Van Build (2018-2019)
Baby Blue is a stock 1993 Chevy G20 van, originally upfitted by Mark III Conversions with a custom paint job and “luxury” interior package that included hardwood trim, plush upholstery, and drink coolers at each seat. The Mark III interior of mahogany, mood lighting, pale blue carpet and upholstery was gutted down to bare metal floor and fiberglass hightop roof, and redesigned/ reconfigured as a camper using material scavenged from old projects, studio furniture, family garages and storage units. Whenever possible, pieces of trim and fabric from the original 1993 conversion were repurposed for drawer pulls and other components of the final build. The design includes 200 watts of roof-mounted solar panels that power a 12-volt DC electrical system (including AC plugs for 120v appliances,) a water pump, refrigerator, roof fan/vent, vacuum, and LED lighting.
1993 was the height of the popularity of conversion vans like those upfitted by companies such as Mark III, based in Ocala, Florida. Soon SUVs and Minivans would eclipse the ubiquity of these family vacation vehicles (family TV den on wheels) whose driving dynamics Jalopnik.com describes as “stuck somewhere between Model T and Conestoga wagon.” I purchased Baby Blue from the second owner with a miraculous 40,000 miles on the original Chevy small block V8 engine, and was implored to keep it in original condition, as it was a classic. All of the original paperwork was included in a storage compartment, including this certificate signed by the craftspeople at Mark III, from the seamstresses to the shipping inspector. Mark III would eventually file for bankruptcy in 2001.
FEATURES:
︎ Two roof-mounted 100-watt Renogy solar panels
︎ 20 amp MPPT solar charge controller
︎ 125 amp-hour AGM deep cycle battery (plus expansion space for a second battery)
︎ 1500 watt pure sine wave inverter (AC power)
︎ 20 liter Alpicool refrigerator
︎ MAXXair roof vent fan
︎ USB + 12volt charging ports
︎ Dimmable overhead LED lights
︎ Indirect/concealed color-changing LED strip lights
︎ 5 gal freshwater storage / 5 gal graywater
︎ Sink/faucet with 12 volt water pump
︎ 12 volt vacuum (”dustbuster”)
︎ Storage (overhead, underbed, drawers)
︎ Flip-down desk mounted on 100lb drawer glide supports
PROCESS:
