FRANKIE - '95 E350 7.3L 4x4 High Top Camper Build

[Ninjaexplosion]

I almost bought this van, I talked to the guy a couple times prior to him posting it on cl. He had it listed on Facebook first and wasn't getting much interest....for the price this van is amazing. I'm glad you got it (I have a addiction problem, I own 3vans now so...lol) . This van is set up and I can't wait for you to have some fun with it.... let us know when you take her out
Can't believe your trying to sell it already though, specially for that much more...

[swedishSTile]

Well, someone came along and offered me my ask price for the van. After agonizing over it I decided forget it and kept it. Its only money right? Collect memories not money.

The rain finally let up enough for me to get to re-sealing the windows. One of the slider windows up top despite being resealed still leaks. I think the whole window needs to come out. I believe that the water lands in the track and leaks down, maybe through one of the screw holes that secures the window in, or the frame is possibly split. I am hoping the latter is not the case as I have NO CLUE where i would find a replacement. Worst case scenario I will have to caulk the track which will render the window inoperable but will fix my leaking problem.

I also took some flowable silicone and sealed the large side panel windows up. Was easy and worked nicely.

Purchased two table bases to convert the sofa seat back into a table top. I am going to sand and finish the table to give a nice surface for eating and playing games on. Ill post some pictures once it is complete.

My next project is to weld up some frames for the kids car seats so they are securely bolted to the chassis of the van and not just to the woodwork.

[lugee]

Originally Posted by swedishSTile

My next project is to weld up some frames for the kids car seats so they are securely bolted to the chassis of the van and not just to the woodwork.

I am curious to see what you do with this. Are you going to retain the existing sofas and just build the frame behind the cushions?

[rallypanam]

Originally Posted by swedishSTile

Well, someone came along and offered me my ask price for the van.

Someone offered you $30k? You definitely should have taken it... you could have used that money and bought a nicer newer low mileage van!

[swedishSTile]

I am going to weld steel cages and insert them into the sofa boxes and bolt them to the frame. The lid's for the sofa storage will rest on top of the cages and the car seats will be anchored through the lids to the cages, pinching the lids between the seat and the cage. In an accident, even if the wood boxes break up the seat will not move.

Originally Posted by rallypanam

Someone offered you $30k? You definitely should have taken it... you could have used that money and bought a nicer newer low mileage van!

I was offered 29. I have spent a lot of time and a long time looking for 4WD vans. You may be right but I have not really seen it. A newer diesel 4x4 van with less miles for $30k? In my experience and from what I have seen the price for entry into that market is about $45K.

I had around 40 calls on the van, and lots of interested parties, but at the end of the day I didnt think I could replace it.

Because of the age, the van is also not required to be smogged in CA. For a gear head and tuner like me this is somewhat invaluable.

[swedishSTile]

Rallypanam - I dont know, maybe I made the wrong decision, here I am second guessing it now. Do you really think I could have picked up a better diesel 4x4 for that much? You are in CA, what have you seen on the market in that range?

[rallypanam]

Originally Posted by swedishSTile

Rallypanam - I dont know, maybe I made the wrong decision, here I am second guessing it now. Do you really think I could have picked up a better diesel 4x4 for that much? You are in CA, what have you seen on the market in that range?

Yeah, you could find something, but it might take a while.

Also, I'm sort of just screwing with you!

[swedishSTile]

I finally found some time to work on the van a bit.

Build a frame to mount my Thule bike racks to the front hitch. Added a locking hitch pin to keep everything tied down.




Also finally got to fabbing a support for one of the car seats. I built it out of 1X1X.120" wall square tubing. One leg is bolted through the floor to the frame of the van and the other is bolted through the floor and a spreader bar (piece of 2" x 3/16 C channel that is 12" long). It is all secured with 7/16" graded hardware which passes through the tubing and is welded to the tubing.

Everything is designed for a 150lb seat+child combo and 50g of acceleration (basically it will stay together with up to 6000lbs of force applied. It will deform slightly at that load, less than 1/4" deflection, but will not break). 50g is generally considered to be fatal. So if the seat ever does come out, everyone in the van will already be dead.

The red ratchet strap was just for test fit. I will be putting in a strap equal to the frame. The strap snugs the seat against the plywood which rests on the frame. The car seats tether strap will be hooked to a flush mount d-ring in the floor.





The whole thing is overkill. NIHTSA requires ~4000lb break strength on seat belt webbing, bolts and mount points and this probably includes a 1.5x to 2X factor of safety over maximum expected load. I wanted there to be ZERO question in my mind that in the event of an accident anything I built would be the reason one of my kids got hurt.

Also added a carrier basket to the back from Harbor Freight.


Next project is window coverings I think, and installing the table base to convert the seat back to a table. I have everything market out I just need to notch and weld the frame of the van to get it out of the way of the hole I need to cut for the table leg mount.

[rallypanam]

Originally Posted by rallypanam

Someone offered you $30k? You definitely should have taken it... you could have used that money and bought a nicer newer low mileage van!

Posted on CL again.. Now for only $20k..

https://orangecounty.craigslist.org/rvs/6045684102.html

[caideN]

Swedish is going to get 120 calls instead of 40 now.

Good luck with sale!