This is the first of a series of instructables about the construction (in progress) of my stealth Toyota camper van.
The object of a stealth van is to be able to park anywhere, and blend in with other on-street vehicles. This way you can live in your van, and travel from city to city without paying for anything but gas!
The first thing about a stealth van is, you can't be able to see that someone is in it. And that means you need blackout curtains, so that you can have a light on at night without people seeing you.
Another important thing is keeping heat in in the winter, and out in the summer. So there are 2 main criteria for curtains in a stealth van:
- Good insulation value
- 100% Opaque
I do not want to hide in a dark van all day, so there is a 3rd I will add:
- Easy to install/remove
The object of a stealth van is to be able to park anywhere, and blend in with other on-street vehicles. This way you can live in your van, and travel from city to city without paying for anything but gas!
The first thing about a stealth van is, you can't be able to see that someone is in it. And that means you need blackout curtains, so that you can have a light on at night without people seeing you.
Another important thing is keeping heat in in the winter, and out in the summer. So there are 2 main criteria for curtains in a stealth van:
- Good insulation value
- 100% Opaque
I do not want to hide in a dark van all day, so there is a 3rd I will add:
- Easy to install/remove
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There's a material that suits these criteria perfectly! It is called "Reflectix" and is pretty cheap: $15 for a 10' x 24" roll. It's available at any Home Depot or similar store. The pictures on it even show uses that involve putting it in your van!
To get them on and off quickly and easily, nothing beats Velcro. At first I worried that Velcro would be considerably more expensive, because it has to go around the perimeter of the windows, but luckily, it turns out you don't need much. Save yourself a hassle and get the sticky-backed kind.
I got Velcro at Michaels', a craft store for $3.50 for 3 feet. I bought 9' because I didn't know how much I'll need to do the whole van. The 2 rear windows so far took about 1 and a half feet... looks like I overestimated?
To get them on and off quickly and easily, nothing beats Velcro. At first I worried that Velcro would be considerably more expensive, because it has to go around the perimeter of the windows, but luckily, it turns out you don't need much. Save yourself a hassle and get the sticky-backed kind.
I got Velcro at Michaels', a craft store for $3.50 for 3 feet. I bought 9' because I didn't know how much I'll need to do the whole van. The 2 rear windows so far took about 1 and a half feet... looks like I overestimated?
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Get the blue foam camp pads from walmart. It's that dense, thin foam you put under your sleeping bag.. Cut the foam to the exact shape of the window cavity but just a hair larger with an exacto knife. Use thin black felt, or thin black velvet to carefully cover the foam forms, applying spray adhesive to both cloth and foam as you go. Make neat, secure seams on the inside edges. These babies will see a lot of action. They stuff in the window cavity and need no additional support.
Benefits: Looks clean and neat in and out. Draws no attention (looks like dark tinting). Blocks 100% of light. Damps sound and helps retain heat on cold nights. Easy and fast blackout if you do your cutting accurately.
If all goes well I'll have pictures here.
Avoid using adhesive backed tapes or velcro. unless you put a small screw or tack in the center to keep it in place. You can always use a wooden dowel [ dont know what the flat sided types are called] and then screw the thin wood piece down at the center and ends and then line it with velcro and use a stapler or staple gun to secure the velcro.
Dont just block, deceive instead using optical tricks.
As far as those wanting a stealth van to live in and be inconspicuous. I knowsomeone that lived in van for 2 years and the neighbors;rent-a-cops and police just never knew or could confirm someone was actually in there.
ha ha even a few times the police circled vehicle looking in and could not see inside we'll enough [ but see just enough to convice them they are wrong and its probably empty. ]
The things I learned were, in big van use only a portion of vehicle for living space. This was a extended 15 passenger. To confuse and deter idiots that may look in while passing by 1st part stays empty or has empty utility shelves, lawn rakes, empty trash cans, empty boxes, fake fertilizer bags on floor etc.. or other things that make you think its a work van, but not anything expensive and worth breaking in to steal.
Blocking all the windows is a sure sign that your trying to hide something. and a key indicator that a vehicle is being lived in. Dont block everything, just use optical deception techniques.
Front windows and side driver/passenger windows, use opaque film that is pull across and retractable to stop anyone even during day from being able to look directly in , but yet maintaining the appearance that its just normal glare on the windows with a natural look. Dont just block, deceive instead using optical tricks.
Be consistent; . If your going to be parked in the same place many times; consistency is important. Black one day and light the next makes it obvious something has changed about the vehicle and draws attention.
Windows that are black one day and light the next is a problem unless vehicle is empty and nothing seen inside gives the appearance of being lived in. This can be used as a deceptive technique but can work against you also.
False walls. if you have a van create a false wall for your living area in the back; this is where you block windows. When you have tinted or opaque windows a false wall or stiff curtain is hard to spot especially when its deep in the back, same color as interior; or gray/white, black etc and has a seat, empty shelving rack etc in front of it that gives the appearance that is the back of the van or one of a row.
dogs: spray or get satchels of chemicals / herbs or other stuff that deters local dogs sniffing around the vehicle. This was a big problem as someone walking their mutt may come up on you when you do not know it and have the dog detect your presence and alert owner/walker someones probably inside.
anything that burns the nose or irritates it , but don't sniff around electronic methods work well too. Cant think of how many times a dumb mutt on a leash, coulda blew cover.
Blcking out windows if living in vehicle is a bad idea; onve again it reveals you have something to hide. using curtains or such not directly on the window creates a reflective surface that looks natural.
I could go on but those were some hints from experience.
When you think camper conversion......think boat technology.
same for batteries... use AGM batteries for dual systems, much betterfor many reasons than normal. , use led lighting. etc etc
i am on my 3rd conversion and have travelled most of Australia.
Chipboard MDF 19mm normal 20-30kg /sq/m
Plywood 10mm normal 8-10kg/sq/m.
Enjoy Trev downunder from eire :-)
http://www.vonslatt.com/bus-main.shtml
I did own a '88 toyota cargo van for a while that I would sleep in after windsurfing. It's pretty hard to beat those old 4 cyl. toyota engines, they'll run forever. It wasn't the most comfortable ride I've ever had, but the turning radius was awesome.
Can you take pictures during the day next time? That would help a ton.