Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 08-07-2021, 12:34 AM   #1
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2021
Posts: 4
Need advice for new van project on a 2003 7.3 Diesel E350

Ive been in the market for my first van to customize and I came across a 2003 Ford Econoline 7.3 Diesel with 200k miles for 9k. The van looks like its in good shape. No rust or anything like that but the problem is the rear interior is gutted out. They also took out the whole rear air conditioning too. Im wondering will it be tough to find oem parts like the rear interior wall panels and install a new air conditioner in the rear. It seems like reinstalling the whole air conditioning will be costly and labor intensive. I want the interior back to stock as close as possible. I would be mainly using this for work and road trips so my plan is to just put some captain chairs and benches in it. Do you guys think this is a good deal or will it cost me too much to do all of this just get it back to normal. Im new to this van life so any advice would help. Thanks
Attached Thumbnails
front van.jpg   side van.jpg   interior van.jpg   van floor.jpg   back van.jpg  

under van.jpg  

VanLife713 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-07-2021, 01:02 AM   #2
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2021
Posts: 4
Sorry i just noticed this should be in the SMB homemade thread. Can the admins please move it. Thanks
VanLife713 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-07-2021, 01:30 AM   #3
Senior Member
 
mikracer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: San Luis Obispo, CA
Posts: 2,552
Are you sure this van had rear air? Is the rear air control switch on the dash? Not very many cargo vans came with rear air. I also don't think they came with interior panels.
__________________
2005 E350 Chateau - V10 - Agile Offroad 4x4
2012 CTS-V Wagon - For the baby...
mikracer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-07-2021, 01:37 AM   #4
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Sonoma County
Posts: 781
I can’t speak for extendeds, but in regular body vans, the rear air was behind the left rear wheel well. It’s a fairly large hole too, which I don’t see in the pictures above.
__________________
2003 Astro AWD
2005 Tacoma Access cab 4x4
1999 E350 RB 7.3 "Al B. Tross" aka "Exxon Valdez"
SteelheadJones is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-07-2021, 01:56 AM   #5
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2021
Posts: 4
Quote:
Originally Posted by mikracer View Post
Are you sure this van had rear air? Is the rear air control switch on the dash? Not very many cargo vans came with rear air. I also don't think they came with interior panels.
Actually I’m not sure if it did come with it now. It looks like it didn’t. So I guess my question would be would it be expensive or difficult to install a rear AC and source the interior panels? Also is $9k a good price for this
VanLife713 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-07-2021, 07:33 AM   #6
Senior Member
 
boywonder's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: So Cal
Posts: 4,046
Quote:
Originally Posted by VanLife713 View Post
Actually I’m not sure if it did come with it now. It looks like it didn’t. So I guess my question would be would it be expensive or difficult to install a rear AC and source the interior panels? Also is $9k a good price for this

This is a typical cargo van..no rear AC and no rear panels. Also no rear windows.....so people traveling in the back can't see anything...kinda like a prison van....and no rear seat belts.

..also no holes in the floor to mount the factory seats, which it's also missing since it's not a passenger van.

It would be costly and difficult to install the factory rear heat/AC; There are some "work van" type panels around be not super common.....and installing windows and finding seats is more time and $$. You may want to just find a passenger van.


All that said it looks like a clean 7.3 EB van that is somewhat desirable to folks on here for a mild to wild camper conversion. It also has side barn doors which are more desirable than the slider for most people.
__________________
2008 E350 RB passenger 4WD SMB penthouse
2013 KTM 350 EXC
2008 KTM 250 XCF-W
2003 Honda Element
boywonder is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-07-2021, 07:55 AM   #7
Senior Member
 
gahamby's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: VIRGINIA
Posts: 632
Garage
Pretty good blank slate.
__________________
'07 GMC 2500 6.0
gahamby is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-07-2021, 09:09 AM   #8
Site Team
 
BroncoHauler's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Southern New Mexico
Posts: 10,177
Quote:
Originally Posted by VanLife713 View Post
Sorry i just noticed this should be in the SMB homemade thread. Can the admins please move it. Thanks
Done
The message you have entered is too short. Please lengthen your message to at least 10 characters.
__________________
SMB-less as of 02/04/2012. Our savings account is richer, but our adventures are poorer.
BroncoHauler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-07-2021, 03:54 PM   #9
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2021
Posts: 4
Quote:
Originally Posted by boywonder View Post
This is a typical cargo van..no rear AC and no rear panels. Also no rear windows.....so people traveling in the back can't see anything...kinda like a prison van....and no rear seat belts.

..also no holes in the floor to mount the factory seats, which it's also missing since it's not a passenger van.

It would be costly and difficult to install the factory rear heat/AC; There are some "work van" type panels around be not super common.....and installing windows and finding seats is more time and $$. You may want to just find a passenger van.


All that said it looks like a clean 7.3 EB van that is somewhat desirable to folks on here for a mild to wild camper conversion. It also has side barn doors which are more desirable than the slider for most people.

thank you for the responses. My main concern is sourcing the interior panels and how long that would take to find. If not do custom panels which sounds expensive. My only option for ac looks like it would be a aftermarket type camper one in the roof. As for the seats I was planning to get some sienna captain seats. This project looks like it would be more then what I would like to spend for the interior. Im probably going to pass on this van and wait for a passenger one. I really wanted this 7.3 engine though so it hurts to let it go since these have been hard to find
VanLife713 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-08-2021, 09:15 AM   #10
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 712
Why not make a low ball offer that might match your funny money fund ? How about a Danhard interior AC ? -- Or do the roof AC thing as you mentioned ? Flip the coin ?
doublevan2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off

» Sportsmobile Registry

Big Grey

allenl

Biggie

Berta
Add your Sportsmobile
» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Sportsmobile SIP or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 07:50 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.