Chevy or Ford home build?

[bettyford]

oops

[Yodavan]

I had the same idea when I started looking for a builder van. I knew I wanted a van that was already converted to 4x4 and I liked the Chevy AWD and it's MPG. The two things about the Chevy awd was the 1500 capacity and not having a low range for more serious off roading. Depending on how you imagine using it those two issues May or may not be a concern. I ended up finding a Dodge 3500 cargo van with a Salem Kroger 4x4 conversion well in my price range(cheap). I've built out the interior so it works the way I need it and can say that it is carrying more weight then I had imagined. Adding interior, fiberglass hard top and outside tire and gas can rack really adds the weight, enough that a think A 1500 would struggle.

The next issue is that there are very few after market parts like bumpers, fender flails, etc... Available so I have to custom build or use universal parts I want.

If a had to do it again I think I would have been better off with the E350 that was already converted. The initial cost would be much higher but you would also have more part options and support available to build it to your liking.

[accrete]

Greetings SaltyDog

& thank you one and all for your kind-koodos on my wife's and my van project.

I'll have a go at answering some of the questions/comments that came up in the above posts.

I think from an aesthetics stand point the Chevy 5.3L AWD 1500 can be a real head turner at some point in a build. . .



We have had a combination of DIY and Pro-build mods to the stock cargo van.
Fiberine 24" top (gives 71" headroom with insulated headliner), on the outside a Boulder Off Road 2" lift (that actually turned out to be ~2.5"). The Rhino Lining was a great addition! We stuck with stock sized wheels/tires as the drive on wet roads as they handle well...& we can cook, shower, sleep and lounge in our rig

On interior up fit, if you think (as others have hinted) along building it light, say similar to a Westfalia or similar you should do fine. Our rig weighs in somewhere around 6300lbs at the scales empty with the mods. Then we load it up with gear for up to 2 weeks. Call us crazy, but it is always loaded (~6900lbs). And you might already know this is my wife's daily driver. Around town the math shows we regularly get ~14-15mpg. Then when out on the road we get anywhere from ~17-19mpg...when towing our 15ft fiberglass trailer (2300lbs) we get ~16-17mpg. OH, and power? We have no problem going from 55mph up to 70mph to pass some class A lookie-loo up hill fully loaded pulling the trailer

Also on the interior floorplan/build...If you were to think about an RB50 Sportsmobile syle plan you should be fine. Keep things simple and build as light as possible and you should be fine. Our rig still has a bit of wiggle room in what can be placed inside with a GVWR of 7300lbs.

OK, on how agile/competent the rig is? IMO (& as others have noted) there are advantages to the AWD set up over 4x4 when looking at daily driving. We are a bit biased in that we've been Volvo AWD folk for some time here in the wet driving conditions. So highway safety first, i would go AWD. For off road? If your idea of fun includes forestry roads and similar dirt roads/trails you will be at home. With the small BOR lift we feel more confident on the easy trails/roads we travel. For Cari & I it was a paradigm shift from taking our 4x4 FJ40 & 4x4 TACO off road to driving on maintained dirt roads...but the sights are still just as grand (though the adrenalin is more in check!)

This link shows us having fun 18 miles up FR28 near Mt.Rainier Washington...with views like this it's really not a bother to have _only_ AWD.

I think you would enjoy an AWD build if you keep things light and check your adventures to light trails and maintained dirt roads.