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Old 06-02-2018, 10:02 PM   #11
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So they are officially making the classic?
It looks like the answer is yes.

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Old 06-03-2018, 02:08 AM   #12
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Anyone notice how bad those body lines match?
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Old 06-03-2018, 07:32 AM   #13
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Anyone notice how bad those body lines match?
IIRC, SMBw deliberately made the body slightly larger so thy could make the walls more vertical.
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Old 06-03-2018, 05:24 PM   #14
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Anyone notice how bad those body lines match?
The cabin is 4" wider than the cab so that a transverse bed is possible. As you can see in the driver's side rear, the walls still have about the same curvature. Technically this is a Class C, though it looks more like Class B. (Some industry people would claim it's a B+, but some of the RV associations refuse to accept that as an official class.) I took this pic of one of the beta models when it was under construction about a year ago:
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Old 06-19-2018, 06:28 PM   #15
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I spent an hour with Brian on Monday, going over my build plan. While there, I did see production unit #1 of the Classic on the line. The poor guy has been waiting right at 5 years now. But it is true: production Classics are on the line in Fresno.

Also be aware that if you find a decent used E350 cargo van for sale somewhere, don't hesitate to grab it. One of the shop employees at the Fresno factory did just that: got it cheap at auction. His unit is about halfway done and is looking great.
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Old 06-20-2018, 10:35 AM   #16
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Also be aware that if you find a decent used E350 cargo van for sale somewhere, don't hesitate to grab it. One of the shop employees at the Fresno factory did just that: got it cheap at auction. His unit is about halfway done and is looking great.
Do you mean they can chop the back off an E350 cargo and drop the classic cabin on it?

Any idea how much that runs?
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Old 06-20-2018, 03:30 PM   #17
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My guess is he meant a cutaway, at least that seems like it could be possible. Remove whatever uhaul box is on the back and drop on a sportsmobile one. easy peasy
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Old 06-20-2018, 05:24 PM   #18
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Sportsmobile used to build these vehicles on E350 cargo vans as Class B motorhomes. They cut holes for whatever windows you wanted and for either the pop-top roof or a fixed high roof. Ford discontinued the passenger and cargo versions of the E350 in 2014, only keeping the cutaway because of the large market for Class C motorhomes, small moving trucks, etc.

This new Classic is built on a cutaway and has a fiberglass camper body. That makes it a Class C. If you find and bring in an intact 2014 or earlier E350 cargo van, SMB will still convert it in the same way they did the old units, with the van body itself serving as the structure of the camper (making it strictly Class B). You can buy a new Classic (Class C) or, if you find an old cargo van, you can have them build their original Class B. But they do not chop the body off the back.

There was a time when 98% of Sportsmobiles were built on E350s. The 4x4 conversion vehicles that SMB built are capable of Class 4 trails. 4x4 Sprinter SMBs, even with all Van Compass and Agile Offroad upgrades, are recommended by SMB up to Class 2 trails. Many of the newer people on the board are not familiar with what a true offroad beast SMB used to build and is now beginning to build again. Scroll about 85% of the way down this page. That beige vehicle you see is not a Classic, it is an original E350 4x4 SMB.

The Youtube video below is a Quigley 4x4 conversion of an E350. Though converted by a different company, it does show you what the old SMB (and now the new Classic) is capable of doing.

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Old 06-20-2018, 05:49 PM   #19
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So Tom if I understand correctly, your point in post #15 was that SMB is still doing interior and top conversions on used pre-2015 cargo body E350s?
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Old 06-20-2018, 09:54 PM   #20
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So Tom if I understand correctly, your point in post #15 was that SMB is still doing interior and top conversions on used pre-2015 cargo body E350s?
YES, but you have to find the vehicle, buy it, and bring it to them. It also has to be in decent enough condition for them to do the work. Now understand that they don't just do the top and interior. They use F-450 and F-550 (pickup) parts to replace the entire driveline, convert to 4x4, install F-550 brakes, replace the axles, install highly advanced shocks, lift, extra leafs (leaves?) in the leaf springs, and give it an extreme amount of axle float and articulation. They make the low range gear box themselves-their own patented design. You get to choose between differential locks, limited-slip, etc. With the amount of changes they make, you wouldn't want to pay for all this to be done to a worn out body and frame. They do all that same stuff to the new "Classic" on the cutaway as they used to do on the cargo van. And they will still do it to a cargo van if you can bring them one in decent shape.
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