I’ve paved the way....you’re welcome[emoji6]
Clocking in now at 160K on our SMB Quigley 7.3, it started out with a suspension redo, 285’s to 315’s, then swapped the SMB manual pop top to a CCV pop, re-gearing from 4.10 to 4.56 now, next is tackling an interior refresh this fall with the help of http://www.avcrig.com (I’ll start a thread on that one!)
You’ll have to pry the keys out of my cold dead hands.....or give me lots of money while I’m still alive....keep it!
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'03 Ford E350 7.3L Diesel
(de)SMB'd Custom RB-50
Quigley 4X4 w/Deavers & Agile Offroad's R.I.P. package
CCV High Profile Pop Top
Seems the Bank of Scotty is open for business? Financing without the hassles of applications, paperwork or down payments!
Were this me I'd opt for the new top as you know your vehicle's history of use and maintenance so far. With any used vehicle its a crap shoot whether you're buying exactly what's advertised. My current situation of replacing a 5.4 engine after less than 3K miles since new-to-me is a good example.
The 7.3 does seem to enjoy a good reputation and as CarringB says parts are relatively easy to find or source, knowledge base for the "older" stuff plentiful most anyplace mechanics can be found.
clicker44 you left us hanging! What did you do? Where are you in your trip?
My girlfriend and I had the same dilemma regarding the same trip. When we were pondering the options of new/used van versus the ‘99 7.3 E350 I already owned, we ended up keeping and using the van I maintained for almost its entire life. I don’t regret the decision. The van now has just over 300,000 miles on it and we are in Colombia still slowly heading south. Other than basic maintenance we’ve had no issues.
By the way, we still discuss fixed high top versus pop top a lot. We have a mid height CCV pop top. The advantage of a low roof height is pretty significant. I rarely have to worry about low hanging power lines (very common in smaller towns) or tree limbs and such. As far as wind, to my surprise the top has withstood some ferociously strong winds. I do admit it would be nice to be able to stand up in the van any and all times. But, it’s a small trade off for the maneuverability. Now if we were to winter camp a lot this would be another story.
I've gone through the same thoughts on switching to a fixed high top but have decided to stick with the penthouse top for now. I'm leaving January heading south to Argentina as well and being able to fit the van in a shipping container is a major part of my decision to stay with the penthouse top. I also know my van inside and out and have virtually had since new (I'm second owner, but bought it at 1 year old from original owner). I couldn't imagine starting the journey with an unknown (to me) platform.
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