Hello from Nunavut!

[pokerface1023]

Hello guys. Pretty awesome to find this site. Super informative and down right the ****!

Lots of infos here. My brain is already toast after looking around the site. I'm almost in the tailend of my job here in Nunavut. I have a new job waiting for my in Whitehorse, Yukon.

I've decided to buy a van and drive from Toronto(HOME) to Yukon. A year ago, my wife and I did a 3 year bicycle trip from Alaska to South America. We want to do it all over again this time with a Van. We'll still bring the bikes, pick and choose where to ride.

We rented a Dodge van for a month in Utah during our trip and loved the idea. Then we briefly met a guy from California in Peru driving his SMB. Well I actually don't have an idea what an SMB is but I do have a general idea what kind of van we'll use. That brief encounter sealed the deal.

So here are some that I'm considering.

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/sudbury/2007-gmc-savannah-for-quick-sale/1309408912

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks...an/1297710797?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-view-details.html?adId=1306798389


I'm not a handy guy but I have 1 year to biuld this thing up and learn how to do some field repairs. I might upgrade this to an AWD, lift kit, bull bars, rooftack etc. Of course we'll use it to drive around Yukon while we're at it.

For now, my questions are:

RWD or FWD?
7.3 or 6.0?
Is gas ok?
How high is high milaege for a used vehicle like this? I'm worried that something will fall apart sooner or later.
Basically I need info on which model and vehicles I have to stay away.


I need a lot of advise to be quite honest because I have no idea where to start. I read somewhere in the forum about the budget for a build. Is $25-30K good enough to make me confident that I'll be driving a pretty road worthy van?

 

[Zappo-SMB]

:h8:Welcome bud! Place to start is what your budget ? Just an idea you could buy a van,take your time building inside buy a small/lightweight trailer with all the creature comforts in the mean time which you could dump later when youre van build is done? Gustav

 

[pokerface1023]

:h8:Welcome bud! Place to start is what your budget ? Just an idea you could buy a van,take your time building inside buy a small/lightweight trailer with all the creature comforts in the mean time which you could dump later when youre van build is done? Gustav

I'm quite sure I need the AWD and lift upgrades. Plus the ARB or something similar bumpers, roof rack, solars, bike rack, awning and fridge. I'm hoping to buy something in the $6000-7500 range(?). Unless the upgrades I mentioned plus the sleeping system inside will cost less then maybe I can buy a more expensive vehicle. Aslong as everything ends up somewhere in the $25-30 range, my wife will be quite happy. Otherwise, we might just ride our bikes again. Lol.:d3:

 

[boywonder]

Welcome Pokerface! Keep reading....all of your questions have been answered here on many threads....

I spend a lot of time these days in Toronto (I'll be there most of next week) so if you want to chat over coffee or a beer (I'm in Missisauga area around the airport) send me a PM.

 

[pokerface1023]

Thanks. I wont be back until the 15th. It'll be awesome to meet and ask someone in person to guide me thru this.