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debbiej
Samba Member
Joined: December 14, 2008
Posts: 1554
Location: las cruces, nm
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 Posted: Mon Apr 22, 2013 2:38 pm Post subject: |
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| About shoes: someone on samba once posted that they keep shoes in a Rubbermaid type underbed container. At destination, it is slid under van. Works like a shoe drawer. So you can drop shoes in upon entering, and get them out easily. We liked that idea and it is handy. |
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VANGAUX
Samba Member
Joined: May 25, 2008
Posts: 56
Location: Harrisonburg, VA
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| Posted: Mon Apr 22, 2013 2:51 pm Post subject: |
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| One more islander... wrote: |
This thread is full of really great ideas. We haven't put nearly as many nights into camping in the Westy as many of you, but we're doing our share. Storing small, loose stuff like shoes at night, or when you change from "outside boots" to "inside flipflops or whatever" while you camp is one of the real challenges. You don't want to put them "away," like in a locker, but you don't want them cluttering up the relatively valuable floor space, either.
| VANGAUX wrote: |
| We finally came up with a place to put our shoes---we cut a board that fits in front of the top bunk when it is closed. We spiral wrapped a bungee cord around the board and keep our shoes on top of the board. Since we do not sleep up top, we keep the top bunk folded and when we pop the top, we just lift the shoe board and slide it back. Then put other gear (backpacks, etc) up there for the night....Harold |
Picture, please, Harold? This sounds like an excellent solution!
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Kathy |
Below are pictures of our "shoe board" and after taking pictures of it, I realize it is getting pretty beat up. The board was a cheap covered particle board shelf that I cut to fit. On the bottom of it, I put 4 pieces of Velcro and the matching Velcro on the lip of the van to keep the board from shifting. I also put a piece of plastic on it to protect the roof of the van from dust or dirt from our shoes. On our trips we usually each bring a pair of hiking boots, sneakers and sandals.
Board in place with top down
Top up with board pushed back out of the way
Shoe board resting on rail--top up
Shoe board resting on rail -- top up
Shoe board showing plastic to protect roof of van
Backside of board showing how I attached bungee cord and plastic
Harold |
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VANGAUX
Samba Member
Joined: May 25, 2008
Posts: 56
Location: Harrisonburg, VA
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| Posted: Mon Apr 22, 2013 3:04 pm Post subject: |
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| randywebb wrote: |
| tell us about Thinlights - I only found picture frame stuff on their web site |
Oops, I spelled it wrong. It is Thin-Lite and I used three of the Thin-Lite 171 fixtures but that was way before LED became available. While the 171 is still available, I see that the company now makes the same type of fixture with LED's.
See: http://www.thinlite.com/
Harold |
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JPrato
Samba Member
Joined: December 15, 2006
Posts: 791
Location: Livonia, NY
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| Posted: Mon Apr 22, 2013 6:15 pm Post subject: |
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| kbeefy wrote: |
| 82WestyMan wrote: |
The one upgrade that was worth the $$$
Honda EU2000i |
I agree. I'm picking up a EU1000i for the syncro this spring. Not really bigger than an extra battery, and works when solar wont. And not any more expensive than a decent solar setup either.
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I was looking at Honda EU1000i too but came across this one. http://www.amazon.com/Ramsond-Sinemate-1500-Portab...d+Sinemate At half the price of the Honda, another 500 watts and good reviews I might just give it a try. As other have said, good for camping and handy to have around the home too!
_________________
Joe
87 Syncro Tin Top project
84 Westy, 2.5L Subaru power
06 Subaru 2.5 turbo in waiting
46 Cessna 140 |
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nemobuscaptain
Samba Member
Joined: March 07, 2002
Posts: 3874
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Vanagator
Samba Member
Joined: January 14, 2009
Posts: 230
Location: Cool lush mountains in Mexico
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| Posted: Mon Apr 22, 2013 7:37 pm Post subject: |
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You will find many posts on the samba for mods, etc. to help optimize you van. However, I will say from experience from our recent two year trip across the US, Mexico, Belize and Guatemala, that you must be comfortable with with basically living outdoors. The van is a very small place for two people to live extensively. 
As for cooking, we did most of our cooking weather permitted, outdoors on a camp stove, cleaned dishes in two plastic dish bins instead of using the small sink inside.
Mainly ate fresh vegetarian, without a fridge. Kept a cooler with ice for beer.
Maybe for our next trip I'll have the money for a 12 volt system with solar panels and a fridge!! |
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levi
Samba Member
Joined: February 11, 2005
Posts: 5522
Location: Las Vegas
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| Posted: Mon Apr 22, 2013 8:10 pm Post subject: |
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| nemobuscaptain wrote: |
What MPG does that 1.6NA get at 72 mph?  |
Re: 1.6 na at 72 mph.
72 mph!!
LM *f* A O!!!
_________________
One of these days I'm gonna settle down,
but till I do I won't be hangin round.
Going down that long lonesome highway,
gonna see life my way
https://youtu.be/cSrL0BXsO40 |
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jackbombay
Samba Member
Joined: October 19, 2007
Posts: 2723
Location: Eastern Idaho
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| Posted: Mon Apr 22, 2013 8:22 pm Post subject: |
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| nemobuscaptain wrote: |
| jackbombay wrote: |
| Thats pretty optimistic, not impossible, but a 2002-2006 long tall at 65 MPH gets a pretty consistent 24-25 MPG... but my westy got 39 MPG at 55 MPH.. At 72 in my sprinter I get 21-22 mpg. |
39 MPG? With what engine? I've never heard that even from a 1.6 NA.
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A AHU E-TDI, with TALL tires and wheels, taller 3rd and 4th, and an air cooled tranny for a taller final drive and I eliminated the luggage bin for better aerodynamics, and the van had carat springs so it sat lower for less air drag.
As mentioned previously, all speeds and distances were GPS verified and every time I filled up I filled till there was liquid diesel right to the top of the filler neck so there was zero "fill error". Over 1400 miles I averaged 38 MPG so this was not a "1 tank fluke".
1.6 diesels are not as efficient as TDIs, so while they make less power, they don't do as well on fuel.
This thread has more info on my bangin' MPGs 
_________________
Gas struts to pop your top easily!
Pop Top strut kits now available for late Bay window Westies
Samba ad here.
DIY artificial rain gutters (ARGs) |
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akyrie
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2010
Posts: 519
Location: Driftless, Wisco
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| Posted: Fri Apr 26, 2013 5:01 am Post subject: |
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^^38 mpg is BANGIN!
My family lived out of our 86 van converted to pop top for 5 months in 2011. 2 kids and 2 adults. We were saving money to put a down payment on a house, yay.
I would suggest having a backup system for transportation, at least a bicycle or skateboard. This will allow easier parts getting if you break down. I am thinking of buying a little 70's honda 49cc moped that gets put on the back swing gate.
_________________
Although I got a funny message from the Porsche guys, it read, "what a mighty ship that you must sail"
....has anyone else received that?
82 AHU DK, 1950's Puch-black |
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One more islander...
Samba Member
Joined: May 14, 2010
Posts: 399
Location: Canada: British Columbia West Coast
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| Posted: Fri Apr 26, 2013 10:17 am Post subject: |
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| VANGAUX wrote: |
| We finally came up with a place to put our shoes---we cut a board that fits in front of the top bunk when it is closed. We spiral wrapped a bungee cord around the board and keep our shoes on top of the board. Since we do not sleep up top, we keep the top bunk folded and when we pop the top, we just lift the shoe board and slide it back. Then put other gear (backpacks, etc) up there for the night....Harold |
| One more islander wrote: |
Picture, please, Harold? This sounds like an excellent solution!
---
Kathy |
Below are pictures of our "shoe board" and after taking pictures of it, I realize it is getting pretty beat up. The board was a cheap covered particle board shelf that I cut to fit. On the bottom of it, I put 4 pieces of Velcro and the matching Velcro on the lip of the van to keep the board from shifting. I also put a piece of plastic on it to protect the roof of the van from dust or dirt from our shoes. On our trips we usually each bring a pair of hiking boots, sneakers and sandals.
Shoe board showing plastic to protect roof of van
Definitely an different idea--nice use of space! Thanks, Harold.
Last edited by One more islander... on Fri Apr 26, 2013 10:17 am; edited 1 time in total |
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vanagonjr
Samba Member
Joined: October 07, 2010
Posts: 3431
Location: Dartmouth, Mass.
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| Posted: Fri Apr 26, 2013 10:17 am Post subject: |
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| debbiej wrote: |
| About shoes: someone on samba once posted that they keep shoes in a Rubbermaid type underbed container. At destination, it is slid under van. Works like a shoe drawer. So you can drop shoes in upon entering, and get them out easily. We liked that idea and it is handy. |
I believe that was me. The Rubbermaid container was actually one of their low Roughneck storage boxes. (You made need to check fit if you have a Carat)
_________________
John - 86 Wolfsburg Westfalia "Weekender"
Flint reversed 1.8T W/Passat 5-Speed
LiMBO (late model bus club) www.limbobus.org
LiMBO is on Facebook too! https://www.facebook.com/groups/
FAQ thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=525798 |
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debbiej
Samba Member
Joined: December 14, 2008
Posts: 1554
Location: las cruces, nm
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| Posted: Fri Apr 26, 2013 10:22 am Post subject: |
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| Well, love your idea! |
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scruffyboy
Samba Member
Joined: December 21, 2004
Posts: 170
Location: San Francisco, Ca
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| Posted: Tue Apr 30, 2013 4:53 pm Post subject: My 2 cents worth... |
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I lived in my van for about 5 months out of the year for the last 4 years. I was working out at "That Thing In The Desert" (You probably know the event by other names) And that's a pretty harsh environment, what with triple digit heat and major dust storms. Suffice it to say the van needed some work initially but everything was operational when I got it. Staying organized seemed to be the biggest issue (that and all the DUST!) Surprisingly? I didn't have all that much trouble with the stock fridge but I did make sure that the van was shaded and operated off shore power as much as possible. What surprised me the most was just how capable the van was off-road. It certainly has a LOT more ground clearance than a lot of SUV's. Hygiene & sanitation just took some creative solutions.
"Westy" is currently undergoing mechanical restoration at the hands of Bob Hays in Sand City (Monterey) And I'm hoping to keep him on the road for another 20some years. The van has proven to be a real trooper and far more capable than I ever would have thought possible. |
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