Never thought I'd own a Van....

[1der]

Another approach since you are new to vans-
Buy this E150 for a good price and play with it as to layout, usage, etc. Get a feel for how you like it. But be very $$ prudent as to the mods. Wood and screws are pretty cheap in the big picture. Many other adds such as sink’s, heaters, inverter, water tank, etc. can be swapped to your final build rig.

I am concerned about your budget constraints- $4k to buy and do some reasonable basic interior mods is fine. You are tens of thousand$ away from a 4x4 fully converted van.

A UJOR conversion alone is going to be $15k +/-, and likely much more due to scope creep w wheels/tires/winch/air/ recovery gear.

When you figure out what you want/need, buy another van for your final build which as recommended by many here should be 1997 and up E350 or even a Chevy AWD.. It is crazy easy to be into a rig for $30k in PARTS and a small amount of contracted work in very short order. It all adds up quickly.

[Vanimal]

1der is spot on in all especially budget. Your budget is at a earlier model and 2wd at that. I would still base my build on a 250 or 350! Just a couple cabinets and a bed will put you at your limit when you load it up with water, gear and food! This will also alter the handling on a 1/2 ton chassis. I guess our point is that there is a lot to consider if you're on a limited budget. Chassis and motor being # 1. It is easy to throw in a blow up bed and a tub for supplies, but if you are going to build one weight and weight displacement are important for life and enjoyment!

[Vanimal]

Here is a fresh one:
https://inlandempire.craigslist.org/...045619863.html

[CGgonzo12]

Originally Posted by mikracer

Parking in SLO is a bitch with the EB. I've had 2 and know first hand. The RB is pretty easy, even in DT where you have to parallel.

Good to know man. Hey check your PM I’m messaging you. Thanks again

[CGgonzo12]

Originally Posted by 1der

Another approach since you are new to vans-
Buy this E150 for a good price and play with it as to layout, usage, etc. Get a feel for how you like it. But be very $$ prudent as to the mods. Wood and screws are pretty cheap in the big picture. Many other adds such as sink’s, heaters, inverter, water tank, etc. can be swapped to your final build rig.

I am concerned about your budget constraints- $4k to buy and do some reasonable basic interior mods is fine. You are tens of thousand$ away from a 4x4 fully converted van.

A UJOR conversion alone is going to be $15k +/-, and likely much more due to scope creep w wheels/tires/winch/air/ recovery gear.

When you figure out what you want/need, buy another van for your final build which as recommended by many here should be 1997 and up E350 or even a Chevy AWD.. It is crazy easy to be into a rig for $30k in PARTS and a small amount of contracted work in very short order. It all adds up quickly.

I appreciate the feedback and since have re-evaluated the budget. The wife and I are looking at a van tomorrow. I will keep everyone updated and hopefully be able to start a build thread soon.

[CGgonzo12]

So the wife and I went up to NorCal on Sunday to look at a van that was posted on the forum for sale and we decided to take the plunge! We ended up with a 2010 Ford E350 RB V8 with 66K miles on it. The van is super clean and we look forward to starting our build....itll be a slower build since we bumped up our initial purchase price but we are very happy we did. So thank you to everyone who gave their input on here and helped guide us down the right path.

[Glen]

Congrats!!! Lets see some pics.

[mikracer]

Nice! You're way better off with that van as a base rather than the original van you were looking at.

[Twoxentrix]

Good for you! Don’t worry about the slow build process - you now have some time to Use it unmolested, this is how you’ll prioritize the “must have’s” from the “wanta have’s”. Good part is they Van is ready to go - throw in an air mattress & some camping gear and you’re on your way.

[CGgonzo12]

Thank you everyone, we are super excited with where we are at the moment. And in regards to the photos, I will get some posted up soon, I haven't had time to take any decent photos yet!