Front & Center: Path of career changes leads to van conversions

During two decades working for recreational equipment manufacturers, David LaFrance frequently found himself bedding down in company vans stuffed with gear.

“I might arrive at a mountain resort late, tune skis until 2 or 3 in the morning, then get up early for the next day’s demos,” LaFrance said.

The first van LaFrance customized was owned by Dynastar, a winter sports company.

“It was a fairly new Ford E350, and when I loaded 30 pairs of skis with sharp edges, it felt dangerous. So I put a wall behind the front seats and designed it to fold down into a bed.”

Insulation was an afterthought.

“I remember sleeping in the parking lot at Mount Rose, near Reno, when the temperature got down to around 13 degrees and having to start the engine a few times to stay warm.”

By comparison, the conversions LaFrance builds now are rolling condos, complete with solar power, custom cabinetry, swivel seats and auxiliary heat.

He launched his company – Grizzly Adventure Vans – in January, and already has a five-month backlog of orders.

During a recent interview, LaFrance discussed telecommuting, tricks of the trade and a van named “Tank.”

S-R: Where did you grow up?

LaFrance: In the Mead area.

S-R: What was your first job?

LaFrance: Delivering newspapers, starting when I was 13. I did the whole Camelot neighborhood on my BMX bike. Sunday mornings were not fun.

S-R: Did you have a favorite class in high school?

LaFrance: Pottery. I struggled with traditional subjects, but always enjoyed working with my hands. And my art teacher, Gary Baskett, was awesome.

S-R: How about extracurricular activities?

LaFrance: I played some school sports but didn’t enjoy the team atmosphere. I skied a lot and rode dirt bikes. Some of the jumps we built in Camelot back in the ’80s are still there.

S-R: Did you have a career in mind during high school?

LaFrance: I had no idea. My senior year I started working for Darrell Perdue at Wintersport and stayed with him for six years. I did sales and ran the back of the ski shop – ski tuning and mounting bindings. During summer I mowed lawns for Senske.

S-R: Was there a moment that changed the direction of your life?

LaFrance: Yes. When I was working with Darrell, a gentleman from Seattle named Larry Asay – a ski rep for Dynastar, Lang and Look – came to me and said, “Darrell is going to be mad if I steal you, but I think you could be a lot more than what you’re doing now.” He asked me to help him with demos. After a couple of winters, that led to a full-time job as a tech rep for Dynastar, and I left Spokane and moved to Northern California in ’97.

S-R: What was that like?

LaFrance: It was quite an eye-opener for a kid from Spokane who’d never gone off to college. This was before GPS. I was given a van and a list of accounts and told, “Let us know how things go.” I had to figure out my whole schedule. I’d tear apart phone books and use a computer program called Streets & Trips to navigate. It was nerve-wracking.

S-R: But you adapted?

LaFrance: Yes, and I really loved the job the first couple of years. But the pace was always go, go, go – months at a time when I wouldn’t spend a single night in my apartment.

S-R: Then what?

LaFrance: After three years – in 2000 – I took a job with Fox Racing (motosport apparel) and stayed with them almost 19 years. After the first year, I moved back up to Spokane and my wife, Angela, joined me in 2002. But as the sales rep for Montana, Idaho and Eastern Washington, I logged 40,000 to 50,000 miles a year.

S-R: What’s the best thing about being a sales rep?

LaFrance: Each dealer visit is unique. What might work in Spokane may not work in Coeur d’Alene, even though they’re so close.

S-R: How did that job evolve?

LaFrance: In 2008, I was promoted to West Coast sales manager, so I traveled more by plane. Last September, they asked me to move to Irvine (California), but it wasn’t in the cards for my family to relocate, so I quit.

S-R: Why start a van conversion business?

LaFrance: I’d built out a (Mercedes-Benz) Sprinter in 2013 and sold it to a friend. Then I built out another Sprinter – our family van – and decided to sell it last December. I listed it on Instagram, and within 24 hours I had multiple people message me, including one from Portland, one from Colorado and one from Upstate New York – all serious buyers. The guy from Portland came over the next day, bought it and had me add a couple more things. That’s when my wife said, “Why don’t you do this professionally?”

S-R: Where did you learn the skills needed to convert vans?

LaFrance: I completely remodeled the house I bought in 2000 by myself. And I’ve always watched my contractor friends. I’m a visual learner.

S-R: Who were your first Grizzly clients?

LaFrance: After a few small jobs, I was approached by a couple in their 80s. Back in the early ’70s they’d traveled in a Volkswagen van with their three kids and loved cruising around. They wanted to rediscover that joy now that their kids are grown, so I added insulation, a full-size bed, a 12-volt cooler and a roof vent, and they took off for Arizona with their cat.

S-R: When people shop for a van to convert, what should they consider?

LaFrance: The main thing is how they are going to use it. If it’s going to be an all-season home on wheels, they may want to pay extra for four-wheel drive. But even two-wheel-drive vans do well in snow once you add weight in the back and get them more balanced.

S-R: Is one brand of van easier to build out than another?

LaFrance: In my experience, the Sprinter is easier than a Ford Transit, which has a lot more contours.

S-R: How about diesel versus gas?

LaFrance: I like diesel because it’s easier to incorporate a heater.

S-R: What are the most popular amenities?

LaFrance: Besides a bed, most people want insulation – for sound dampening if nothing else. If they only plan on using it in summer, they may get by with just a roof vent. But if they’re winter camping, they definitely need auxiliary heat – particularly if they have a water source inside.

S-R: Basic cargo vans cost less than crew vans, but also have fewer windows. Is it difficult to add after-market windows?

LaFrance: Cutting holes for windows makes some do-it-yourselfers nervous, but it’s probably one of the easiest upgrades you can make.

S-R: Speaking of which, can reasonably handy people build out their own vans?

LaFrance: If they have money and plenty of time, they can probably do it themselves. But there are little tricks in every trade. And pitfalls.

S-R: For instance?

LaFrance: The biggest mistake I’ve seen is using the wrong insulation. People either spray in foam, which tends to distort the exterior metal, or they buy R-13 fiberglass batts and overstuff the walls. I prefer wool – either mineral or natural – because it doesn’t hold moisture.

S-R: What’s the career outlook for this industry?

LaFrance: Driving to Seattle recently, I passed 30 vans that were built out. They’re everywhere. And with the opportunities young people have to work remotely, a lot of them are choosing to buy vans rather than houses and live more mobile lifestyles. So I expect the market to continue growing.

S-R: What challenges lie ahead?

LaFrance: For consumers, it’s finding vans to convert. Amazon has been sucking up most of the Sprinters. For me personally, it’s deciding how big I want to be. Do I add infrastructure and a couple of full-time employees? Probably not. I don’t want a lot of overhead.

S-R: What would you include in your ideal van conversion?

LaFrance: I just got another Sprinter and plan to add solar panels on the roof, a 2,000-watt inverter, sleeping for four, more windows, a refrigerator, water and a self-contained portable toilet.

S-R: How much would that level of conversion cost a customer?

LaFrance: Including materials plus 350 to 400 hours of labor, about $30,000.

S-R: If someone were to bring you a van today, when could you start work on it?

LaFrance: I’m booked through February.

S-R: What do you like most about your job?

LaFrance: The same thing I liked about sales – every day is different.

S-R: What do you like least?

LaFrance: Not having a steady paycheck or enough time in the day.

S-R: When you build out a van for your family, is it perpetually for sale? Or are you worried about telling your wife, “Honey, guess what?”

LaFrance: I’m less worried about my wife than I am our older son, who’s 10. He got really attached to our first van and wasn’t happy when I sold it. So when he went down to Riverside, California, with me to pick up this second van – a used, pebble gray, four-wheel-drive Sprinter – the whole way back I kept saying, “Remember, we bought this van to build out and sell.” It was a good conversation to have right out of the gate, because he’d already named it “Tank.”

Writer Michael Guilfoil can be contacted at mguilfoil@comcast.net.