It’s DONE! After 18 months and a lot of interesting design challenges and cursing, every last little feature has been completed. My last van build post was in May. I stopped posting to focus on the build. I do plan on adding more posts, but wanted to get this tour post up.
The Lorax equipment list
Check out the walkthrough video first. Spec list is below.
Built on a new 2019 Ford Transit Cargo Van.
Off-road package
QuadVan four-wheel-drive conversion with F150 transfer case and front driveshafts, Detroit Trutrac front and rear limited slip differentials, 2 inch lift, locking hubs for on-the-fly engagement of four-wheel-drive
Bilstein B6 performance shocks on the front, Fox Shocks and Van Compass helper springs on the rear
Van Compass front receiver hitch and winch mount
Smitty Bilt 15.5k winch with synthetic line and remote control
BFGoodrich KO2 245/16 off-road tires
Shortened rear shock mounts for improved clearance
Van Compass intercooler skid plate
QuadVan transmission skid plate
Diode Dynamics lightbar
Onboard Viair 400P air compressor
HiLift jack with Life-mate attachment
MaxTraxx recovery pads
50’ synthetic line, 2x tree saver straps, line recoil dampener, snatch block, 3x bow shackles
Lighting system
Exterior porch light, rear light, and driver side light
Upper and lower LED strip lighting with premium diffusers, fully dimmable
Gooseneck adjustable task lighting at the passenger seat, bench seat, and both sides of the bed
Living room LED puck light
Galley
High-capacity 147L Victrifrigo stainless steel refrigerator with external compressor for enhanced efficiency and greater space, true freezer compartment to keep even ice cream solid
Dometic three burner stainless steel propane stove and oven. Unusual to find an over in a vehicle of this size.
14” stainless sink with Moen pulldown faucet
Stowable stainless steel backsplash
Stainless steel heatshield over stove
Built-in spice rack for rattle free storage
Ample storage including three large shallow drawers, two small utensil drawers, two deep drawers, and two overhead cabinets
Stainless steel countertop for durable and easy maintenance
Additional food prep surfaces using two tables and the stainless steel bath cabinet countertop
Microwave concealed in overhead cabinet
5.9 gallon propane tank for months of cooking and hot water between refills
Heating, ventilation, and cooling
Full insulation using Thinsulate and Dynamat for a quiet and insulated ride
No exposed metal surfaces, thermal barriers between all metal and the interior
Maxxair deluxe fan with programmable controls, temperature sensing, and remote control
Cruise N Comfort DC air conditioner with digital thermostat, which will run all night on batteries without a generator
Webasto cabin heater with programmable thermostat, runs off of the vehicle fuel tank
Sliding windows on each side of the bed for cooling airflow while sleeping in hot climates
Additional sliding windows over galley and on sliding door
6” x 6” floor vent at rear of vehicle for airflow when all windows are closed, such as in stormy or unsecure conditions. Vent is controlled with a level in the bed area.
Van paint is Ford’s Arctic White, which is 30% more efficient at reflecting sun than any other color
Magnetic awnings for rear windows to allow windows to be opened in the rain
Insulated, blackout window covers for all windows
Insulated sleeping curtain for efficient cooling in the sleeping area at night
Bathroom
Natures Head composting toilet. No black water tank, 3 to 6 weeks between cleanouts. Odor and trouble-free.
Stainless steel shower pan with FRP walls, sit down shower, easy cleaning and maintenance
Infinite recycling of hot water for long hot showers.
Sit down shower frees up interior space over a full standup bathroom
Bedroom
Nearly queen-size bed at 57” x 76”
Three layer latex mattress with Sunbrella cover
Ample headroom for two people to sit up in bed
Dual reading lights, USB and AC outlets
Bathroom accessible at night with the removal of a cushion
Overhead TV mount
High strength tie down points and safety harness allow for safer bed use while underway. Still not as safe as 3 point harness with airbags, but if sleeping while underway is necessary, safety is improved.
Bed can be used during the day for napping by sleeping left/right instead of front/back. Helpful when someone is sick or wants to nap while keeping the rest of the van usable for cooking, working and lounging. A privacy curtain can darken the space as well.
Living room
Two-person bench seat with lap belts
Colorful, durable Sunbrella upholstery
Both driver and passenger seats swivel to create a four-person living space
4’ x 5’ open floor space, great for dancing or just moving around while cooking.
Two Lagun mount bamboo hardwood tables, large and small, for dining or working. Both tables have extra mounting plates to adjust from seated to standing height
Built in laptop rack with nearby charging ports
Large sliding windows for enjoyable passenger experience while driving or hanging out
Premium Audio system
Pioneer AVH 4500 touchscreen stereo with support for wireless Apple CarPlay, backup camera, vehicle gauges
500 W Alpine amplifier
JL Audio 10 inch subwoofer
Morel component speakers in the driving compartment
Rear facing Morel speaker for premium listening experience in the living room
Auxiliary input supports audio playback from laptops, TVs
SD card supports playback of lossless WMA or AFLAC files for home audio quality
Audio is powered by the coach batteries for extended use while parked
Alarm and remote start
Viper alarm system with remote start, 4 2way key fobs
Proximity sensor
Tilt sensor
Shock sensor
Remote vehicle location, door lock, voltage monitoring via the Viper phone app
Storage
More storage than any other van this size with these features.
10 feet of overhead cabinets on the driver side
6 feet of overhead cabinets on the passenger side
Large overhead cabinet over the cab
Two large drawers under the bench seat
Three large drawers under the oven
Huge amount of storage in the garage area which currently accommodates one full-size mountain bike, one folding bike, two-person kayak with paddles and lifejackets, two sets of backpacking gear, tools, off-road recovery gear, snorkeling gear, six person tent, picnic table, two lawn chairs, and two burner propane stove
Electrical system
600 amp hours of LifeBlue lithium iron phosphate batteries. Bluetooth enabled BMS for detailed information on battery health.
Battery heater with thermostat for charging in freezing conditions.
560 W of rooftop solar, with Victron MPPT charge controller. Extension cord for 2 100W external flexible solar panels.
Heavy duty 250 amp alternator for rapid recharge of the large battery bank
Central DC control panel for easy management of all DC loads. Behind the hinged control panel are fuses for all loads.
Victron Multiplus 3000 W inverter/charger
Victron BMV 712 battery monitor
Victron BP100 to monitor and shut off DC loads when batteries are low
SeeLevel tank monitor – shows levels for propane, fresh, and grey water tanks.
Eight AC outlets in the garage area, underneath the vehicle by the sliding door, on both sides of the bed, microwave cabinet, kitchen cabinet, galley countertop, and the electronics cabinet. The galley and bath AC outlets are GFCI.
5 DC and USB outlets on either side of the bed, galley countertop, electronics cabinet, and underneath the vehicle by the sliding door. USB outlets are “smart”, and a full 2.4 A per port.
Conduit runs for most areas of vehicle for easy maintenance and upgrades. Two rooftop junction boxes.
Plumbing system
40 gallons fresh water for extended stays in remote areas
2 stage filtration system down to .5 microns
3gpm Shurflo pump with tank for smooth water flow and limited pump cycling
Excel on demand tankless ventless propane hot water heater. Up to 38 hours of instant hot water on the 5.9 gallon propane tank while consuming no energy on standby.
15 gallon grey water tank. Dump handle is by galley window for convenient dumping while inside or outside of the vehicle.
All plumbing other than grey water tank is located inside the vehicle for cold weather camping. Grey water tank is heated in winter.
Fresh water fill options using onboard pump:
Pure pressured city water, no filter necessary
Dirty pressured water, run through filter first
Pure bottled water, no filter necessary
Dirty water from lakes, streams, etc, run through filter first
Internet and wi-fi
Electronics cabinet for central installation of vehicle connectivity solutions
Pepwave Max Transit Duo Neo router. Same system used by trains and buses. Creates an in-vehicle wi-fi network for all devices to connect to. Connects to both Verizon and ATT networks via MiMo antennas using unlimited data plans for throughput and redundancy.
Cradlepoint 9 in 1 rooftop antenna. Maximizes existing cellular and wifi signal reception.
WeBoost Drive Reach cellular booster with the OTR truckers antenna on a fold down mount for marginal cellular conditions.
Safety and maintenance
Audiovox rear view mirror – replaces the stock Ford mirror with a rear view camera display that is always on
CO2 and propane sensors in 2 locations, wired to DC system
Nearly seamless, durable vinyl floor with 2” rim to prevent spills and leaks from penetrating into the subfloor
Bed and bench seat fabricated out of steel, through bolted through floor and into walls with grade 8 hardware and large backing plates
Water tank through bolted through floor with large 3/16” steel backing plates and grade 8 hardware
Galley through bolted through floor
Battery bank through bolted through floor
All holes and cuts in sheet metal painted prior to assembly
Undercoating and sealant applied under vehicle to all through floor assemblies
All wiring and connectors are marine grade, loomed, placed in conduit and otherwise secured against chafing and corrosion.
All wiring is sized according to ABYC standards for load
All circuits, both AC and DC are fused or breakered
Ford OEM holes in roof have been treated for leak resistance