Help me retrofit my camper an into race support camper an.

I have a 1990 Ford E250 Coachman camper van that we've owned for 11 years and I know wish to make redo it as a service van camper van.

Here are the nuisance issues:

The toilet is smack dab in the middle of aisle back by the rear doors. I've put up with it and the it's only been used once.

The bathtub is in the left rear corner, I currently have an upholstered piece of plywood over the tub which I then stack my plastic tubs with race supplies.

There is no coach A/C, I live in the desert and a roof A/C is a no go because installing one means the van won't fit in the tunnel that goes under the track. Not being able to use the tunnel means waiting for the gate to open at the end of the day. 

No generator.....this means no A/C. The van as a hole in it for the generator that's configured as a storage compartment.

The sink is in the way of one of the double side doors making it kind of pointless to have double doors. The sink cabinet is part of the stove top cabinet.

My thoughts and or plan:

Move the tub over the wheel well and move the toilet were the tub is.

Use one of those portable A/C units and have the vent hose go out the side or top of van. The other alternative is to saw a hole in the side and mount a window A/C unit.

Find a used Onan which I've heard aren't so great or install a portable generator in the back corner which would probably be rather loud if you're trying to sleep. Most straight forward thing to do would be a small portable generator, one big enough to run the A/C

Move the sink where the stove top is and keep a Colman camp stove in the van for just in cases moments and when it's nice out. Having a generator would make it possible to use the microwave.

Before anyone mentions get a 24ft enclosed trailer note my van won't tow that and the slab on the side of my house will only accommodate my small single axle trailer.

Any thoughts, ideas or opinions will be much appreciated (especially by anyone who's done a custom configuration)

what you seem like you want to do would take me years to finish.

well a long time anyway.  can you trade for one that fits you better.

Would hiding an air conditioner in a lower compartment help?  Allen his one down low on his bus in this thread: https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/build-projects-and-project-cars/sanford-the-great-a-1956-ford-b-600-rv/110219/page1/

I don't own a camper van, but have quasi converted my 6x12 cargo to sleep in, so I might be able to help a bit.  And, although it's trailer specific, the Teardrops n. Tiny Travel Trailers site is full of ideas.  Check out the cargo trailer section for some of the cool stuff these guys have done in very small spaces.

For power, I'd buy the most powerful inverter/generator you can afford.  They are really quiet and small enough to just set on the ground next to the van.  I have the Ryobi 2000 watt one.  Honda's are the premier, but come at a cost.  Supposedly, the new HF ones are really nice.  A 3000 watt one would probably do everything you need it to.  We were lucky in that most tracks offered power for under $20 a weekend and would often use that, too.

If you're using it mainly for the track, I'd ditch the tub and, possibly, the toilet and just use the ones at the track.  If they don't have any kind of shower facilities, a solar shower and a pop up shower tent would take care of most things.  I still had a portable toilet for those late night "excursions".  That would free up space and complexity to do other things with the camper. 

Microwaves are nice, but we found that just cooking on a grill next to the trailer satisfied us for the weekend.  Just a big cooler to keep everything fresh. 

On my trailer, I cut a hole in the front for a window A/C unit because it seemed like everyone I knew with a roof mount was replacing them every year (or spending a bunch on them) because they'd break.  Plus, they are NOT cheap.  I made a cover for the hole and just pull the A/C unit in when traveling and push it out when we get to the track.  Started with a 5000 BTU model, but a black trailer in Texas and it had troubles keeping up.  Stepped up to a small 8k BTU one and it'll keep the trailer like an ice box. 

-Rob

Check out some of the build threads here on GRM:

Java230's F450

Toyman's Sanford

Petrolburner's E450

​​​​​​​I'm sure there are some more that I missed.

Thanks guys it never occurred to check the build threads..........doh.

As of yesterday I've decided an A/C unit is going were the microwave, mainly because I've discovered the microwave is dead. The cooking chores will now be taken care of by Coleman cook stove and or grill.