[Back By Popular Demand] The Let's Turn a Transit Connect Cargo Into a Sports Van Build

Speaking about my buddy's shop in Goldsboro, NC. we stay in touch and text one another once in a while. But I wanted to check up on him as I had something for him to do. He sent a pic of one of most current projects.. Just in case you're wondering.. he's mounting a coyote engine in that mustang..

Now, If you had asked me years ago if he would be in a shop doing this kind of work I would no way cause he never worked on cars while we were in High school. He and his shop specializes in Mustangs and his main specialty is body kits. So I thought this next part for the van would be right up his alley.

I never liked how the van's front end was designed. it seems to suggest that it's allow more air under the van than over the top. But again by adding the new Cobra lowering springs, it make the van butt heavy. Though I wouldn't say the North Carolina squat.. but still it wasn't off my much. Again we've had to turn to getting parts form UK.. as nothing like this would be available in the USA. I scrolled through a near endless images of front spoilers, air dams and splitters.. nothing had that look I was looking for. Till I located Maxton designs.

The main difference between the maxton splitter and other splitters.. the maxton mounts under the front of the van while other spitters are glued onto the front end of the van like a bumper cover. But as typical we ran into an issues, maxton Uk would not sell us one of these splitters.. and when I contacted maxton USA they did not list this splitter for the van. I begged with maxton USA to get one of these splitters in stock. They finally broken down and had the UK branch send a splitter to the US.

We got that splitter in house a few weeks ago. So I contacted my buddy and asked if he could schedule us in to have this splitter installed. He wanted to see the hardware and directions. So I mailed the hardware and a few of my tunerfish stickers to him. A few days later, he said that the hardware Maxton included with the kit would not be suitable for the splitter and said he has better hardware for this job.

So in a few more weeks, we'll be driving down to NC to have him install the splitter.

In order to see if anything could be done about the van's aerodynamics.. I joint a site called ECOModders where these guys add body kits and even card board to their cars trucks etc just to see if they can squeeze a few more MPG out of their setup. This is one reason I'm going with the front splitter. But while looking at the front end of the van, I noticed these slats just behind the front grille. According to reports, automakers starting adding these slats on cars and trucks around 2015/2018. This sytem was supposed to be used when the car was cold these slats would close allowing the engines to heat up. and when the engine was running hot, the system would open allowing more cooler into the engines etc.

The problem came when out slats didn't open up anymore. So I had to research the "what If" I removed them. ECOModders and other sites said that if one was to remove this system one would get a check engine light. But locating the CJ Pony Parts site video shows the tech installing a intercooler on the front of a Focus, which meant having to remove the active shutter system and all without a check engine light and without an reprogramming.

Plus they say you have to remove the front grille to access these slats.. I didn't just pulled each one out at a time and over time. Not only was the slats not opening, while on the highway, the van felt like I was driving a brick.. we couldn't keep up.  here's where the guys at ECOModder got upset with me after I told them I removed the slats and we're getting better gas mileage and the van top speed has increased. 

Plus, while at the connect forum, I kept hearing owner say they need to have a trans cooler installed on their van as their van didn't have one.. Once I removed the slats.. guess what, the trans cooler is located top left and hidden by the slats. So not only was the slats closed making the van over heat, the slats restricted any air getting to the trans cooler.

Although our gas mileage hasn't been great the engine is running cooler, the trans cooler is finally getting some much needed air.

I've noticed that the forum has an aerodynamics section.. so along with that, I wanted to see we could make the van more streamline as the cross winds tend to play with the van. Fortunately we've not been pulled over by the cops thinking I was drunk. But the wind does a number on the van and because I joined the ECOModder site, I was made aware of the air tabs. These are said to help reduce cross winds and add better fuel economy.

I realized we need about 40 of these air tabs to make any kind of difference to the van aerodynamics.. But I wa snot willing to pay that the air tab site was asking without any sort of reassurance these would actually work on the van. So I searched the net for anything that might help and look like these air tabs. I found a creative commons site that allows users to download project for 3D printing. I forwarded the plans to our shop and they printed two sample in two different colors.

One was printing using the black fibers and the other was printed using the blue fibers. I was leaning toward the black version because it reminded me of carbon fiber.. So I had the shop print 40 of these things and it took them several months to do so. I wait and waited.. and while I waited.. I seen this pic of the 3D printed air tabs.. and I didn't like it..

this was down right silly looking.. So I contacted the shop and told them to halt product of anymore of these air tabs.. I still have hopes of creating something that can be placed on both sides of the van that helps with the cross wind.. till then, I'll leave the van alone.

I've always wanted a set of drilled and slotted rotors on the van and this finally came true when I was contacted by Brake Performance and checked out their site.. they have several different types of mix and match rotors for all cars and trucks, but one car or van they've never tested was of course the Transit Connect. This time around and because I heard rumors about some drilled rotors cracking.. I went for the dimpled slotted rotors instead.

While the shop was at it, I had them install a set of the Z23 Powerstop carbon fiber/ceramic pads. This set up has been doing very well over the last few months. Though in the beginning, there was a lot of brake dust. I contacted powerstop and asked if this was normal as this has never happened on any of my other cars or trucks. Powerstop said this was normal and the brake dust should die down after a week or two.

After finding out I've been using powerstop pads on all of my cars and truck, Powerstop said they wanted to send me something. Although I had no where to put this and it was totally unexpected.. they sent me this..

A big display banner or ad banner that's would be set up for car shows.. The trouble here, I had no where to put this and decided to take it to the local sign shop where they cut out the Powerstop portion of the banner and created a thin small banner that I could display in the shop.

My banner wall was starting to grow.

One thing I neglected to mention when we visited John Hotchkis, is that in order to get to his shop near Charlotte, NC we always take a detour to see a very special person. We've spoken to one another for a very long time. With the fathers talked racing.. us kids would hang the pits and play.

Although this was during the last stages of Covid, Richard didn't wear a mask. This makes the third time we've talked and the first time my wife met him. Richard asked that we follow him back to his shop. But due to time constraints, I had to decline. But promised we'd met up again some day.

Over my lifetime, I've met and been with Richard, Kyle, Al Unser Sr, Al Unser Jr and Johnny Whitaker while on the set of Tom Sawyer.

Each car or truck I've ever had,  I tinker with becomes a challenge. I've never had the nerve to tinker with an engine, But wanted to do something with the van. One of the easiest things anyone can do to increase performance is by adding a upgraded set of coil packs. which I did. But I needed new spark plugs because I found out after only 30K miles the NGK plugs I installed were counterfeit. After speaking with David Freiburger via email. He suggested that I use the Autolite plugs so I did. I mean I've used them in the past, but though these NGK would offer the van something more.

While hanging the Fiesta st forum, Whoosh Motorsports had a deal on their red head coil packs for the Fiesta and Focus. But sending Whoosh and email asking if these would fit the Connect , I wasn't able to get a straight answer.  Then I emailed TRQ and they told me that their red head coil packs are guaranteed to fit the Van, which turns out that these coil packs will fit any 2.0L I4 engine.

I clean the engine and made ready for the new red head coil packs. These coil packs are supposed to be 15% more efficient than standard coil packs with an increased cleaner spark. I could tell a difference right away. other than adding the new plugs and coil packs, I've not done anything else tot he engine.

So as far as I know TRQ, Whoosh and MSD are the only true performance coil packs for the 2.0L engine.

Seems two years is our limited the usefulness of struts and shocks.. and yet again the Bilstein B6 struts went out on us and they had to be replaced. This would make the second set of Bilstein B6 struts and the third set of struts all together. Plus the 2 year old Superpro end links also blew out on us. so while replacing the struts we added new untested set of the whiteline end links. I had planned ahead in the knowing that at some point these struts would not last the test of time.. So I ordered the OE coil springs and hard them powder coated in preparation for the new front end assembly. The parts were piling up in the living room..

Because of the discrepancy with Discount tire, I had to turn my search for tires via simpletire and I registered with their site.. and right off the bat, I get and email saying that the Nokain G4's were being discontinued.. I had to pull the trigger and buy and extra set..

I guess at some point I'll buy a set of the new Nokian G5's but till then I'll run these dated Nokians for a bit longer. We installed these tires right away as we had our annual fall trip coming up. But two days later while on the road, we hit something while driving through Suffolk Va at 4:30 am in the morning.. and we weren't the only ones.. there was a long line of cars and trucks along side the road with flashers on. The passenger side tire blew our and both front and back passenger side wheels were damaged.

One of our 2 week old tires bit the dust.. Worse, the rim edge and face of the passenger side wheels was damaged. I wasn't able to pull off to the side of the road until about 1 mile away form the hit.. We pulled into this guys front yard who happen to have one of the field night lights so I could see what the damaged looked like.

The guy came out to turn his truck around and put his headlight on the side of the van for more light. This would be the first time we actually had to use the balloon spare and it worked. It helped us get to the next small town that had a tire shop. But this meant waiting 3 hours till they opened.. we sat in the lot till the manager came out to get us.

The tire shop had the correct size we needed but not the correct load rating or the same brand.. we had to install it anyway.. we drove the rest of our trip with 3 Nokians and one General tire..

While at VA Beach, I snapped this shot of the Van in front of a art wall behind a 711 store..

Finally, Here's what everyone has been waiting for.. 

Seeing how I was having trouble locating a set of lowering springs for the van, and we needed something fast or very soon. I took time out to design some of my own springs. I contacted Eaton Springs to find if we could cut the factory springs as these were too long. According the Eaton Guru as they call him, We could cut the springs but only at the continuous rotation end or the top of the springs as the bottom of the springs has a pig tail. I was very tempted to cut the springs, but kept hearing "Oh you don't want to do that"

I don't recall why I contacted Suspension.com but Edwind from Suspension.com told me about a company in KS who specializes on custom coil springs.. he gave their number and email and I set out to contact them. I been speaking with Kevin from CSS and we came up with a plan.. I needed springs that are as stiff or stiffer than the factory springs, but 2'' shorter.. Kevin did the specs and worked up the paperwork. These springs would cost me $400.00 for the pair. I agreed.. but these springs would also take 4 weeks to be delivered. I thought that was a good deal and one worth waiting for seeing how I've always wanted my own set of springs for the van.

According to Kevin, These types of springs have never been done for the 2019-2023 Transit Connect so I was the first to have these made. Plus with these being the first, the design has been saved in the system for future connect owners who want these same springs. I just happen to be the guinea pig and did all the testing for you. You can thank me later.

Four weeks roll around and I get an email saying the springs were shipped.. using the tracking I followed the shipment ever step of the way.. Once they arrived.. I wasn't expecting the single box to be THAT heavy.. heavier than the Cobra Springs from Netherlands. Open the box and BAM there they were. My very own springs for the van. No other springs have been made like this..

There was a tag on the one spring that read, "drivers side" but I thought to myself, What if the powder coaters got these mixed up. So using several dull drill bits.. I set out to drill a small dimple in the end of the drivers side spring just so that there was a reference mark as to that spring being for the drivers side. I may have been jumping the gun, because we haven't even test fitted these springs yet. Nothing but a piece of cake.. Thought he tech said these are very hard to install as the spring was/is very stiff.

Now that we knew that the springs fit, out they came and the old Cobras back in at least till we could get the new springs powder coated. We loaded up and drove 1 hour to the powder coaters. I told them to take their time but I needed the springs no later than Dec 9th this would allow us to get the springs installed before our trip to Goldsboro. But those little sh!ts did the coating in less than 3 days and called us to say they are ready. but due to it being near black Fri.,. traffic was a b!tch..

One day after thanksgiving we get another call from the powder coaters.. I'm thinking the worse.. either someone stole the springs or they were lost etc.. The tech said he just happen to be in the shop and we could come pick the springs up that's day. The drive was eventful as we stopped to have lunch and drive on. Once there.. we picked up the springs and before driving off I snapped this pic..

it's listed as a signal red.. but to me it's a bright red.. Now I could have went with t a different color.. but who can resist a red spring.. These will be installed this coming Sat in the morning.. the Cobra springs will be throwing into the BIN

This afternoons adventure lead me to purchase 2 cans of the brake clean as I've been noticing something weird going on with the front rotor of pads.. Turns out the last time I had the powerstop pads installed the tech inadvertently dropped some grease on either the an area of the pads that doesn't require grease or some grease slipped off the pads and onto the rotor..  I sprayed the rotors through the wheels as it's too cold to remove the wheels for more a time consuming cleaning. Inspected the pads and went for a short drive on I-70..

As I expected and I wasn't hoping to see this, But after working so hard to locate these center caps.. we lost 2 during our day's travel.. So I'm back to painting the hub assembly gold to match the faded wheel lug ends.. This makes the second time we've lost the AXE wheels center caps.. and Axe themselves isn't making these center caps anymore.

Image from last summer when we lost the first set of center caps.. painted the hub assembly the gold color

As one can see not everything goes as planned. One thing that was a big disappointment was when I was searching for spherical ball joints that could be used as end links. I was under the impression that this type of set up would be more rigid than the current ball joint on the end links I've been finding. Plus, with the spherical ball joint these would be flusher towards the strut and allow for more clearance. It would have been nice to have been allowed back to the forum earlier as I had some questions for the Bimmer guys here.

Instead I contacted Phil at Bimmerworld and set up an appointment to go visit them at the shop. This drive would part of our return trip from when we blew out the front tire back in Sept. We were looking forward to tis visit and learn while there, they were in the process of moving to their new location which was an old Walmart a few miles down the road. This was an ideal spot to have their shop and to showcase their cars. Plus when it twas time for the open house or to have cars show the lot was big enough to handle all types of events.

I had my eye on a set of the Bimmerworld spherical or HD ball jointed end links. Spoke with the tech and shop crew and purchase the end links. One thing I should have done before leaving.. I should have actually taken the end links out of the box and check them out.. Once home.. these links were a disaster.. The spherical ball joints flopped around.. this is not what I had expected to see.. So the Bimmerworld spherical ball joint end links failed the test and never made it on the van.

Still determined to see if a spherical ball joint would work for this application, I contacted QA1 and asked if they had ever thought about create da spherical ball joint end link or coil overs for a 2020 Connect. All they could say was that they would forward this info to their engineering department for review. I'm assuming because I haven't heard back from them, that my idea was rejected. I was hoping to get more north American companies involved in this as I was tired of buying stuff from overseas. but the van just wasn't mainstream or worth investing in. Then add in that Ford discontinued the van.. I was being left behind.

This next story I've always had a hunch about the Brembo calipers made for the Focus fitting on the Connect but again, Everyone I spoke with was tight lipped. Seeing vans like this one, bagged by IceBoxCustoms had a set of the lime green Brembo calipers on the van.

Confirmation that the Brembo caliper would fit the Connect came while on Reddit even for the short time I was there. I noticed two fellows kind of following my footsteps and doing these same kind of things to their van we've already done to our van. Fellow named Otto posted a pic of 2019 Connect with the Brembo calipers and although he says the fit, he does admit some modifications had to be addressed.

So does this mean at some point in our build we'll attempt the Brembo set up? maybe only time will tell.

This next story happened on the Transit Forum.. This fellow was following my footstep by powder coating the coil springs and installing the Bilstein B6 struts.. he even admitted that his Mevotech end links didn't fit but make modifications to make them fit. Now I don't agree with his method in adding a extension to this setup.. I just see this as being a heavy use location and I really doubt that extension will last very long. It's prob ideal to locate shorter end links. But his transit has way more clearance than our little connect.

It's become very annoying when I have to go back over what others said they repaired.. This morning make no exception. I thought ahead yesterday and went to Lowes and bought a small grease gun because most of the new parts we've installed on the van have zerks for grease ball joints. Now while 2 weeks ago I watched the tech actually grease the end links and other parts than have the zerks.. I was under the impression that something was missing. So this morning in the cold I went out to the shop, pulled the van out of the garage just enough for soem breathing room and turned on the headlights.

Relocated a small lamp on the floor just so I could see under the van. and sure enough, I didn't see anything that remotely resembled grease on the new control arm ball joints. The most difficult part about greasing the ball joints is that it was a b!tch to disconnect the zerk fittings.. Had to take a hammer to the grease gun just so ti would detach. I think the reason the lower control arm ball joints were not grease is that the zerk was tuned so the tech couldn't get to it. easy enough Just use an open end wrench and turn the zerk where you need it.

I thought best to do this today because we've been dealing with a clunk since last Sept.. no matter what we replace, the clunk is still there. So before anyone says do this or check that, we've followed the book on trying to isolate this clunk. I realize that greasing the control arm ball joints wouldn't take care of the clunk. but knowing that there wasn't any grease in the ball joints was disturbing. It's really becoming very difficult to find good help these days. I mean I watched the shop tech do his work and I'd say he's very good at it. but they do tend to miss small things and I end up having to do this myself.

This mornings adventure deals with the communications between a Veteran who does powder coating out of his home shop and myself. We've been talking over email for the last week. The issue is, I've searched Maryland and can not find anyone confident enough to attempt the hyper silver color on my damaged wheels.

He's seen the pics and seems to think he can do this. I've even got APP involved as they are the only ones that I've been able to locate that have the hyper silver powder. Plus they suggested that we also use a 600 hyper clear coat on the wheels. It's very difficult to show someone what it is one wants done.. images online don't do the product or the color justice.

What's distracting is this image of this wheel. yet when I spoke with APP they said this wheel was raw aluminum then that added the 600 hyper clear on top. Although this is not the hyper silver color.. it's an appearance I was hoping to achieve. According to APP and the Vet Coater in NC, they suggest that I'm looking at either stage 1 or stage 2 from this image.

So what we're going to do and not to take the Vet from his family, and while we're heading south to Goldsboro, we'll stop off at the vet's shop and drop off the two damaged wheels for him to experiment with. Plus while there he can see first hand what the hyper silver wheels look like as these are mounted on the drivers side of the van.

Important Information for anyone wanting to buy a Transit Connect and install the dreaded Camper conversion. 

Most if not all insurance companies are now listing the smaller Connect with home made conversion as "RVs" this means that your insurance rate is/will go up. Plus something totally unexpected, You DMV will also change the fees based on your van being listed as an RV. We went through this red tape a few months back. Our insurance company and the DVM though we used our van as an RV. So we had to prove to them that we did not installed any of these "conveniences" in the back of the van. If we didn't comply with their demands or verifying proof that pour van was not used as an RV etc.. our insurance rate and DMV fees would have skyrocketed. It took us a bit to prove to both of these companies that our van (although still listed as commercial) was not build as an RV

Just in case you missed it as posted on another thread which I didn't create..

At 80K miles, Here's what's been installed, test fitted, reinstalled or removed from our 2020 connect over the last 4 years:

• Bilstein B6 struts (failed twice)
• Bilstein B6 shocks (reverted back to factory shocks)
• KYB Strut Mounts
• 28mm Hardrace sway bar (designed for a 2019 Ford Kuga/Escape)
• Energy Suspension 28mm sway bar bushings and hardware 
• NAPA 11.8 inch end links (8 other aftermarket end links failed)
• Over engineered Mevotech TTX control arms
• Over engineered Mevotech TTX Tie Rods
• Powder coated red factory coil springs (May Design new Ones later)
• Cobra Suspension 40mm rear Lowering Springs (soon to be replaced with my own custom set)
• Brake Performance Dimpled Slotted Rotors (slightly larger than OE)
• Powerstop Carbon Fiber/Ceramic pads
• TRQ red head coil packs
• Motul 5w20 ECOlite motor oil
• BG Products Low viscosity trans Fluid
• Optima Yellow Top Battery
• Diamond Tucked Carbon Fiber Interior accents
• 19x8.5 ET40 Axe CS Lite Wheels (6 wheels total 2 damaged)
• Wheel Accessories Hub Rings (63.4 - 73.2)
• 245/40/r19 Nokian G4 all weather Tires (Discontinued 2nd set)

Next Up:

• Custom Milled/Forged 2'' shorter & 20% stiffer rear coil springs (Last Sat successful test fit, Just sent to powder coaters)
• Maxton Design Front Air Dam/splitter (installing this in 3 weeks at my buddy's shop)
• New Wheel Barings
• Hardrace 1.5° Rear Camber Plates
• Upper and Lower Transmission Mounts

Things that have failed during these last 4 years:

• Windshield 3 times
• OE Struts Failed after only 2 years
• Superpro end links failed after 2 years
• Whiteline end links and lateral locks failed after 2 months
• EGR Valve
• Purge Valve
• OE battery
• 8 Different aftermarket end links
• 2 Rims
• 1 cross threaded Lug stud
• Lost wheel center caps (again, I think someone is stealing them)
• 2 different performance shops

FlordPerformance said:

Important Information for anyone wanting to buy a Transit Connect and install the dreaded Camper conversion. 

Most if not all insurance companies are now listing the smaller Connect with home made conversion as "RVs" this means that your insurance rate is/will go up. Plus something totally unexpected, You DMV will also change the fees based on your van being listed as an RV. We went through this red tape a few months back. Our insurance company and the DVM though we used our van as an RV. So we had to prove to them that we did not installed any of these "conveniences" in the back of the van. If we didn't comply with their demands or verifying proof that pour van was not used as an RV etc.. our insurance rate and DMV fees would have skyrocketed. It took us a bit to prove to both of these companies that our van (although still listed as commercial) was not build as an RV

What "conveniences" qualify it as an RV?  Is the potential insurance issue why you say a camper conversion is "dreaded"?

TravisTheHuman

To the insurance company these conveniences include but not limited to a sink, refrigerator, a fixed or fold up bed that mounts to the frame or body etc.  In other words if it looks like an RV inside, you'll be looking at higher than normal insurance prices. There's a difference between using the van to sleep in instead of using the van as a camper.. yeah sure we both can sleep in the van, but don't have any modifications that make it a camper/RV

When I say dreaded, I'm referring to those vagrants that haphazardly created living spaces in the back of their van and boast about.. "Oh look at what I did" or "look at what I built in the back of the van" I never liked these types of conversions.. Plus this could be why I've been banned by all those Transit Connect forums cause they would rather you not see my performance build.. because all those I've seen build these tiny off road campers, aren't very professional looking. In fact they look red necked or jerry ridged.. dirty and nasty then they get tired of the van and get rid of it.. and start the process all over again. But that's how our insurance views the small van or small RV. 

In reply to FlordPerformance :

It appears that your definition of failed is rather broad. There are items in your list that wore out, broke, or were incorrectly used / installed. They didn't fail.

Hum.. nope. I think everything listed as failed did in fact fail..

IE:

• Lost the center caps because they failed to stay retained in the wheels..
• The Struts failed after only 2 years of use
• The windhsield failed because it's prone to cracking
• The EGR Valve Failed because it wouldn't open or close properly
• The Superpro end links failed because the rubber boots ruptured
• Oh let me list this one too.. the performance shops failed because they did not do what I asked them to and cut corners..
• blah blah blah.. etc

So.. no everything on that list failed for one reason or another.

Speaking of failure.. this next story has to do with powder coaters.. One in fact we've used for more than 20 years.

You should have read where we drive to Sc just to pick up that spare tire.. But on the return trip, we drove past Maryland into PA just to take that wheel to our once powder coaters. Just for reference, this company has been a good friend for more than 20 year.. We could be seen taking them fudge for Christmas just because.. all that was destroyed when they didn't powder coat the wheel the color I asked.

Once there I was searching for the closest color that matched the van. The shop handed me a color chart but I just couldn't find the color so I went back into the shop and searched the display bottle on the shelf.. Now I would consider myself to be very particular and thorough. I located a bottle on the shelf that was a perfect match even took the bottle out to the van in the sunlight. BAM there is was and just to document this.. I took a photo of the bottle..

It was listed as being CC Navy as marked on the bottle. I told the shop this is the color we wanted the wheel. They said they would have this ready in 2 weeks. The two weeks past and we get a call. But it was getting late and dark yet we still drove to the powder coaters.. Once there and in the dim light I couldn't tell any difference..

The following day, sunshine and one look at the wheel.. it was wrong.. this color was called star burst blue.. and we hated it.. Called the powder coater and they said they would not honor the return for a recoat.. even after I told them I took a photo of the bottle at thier shop. They claim there didn't have this color. Now this was not the only thing we had powder coated the CC navy blue.. I have a set of molle racks we're waiting to install in the van. So in order to check and find out if there was a different sort of second option.. we found our current powder coater and asked that they powder coat the second molle rack for us in the CC navy..

As one can see the one on the left done by a 20 year old relation powder coater was in a star burst blue while the most recent powder coater did the CC navy on the right and yet our original powder coater claims they don't have a color called CC navy even after I took a photo of the bottle. The point here is, they tried to slide one over on me and removed the bottle from the shelf as I had a friend visit the powder coater.

yes that's the bottle shelf from their shop.. as as far as I can tell, the CC navy is on the lower shield within the blue bottles.. 

Even though we hated the color, we still use the wheel on the van.. and yes the 2005 Thunderbird spare tire fits the 2020 Connect.

Just another company trying to cut corners and pass off someone else mistake onto their customers. The last I spoke with our original powder coaters, the owner of the company said he would deal with me later.. Sounded like a threat to me.. just because they wouldn't correct the mistake they did.

I guess at some time when the balloon tire wears out we'll have the new powder coater shoot the right color on the wheel.

As one can see it's not been all fun and games for the build.. We've been met with challenges and plenty of failures. Mostly those that we thought would help and even said they would support the build, turned into empty promises.

FlordPerformance said:

TravisTheHuman

To the insurance company these conveniences include but not limited to a sink, refrigerator, a fixed or fold up bed that mounts to the frame or body etc.  In other words if it looks like an RV inside, you'll be looking at higher than normal insurance prices. There's a difference between using the van to sleep in instead of using the van as a camper.. yeah sure we both can sleep in the van, but don't have any modifications that make it a camper/RV

When I say dreaded, I'm referring to those vagrants that haphazardly created living spaces in the back of their van and boast about.. "Oh look at what I did" or "look at what I built in the back of the van" I never liked these types of conversions.. Plus this could be why I've been banned by all those Transit Connect forums cause they would rather you not see my performance build.. because all those I've seen build these tiny off road campers, aren't very professional looking. In fact they look red necked or jerry ridged.. dirty and nasty then they get tired of the van and get rid of it.. and start the process all over again. But that's how our insurance views the small van or small RV. 

Got it.  I'm working on one (but no sink, fridge, etc).  I doubt you would like it.  Its basically a perfect use case for these vans though.

Speaking of empty promises.. This next story deals with trying to get a replacement battery for the failed OE battery.

It's a known fact that the OE battery on the Connect fails frequently. So instead of have the same ole same ole installed and 4 years down the road have it fail again.. we opted and I mean Optima battreyed the van. The issue here, Optima never made a battery for the van. So I contacted Optima in the hopes that would create something and soon. The optima spokesperson said they would email me when something was ready.

Months even 1 year passed and we get an email saying they have a new battery for the van.. But for $359.00 I wasn't willing to buy one anytime soon.. As you guessed the battery in the van died.. so it was now or never.. In fact searching Autozone around our area.. no one had this battery.. we had to drive down into VA to get this.. and that was a drive we hated.. we never liked driving through Baltimore of DC..

We made it and headed right for the shop.. they installed the battery a few moments later..

Afterward I emailed Optima thinking them for creating this battery and I asked if they had a banner we could display in the shop. They said they didn't or that they would give one up to us. So while walking through other shops in the are while the van was being worked on for some other reason.. there was a shop who stopped selling the optima battery and wouldn't you know it. they had a banner in the rafters and said they would take it down and give it to me..

The banner wall kept growing..

TravisTheHuman

To each his own and I'll not hold a grudge simply because you're building a Connect.. I think, it's not just one person, its the connect community as a whole that doesn't like what we're doing to the van. But hopefully I've posted some build info that you can use, even if it's not a street rod. I guess what you should do is contact your insurance and ask how they list a Connect custom conversion. You might get lucky.

I'll confess to being curious, so maybe you can clarify for me: who is the "we" in your posts? Are you part of an organization/business or does it refer to a wife/husband/SO?

"We" as in all those who've helped us put this together. Plus.. there's no "I" in team.. so I refer to all those including my wife as we. If you helped take part in the build, you would be apart of this we list too. If I did something for the van, I would refer to is as I did this this. if I was a business, I believe the forum would have wanted me to register as a vendor but I've not profited from this build and I have nothing to offer except the new coil springs as these have just started these. In fact I've lost money on the build.

 Here is the list of those who've helped with the van even some of those who wanted to remain anonymous.. 

https://medium.com/@FlordPerformance/about

Who drives the van? the wife and I..