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astro/safari right for me?

1K views 2 replies 3 participants last post by  Big_kid 
#1 ·
First of all, greetings to y'all and tia for any info you care to pass my way...

Here's my situation: I recently sold my house and am living in an apt. I want to buy real estate about 60 miles from my place of employment (a major university) and am looking for a stealth vehicle that I can modify to house me during my work week. My current apt. has a small garage that will house an approx. 19' long vehicle. It's not necessary to build a self contained living unit, but only one that's non-descript (my employer frowns upon rv's parked on its grounds) that's safe and warm enough (NE part of USA) for me to sleep in Tuesday - Thursday. Since my employer has cafeterias and shower facilities, all I'll need is warm/cool sleeping quarters w/storage although I would like to have a cassette toilet, fridge, microwave, and a dvd/tv. Security is also a priority.

My questions are: 1) What to look for in a used vehicle, i.e. what goes wrong? 2) Has anyone here modified an astro/safari cargo for camping? If so, was the result worth the cost? 3) AWD vs. RWD? 4) Can the windows of a non-cargo van be tinted enough to stop peering or is it necessary to paint them or install pull down curtains? And 5) sources for inverters, batteries, heating units.

Again, tia for anyone who cares to respond.
 
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#2 ·
Welcome to the site Jon.

All I can do for you is explain what a Astro/Safari van might do for your needs.

I suggest you find a high top conversion van the is a RWD version.The RWD's do get better gas mileage and the high top

is going to take some of that away,but for comfort the high top is a benefit for sure.I can almost stand up in mine.Look

for a later yr van like 1996 or later.I suggest you do a search on E-bay to get a feel is the costs is within your budget.

I would think sooner or later your job is going to catch on that you are staying in the van and have a problem.

If it where me,would move closer to the job.
 
#3 ·
I have a 1000 watt continuous inverter in my work van. I believe the name is X-power or something similar. It came from Costco just after Hurricane Isabel (2003). I used 4 gauge cable to install it, and it's held up well. Lately I've been getting faults with it, but I think it's what I've been plugging into it.

Welcome, and good luck with your stealth home away from home.
:chevy:
 
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