Camper Van Update 2023 •

In February of 2020, I bought a 1988 Ford camper van, a Class B RV. I chose this type of vehicle to travel in for a few reasons. And if you haven’t already, you can check out the blog post where I wrote about exactly what made me choose this camper van.

After having the van for a few months, I wrote about the first van update and the progress that had been made on the camper van. If you haven’t read that blog post, or need to refresh your memory, you can read it here.

Now, it’s been almost 3 years since I purchased the van and an update on it is definitely needed! A lot has happened and not happened during the last update, so let me explain.

Van Update Recap

First, shortly after purchasing the camper van, the world decided to shut down. We were all living in a pandemic and with the scares of COVID. That did give me a sense of worry and uncertainty but I still continued to work on the van.

Secondly, I am relying on friends and family and myself to get my camper van road ready. And sometimes that isn’t always the fastest way to go about getting things done. But for me, it has been the best (and cheapest) way. I’m frugal, remember?

One thing hasn’t changed though, my plans are to still travel full-time or nearly full-time in Virgie! Oh, yeah! I don’t think I‘ve mentioned that I finally decided on a name for the camper van. I mean, every awesome van needs a name, right? Well, I went with Virginia, aka, Virgie, because I’m from Virginia, she same from Virginia, and Virgie the Van just has a nice ring to it, am I right? Anyways, my goal is to get on the road this year (2023) and start to see some of this beautiful country I’ve lived in for 33 years but haven’t gotten to really explore.

So, let’s get to the updates that have happened since I last filled you in. Again, if you haven’t read that blog post, I recommend that you read that one first.

Interior Progress

The inside of the van is now painted white, the cabinets, walls, everything. For the hardware, I chose a matte black color. Again, in this blog post, I share exactly what products I used to paint the camper van.

After painting the inside of the van, my dad and I installed a peel-and-stick vinyl flooring that a friend had left over from another project. It is a gorgeous dark wood color and is a great contrast to the white walls and cabinets. The trim around the flooring however, is something that we have yet to install. It’s a work in progress!

Aside from cosmetic updating, there have been a few issues with a leaky toilet. Thankfully, my dad was able to figure out the issue. I ordered the part online and it was a quick fix. The water and toilet are now currently working in the camper van. And I believe we have figured out the electrical issues that kept us puzzled and constantly scratching our heads with confusion for months.

I Broke My Bed!

A camper van update that was also needed was a new board for the back booth seat that folds into a bed, since the table that went back there was not sold with the van. I had a large desk that was made for me years ago but had since been taken apart. I decided that we could reuse the wood from the desk for the wood slat needed for the back bed/booth. Let’s just say, that was a total fail. The wood from the desk was actually lots of slim pieces glued together. So when I sat down on the wood, it broke completely in half! Talk about embarrassing! So finally, a good, strong piece of wood was found and used. So far, it’s holding up just fine.

There were also some metal holes in the floor where a leg of a table would have gone. Unfortunately, the tables couldn’t be found so I had no use for the metal holes. My dad and my sister’s boyfriend took the metal out and my dad and I cut out wooden circles to fill the holes so the floor would be flush and smooth again. So far, the floor is holding up!

A Leaky Van

The camper van has a space over the cab that can be used as a bed as well. It has some windows up there but had some water damage around them. My dad was able to take out the windows and replace the wall where the damage had been done. He did one window and later, I helped him with the other one. The second one however, didn’t want to go back into its rightful place. Finally, my dad made it fit. Then as I was closing up the windows for the day, I noticed one slid shut one way and the last one we had placed back in slid the other way. We had installed the last one upside down. But since it was such a pain getting them back into place (of course, it was upside down!) it was decided not to turn it the right way.

Well, it rained soon after our window reinstallation. And because the window was upside down, that somehow allowed water to come in at the bottom. We were forced to take the window out and make it right. After doing that, I went around every window and possible seal I could think of, inside and out, with a silicone sealant, and sealed and waterproofed them. I haven’t had a leak since, knock on wood.

I’ve Got Gas

One last camper van update that I’m going to make to the inside, and well, outside to the van is the propane gas tanks. The old propane tank currently sits underneath the van by the side running boards. It is an old tank. The metal holding it is rusty and it’s just not an ideal spot to try to refill or switch out tanks. So my dad, the brilliant man he is, thought about taking the generator out, which I wasn’t planning on using, that is located in a compartment on the outside of the van, and placing two small propane tanks there instead. It’s easier to get to and will make it easier for me to fill or switch out. The generator is out. Now all that we need to do is reroute the gas lines and put some tanks in there.

Okay, so now that I’ve gotten you up to speed on the interior of the camper van, let’s take a deep breath and prepare ourselves for the mechanical issues that I’ve faced with ol’ Virgie.

Mechanic Issues and Progress

Since I first purchased the camper van, the mechanical issues have been a dark cloud that has constantly hovered over me with the project. Virgie sat for years and I’m no mechanic but I know that isn’t good for any vehicle. So with that, there have been mechanical issues that I’ve had to deal with.

I mentioned the fuel tanks in the first update I wrote. And my dad ended up taking the tank out, cleaning it, and also replacing a fuel pump. All of the tires have also been replaced on the van as well as a new alternator, muffler repair, and a few other parts that I am sure I’m forgetting. After the van left us on the side of the road once and at a hardware store another time, we realized that the ignition module also needed to be replaced. Thankfully, my sister’s boyfriend came to the rescue both times we were left stranded. And we soon had that issue fixed.

What Brakes?

The brakes have also been worked on a few times. The last time I really got to drive the camper van, I was coming down a back road (thankfully) and was doing about 20-25MPH. I went to hit the brakes to slow down for the upcoming stop sign and the brake pedal hit the floor. I had no breaks! Luckily nothing was coming and I eventually came to a stop. I did have the emergency brake, so I let my dad drive it home so he could use the emergency brake to stop us when needed. Again, thankfully we were only a few miles from home. That was so scary and I was so incredibly lucky that day!

Another less terrifying issue that I have had to deal with on the camper van is the windows, specifically the front driver’s and passenger window. The driver’s side window motor decided to give up on me one evening when the rain had begun to fall. And naturally, I had the windows down on the van. Then this past year, the passenger’s side window decided to do the same, although I can’t recall if it was raining when I discovered the motor on that window had given up that day. With my luck, it probably was.

Thank God for my dad and his patience with me and this van! He has been so helpful through it all and the fixer of most of these issues!

A Positive Camper Van Update

Now on a more positive note, there have been some wins for Ol’ Virgie the Van. She looks so much better after all of the interior work that’s been done. And after several trips to the local mechanic, (shout out to Billy), and all of the DIY mechanical repairs, the camper van is running a lot better too!

My dad and I also took the van out to a local government-run museum, just for a little test drive, actually before the brake fiasco. Anyways, this time, the van did great! We put out the awning, made coffee, and chatted with everyone that stopped by to see us. I believe my dad really enjoyed that evening out with the van and I know that I certainly did. That is what it’s all about, moments like that that Virgie helps to bring into fruition. That little moment with friends and family gathered around the van, admiring her and chatting with us, made my heart hopeful for travel and human connection again.

So, after this big update of ups and downs, the good and the bad, basically a rollercoaster ride these past few years with the camper van, I find myself wondering, “Is it really worth it? Should I continue pursuing this crazy dream?” And although I wrestle with these questions almost daily, I think the answer is, yes. It is absolutely worth it because if not now, when? To quote one of my favorite movies, The Titanic, “I figure life’s a gift and I don’t intend on wasting it.” So if you have some dream that you want to pursue, here’s your sign to do it. Go be wild and crazy and live a life that makes you happy. After all, it is your life.