After 10 years of on-and-off discussion, we finally took the plunge and bought a 1997 EuroVan Camper – or 97EVC for members of the club.
EuroVan Camper at Westport
Being able to pull in, pop the top, and kick back was huge.
Though we’re still working out the kinks in our travel setup and procedures – as a fellow EVCer said, it’s like living in a sailboat. You have to plan things a few moves in advance, so you don’t wind with the bed extended and the (blocked) cabinet containing your toothbrush.
And thank goodness for the EVC Yahoo group – without their help, I would have been totally stuck.
We’ve got a typical list of things to fix, buy, and figure out before the next big trip:
- The dreaded Norcold refrigerator stopped working on propane. And the burner on light fell out (again).
- Cruise control stopped working.
- There’s a small coolant leak.
- The driver’s side windshield wiper fluid doesn’t squirt.
- There’s a new crack in the windshield.
- The headlight low beams are way too low.
- The rear (hatch) door sometimes doesn’t unlock.
But in spite of the problems, we had a great time. And we would have never spent two wonderful days camping in the redwoods at Humboldt State Park, or seen this amazing memorial to the town of Pepperwood, which was wiped out in the 1964 Eel River flood.
Memorial for town of Pepperwood
The caption says
To Pepperwood
And It’s Loved Ones
Gone but not forgotten
Presented by
Fortuna Chamber of Commerce
Inquiries to the Fortuna CoC for background and grammar checks have gone unanswered.
Ken's Techno Tidbits 
Did about every camping “mode” there was. Spent 10 years as a Asst. Scoutmaster, and backed packed and slept on the bare ground on occasion. Had a tent trailer for a time, then a 81 Vanagon for 10 years followed by a motor home and then a fifth-wheel. I’m getting old and my wife and I wanted to “down-size’. Just bought a 97 Euro Van Camper. It will be delivered in a couple of weeks. Anxious to hit the road for extended times!
It looks like you have rack mounts on the side of your pop-top. Did you install them? Do you know anyone who has? Are they Thule Artificial Rain Gutter mounts? Something else? I’d like to hear about that experience.
I have a 1999 Eurovan Camper and I’m running into a challenge dealing with the different contours and curves of the pop-top outside and inside surfaces — trying to install the Thule mounts. In short, when I position the mount at the desired location on the outside and the backing plate on the inside, the contours prevent the two plates from aligning — the backing plate ends up being too low so the holes don’t line up. That’s a show-stopper preventing me from installing the mounts at the moment.
I was hoping someone has installed the Thule mounts on a Eurovan Camper and can provide some tips for me. I’m assuming there IS a way to install those mounts on a Eurovan.
Thanks in advance.
Abbo
Hi Abbo,
I didn’t install the rack mounts – they came with the EVC when I bought it.
The previous owner also gave me the kayak holders that he used on those mounts, but I’ve never used them (I don’t own a kayak) so I can’t comment on how well the system works, sorry.
— Ken
Nice van