I have been thinking about a van conversion for several years. I had looked at the larger vans and other minivans but kept hesitating until I visited a Mercedes dealership last month. The Metris fits my needs better than anything else I have encountered. I need to haul 4 x 8 sheets of plywood, sheetrock, doors and other stuff home from the hardware store, and I need to solo camp for month long trips.
My camping design point is not a small house but, instead, a bear-proof tent (I plan on visiting Alaska someday for its awesome national parks). I have done a lot of camping over the years and want an easy set-up (getting lazier in my "old" age). I plan to use multiple jugs with stopcocks for drinking and cooking water. Cooking will be via a propane stove with a Whisperlight backpacking stove (white gas) for backup. A cooler running on DC 12 v power and some LED lighting is my main electrical requirement. No bathroom beyond a solar shower and emergency use cassette toilet.
I have decided to go with the 135-wheelbase cargo van, a pop top roof, a tailgate with window, aftermarket windows that open, comfort seats (lumbar support) with aftermarket swivel base, 17 inch wheels, cruise control, auxiliary battery, and the 190 v alternator.
I have been reading the posts on batteries, bodybuilder, and wiring to understand what the bodybuilder option gets me. Still confused. I also don't know if I need the A/C enhancement. I live in Texas so August means triple digit heat.
I plan to build my own cabinetry but get the pros to add the pop top and windows. Thank you for all of the posts on outfitters and aftermarket products.
I tend to design with graph paper, pencil, and big eraser before a mockup with cardboard boxes before implementation. Right now, I have a lot of ideas but need my actual vehicle to finalize a design.
Any comments on what I have posted so far will be considered helpful.
My camping design point is not a small house but, instead, a bear-proof tent (I plan on visiting Alaska someday for its awesome national parks). I have done a lot of camping over the years and want an easy set-up (getting lazier in my "old" age). I plan to use multiple jugs with stopcocks for drinking and cooking water. Cooking will be via a propane stove with a Whisperlight backpacking stove (white gas) for backup. A cooler running on DC 12 v power and some LED lighting is my main electrical requirement. No bathroom beyond a solar shower and emergency use cassette toilet.
I have decided to go with the 135-wheelbase cargo van, a pop top roof, a tailgate with window, aftermarket windows that open, comfort seats (lumbar support) with aftermarket swivel base, 17 inch wheels, cruise control, auxiliary battery, and the 190 v alternator.
I have been reading the posts on batteries, bodybuilder, and wiring to understand what the bodybuilder option gets me. Still confused. I also don't know if I need the A/C enhancement. I live in Texas so August means triple digit heat.
I plan to build my own cabinetry but get the pros to add the pop top and windows. Thank you for all of the posts on outfitters and aftermarket products.
I tend to design with graph paper, pencil, and big eraser before a mockup with cardboard boxes before implementation. Right now, I have a lot of ideas but need my actual vehicle to finalize a design.
Any comments on what I have posted so far will be considered helpful.