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ULTSUV · 12-16-2008, 10:57 PM

I have been a long time Sportsmobile fan, couldn't quite pony up the $$$ to buy one though. I am a family guy with a wife that likes her creature comforts and five grandkids, so I put $70K or so into a new motorhome after doing the truck camper, older motorhome, and trailer thing. Still had the 4wd van bug though, drooling over the Sportsmobile site and ogling every one of them I saw on the road or in parking lots. Came across a 91 Ford E350 cargo van with a Quigley 4wd conversion that I couldn't pass up. From Quigley it was shipped to Maryland to a speed shop for conversion to a surveillance vehicle for a federal law enforcement agency. It was shipped to San Diego and spent it's entire in service life there. It was retired from duty last year and sold at auction to a local dealer, where I obtained it. The interior was finished off with insulation and panelling, equipped with a porta potty (never used) and a whole suite of electronic gear (that was stripped out prior to auction), and included a periscope that went up through the roof vent. I have removed miles of wiring, the electronics chassis, a propane fired heater, a 12v fridge, a "swamp cooler", a work bench, and a rear solo seat used by the electronics operator. It is now ready to renovate and build the way I want it. By the way, it had 24,000 orig miles on it at purchase last year. I have changed all the fluids out and replaced with synthetics, the bottom is clean and dry, I replaced the wheels with stock steel wheels from a late model van (16x7), and have new BFG A/T's on it. I know it's not a Sportsmobile, but would like to hear your comments and if there is any kind of a meet in SOCAL would love to attend.

jage · 12-17-2008, 09:26 AM

And yet no photos. When will they ever learn.

Welcome!

lactic · 12-17-2008, 09:48 AM

Please tell me they let you keep the periscope...

adventureduo · 12-17-2008, 09:58 AM

Welcome! Sounds like a one of kind SMB. Can't wait to see pics of that beast.

surfgeek33 · 12-17-2008, 10:41 AM

That thing is Awesome! Welcome the Forum!

Psomaki · 12-17-2008, 12:54 PM

Yeah! Welcome, and please post pics. When I was overseas I knew some of the FBI guys (LegAtts in embassies) and one of the Drug and Alcohol guys, and have lots of respect for them, and some disagreements with their world view. But what really surprises me is that the porta potti was never used. Makes you wonder how much time anybody actually spent using your new addition in its earlier incarnation.

**BroncoHauler** · 12-18-2008, 06:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Psomaki

Yeah! Welcome, and please post pics. When I was overseas I knew some of the FBI guys (LegAtts in embassies) and one of the Drug and Alcohol guys, and have lots of respect for them, and some disagreements with their world view. But what really surprises me is that the porta potti was never used. Makes you wonder how much time anybody actually spent using your new addition in its earlier incarnation.

Clearly they used the periscope (I want one) to make sure no one was in the area, and then they went outside to take a leak.

Herb

LeadDoggy · 12-18-2008, 07:07 AM

Kool find!

JoeyNick · 02-16-2009, 07:33 PM

A positive thing about getting that type of used surveillance vehicle is that it probably has very low idle time.

Due to the nature of surveillance, you can't have the engine running during the process. That's why a swamp cooler is used, it's silent and requires very little battery power.

Let us know how your upgrades are going!