Roadtrek Sweet Roadtrek: Spring DIY Upgrades to my 1996 Camper Van

Dear Gentle Reader-

I apologize for the lack of content in my travel blog lately. It was a long, cold winter in SE Wisconsin, and I made the mistake of letting my Roadtrek battery go dead. So instead of sojourning, I have been spending time working, volunteering, protesting, hanging out with Buttercup, and watching Bridgerton... (as you may have guessed from my salutation. ;) IYKYK )

As winter turned to spring, I got motivated to prepare the Roadtrek for travel. I put in a new engine battery, replaced the house battery, reinforced the three opera windows with silicone, and cleaned up the front console area.

The batteries gave me the most anxiety. I have no experience working under the hood of a vehicle, and even less experience tinkering with the electrical system of an RV. To prepare - and to work up my courage - I watched YouTube videos and talked to "experts" at auto parts stores. I also sought advice from other Roadtrekkers on Facebook. (Shout out to these FB Groups: "Roadtrek '74-'03 - Vintage & Classic Years" and "Roadtrek Van Support For Women".)

In the end, the battery swaps were easy-peasy. I'm glad I took a lot of photos. Doing so helped me to put the right parts back in the right places.

Then came the major project...removing the oversized bathroom. A brief backstory...

Most older Roadtrek conversion vans - the 170 Popular models, at least - were built with tiny, little closet bathrooms, just big enough for a marine-style toilet and a shelf. But my van's previous owner was 6'5, and he chose to supersize the bathroom. He added a plywood and linoleum bathroom floor, raised the toilet on a pedestal, and installed a bathroom sink and mirror. Then he enclosed it all with floor-to-ceiling oak veneer walls. In my opinion, that was too much valuable interior space committed to a potty.

Before:

So in April 2026, I took a sledgehammer to all of it. Wheeee!

During:

The process of removing the oversized bathroom was SO rewarding! I'd been living with it for a year, reluctant to make too many changes too fast. But with every screw and nail that came out, and with each wall that came down, I was happier and happier with my choice. I gained so much space and visibility!

Side note: I made a decision about the toilet; I'm leaving it out. I really don't want to mess with a blackwater tank. And I don't want to do my 'business' right next to where I sleep and then haul it around with me. I know the kind of sojourns I take - and I'm never too far from a rest stop. So the toilet was placed in storage and the blackwater tank was winterized and capped. A small decorative box from inside my house was placed over the remaining components.

After:

For the final touch, I added a few grey carpet remnants. I'm pleased with how well this grey matches with the teal interior. Gone are the oak veneer walls. Everything seems lighter and more spacious. It's like I have a whole new van!

I'm proud of completing these projects. It took time, but I got there. I'm learning to have patience with my pace; to be more comfortable with my approach to learning my way around this Roadtrek. It may take me a while to get finished, but studying the manual, watching YouTube videos, chatting with the folks at the hardware store....all of that is making progress toward the goal. My van might be Mr. Zip Zip, but I'm the tortoise in the story of The Tortoise and The Hare, and that's OK. Sometimes slow and steady wins the race.

Now, to take it for a spin....

Read all about it in my next blog: Three’s Company: Taking our Roadtrek on a 7-day sojourn to Princeton University Commencement (Story coming soon)

Sojourn on!