I already have the spray cans. I will do the primer coat with Kilz as you suggest, which is a great idea. I've used Kilz before and it's a create do-all primer for tough adhesion or cover-up applications. I'm okay with that solution, but then I scroll back on this thread and see Colby C's panels and how nice they look

@tiller - thanks for the other ideas. Interesting thoughts. I usually don't have my roof racks mounted for day-to-day beach use, only for special road trips when I need more cargo space. Mounting a tube won't work for me, but I have seen youtube videos of others making similar shower systems like this and it's very creative. My van is even fuller these days as I've added a 3rd windsurfing board that's a bit wider. Along with a surf board stuffed diagonally the van is packed. I really need to open up the area below the deck where the rear seats would normally be to capture more storage space. I said I'd do that last winter but never got to it. Perhaps this coming winter I'll dive into that project. Great to know that you ran your water pump off the aux power port. Many thanks for sharing that. For prototyping this will be very helpful to get me started. Appreciate your help.

@tiller - thanks for taking the time to provide more detail about your rinse station. I missed your other build thread but will check that out. Appreciate the link. You've really inspired me to create some type of shower system. Online I've checked out some ready made options and they all seem to have design/reliability issues (not sustained water pressure, leaking water, pumps and parts breaking). Ideally for me I'd like to have a self contained modular system that I can easily be removed from the van but I'm not adverse to mounting the pump somewhere and hard wiring it. Perhaps a milk crate that has the pump mounted on an inside wall, coiled hose and sprayer setup storage space and room for the water jug (1 or 2 gallon). The pump would get power plugging into the 12VDC Aux Power Point in the back. The TC User's Manual specs the power point at 12VDC - 20amps max or <180watts. The water pump like yours at 7.5amps and a few others I've seen at 4-7amps range seem light duty enough for plugging into this port. I just have some hesitation that the port can actually handle that load based on the spec. Last thing I want to do is smoke the wiring harness. My pump usage will be short bursts so it shouldn't be working too hard. Don't mean to hijack your thread but figured it's all the same subject matter. Thanks!

thanks for the update. An hour less driving per day means more free time to spend on the TC forum

thanks. for the back barn doors only, right? not the sliders. I'll have to scope out the parts diagrams. I think this was discussed in an older thread.

good to know, thanks. I kind of thought newer cars don't have turn signals anymore. Rarely see anyone using them around here in LA

@Colby C - great job on your mini camper build. Thanks for sharing. You're a true craftsman. Looking forward to seeing more improvements. Keep up the good work!

@Tiller - job well done on adding this useful amenity to your TC. Thanks for sharing with some cool videos. Did you consider using a pistol grip type sprayer instead? You mentioned the pump is rated at 3g/min. If you were to use a gentle spray level, what would you guess is the water usage rate? I've had thoughts of adding something like this to my TC since I rinse off at the beach after every surf session. I now fill an old 1gal apple juice bottle that has a nice handle with hot water at home. I like the warm water rinse in the winter months. I've also considered getting a portable shower unit so water can be heated. Something like the link below: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B011TRLVP0/ref=asc_df_B011TRLVP05168442/?tag=hyprod-20&creative=394997&creativeASIN=B011TRLVP0&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198093463189&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=8903817247903966003&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9031174&hvtargid=pla-350596519425 I like the simplicity of your system but my van is currently stuffed with gear so I'd have to figure out where to mount this pump system if I were to go this route. Could you please share some info on the pump you selected? Is it the one in the link below? (I turned the pic around to see the label easier) https://www.amazon.com/SHURflo-4008-101-E65-Revolution-Water-Pump/dp/B002XM5G70 Did you do any special wiring to power this with a fuse or just tap a 12VDC line available? I like the panel switch you mounted. Very slick. What model is that and what else does it control? Many thanks!

Welcome to the forum! Great to see a TC owner from a far away continent.

I agree. It's hard to hear the signal when it's on. I often don't notice it's still on when making a lane change that's not enough turn to go off by itself.

great post ,thanks. When you open a door, do any interior lights come on or are all ext and int lights off/dark? Do you know if the setting option is all or nothing or if the on duration can be changed?

I like that a lot. Nice job! Not quite sure why Ford didn't make these out of black plastic for a more finished look instead of crappy masonite. Mine get splashed with water all the time. Starting to look stained. I should do something before they get ruined.

I like the seats. I'm 6-2 and it conforms nicely. Good lumbar support. I have the cloth seats option available with an XLT Cargo Van. All manual adjustments. For driving comfort, the center console armrest is too far back for me, but still not bad. Road noise in a cargo van, meh. The less you have in the van the more noise and creaking you get. That's without any added insulation on the sides or ceiling other than a sheet of plywood and carpet on the cargo area floor. You get used to the road noise and adjust the radio volume accordingly. Engine seems very quiet. OEM tires too.

cool color. have fun with your new van!

Sweet looking ride. Thanks for sharing. That's a nice looking home. Hope you didn't have any problems from Irma.

That's an interesting idea. Thanks for sharing. I guess if you have a specific spot with a local setup like that then it might work out okay. For me, I like to be self sufficient and not hassle with someone else to take responsibility for my keys. Especially if I'm going back and forth to the van multiple times during my beach visit. Plus, I surf and windsurf in different locations and there aren't businesses nearby to let me do that. Having the keypad is a low cost no-brainer for me. I also keep a spare key fob stashed inside the van so if my fob goes missing, I can easily get into the van and drive away.

Hiding the keys under the van isn't such a good idea. With my previous surf mobile, Volvo wagon, I used a combination key lock box from Home Depot attached to the roof rail. That worked out okay but the TC key fob wasn't going to fit in that thing. I've heard too many stories of thieves watching cars at the beach to see where you stash your keys or just searching around the car in the usual spots: on top of the tires, inside the bumpers, inside the gas filler, wiper/dash area. Too risky. The keypad is a sure thing for me.