Hello from Nunavut!

[pokerface1023]

Hello guys. Pretty awesome to find this site. Super informative and down right the shit!

Lots of infos here. My brain is already toast after looking around the site. I'm almost in the tailend of my job here in Nunavut. I have a new job waiting for my in Whitehorse, Yukon.

I've decided to buy a van and drive from Toronto(HOME) to Yukon. A year ago, my wife and I did a 3 year bicycle trip from Alaska to South America. We want to do it all over again this time with a Van. We'll still bring the bikes, pick and choose where to ride.

We rented a Dodge van for a month in Utah during our trip and loved the idea. Then we briefly met a guy from California in Peru driving his SMB. Well I actually don't have an idea what an SMB is but I do have a general idea what kind of van we'll use. That brief encounter sealed the deal.

So here are some that I'm considering.

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/...ale/1309408912

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/...ationFlag=true

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-view-details...dId=1306798389


I'm not a handy guy but I have 1 year to biuld this thing up and learn how to do some field repairs. I might upgrade this to an AWD, lift kit, bull bars, rooftack etc. Of course we'll use it to drive around Yukon while we're at it.

For now, my questions are:

RWD or FWD?
7.3 or 6.0?
Is gas ok?
How high is high milaege for a used vehicle like this? I'm worried that something will fall apart sooner or later.
Basically I need info on which model and vehicles I have to stay away.


I need a lot of advise to be quite honest because I have no idea where to start. I read somewhere in the forum about the budget for a build. Is $25-30K good enough to make me confident that I'll be driving a pretty road worthy van?

[Zappo]

Welcome bud! Place to start is what your budget ? Just an idea you could buy a van,take your time building inside buy a small/lightweight trailer with all the creature comforts in the mean time which you could dump later when youre van build is done? Gustav

[pokerface1023]

Originally Posted by Zappo

Welcome bud! Place to start is what your budget ? Just an idea you could buy a van,take your time building inside buy a small/lightweight trailer with all the creature comforts in the mean time which you could dump later when youre van build is done? Gustav

I'm quite sure I need the AWD and lift upgrades. Plus the ARB or something similar bumpers, roof rack, solars, bike rack, awning and fridge. I'm hoping to buy something in the $6000-7500 range(?). Unless the upgrades I mentioned plus the sleeping system inside will cost less then maybe I can buy a more expensive vehicle. Aslong as everything ends up somewhere in the $25-30 range, my wife will be quite happy. Otherwise, we might just ride our bikes again. Lol.

[boywonder]

Welcome Pokerface! Keep reading....all of your questions have been answered here on many threads....

I spend a lot of time these days in Toronto (I'll be there most of next week) so if you want to chat over coffee or a beer (I'm in Missisauga area around the airport) send me a PM.

[pokerface1023]

Thanks. I wont be back until the 15th. It'll be awesome to meet and ask someone in person to guide me thru this.