This update covers progress from the start of the year through today. And to be honest… it’s been slow.
January and February were both extremely busy. Between brutal cold weather and two separate trips (a cruise and Hawaii), the van hasn’t gotten nearly the amount of attention I would’ve liked. That said, progress was made, just not at the pace I had originally hoped for.
The upper cabinet is officially installed.
This wasn’t as straightforward as I expected. It required a few small modifications to both the cabinet itself and the existing furring strips to get everything lined up correctly. Nothing major, just the usual “nothing fits perfectly the first time” type of adjustments.
It hasn’t been painted yet, and likely won’t be until the wall panels are finished — and there’s no hard date for that at the moment. For now, it’s functional, which is what matters.
I added additional insulation in a few areas that needed attention. After my earlier winter test trip, it became very clear that any small gap or thin spot becomes noticeable when temperatures drop.
Cold weather makes weaknesses obvious.
This round wasn’t glamorous work — just filling in areas that needed it — but it should help overall temperature control once the bed platform is in and the interior is more complete.
Most of the wood has now been cut for:
The kitchen galley
The desk
The bench seat
All of the wood for the bed frame has also been cut and is ready to go.
The plan is to assemble the bed frame very early in March. That’s priority number one. Getting off the air mattress permanently will be a massive upgrade — especially before any longer trips.
Between:
Freezing Midwest weather
A cruise
Hawaii
Regular life obligations
…it’s been difficult to stay consistent with build time.
There’s been forward motion, just not momentum.
That’s part of the process though. Not every phase is high output. Sometimes it’s just preparation.
March should bring more visible progress.
Here’s what’s on deck:
Additional wood cutting and full assembly of the bench seat and kitchen galley
Assembly of the bed frame
Installing a MOLLE wall and adding additional storage solutions
Preparing the van for a potential long-distance trip at the end of March
A San Francisco trip in early April (still undecided whether that will be flying or driving)
The goal over the next few weeks is simple: turn all the cut wood into actual structure.
Once the bed is built and the core furniture is in, the van will start feeling less like a project and more like something usable.
That's all for now.
PS: I know I haven't posted any update photos, mostly due to slow progress, but the next update post will have a few...