radin2son

Welcome. DIY conversion or built to buy? Attach a photo or 2. Missed opportunity in ?? as very few companies built affordable NV camper conversions. Then it all ended with the demise of Nissan commercial vans.

Welcome. Business use or personal?

Mahu. Welcome back. From your last winter photos, I just assumed you parked it and went skiing. You put a lot of time and effort into the design and build. How did everything work out? Given your NV’s name, I reread Travels with Charlie. Good read to take traveling. Penguin Classics has reprinted most of Steinbeck’s novels and short stories. On a long library waiting list to read Log From the Sea of Cortez.

If your NV is AZ registered in an emissions required area, they will check the gas cap. If it fails, your NV fails and will have to come back for a retest. Emissions also will send you packing if the check engine light is on. They will restart the engine to bring it back up if you cleared it. Dust does trip the check engine light and it will stay on. You can clear it, but it will come back on the next time you start your van. Annoying but self healing. No related stalling. Similarly, codes for the purge flow and evap canister did not cause our NV ( older V8) to stall. Loose gas cap has come on (replaced once) but “no” gas cap doesn’t trigger the warning. Ever get gas, drive for a while and wonder what that is in your driver side mirror? Strangest was at a Border Patrol check point. The drug dog was working, and as we pulled away, an agent told us to stop. The gas cap was hanging out and he screwed it back in. “Have a nice day.” 3+ years is the norm for desert batteries. Dealer won’t cover this.

60 gallons = lots of showers.

Also sorry for your loss and concur with laf about carrying on with your trip plans. By all means, let me know when your plans include UT and AZ. We were just looking at the road into Horseshoe Canyon, west of Canyonlands between Green River and Hanksville, UT. Then, there is Rafael Swell… No available water so carry lots.

Welcome. Very few commercial users still around on this site. Mostly NVPs and camper conversions. A few 4x4 as well. Check out the Moto thread under Lounge - Off Topic.

Sportsmobile Fresno CA converted 30 NV 2500 standard and high top vans in 2011-13 to be sold by Nissan commercial dealerships. Failed venture. Sportsmobile is now located on Phoenix AZ. Pop top design is tried and true. Some would add tired. They no longer work on NVs so this is a moot point. Our NV was right out of the box 10 years ago, so it really wasn’t a project. If you are considering a pop top, Colorado Camper may be your only option. I am not familiar with the lift mechanism, but the roof shape is taller and there is a screened window on the back canvas.

10 years, 91,000 miles and 46 adventures in a Sportsmobile NV 2500. Just back from a trip from our home in the Sonora Desert, through the Mojave Desert to the Big Sur and to the Grand Canyon and back. 2500’ to sea level to 7000’. Normally, we don’t take winter trips or return that often to previous sites, but the weather forecast was favorable. Never got below 30* and no rain/snow. Only negative was “mandatory” reservations via Recreation.gov. Poor CG maps and both times we used it, campgrounds had only 1-2 sites available. Not true when we got there. Also, in order to pay online you need google chrome. Safari lets you reserve but you have to get on the phone and call. Apple Pay may work. Plaskett Creek CG and Sand Dollar Beach, Big Sur Hole-in-the-Wall CG, Mojave National Preserve Mather CG, Pine Loop, Grand Canyon.

Way more. There is a site that kept track of this for ?? and ?? . Van sales or something like that for large and small vans.

If you have the time, consider describing the merits of the “Titan” conversion and why you chose it over Quigley or Advanced. With luck, it may generate a sale.

NV Guide in the distant past and now Robert run the site. There is a “contact us” link. Probably no need as laf is the moderator.

HERvan and aztec. It depends on how quickly you want this resolved. None of the key fobs currently work, but the dealer may be able to reprogram the second OEM key fob? Or the problems will persist... Hope it comes down to reprogramming and the cost of a second key fob.

Good luck. Let us know what this cost. I changed, twice in 5 years, key fob batteries in my car with no ill effects. I hope the same is true for 10 year old Nissan key fobs. So far no need.

I am one of the 108 views and it should suggest we don’t have a clue. aztec will cringe at this, but take your van to a commercial dealer to get OEM key fobs (if the ones you bought aren’t), have them programmed and if needed hook up diagnostics. If you know a good independent shop, all the better.

Outside Vans (Portland, OR) are 1off builds and usually over the top Mercedes. Only one NV. Back in 2012, they were over $100k. Builder got it right about the cool colours. I like the functional layout. Colorado Camper Van is another good source for ideas. They listed NVs at one point. An interesting topic under conversions is “Magic.” A climbing couple built it. Interested to see how your van looks when in use. We are constantly taking out and putting gear away. It’s a never ending learning process.

Welcome. Great build. Reminds me of some of the Outside Van builds.

Camper out of a box. Just add gear, water and a campsite.

Sportsmobile (SMB) has built camper vans since 1961, first out of El Paso. 3 years later, relocated to Indiana. In 1990, expanded to California. NV conversions (30), built in Fresno, California were poorly marketed. We bought ours in 2012 with plans to keep it 10 years. Recently a hightop SMB NV was for sale ($45k) at their Austin, Texas facility. A great price given the solid build and extras. More than you asked for...

Builder, This may not help, but SMB uses marine grade plywood, and in NV builds, vinyl covering. Other flooring options available when setting up a build. The box in the photo is attached to the flooring, similar to the cabinets. On the outside is the external shower hookup. The bed platform form can be removed but the “couch” blocks passage.

SMB put a thin rubber coated wooden step over the OEM step. Wore thru in no time. Brushed on some bed liner and it’s holding up fine. SMB added a box behind the rear passenger side wheel well to hold jack etc. Same width as wheel well back to rear door and easy to get to without unloading a lot of stuff.

At some point, SVs went from chrome to black. S trim also black. 2016 has updated nav, for what it’s worth. If this is still the case, Nissan notifies owners around January that an updated card is available, but you will be better served with car play or whatever works best with your phone. Near as I can tell, there is no such thing as a Quigley forum. Quigley does have maintenance schedules posted on their site. When you order the parts, hope Quigley can help you find a good mechanic. Enjoy your van.

Financial reasons aside, makes you wonder why did Nissan give up on NVs? Great looking van! Expect lots of posts...

Big day! Hope all goes well.

Builder. If I recall correctly, Bates is/was the commercial sales or service manager at a dealership in BC. You may want to search, see if he still is and ask him.