A Closer Look at America's Conversion Vans

[Raging Bird]

I've lived in a 1982 Chevy G20 and a 1995 GMC Vandura. The chevy was older and more prone to cooling troubles, but its spacious interior and inviting atmosphere made it stick more fondly in my memory. Personally, I'd never consider an econoline, and the ramvan is a bad joke as far as I'm concerned. I wouldn't settle for less than a woodgrain center console, and that plastic shit is - quite frankly - an insult to taste and decency. I'd be interested to hear the opinions of my fellow van enthusiasts.

First Thread

 

[Puckett]

i never had a van but did have an rv and i loved it untill the exusaust manafold blew a hole in it. and the good thing about the older cars/vans/rvs are that they are built to last and easy to fix.

 

[plagueship]

youre gonna have plenty of time for doobie rollin when you're LIVING IN A VAN DOWN BY THE RIVER!!!!

 

[katbastard]

http://cheaprvliving.com/howtoconvertavan.html
good shit here, if you got the money and time

 

[katbastard]

http://www.faliaphotography.com/
blog about this chick who is doing the van thing

 

[foxtailV]

those rv sites are awesome! i live on a boat but i got the need to travel for survival as a artist. I cant wait to travel in a Van!

 

[Matt Derrick]

http://www.faliaphotography.com/
blog about this chick who is doing the van thing

that's a pretty cool website, thanks for sharing. i am also a big fan of the cheap rv living website.

 

[Raging Bird]

DAMN, I like what she's done with the thing. The windchimes are a nice touch.

 

[CvP]

I agree that Ram vans blow chunks, but I've been working on a 93 econoline for about a week. I'm impressed so far. The only bothersome bit about it is RUST. I'll need sheet metal and a welder before long, but setting up the interior has been a breeze. It's amazing how some folks deck out their rides.

 

[dprogram]

I've been on the first link all day now and feel like selling my little BMW and buying a van!

 

[DaisyDoom]

My husband and I lived in an 87ish Suburban. An air mattress and small dog bed for our minpin fit perfectly with the back bench taken out. We strung up some curtain with wire and velcro haha...it was pretty comfy for the two of us.
After we had our kid we got a Vandora and didn't even live in it lol...I wish we kept it but ended up trading for a jeep .

Now we are getting ready to do some turtle squatting in a 22ft HiLo that will be pulled by a '47 DeSoto. I'll take some pics of the work we are doing next time I get over there.

 

[Matt Derrick]

Now we are getting ready to do some turtle squatting in a 22ft HiLo that will be pulled by a '47 DeSoto. I'll take some pics of the work we are doing next time I get over there.

Awesome, I'd like to see some pics of people's trailers since I might get one someday.

 

[dprogram]

I agree that Ram vans blow chunks, but I've been working on a 93 econoline for about a week. I'm impressed so far. The only bothersome bit about it is RUST. I'll need sheet metal and a welder before long, but setting up the interior has been a breeze. It's amazing how some folks deck out their rides.

I'm really interested in seeing how this turns out so post pics if you feel like it. I'm fixing my car up to sell it or trade it for a van now and trying to prepare for this unique and affordable experience.

Oh and why do Ram Vans suck so bad? Quality? MPG? Room?

 

[Matt Derrick]

Oh and why do Ram Vans suck so bad? Quality? MPG? Room?

ive been riding around in my friend's 2003 dodge ram van, and it's been awesome. i also have a dodge ram van at home (a 96') that i just bought so i haven't had a chance to test it out thoroughly yet.

 

[dprogram]

That's good to know b/c I've seen some decently priced cargo and conversion vans locally on CL and on ebay.

 

[crazy john]

last sumer my friends moved into the shed i was living in with me, but before that they were living in a jeep liberty. i tried that out and the shed was a much nicer fit. this thread makes me want to try the whole van thing tho, with an actual van ofcourse

 

[flashinglights]

I had a 84 chevy G20 and loved it, very easy to work on, reliable, room for I don't even know how many people to fit in it, the most we ever had in the back was only 5 or 6 or something. getting it to pass emissions was another story.

 

[saje2u]

Jeep libertys are sooo punx!!!!

G20 vans: the material of the console are the least of your worries with the proneness to massive electrical issues, cooling issues, vaccume, intake/carb and just general shittyness of them and the fuel economy most importantly. and yea emissions can be a cunt and a half to work around/deal with.
I say cars, cars all day eryday, 4 cylinder, 4 door, 4 speed = 4 hundred dollars all the time on CL throw away wheels time and again - shit if its a stick pull a 10ft or smaller trailer those can be gotten for under 400$ all day too.

 

[Who the hell knows]

i never had a van but did have an rv and i loved it untill the exusaust manafold blew a hole in it. and the good thing about the older cars/vans/rvs are that they are built to last and easy to fix.

You know, sometimes you can repair exhaust manifolds with furnace cement. this is the same stuff in exhaust repair kits (a sodium silicate base), but for 6 or 7 bucks you get 3 pounds of it or more.. also there's higher tensile strength furnace caulking for tougher fixes... use a brass fitting of some kind (bolt, screw, threaded valve) to close the manifold hole as much as possible.. ( tight enough to wedge securely, but not so much as to widen any cracks.. you'll see the brass deform on the iron, & as soon as you see that or crack spreading, stop.. & steel is too hard & will expand & contract for a stable fix..), then gloom the cement in there.. fiber reinforced furnace cement is best, but you can thoroughly knead about 10 or 15% fiberglass insulatio9n into it for about the same effect... plug & slather deeply & generously.. pay attention to manifold cracks..

also, exhaust gaskets can be repaired similarly, if you can get up where you need to push the material into the blowout..


fiberglass cloth can be used to make a bandaging cast if the cement is carefully diluted.. use acetate/polish remover to thin to about cake dough consistency, then use a couple heavier/thicker layers to finish & seal.. some of the cements can be cut with water.. use whatever the package says..

the best shit to use for fibers, though, if you can find it though, is asbestos pipe wrap.. mask & gloves at all times...

the main thing is to take care with the curing.. the fix is cheap, but it's slow.

you need a warm (65 degrees or better) area to let it set up for at least 18 hours on the first main layer, then at least 3 between each successive one.. preferably 6 for the second layer... THEN you have to cure it by idling for a couple hours & then drive gently...

you CAN superfrankenstien it over a shorter period, but i wouldn't do it on any large displacement engines...

 

[Puckett]

the hole was bigger than my fist and in a real hard to fix spot, not to mention we were in barstow ca and they had nothing there to fix it. but i did get $200 at a scrap yard, so not bad