The Build Journal
Every bolt, every bracket, every mistake — documented. This is the living record of turning a stock 2005 Astro into something worth sleeping in.
Spring 2023
A stock 2005 Chevy Astro cargo van, 4.3L V6, 2WD, AWD-converted-back, rust-free BC body. We bought it from a retired contractor in Abbotsford who'd babied it for 80,000 km. The bones were good. The vision was rough.
Summer 2023
Before we touched anything cosmetic, the van needed to be mechanically bulletproof. Full tune-up, intake gaskets, radiator, water pump, full brake overhaul, new starter, all fluids. Boring work. Essential work.
Fall 2023
The big one. JOR Manufacturing 7" lift with extended torsion keys, drop brackets, and matching shocks. Paired with an Eaton Truetrac limited-slip diff in the rear. Yes, it's still 2WD. Yes, it still goes places.
Winter 2024
Every steering and suspension component getting replaced with Moog parts — tie rods, ball joints, idler arm, pitman, control arm bushings. Once it's lifted, you want zero slop in the wheel.
Spring 2024
Custom-fabricated front bumper with a Smittybilt X2O 10K winch, plus a low-profile aluminum roof rack for traction boards, awning, and a spare jerry can. Built strong, built local.
Summer 2024
Every interior panel stripped, cleaned, and covered in Dynamat Xtreme. Then a layer of 3M Thinsulate SM600L stuffed into every cavity. Quieter ride, warmer winters, cooler summers. Tedious but transformative.
Summer 2024
Western red cedar tongue-and-groove on the walls and ceiling, finished with a matte hardwax oil. Smells like a sauna. Looks like a cabin. Feels like home.
Fall 2024
Renogy 600W flexible solar on the roof feeding a Jackery 1000 Pro through a Renogy DC-DC charger. Plus 12V LED strip lighting, USB outlets, and a small fuse panel for accessories. Off-grid ready.
Winter 2025
A modular bed platform with storage cubbies underneath, plus a slide-out table that doubles as a cooking surface and a workstation. Built with Baltic birch and aluminum extrusion.
Spring 2025
A custom swing-out rear bumper carrying the spare 33", a lockable Pelican box, and a Maxtrax mount. Fabricated from 2x4 tube steel by a local welder in Chilliwack.
Summer 2025
A rear pull-out galley drawer with a single-burner stove, a 5-gallon water tank with foot pump, and built-in storage for cookware. Cook outside, sleep inside.
Fall 2025
The shakedown. Two weeks through the BC Interior — Lillooet, the Chilcotin, the Bridge River country. Whatever breaks, breaks. Whatever works, gets celebrated.
"Built slowly. Built honestly. Built to actually go somewhere."