Buying vans from a distance and getting an inspection?

[dieselnutjob]

I am 5'10"

[dieselnutjob]

Originally Posted by b. rock

Uh say what now? I have been a long time cruiser head but you have my attention.

Importing complete vehicles from the UK into USA is very difficult, although once a Disco 2 hits 25 years old?

A few years ago I did help a fellow in USA who wanted a Euro spec Audi A6 TDI with the V6 diesel. What he did was he bought a USA spec Audi A6 and the front half of a crashed A6 diesel in Europe and had it palletised and shipped to him as spare parts. He basically made his dream car from the two and to the US authorities it was just a diesel swap.

I think that you could do something similar by joining a USA Disco 2 up with a UK Disco TD5. One common failure in the UK is rusted out rear cross members so one that's an MOT failure here and not worth repairing (a few dents or a tatty interior would do it) could maybe give up its engine, transmission, wiring loom and ECUs to a USA chassis and shell.

I have a side line in Landrover diagnostics by the way. I'm a little behind on Disco 2 electronics but it's on my roadmap. Look for pscan rover diagnostics; that's me.

[dieselnutjob]

Originally Posted by 86Scotty

I was thinking about this this afternoon. I could sleep laterally in my Transit but I built the bed platform to where it literally sat inside the window trim. I'm 6'2" and for me this was comfortable. I have owned a Sportsmobile that had a center mounted lateral bed, actually two sideways couches that made in to a bed and even with cutouts from SMB all the way to the walls there was NO way for me to sleep comfortably. It was only about 65" maybe? Others here who currently have this floor plan can probably tell you.

Mine was an RB10 floor plan IIRC.

Good luck, and how tall are you?

My neighbour (a builder) has a Transit and I just measured it.

It's one of these


It's seems pretty close to 72" on the outside from the "window" (as in, where the window would be if it had them). But the window isn't big enough to get a double mattress in there without hitting a pillar. The moment you go anywhere other than the outer skin of the window aperture you are down to 68".

I have it on good authority ( https://www.sportsmobileforum.com/fo...ine-27769.html ) that same dimension is 74" on an Econoline and a google search suggests that the exterior body width on an Econoline is 79", so that's a good 6" wider than my neighbours van.

Edit: another factor is that a lot of width restrictions (to stop Semis going down residential streets) in the UK are 6'6" wide. An Econoline is literally too wide for British roads, which is exactly what I want, but probably not what a trader wants.

[Orv]

In the US, once a vehicle reaches 80" wide (not counting mirrors, door handles, and fender flares) it triggers some additional requirements, like yellow "clearance lights" on the cab. So 79" makes sense.

[86Scotty]

Originally Posted by dieselnutjob

My neighbour (a builder) has a Transit and I just measured it.

It's one of these


It's seems pretty close to 72" on the outside from the "window" (as in, where the window would be if it had them). But the window isn't big enough to get a double mattress in there without hitting a pillar. The moment you go anywhere other than the outer skin of the window aperture you are down to 68".

I have it on good authority ( https://www.sportsmobileforum.com/fo...ine-27769.html ) that same dimension is 74" on an Econoline and a google search suggests that the exterior body width on an Econoline is 79", so that's a good 6" wider than my neighbours van.

Edit: another factor is that a lot of width restrictions (to stop Semis going down residential streets) in the UK are 6'6" wide. An Econoline is literally too wide for British roads, which is exactly what I want, but probably not what a trader wants.

Interesting stuff. I'm always taken aback by pics of European Transits. They are so different here. Are your Sprinters different too?

[dieselnutjob]

I think that the current Transit is the same in the UK and USA



Most UK Sprinters look like this



Sprinters do seem wider. I think that the 6'6" width restrictions must be a problem for their owners.

[StraightOuttaBallard]

Next weekend I leave for California 2 weeks. on the way back I’ll be stopping in a few different states one of which will be looking at a van. I may end up buying a 2nd E350.

I could facilitate helping you find one. My time is very valuable to me almost more so than money. i’m bringing my mountain bike in my splitboard. I will be stopping in Oregon , Northern California, than two weeks classes in San Diego, then Nevada, then either back to Northern California or to SLC area.

I don’t have a résumé that says that I’ve done this in the past. I have 30 years of working in the engine room of boats and that’s my day job I have a degree in mechanical engineering and I’ve owned an Quigley E350 for over four years.

I really only pay attention to the 73 power stroke so I know a few leads that are available & look promising right now. I’m more interested in buying a 73. Though there is one vehicle that is set up right now it looks very promising it’s a V 10 I may swing by and look at it but for sure I’m looking at the one in Nevada that’s a 7.3.

if interested PM me your email or PM me and ask for my email and we can start corresponding.

[dieselnutjob]

Originally Posted by StraightOuttaBallard

if interested PM me your email or PM me and ask for my email and we can start corresponding.

Thank you for your kind offer. I will PM you.

What I will say publicly is that really I am only interested in this particular unicorn spec:-

6.0 powerstroke, 2005 on (because HPOP)
no or very little rust
not extended
Passenger van

I have to be quite strict about the above. Extended won't fit on my drive. London is too damp to ever win a fight with rust. London emissions regs require it to be a "passenger" vehicle and not a "goods" vehicle.

The only compromise possible is 7.3 instead of 6.0 but that would probably break the budget.

[dieselnutjob]

I replied to the wrong thread.

I have to drop out of this particular van (and dream).

Probably someone should grab this van.

All the details are here
https://www.sportsmobileforum.com/fo...tml#post290486