Cargo vs Passenger Van as Base

[carringb]

QuadVan also does vans with RSC. So does Quigley from what I can tell. John at QuadVan did say that when driving hard in the Sand Dunes, the brakes can get hot since the RSC system isn't calibrated for sand (and I'm guessing it wasn't leisurely sight-seeing driving).

If you put a top on a passenger van, you will need new vents. Sportsmobile just puts 3 vents in the pillar. But JesseJ says that is not enough. Many conversion vans with fixed tops have all new vents throughout the ceiling. My van has a total of 8 vents in the ceiling.

[dsw4x4]

Stoutdrinker
I have a furnace in my van if you run triple wall insulation on the pop top it stays toasty warm in any temperature my experience with single wall fabric is about the same as sleeping in 10 degrees with a sheet to cover you up or sleeping in a 0degree down bag. We have slept in ten degree and lower with triple wall with just a blanket and been comfortable. Insulating the windows with reflectix also makes a very big difference when keeping the van warm or cool. On my personal van i have just two large ducts at the ceiling height and when we are in the desert and I walk in the back my dogs are usually about 5 to ten degrees cooler than we are up front because they don't complain I don't turn it down. So two vents seems to be plenty but you could always add more to the column if you wanted. I have seen smb's where they run ducts all around the cabinets because they covered up the column. But the shorter you keep the ducting the less amount outlets you need to get the same amount of air so by putting fewer larger outlets in the duct close to the blower you will get the same air flow with a lot of ducting and a lot of smaller outlets. I find a lot of people put a lot of time worrying about this when the reality is you still have the front ac and heat like a cargo van and the rear is supplemental to the factory front. So as you cool the front that means the front half of the van is going to be comfortable and the need to duct the rear air to right behind the driver seat is really not needed unless you trying to keep 10 testy passengers happy at a perfect 70 degrees.
Another thing that may persuade a decision to by a window van is if you have kids nothing gives the rear passengers a better view than a passenger window van. If you want them to enjoy the sights the two people up front enjoy then window is the way to go. If you are not going to have passengers ever or rarely this is a mute point.

Jage has a good point I can open the tops of my poptop windows in the rain because they are designed to do that they are under the over hang of the top (I am not sure if you can do that on a smb) , and with my passenger van windows I just pop the door windows open and it creates a draw or vacuum affect letting fresh air in from the lower area and heat escape out of the top.

[dimension4]

You could probably gain 4"-6" of interior width below the window line, by not using a passenger van.

i can confirm this is indeed true. the interior trim loses about 4" on the drivers for the rear a/c duct and 2-3" on the passenger's for no apparent reason. i tore all mine out and i am replacing it with 1/8" panels. i used 5% vis limo tint on all the passenger side windows and 15% vis on the rear doors. you can barely see in with the 5%, but you can still see out. its a little harder to see stars at night when you're camping though...

[carringb]

Originally Posted by dimension4

i can confirm this is indeed true. the interior trim loses about 4" on the drivers for the rear a/c duct and 2-3" on the passenger's for no apparent reason.

I'm not sure if it was designed this way, but the space behind the wall panels does provide an intrusion barrier, which is important when carrying passengers. When I was broadsided by my own trailer at 60 MPH after the A-frame snapped off, intrusion into the passenger compartment as minimal, even though the outside was trashed.


BTW - this also illustrates the function of the inner wall in the Fords. I would not want to hack that system apart for installing windows, unless I knew I would not carry passengers.

And yes, that is the same van i have now. That incident finally gave me an excuse to repaint the van.

[jage]

Originally Posted by carringb

by my own trailer at 60 MPH

[carringb]

Originally Posted by jage

Of course, it happened on my way to the dealer to have the A-frame re-welded. By "on the way", I mean from NC to OR, because we couldn't get a dealer in NC to warranty it. Trailer weighed 18,000 pounds when it broke loose.

[saabman]

Wow that must have been scary! Having a trailer like that overtake you at 60

[dimension4]

i think i'm misunderstanding, but are you saying the interior plastic trim is what saved the trailer from going all the way into the van? those panels aren't structural at all... they're just trim.

[StoutDrinker]

carringb - glad you're okay. From your avatar picture the van looks so much better now. I noticed you cleared out the blinkers too.

Thanks for the input everyone...I've enjoyed reading your posts.

[carringb]

Originally Posted by dimension4

i think i'm misunderstanding, but are you saying the interior plastic trim is what saved the trailer from going all the way into the van? those panels aren't structural at all... they're just trim.

No, of course they aren't structural. They just provide some buffer room so when a side impact occurs, there is some crumple room before anything would would protrude into the passenger area.

Now.... the interior steel wall, I do feel that is structural. If you look at a bare cargo van, you will see the Ford's have an entire 2nd wall below the windows (not the case on GM or Dodge vans). But when taller windows are installed, the welds joining the walls together get cut away.

Sportsmobile generally does not cut those welds away, but some other conversions do install the tall windows which require cutting into this areas (however, in their defense Ford does say that's okay, so maybe there is another set of welds I'm not aware of).