2000 AWD Chevrolet Astro Van Camper Conversion
For most of our outdoor adventures we choose to van camp. For us the best choice for our camper van conversion is the Chevrolet Astro Van platform. There are many reasons but the main one is price, availability and reliability. Parts both used and new are usually available and affordable. GM made 3.2 million Astros and Safaris between 1985 – 2005. Many are still on the road with the reliable time tested 4.3 V6 engine. Sure we would love to have a Mercedes Sprinter 4×4 Diesel with a complete camping package, but it comes with a HUGE price tag compared to the Astro which better suits our modest budget. Plus it also serves well as a daily driver. We made every camping upgrade except the topper modular and easily removable. It takes about one hour to prepare the van for camping which requires removing the factory rear door and replacing it with the AC mounted rear door. Check back often to see a step by step tutorial of how we made and installed the camper upgrades.
The Performance Upgrades:
4 inch Overland Vans body lift which allowed for larger tires and rims. I went with 29″ Cooper Rugged Trek 265/70R 16s (which barely fit I had to trim the front valance to stop the rubbing). Volant Cold air intake from Summit Racing and Flowmaster muffler. With these upgrades it easily tows our 16′ Xpress boat and runs well off road even in heavy sand.
Camping Upgrades:
Put a Tri-Glas topper from a 97 junkyard Astro on the roof for 9 additional inches of head room and storage over the cab and a small shelf in the rear. Also installed a K & M Swivel Pro Seat Swivel under the passenger seat to allow that seat to turn completely around which opens up the small “living” area. We also built a custom raised bed frame which allows for storage underneath using plastic drawers that are removable and a small vanity sink that drains into a cassette toilet under the sink bowl with a MASO Self Priming 12v RV Galley pump for limited running water and Rotopax 1.75 Gallon fresh water tank.
Finally and Carla’s favorite camping upgrade is the 5K BTU air conditioner (don’t try this at home). Using a driver side rear door from a junk yard Astro we replaced the glass with 16 ga. steel and mounted the AC unit on an aluminum frame with a Camco RV rooftop vent cover on the back. Keep the inside of the van chilly even on the hottest days.
