Yolanda my TURBINE PRINCESS E350 7.3 powerstroke build to 4x4 pop-top

[Wanderer-RRORC]

Well what a GREAT WEEKEND camping with my crew!!

Stayed nice and warm in the van snuggled under blankets...with the top down the medium sized little buddy on low kept it t shirt comfortable inside when it was 20* and lower at night!!

We did get some backroading in and a nice water crossing on a road I know...about 10 in deep...2wd van laughed at it!!

I even got a chance to smooth out those cupped tires I rotated to the back (childish burn out)

Many things worked FLAWLESS..and even some more were better than planned...the bed is wider than what we were used to in the old truck and being lower (no climbing) it was easier to get in and out and turned around on in the middle of the night..(potty)

The skylight was perfect for stars and letting the brite moonlight in...and not being too brite when the sun came up!! Ill be glad when I get the removable sunroof in its place and I can open it or pop it out on nice nights (with a screen so no bugs get in)

Notes..
Need to put lights in cargo area on main overhead switch..not enough light at night to get ready from just the front light.

Need to get the kitchen stuff in a rear mounted box for easier access...

Need to connect the secondary start battery and the house battery..it was too overcast too many days and the 100ahu battery wasn't up to running the fridge and the inverter all night..(it did get cold inside so I'm sure battery suffered but it was only at 11.7 volts at sundown..need to add capacity and ability to charge from alternator on overcast days..one wire and an isolator switch will fix that!!)

Need to add more clips so I can hang divider curtain across side door and front seats to minimise heat loss thru upper doors direct metal to outside and Windows.

Spin passenger front seat once at camp..adds more room in back and would make it super comfy for 2 or more adults to be inside warning up.

I started the rear door flip down shelves today...might as well add inner door storage for recovery and kitchen stuff..and hung some straps for headlamp bag, waterproof foldable bowl and misc stuff..

Pictures!!

Mohican state park campground B
Abandoned bridge
Abandoned smoke house
Playing submarines
White smoke burn out (7.3)

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[Zappo]

Looks great,thx

[Wanderer-RRORC]

Originally Posted by Raul

Great project. Looking forward the pop top progress. I know you are still working on it, but for what I can see, the triangulation of the lifting mechanism is going to take care of the back and forth movement of the roof, but there is not much on the left right direction.

Yeah nobody really addresses that on any of the pop top...its left up to crossbar on the arms to kinda hold it square...I've got ideas of using square tube that's double shear to keep it from shifting left and right..


Working on some things...spent the ENTIRE DAY looking for a factory steering wheel with cruise buttons...I did score some hammocks from caddys for the side storage..(free)...and found some good tires on steelies...shoulda bought them...had a low speed sidewall fail half a mile from the house after boy scout meeting...drove it to the house and surprisingly the spare came right down and is in EXCELLENT shape..

Tomorrow morning...tires...Blarg...

Got some handles made of paracord yesterday...so far they work Well!! Kids can shut the back door without problems now!! (Apparently I forgot pictures..and its dark out now)



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[Wanderer-RRORC]

Massive score today!!!
These are the exact same wheels that I wanted to order for the van.

had a blowout last night on the one sketchy Tire, I had spent all day yesterday junkyard in looking for a steering wheel that has cruise control couldn't find any but did see a van that had good front tires !! drop the kids off this morning went back with one kid in tow who is sick to get those two front tires...they just got a new van in has the exact size make and model of tires that I want and the cruise control steering wheel!!! Sucked it up unbolted and removed in myself rather than being lazy and only spent $50 more than I would have for just the two fronts already unmounted... $900 + dollars worth of tires !!

172 bucks!!

steering wheel and a new spare jack too!!

the picture show how high the bands going to be after the lift is put on when the four wheel drive conversion is done to I think it looks really great and I love these tires I had them on my last van

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[Wanderer-RRORC]

Still adding more tricks...in door storage of recovery gear, battery cables,cleaning wipes and fluids...and a perfect place to put a couple flip down tables for camping!!

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[Wanderer-RRORC]

Here's today's progress!!!


Note..my horn sucks...so its hard to hear..but after the swap I didn't have a horn in any configuration YET

I discovered the existing clock spring in my van was in good shape only missing one wire that the busted one from the donor didn't have..

Got it all apart..soldered in the missing wire..ran it thru the plug and connected it to the correct terminal..found the diagram and moved my green wide in the brown plug to match the wiring diagram...

Didn't work...

Moved it back...

Still didn't work

Downloaded the fuse diagram and poked a little but seems like everything's there..

Ran out of time...and figured out why my van is being slow to start sometimes...don't buy CHEAP BATTERY TERMINALS!! previous owner did..it melted as I was overdrawing power from drained batteries..heavy duty one in place now...starts much better..

Lets see what daylight brings..


DAYLIGHT:

Blown fuse on horn....still no cruise...so I looked at the way other folks did theirs...I didn't have a pressure sensing switch on my master but could see a wire I knew should be plugged into it..(probably been replaced before)..

One guy jumped his out with a splice..

Well...it works!! Dash indicator and everything!!!

Total cost $12..I was able to reuse my clockspring...add one wire to the existing connector..and $12 for the steering wheel!!



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[Wanderer-RRORC]

Cushions stitched and in!!!

Left a place for the seat belts to go thru..they help hold the cushions in place when kiddo tushes dont.

Grey canvas..hope it lasts! Kids are tough on stuff!!




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[Wanderer-RRORC]

First tests done on the COMPLETED bench seating!! Seat belts installed and the net storage is already a success!!

Kids say it's plenty comfy..next week is spring break and we have many long days of travel planned..can't go overnight due to animals at home so we will be driving out and back with the whole crew of 7!!



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[Wanderer-RRORC]

First 2 days of spring break!! Honey run park near mount Vernon and the NEW hocking hills Whispering Cave!! INAUGURAL trip with the entire family and the dogs!! 7 people 2 dogs...8 seats were plenty and kids in the benches were super comfy!! Van definitely needs shocks but that wasn't too much of a surprise!! Otherwise it works PERFECT as a large family adventure hauler!!

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[Zappo]

Awesome thx for sharing and even the dog got to go yeee hah