'94 GMC P3500 StepVan "Bread Truck"

[briguy1981]

So I haven't been on for a while, I went from an older RV, Astrovan, E350 to my current; A 1994 GMC P3500.

The Astrovan seemed like it was doing fairly well until it snowed, I couldn't drive very far without getting leg cramps and ended up getting a 2001 GMC Jimmy, so sold the Astro for $1600.  After that I drove the Jimmy until it started on fire (I think I may have crimped the fuel line while working on the intake manifold). That was just a couple months after I ended up homeless again (the place I was renting sold and they wanted to remodel it).  So I bought a '95 E350 that did not run all that well, took out the inside and installed wood flooring, directly on top of thin insulation so constantly moved.  after finally getting into another place it stopped working, and sat in front of the apartment for most of the time.  I got a new service dog and then a small car, started driving Door Dash for a couple weeks and ended up in the hospital a few times with that.

After buying a KIA Soul I am doing one of the ride share things and saved a bit of money.  And got my bread truck from a local auction for $1800 after the title and auction fees.

So far I have taken out the bread racks, or whatever they were, and put a base coating on the floor of the As Seen On TV rubber stuff, after a few days it is already peeling a bit, so not advised for flooring applications.  Today got some of the foil backed insulation and 1x2's as well as a 1x4 for the front and back with 1/2" plywood for flooring.
Tomorrow (or today depending on how you look at it) I am going to cut the floor boards to fit the interior and then place them and the insulation.
I have been playing with a few base drawings and think I have it mostly figured out.  The floor is the only that that is going to be "permanent". Going to have the walls set to where everything can be adjusted and moved to try different ideas and see how they work.

 

[Punomatic]

Sounds like your luck may be improving!  Hope all goes well with the bread truck. I like your idea of making things modular so you can adjust to suit your needs. Keep on truckin'!

 

[TheBar]

I converted a 73 Chevy step van back in the early 80's. I got it from a guy who bought it just to move their furniture 700 miles then left it sitting for 2 years. He only wanted $200 for it and when I jump started it it ran great. It had been a milk truck so all the walls were well insulated. I built bunk beds for the kids on one wall and a dinette table/bed for the DW and I on the other. Built a small enclosed area for the porta potty behind the bunk beds and a kitchen area behind the dinette. It had the double doors in the back so I built a bumper extension for an AC and generator to sit on. Built a special storm door for the AC to blow through or have a screen door when the weather was decent. Had several great years and memories but the reality of being powered by a straight six going over a Colorado mountain pass at 10 mph made me realize it was time to buy a motorhome.

 

[briguy1981]

So good and bad news, good news it is is coming along, bad news is  . . .
Wait, its not that bad, she will adjust, I do however have to get her to not crawl under my leg and seat.  Hoping once I get the door a little quieter she won't do that anymore.  Luckily the collapsible bucket that I filled with water drained out all nice and neat,  and didn't touch the nice big dog bed that was laid out for her to be comfortable she didn't touch it for the 20 mile trip either.)

Took it out to my parents house and put 1/2 inch foil backed foam board with supported up with lathe (for some airflow) and 1x2's  front and back of floor are set on 1x4 with support running in various traffic places.  On top of the foam-board  I placed 1/2 plywood as a kind of sub floor.  Have some left over Pergo flooring that I got for really cheap that I might check and see if I have enough to cover the entire floor. Before doing that thought I am going to put down some sealant on top of the sub floor just to make sure it is sealed nice and neat.  The bottom is aluminum channel so that is good.

Since I don't have AC in the thing I looked a little at floor vents and want to explore that a little more.  Also looking at possibly setting up a pressurized water system so I don't have to worry about a pump or any of that.

Right now it is still at my parents house, going to pick it up tomorrow after going out with them and sisters family for Mothers day.

 

[Alfa38User]

Not sure if Pergo flooring vinyl based or not but do NOT use it if not vinyl. You will likely have to redo it as there is too much moisture in an RV which can lead to damage on a composite floor material.

 

[briguy1981]

Still trying to decide on the floor,  couple of weeks ago my defibrillator went off for the first time since I  got it in 2012.

Today I'm going to an Idaho camper van rally in Boise that I heard about last night.

 

[briguy1981]

Saw a lot of nice builds there , Took some pics for ideas and such.
The best one I saw was another Grunman step van where the guy put it in a 1 ton Ford chassis so it now has 4x, so far not much done other than a single swing back door, he said it's three feet wide. He wasn't able to figure out how to do double doors with a proper seal, so that was his solution.  I would still like double in the back though, pretty sure I can design or find a way to make it seal well.

 

[TheBar]

I never had trouble with my double doors sealing but the weather stripping is pretty standard stuff. With new stripping properly fitted it should be tight. It surprised me that if you drive with the back doors open the wind will come from the back and out the front windows instead of the other way around. If it rains it will suck the rain in too. Guess its the aerodynamics of that shape vehicle.  On my floor conversion I screwed down 1/2" plywood then vinyl tile over it. Easy and cheap. Good luck with your project.

 

[theLegionWithin]

Briguy, how'd your build turn out? I have a StepVan myself, a 1987 Ford Grumman (1 ton Ford E-350 chassis w/ Grumman body) that Ive been building (slowly lol) into an RV. been reading through the forums and found this post.

thus far I have insulated the floor - 1" foam board insulation & 1/2" plywood sheeting on top of that, also insulated/plywooded over the wheel wells, redid the cab (new seat, new seatbelt, sound deadening on the doghouse & in the floor pedals area, adhesive backed carpet on the doghouse & dash, repainted the instrument panel, ridged/grooved plastic mat on the floor in the cab, and a door mat I cut down in the floor pedals area), installed a pocket door to separate the cab and the living space, and I am now in the process of building an insulated bulkhead wall in front & behind the pocket door (so the door hides in the wall).

I am planning on having a freshwater tank & greywater tank inside (to prevent freezing), shower, composting toilet, stovetop & sink in the kitchen area, lounge/work area for my computer stuff (I'm in IT), chinese diesel heater (maybe AC for when I'm on shore power) and a fixed platform bed. I plan on covering the entire roof with residential sized solar panels & LiFePo4 battery bank & shore power - but all of that is in the future.

really interested in seeing how your StepVan turned out