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 04-25-2018, 08:37 PM   #11
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 752
Quote:
Originally Posted by carringb View Post
I'm not sure that's correct.
It does look like the DIY is inaccurate. Here is Flarespace's page for Transits. It looks like you can indeed position windows or the Flarespace farther back than the DIY shows. It looks like there still will be some distance between the beginning of the last pillar and the rear door.

To place the base of the bed at the lowest possible point within the Flarespace, you'd have to position it forward of the chamfer. To push the bed as far back as possible within the Flarespace, you'd have to elevate the base of the bed to the high point on the chamfer. Once you take into account the height of the mattress, that leaves very little room for head clearance and foot clearance.

So it does look like you can push the Flarespace back some, but unfortunately, that chamfer still throws a kink into what you can do with a transverse bed.

Pic: https://www.cars.com/research/ford-transit_350-2015/

If one of the people sleeping on the bed is not too tall, SMB can extend the mattress supporting platform all the way to the rear doors, cutting a couple of dogleg notches and then cut foam to fit the platform. The shorter person can sleep farther back. If that rear person needs to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night (s)he will have to crawl over the other person.

TomH is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-27-2018, 01:33 AM   #12
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 239
FWIIW - I just read:

The 2019 Transit is expected to receive the turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 paired with the 10-speed automatic transmission, which will give the large cargo hauler better fuel economy and better performance.

The turbo V6 won’t be the only engine option – expect a less powerful V6 and five-cylinder diesel to carry over into the new model year.
LosAngeles is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-27-2018, 08:08 AM   #13
Senior Member
 
86Scotty's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: TN
Posts: 10,222
That's crazy. 10 speed. The current 6 is so good I can't imagine it not hunting more with more gears.

You want the Ecoboost, trust me.
86Scotty is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-17-2018, 03:35 PM   #14
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 239
so why no general Transit section on this Forum?

I'd be interested in reading threads that are all about Transit - Sportsmobile builds / issues.

Ideally Fresno specific.... but i'll read what i can get.

just curious.

thanks

john
LosAngeles is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-18-2018, 07:26 AM   #15
Senior Member
 
86Scotty's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: TN
Posts: 10,222
YEAH MODS!!!!! WHY NO TRANSIT SECTION??????

It’s about time, isn’t it?




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
86Scotty is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-18-2018, 04:25 PM   #16
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 752
The forum was started when Econolines were pretty much it. SMB-W was the only one of the three doing conversions to 4x4 so a special section was given to that. As Sprinters came along, they were given a section.

I think the forum was sold to a different owner. It currently is the most moderator hands-off of all the forums I participate in. The space flight forum I'm on has tens of thousands of members. If any post deviates in the slightest bit from the topic title, it gets deleted quickly. The categories are realigned all the time as current realities change. On the SMB forum, I have found the mods allow the members to sort of self-moderate and the actual moderators don't get involved unless there is a big problem. The mods mostly remain quietly in the background and things in the threads normally flow pretty smoothy. Every forum has its own personality. I have no idea whether the mods here can realign the forums or whether whomever now owns it would have to do it. I do agree, though, that it makes sense to update the way the categories are organized.
TomH is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-28-2018, 02:55 PM   #17
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 239
Quote:
Originally Posted by carringb View Post
Based on the SMB DYO studio, it would work. Just need to make the queen transverse, using the flarespace pods for extra space.

As for 4x4, I think QuadVan has a better product, and is a little more customizable, but they have a long waitlist right now.

IMO - a 170" wheelbase has no business being on trails anyways. If a single lane road ever comes to an end, a shorter wheelbase can Austin Powers it back around the other way. A 170" (basically the same a crew cab pickup) gets in a jam like that, it could be a LONGGG ways in reverse....
Very sad to report that currently ... FlareSpace pods do not come for the Transit EXT.

:-(

Does any other “pod” company exist? For Ford Transit EXT.

Thanks.

John.
LosAngeles is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-28-2018, 03:55 PM   #18
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 752
If graded gravel roads is the extent of your offroad intentions, then you might think about how important 4x4 and high clearance are for you. The Promaster is 73" wide at the bottom of the cabin, 4" wider than the other vehicles.

The kids will not always be with you. It is amazing how fast they grow up and are off doing their own thing. The Classic line is finally in rolling out production vans. This vehicle is far more offroad capable than any of the others. It also can tow 10,000 lb. I know I have suggested this before, but a Classic towing an Adventure Trailer would give you tremendous ability and the additional space you need for the kids. Once the kids stop going with you, and they will, you could resell the trailer. In addition to the bed in the penthouse, the Classic body is 73" wide, allowing for a transverse lower bed if you so desire.
TomH is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-28-2018, 05:40 PM   #19
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 239
Quote:
Originally Posted by TomH View Post
If graded gravel roads is the extent of your offroad intentions, then you might think about how important 4x4 and high clearance are for you. The Promaster is 73" wide at the bottom of the cabin, 4" wider than the other vehicles.

The kids will not always be with you. It is amazing how fast they grow up and are off doing their own thing. The Classic line is finally in rolling out production vans. This vehicle is far more offroad capable than any of the others. It also can tow 10,000 lb. I know I have suggested this before, but a Classic towing an Adventure Trailer would give you tremendous ability and the additional space you need for the kids. Once the kids stop going with you, and they will, you could resell the trailer. In addition to the bed in the penthouse, the Classic body is 73" wide, allowing for a transverse lower bed if you so desire.
Thanks for the thoughts. :-)

What is a Classic?

And

We really do not want to tow anything. We tow a travel trailer now and want to Be just a class B

And

I test drove a Ram van and hated the driving position.

FWIIW.

Sprinter and Transit are ok for me for driveability. Not the Ram.

John.
LosAngeles is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-28-2018, 07:43 PM   #20
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 752
Quote:
Originally Posted by LosAngeles View Post
What is a Classic?
It used to be that almost all Sportsmobiles were built on Ford Econoline E350 cargo vans, mostly on the long bed, but a few short. Some had penthouse tops, some had aftermarket tall roofs. SMB-W began offering 4x4 conversions of their own design. They built their own low range transfer case, swapped out the 2wd parts with Ford 4x4 truck parts, put on F-550 brake systems, Dana axles, and suspension systems with high articulation.

Sometime around 2009 Ford announced that they intended to phase out the E350 and bring over the Transit, which had been selling in Europe for decades. The E series has a frame, the Transit is unibody like Sprinter, etc. Production of E350 ended in 2014, however the demand for light trucks and Class C motorhomes caused them to continue building the E350 cutaway. SMB-W took a cutaway and built a prototype vehicle on it around that same time and dubbed it the Classic. They had someone else build a fiberglass cabin for them that is 4" wider than the original cargo van cabin. They tested it rigorously and spent a long time troubleshooting problems like leaks. About a year ago, they built 3 beta test models and continued trial runs in the CA mountains and deserts. The Classic is the same length as the previous E350 LB, is available only with the penthouse, and is technically considered Class C, though to the eye, you'd think it is Class B.

Less than a week ago, SMB-W announced that they had begun production of this model for sale. Twenty people currently have a deposit, the oldest made over four and a half years ago.

This short thread contains links to several longer threads regarding the Classic.
TomH 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

» 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 05:13 PM.


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