Why delay on ProMaster?

[daveb]

Yeah, that's what J Feld told me.

[Chance]

Originally Posted by daveb

.....cut..... So with the top down there will still be at least 6' of standing room due in part to the 6" floor drop.

Dave, just to be clear since berns378 also mentioned a 6-inch floor drop: Are you referring to the standard lower factory floor the ProMaster has due to FWD, or is SMB lowering the floor an additional 6 inches?


I'm curious because I'm a big fan of lowered floors for road-going vans, and was wondering if SMB was pursuing that route like many have in the past.

I've actually thought of buying a low-roof PM and dropping the floor 6 to 8 inches myself, then having it converted professionally.


BTW, when will we see at least a photo of new van's top?

[daveb]

I took it as it comes that way but could be wrong. I didn't spend too much time in it. An issue we had discussed was that with the floor drop, adding swivel seats creates a problem with the additional 6" drop. They are looking to possibly add a higher raised floor around the rear of the seats so when spun around you'll feel comfortable and your feet aren't dangling. It may depend on the total height of the swivel seat though. The stock ones look like something out of a big rig. The build they're putting the top on has the stock seats.

They still don't know when the top will be put on and Jonny said probably by the first of the year. I never asked what the holdup is about.

[Chance]

Daveb, I noticed Sportsmobile has additional information on the ProMaster penthouse roof on their web site. The 6-inch floor drop definitely appears to be the factory cab step behind front seats.

What seems very different is that the inside height is listed as 6-feet down and 9-feet up, for a difference of 3 feet of vertical travel. The Sprinter shows 5'-10" down and 8'-0" up, so it only opens a little over 2 feet. Assuming it's not a misprint, has the top been completely redesigned? Does it use the same kind of mechanism just bigger, or does it open differently?

[Chance]

Also Dave, do you know if this is the prototype ProMaster Sportsmobile? If so, any chance this is in Austin? Windows make it a nice looking van -- low roof is growing on me.

Picture was posted on PM forum.

[daveb]

The pop top will look very similar to the high top from what I was told. Jonathan told me 6 foot inside with the top down and it will go up 30 more inches. The high top is 74 from the floor to the roof. I don't know if the pop top shape will be sleek in design of more box type but I'm guessing the two vehicles will look similar. There will be only an electric lift IIRC.

[Chance]

There is a report on ProMaster forum that Sportsmobile is currently showing a ProMaster-based camper van at the Tampa RV show. Has anyone seen pictures or information on this van, or have pictures you can post?

[PeteM]

I know Hymer introduced USA built Promaster counterparts of their European Ducato campervans at the Tampa RV show. They have both fixed top (Grand Canyon model) and pop-top units such as the Rio and Sydney in Europe:

http://www.hymercar.com/en/models/hy...io/series.html

Sportsmobile isn't listed on the Tampa RV vendor list, so it seems less likely to see them at the show.

-------------------------
Edit: I take that back! One of the Promaster Forum folks has posted pics of a Sportsmobile conversion. Looks like the 159" wheelbase, all electric appliances, big 4KW inverter. $80K

http://www.promasterforum.com/forum/...0&postcount=13

[daveb]

Must be Texas or Indiana cause SMB west hasn't done anything yet according to them.

[GreyDawg]

Originally Posted by Chance

Also Dave, do you know if this is the prototype ProMaster Sportsmobile? If so, any chance this is in Austin? Windows make it a nice looking van -- low roof is growing on me.

Picture was posted on PM forum.

Nope, that's not Austin. Looks like SMB-West, which is a MUCH large production facility. That sure looks like West. Austin can't fit more than two vans inside each bay at a time, and their building isn't extra tall.

Kinda looks like the West "not RB/EB-50" production line area from 2006, when I was last there.