SFR SFR - Recommendations for Limited Van Conversions

Sorta fishing-related
SurfnFish said:
had bumper thumpers on my trucks for decades...was driving from the coast to my gig in Silicon Valley in the early am, 65 mph on #280, center punched a deer that ran across the highway, threw it up and over my Tahoe, into the front of the brand new F150 driving behind me, taking out the entire front of the F150 well into the engine block.
After making sure the other driver was ok (well beyond pissed off), waited for a Highway Patrol cruiser to show up and take my info, then drove off with zero issues while the Ford was getting winched aboard a flatbed carrier..
They work.
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Use to have to fetch road kill deer and elk from Chinook pass as a teen ager. Learned as a youngster that hitting a deer can kill you. Almost always happens at night. They will just stand in the middle of the road and stare at you. Was taught to look for thier eyes in the headlights. If I was doing a lot of night driving commuting around deer populations I would add the wieght of the bumper thumper for sure.
 
Cabezon said:
Kangaroos are even more suicidal than are deer. My wife rented a camper van on a visit to Western Australia; we drove as far north as Cape Range National Park by Exmouth. At dawn and dusk, we watched the roos wait by the side of the road and then try to hop across when a vehicle zoomed by. The roos often stoped in the middle of the road in front of traffic. The next day, the giant wedge-tailed eagles and kites would scavenge the carcasses from the roadsides. And in Australia, you never know when you are going to run into open-range cattle or water buffalo or donkeys or feral horses. I can see why bull bars would be a necessity.
And because many outback roads do not have bridges over seasonally-flooding waterways, the trucks typically also have snorkels to the air intake system so that you can drive through the floods. There would be a gauge in the waterway to let you know how deep the water would be. It would be your call as to whether to proceed.
Steve
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took several surfing trips to West Oz, based out of my friends house in Margaret River, who had a lifted Toyota Hilux diesel, bull bar, snorkel. During surf explorations crossed several rivers hood deep with zero issues. As to roos'...big bastard come lunging out of the bush at me right by my friends house, just missed me with a lunging kick..my aussie buddy thought it was hilarious...I was ready to go shopping for a shotgun
 
Cabezon said:
Kangaroos are even more suicidal than are deer. My wife rented a camper van on a visit to Western Australia; we drove as far north as Cape Range National Park by Exmouth. At dawn and dusk, we watched the roos wait by the side of the road and then try to hop across when a vehicle zoomed by. The roos often stoped in the middle of the road in front of traffic. The next day, the giant wedge-tailed eagles and kites would scavenge the carcasses from the roadsides. And in Australia, you never know when you are going to run into open-range cattle or water buffalo or donkeys or feral horses. I can see why bull bars would be a necessity.
And because many outback roads do not have bridges over seasonally-flooding waterways, the trucks typically also have snorkels to the air intake system so that you can drive through the floods. There would be a gauge in the waterway to let you know how deep the water would be. It would be your call as to whether to proceed.
Steve
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Yup. Driving through the Snowy Mountains we encountered many road-crossing kangaroo and their roadkill carcasses in great numbers, and it was readily apparent why so many vehicles sported heavy duty 'non-cosmetic' bumper guards...as well as quite a few with robust metal screens in front of the windshields.
 
Wife and i had a class B for a few months for some summer travel. After doing a two week trip we sold it. Having to pack everything up and get it road worthy to make a quick trip into town for anything became tiresome. Much prefer the trailer option with a 4wd truck to pull it.
 
_WW_ said:
Wife and i had a class B for a few months for some summer travel. After doing a two week trip we sold it. Having to pack everything up and get it road worthy to make a quick trip into town for anything became tiresome. Much prefer the trailer option with a 4wd truck to pull it.
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X2...B's are great for extended road trips with periodic motels stays mixed in..for extended hangs, a towed trailer offers the best utility.
next door neighbor with a proper thumper. The bolts through the frame creates a hella strong shock absorber.

IMG_20221229_115241062.jpg
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You never mentioned what budget price you're looking to spend which could be the big deciding factor and what sort of time frame that you'd like to have it done in. If you're sold on getting a van to replace your current car, are you looking to buy new or something used..? I think either way you'd be better off to buy something stock and then converting to exactly what you want. I think that @_WW_ had a great idea for adding headroom to your van making it more livable. Adding insulation to the inside will make staying inside more comfortable, cooler in summer and warmer for the colder temps. Were you planning to do a lot of the conversion work yourself or bring it into a shop to have it done. I'm sure there are many online shops that have cabinetry and furniture options that you could install yourself to save you some extra money for future fishing trips. More then likely you're planning to do the cooking outside as inside the van maybe problematic. Plan on getting a decent porta potty and think about where you can store it conveniently. Vans have limited space so you need to carefully work out the layout to utilize the space efficiently. For a side canopy, they even have screened-in canopies with side walls to enclose and keep the bugs out..

Given that you plan to use it for fishing trips, consider on getting a pair of 2000w or one 3500w invertor generator. The pair of 2000w generators piggy backed together would be the better choice cuz of the weight factor for picking it up to load in the van or trailer and the space needed to store them. A 3500w generator may weigh around 110lbs whereas a 2000w generator may only weigh about 50-60lbs. Wire the van up so you can plug into shore power (campgroounds) or the generators (off road)..

Good luck on your project, looking forward to what you come up with when finished..
 
cdnred said:
You never mentioned what budget price you're looking to spend which could be the big deciding factor and what sort of time frame that you'd like to have it done in. If you're sold on getting a van to replace your current car, are you looking to buy new or something used..? I think either way you'd be better off to buy something stock and then converting to exactly what you want. I think that @_WW_ had a great idea for adding headroom to your van making it more livable. Adding insulation to the inside will make staying inside more comfortable, cooler in summer and warmer for the colder temps. Were you planning to do a lot of the conversion work yourself or bring it into a shop to have it done. I'm sure there are many online shops that have cabinetry and furniture options that you could install yourself to save you some extra money for future fishing trips. More then likely you're planning to do the cooking outside as inside the van maybe problematic. Plan on getting a decent porta potty and think about where you can store it conveniently. Vans have limited space so you need to carefully work out the layout to utilize the space efficiently. For a side canopy, they even have screened-in canopies with side walls to enclose and keep the bugs out..

Given that you plan to use it for fishing trips, consider on getting a pair of 2000w or one 3500w invertor generator. The pair of 2000w generators piggy backed together would be the better choice cuz of the weight factor for picking it up to load in the van or trailer and the space needed to store them. A 3500w generator may weigh around 110lbs whereas a 2000w generator may only weigh about 50-60lbs. Wire the van up so you can plug into shore power (campgroounds) or the generators (off road)..

Good luck on your project, looking forward to what you come up with when finished..
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My plan is to buy used, and expect to pay between $25K - $30K and then do the (limited) conversion myself. I can't imagine the cost of the materials will exceed a few thou - and then only if I opt for a fancy battery system. (I'd prefer this over a generator... charged via solar panels or the alternator.)

I picture having a bench behind the driver's seat against the side wall for seating with storage below (perhaps the porta potty would fit there) and a platform bed along the rear, mounted as high as will allow me to sit upright; storage below. If I do get a roll-up canopy it'll be for shade and rain only... I don't plan to have insect screens.

I'm still trying to find the sweet spot between everyday vehicle and rolling tent.

I've really appreciated all the good suggestions!
 
I've researched Ford Transit Connect, Chevy Express and Ram Promaster, (model years 2016 and later) but I'm not sold on any of them. I read that the Ram isn't mechanically reliable, and the Transit sis a bit of a cracker box. I don't know about the Chevy.

Suggestions, anyone?
 
_WW_ said:
Wife and i had a class B for a few months for some summer travel. After doing a two week trip we sold it. Having to pack everything up and get it road worthy to make a quick trip into town for anything became tiresome. Much prefer the trailer option with a 4wd truck to pull it
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DFG said:
I've researched Ford Transit Connect, Chevy Express and Ram Promaster, (model years 2016 and later) but I'm not sold on any of them. I read that the Ram isn't mechanically reliable, and the Transit sis a bit of a cracker box. I don't know about the Chevy.

Suggestions, anyone?
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This how I ended up with the Econoline. Wife wanted to tow something behind the truck but that meant a bigger truck. I wanted a van did not like the garbage that Ford was putting out and ended up buying my in-laws E150 conversion and redoing to my specks. He maintained a fleet for a local jurisdiction so it was maticuasly maintained and never looked back. Wish I could help you with Chevy. I did meet a retired fellow last fall that was travelling the country in a transit killing of his bucket list fishing. Foam pad and a sheet of plywood and he was happy. It was just a means to go fishing for him and home base was New York and I met him at point no point. Good luck. My vote out of the three you list would be the wanna be Econoline the Chevy, but the Econoline platform is bullet proof.
 
Peatbog said:
This how I ended up with the Econoline. Wife wanted to tow something behind the truck but that meant a bigger truck. I wanted a van did not like the garbage that Ford was putting out and ended up buying my in-laws E150 conversion and redoing to my specks. He maintained a fleet for a local jurisdiction so it was maticuasly maintained and never looked back. Wish I could help you with Chevy. I did meet a retired fellow last fall that was travelling the country in a transit killing of his bucket list fishing. Foam pad and a sheet of plywood and he was happy. It was just a means to go fishing for him and home base was New York and I met him at point no point. Good luck. My vote out of the three you list would be the wanna be Econoline the Chevy, but the Econoline platform is bullet proof.
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Unfortunately the old Econoline went out years ago, or I'd jump on it. I won't be driving all that much in it, but still want fairly respectable gas mileage. I think I need to drive an AWD Transit to see if it gets my pulse up.

I can't seem to find anything in the used market with AWD for under $40K, which seems like a lot of money. (I might need to add the resale value of my current car to my initial budget.) It just might be that my budget is living in a past decade.

I'm hesitant to buy an old, high-mileage van. The newer tech features (back-up camera, keyless entry, Bluetooth...) are really convenient for outdoor sports. I love not needing to carry a key when wearing a wetsuit or when my keys are buried under my waders.
 
Ford E series are rugged, bit less foot room due to the engine doghouse being bulkier than Chey.
Conversely, Chevy Express has more foot room, smoother ride on the road.
As to Astro vans, their AWD's make good little burros, legroom and footspace is very limited.
Much harder to lift a Chevy with it's independent suspension, hence the number of Ford E series 4x4 conversions with it's straight axle suspension.
Whole lot of non 4x4 Ford e250 vans with posi and a moderate lift and Bilstein shocks running around Baja with surfboards on top.
Regarding miles. A well maintained Ford 5.4 or Chevy 5.3 is good for 250K if it has been maintained. And the older 350's are a great engine.
Suggest setting up booksmarks on Craislist - cars and trucks/ van conversions - for the large metros including in AZ and Ca.
And being a personal van of the Chevy Express AWd vans, very reliable and surefooted, hard to not like this one.
seattle.craigslist.org

2013 Chevy Express AWD Van will get you anywhere - cars & trucks -...

High top added by Tufport- tons of storage above seats Rear cabin AC/Heater Maxxair fan with vent and rain shield Screened sliding windows on high top LED dome light Whynter fridge AC/DC 45 quart...
seattle.craigslist.org
 
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DFG said:
My plan is to buy used, and expect to pay between $25K - $30K and then do the (limited) conversion myself. I can't imagine the cost of the materials will exceed a few thou - and then only if I opt for a fancy battery system. (I'd prefer this over a generator... charged via solar panels or the alternator.)

I picture having a bench behind the driver's seat against the side wall for seating with storage below (perhaps the porta potty would fit there) and a platform bed along the rear, mounted as high as will allow me to sit upright; storage below. If I do get a roll-up canopy it'll be for shade and rain only... I don't plan to have insect screens.

I'm still trying to find the sweet spot between everyday vehicle and rolling tent.

I've really appreciated all the good suggestions!
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With a budget of between $25K - $30K you maybe able to pickup a decent Class B van that has low miles and a lot of what you want already built into it. A Class B would be your best option for travel and use everyday, easier on gas and park plus save yourself a lot of work building everything into it. If you've got 1-2 years before you retire, then that should give you plenty of time plenty of time to find one. Even if you had to drive some distance to pick it up, it would make for a nice road trip. The examples below are somewhat older models but with relatively low mileage and in decent shape..

boston.craigslist.org

2004 Ford Motorhome Class B RV - rvs - by owner - vehicle automotive...

History: This motorhome was originally purchased in Montreal in 2004 and mainly used for trips to Florida until about 2013. It was registered in Massachusetts in 2016 and used since for couple of...
boston.craigslist.org

daytona.craigslist.org

1999 COACHMEN SARATOGA 19FT CLASS B RV~RUNS & LOOKS AWESOME~ONLY 42...

Consignment Sale!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Up for sale is a very clean 1 owner owned 1999 Coachmen Saratoga 19 ft Class B rv and its ready to go anywhere with confidence. The miles...
daytona.craigslist.org

chambersburg.craigslist.org

Dodge Xplorer 230 XLW Wide Body Dually Class B - rvs - by owner -...

1999 Dodge Xplorer 230 XLW Wide Body Dually Class B Motorhome..... Under 80K...... New Jasper Rear ($5K+)...... Hasn't been used for a few years...... Needs a little things here and there....... PA...
chambersburg.craigslist.org

Programmable Search Engine

cse.google.com cse.google.com
 
DFG said:
Unfortunately the old Econoline went out years ago, or I'd jump on it. I won't be driving all that much in it, but still want fairly respectable gas mileage. I think I need to drive an AWD Transit to see if it gets my pulse up.

I can't seem to find anything in the used market with AWD for under $40K, which seems like a lot of money. (I might need to add the resale value of my current car to my initial budget.) It just might be that my budget is living in a past decade.

I'm hesitant to buy an old, high-mileage van. The newer tech features (back-up camera, keyless entry, Bluetooth...) are really convenient for outdoor sports. I love not needing to carry a key when wearing a wetsuit or when my keys are buried under my waders.
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I hear ya.i got around the lack of te ch with tablet
DFG said:
Unfortunately the old Econoline went out years ago, or I'd jump on it. I won't be driving all that much in it, but still want fairly respectable gas mileage. I think I need to drive an AWD Transit to see if it gets my pulse up.

I can't seem to find anything in the used market with AWD for under $40K, which seems like a lot of money. (I might need to add the resale value of my current car to my initial budget.) It just might be that my budget is living in a past decade.

I'm hesitant to buy an old, high-mileage van. The newer tech features (back-up camera, keyless entry, Bluetooth...) are really convenient for outdoor sports. I love not needing to carry a key when wearing a wetsuit or when my keys are buried under my waders.
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I hear ya. I am a little old school and behind the times some would say. I just switched to a "smart" phone 3 mo ago. All the tech detracts from dependability in my mind. My old van has four computers that need to agree amongst each othér to let me in start and run. Having twenty to micro processors deciding my fate scares me. As far as Bluetooth cameras and navigation I easily accomplished that with a ram mount and a two hundred dollar tablet from Costco. I have for aft and starboard cameras several nav apps, Pluss the ability to real time monitor exact engine temp, charging voltage, trouble codes and anything else governed by OBDII protocol. I use the Torque pro app for this.I have a secret switch outside to unlock the doors because I roll with a dog who likes to lock me out and it allows me to leave her in the rig with the ac going during the summer. As far as gas mpg goes I roll with a thirty nine gallon tank. LoL all that said I fully understand your wants just adding some food for thought.
 
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cdnred said:
You never mentioned what budget price you're looking to spend which could be the big deciding factor and what sort of time frame that you'd like to have it done in. If you're sold on getting a van to replace your current car, are you looking to buy new or something used..? I think either way you'd be better off to buy something stock and then converting to exactly what you want. I think that @_WW_ had a great idea for adding headroom to your van making it more livable. Adding insulation to the inside will make staying inside more comfortable, cooler in summer and warmer for the colder temps. Were you planning to do a lot of the conversion work yourself or bring it into a shop to have it done. I'm sure there are many online shops that have cabinetry and furniture options that you could install yourself to save you some extra money for future fishing trips. More then likely you're planning to do the cooking outside as inside the van maybe problematic. Plan on getting a decent porta potty and think about where you can store it conveniently. Vans have limited space so you need to carefully work out the layout to utilize the space efficiently. For a side canopy, they even have screened-in canopies with side walls to enclose and keep the bugs out..

Given that you plan to use it for fishing trips, consider on getting a pair of 2000w or one 3500w invertor generator. The pair of 2000w generators piggy backed together would be the better choice cuz of the weight factor for picking it up to load in the van or trailer and the space needed to store them. A 3500w generator may weigh around 110lbs whereas a 2000w generator may only weigh about 50-60lbs. Wire the van up so you can plug into shore power (campgroounds) or the generators (off road)..

Good luck on your project, looking forward to what you come up with when finished..
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With today's solar generators, there's no need for the traditional gas powered generator. Do yourself and your camping neighbors a favor and go the Li PO4 route for power. More than enough to do everything you want without the noise.
 
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