RV/tow vehicle conversion... Step van?

I'm still a little new to the GRM forums and tried to search RV related stuff but I have just been having a RV conversion fetish. I currently use a 97 Ford F350 crew cab dually for towing my track car with a tow dolly(I know a bit over kill but I am slowly upgrading). It has a camper top and hauls all of my track gear/camp stuff well and I can throw a cot up in the bed to camp in. I have been toying with a few ideas and want to see what others have done as far as budget RV conversion/tow vehicles. I have 4 categories that I have been looking into all around $3000-$6000.

1. School bus - I am familiar with Skoolie.net but want to see some track toy hauler examples(Really thinking of short buses)
2. Box truck - my latest crazy thought but the deck height sucks and no real good cab to box accessibility
3. Ambulance - An obvious choice with all of the external storage
4. Step van(bread truck) - I am really excited about this thought

I apologize in advance if this has been covered extensively but I could not find it in the search. Not trying to drive anyone bat E36 M3 crazy.

Example of conversion porn: http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/cto/2713878692.html

Honestly is look for an older slidein for your F350. You should be able to find one for cheap and it enables you to keep your truck for when you need it. Now if you want tons of space like a full RV would have look elsewhere but for simple bed kitchen toilet the slidein is a good way to go.

I would think a Step Van would work well, except there are a few pros and cons of course.

nocones wrote: Honestly is look for an older slidein for your F350. You should be able to find one for cheap and it enables you to keep your truck for when you need it. Now if you want tons of space like a full RV would have look elsewhere but for simple bed kitchen toilet the slidein is a good way to go.

Yeah, that was another thought I had. I am about to drop >$1000 in new injectors into the F350 and if I do that, I might as well look into slideins. The only concern I have with them is how far they hang out the rear of the bed. It basically looks like where the shower area is typically where the tailgate in the down position is. With that position, would it interfere with the hitch to trailer tongue clearance?

There is still something about those damn step vans that excites me.

This manages mine

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/reader-rides/6985/

In reply to aussiesmg:

Amazing conversion!!!! Its like an old school Prevost. I wouldn't necessarily be nervous driving or owning one of those, Its just having the space to keep it. Very envious none the less...

I've heard there are guys on the HAMB that have a step van conversion thread. However, I'll poo-poo them a bit for what you want to use yours for. They have some real shortcomings.

Step vans were made for in-city deliveries. They are geared low, so top speed will be limited without a diff change. The bodies have no insulation to speak of. The are unpleasant to drive in the heat, cold and in any kind of crosswind. The bodies are made by various manufacturers and if you ever need parts they can be a real cluster to get. When I had toyed with getting one many years ago to tow my dune buggy for weekend jaunts away I was surprised at how much the things cost even on the used market. There were just much better options out there.

I've had converted step vans , school buses, motorhomes and toterhomes. Properly set up. they all can work well. It basically depends on what you want as far as creature comforts. Also, the cost of doing your own conversion will almost always be far higher than buying someone else's project. As far as step vans, I've had full conversions and one that carried the race car with sleeping area above the front of the car. You definitely want one geared for highway use.

vw_jason79 wrote: I have 4 categories that I have been looking into all around $3000-$6000. 1. School bus - I am familiar with Skoolie.net but want to see some track toy hauler examples(Really thinking of short buses) 2. Box truck - my latest crazy thought but the deck height sucks and no real good cab to box accessibility 3. Ambulance - An obvious choice with all of the external storage 4. Step van(bread truck) - I am really excited about this thought

You can get a good used Uhaul box truck easily in your price range. Pretty easy to convert and is a bit more highway friendly. Plus they come in different sizes. Here is an example of a conversion: http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=480067

Here is where to find them: http://www.uhaul.com/TruckSales/

I've owned a few step vans (all P30s, no freightliners) and they were definitely regional delivery-type vehicles... underpowered, low gearing, and loud as heck. Same basic thing would go for school buses.

As long as those parameters are OK for your needs, go for it. I loved my step vans and my skoolies.

Change you F350 to an E350. There are several people who are using them to tow race cars on trailers all over the east coast. The one I know personally has the V10 gas vesion and loves it. Plenty of room for race gear and he has used it for camping at the track numerous times.

If you wnat more luxurious accomadations find a conversion van version.

I'd also suggest the slide in camper. How big of a bed do you have? The don't have to have an overhang. That being said, a guy I hillclimb with has one with a two foot overhang. The actually make a super long hitch extension that is supported by outriggers, and he tows an enclosed trailer with that setup. He said it tows quite well.

Back in the day, I crewed for a guy at Sebring that towed in from Colorado with a long bed, 4 door, dually one ton Chevy Pick Up, with the race car on an open trailer. Nice slide in camper took care of the crew and "Associates". Room enough, but not the Hilton. Worked real well for him.

Yeah, slideins are looking really good. My F350 is a Crew Cab long bed dually. I found one that looks pretty decent on CL here for $1600. I would really like one that had a bathroom in it.

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/rvs/2633940334.html

And here is one that needs work for $200. I don't know how comfortable I am getting one that has water damage due to the risk of mold.

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/rvs/2726210714.html

of course, these are damn cool.

The one downside to a slide-in is cost. Since I have a diesel pick-up as well, I had similar thoughts. Unfortunately, they hold their value surprisingly well. GOOD ones are not cheap. Cheap ones are often projects and become expensive. I was looking around for them a couple of years ago and had a hard time finding many that were under $2000 - and the ones I did find were old (20+ years) and needed work. Bear in mind, these are often constructed of aluminum over a wood frame and don't suffer neglect well. And RV's are often the first things neglected when money gets tight.

A new Lance slide-in can easily run well into 5-figures. The high-spec ones with features like slide-outs and bathrooms list for around $30k. And since they aren't really that popular, they don't sell many - hence the high values for decent ones. It's similar with Class-B (van-based) motorhomes.

I know a guy who uses an old Dewalt dealer rep box truck to haul his formaula car. He fabricated this elaborate hoist and trolly system to get the car into the truck in lieu of ramps. He sleeps in a tent at races and packs the car inside at the end of the day. My g/f and loooked at him funny when he said that... and then left for the local hotel that I got for $69/night with my SCCA membership...

Personally, I plan to go with one of two ideas: A conversion van for camping with a separate trailer for the car, or a trailer towed by the truck that's long enough to have separate car and living spaces.

Edit: There's a Palomino slide-in like the one posted near work. It's about in the same condition as the one in that CL ad. Has the same crease damage on the bottom from the support (for a second there, even the terrain looks the same...). I haven't seen a for sale sign on it in years, but I definitely wouldn't pay more than a few hundred for it.

I actually (just yesterday) bought an E350 powerstroke cargo van for my daily driver. It is a completely blank canvas that I will use for camping, hauling car parts, giving out free candy to kids...

OK, thoughts:

1. School bus - These have the hauling capacity, but are not very maneuverable. Floor deck is very high. Not my first choice for camping, though I might like to live in one.

2. Box truck - This box truck has a high deck, high payload and no thru-cab access:

This box truck has a low deck, lower payload and easy thru-cab access:

This box truck has a low deck, easy thru-cab access, AND tool boxes on the outside. I've got one for sale :

They do not, however have a lot of floor space. About 4' wide inside (mine is 14' long). The exterior boxes are incredible.

1. Ambulance - A not-so-obvious choice. The bodies are very heavy, the storage is extremely tailored to particular uses, and the payload and towing capacity is not-so-good (because of the weight of the body)

2. Step van(bread truck) - Very versatile. Low cost empty slate with plenty of payload capacity.

If you really want to go cool, nothing beats a 1939 Divco with a 454 and a roots style bower!

Question on the E350 Powerstoke, Is it a pain in the ass to work on? I have seen a few for sale when I was shopping the F350. I think I heard something ridiculous like having to raise the body off of the frame if you need to replace the injectors. If you have a lift, it wouldn't be a problem but my access to a lift is a problem. Free candy to the kids.... hahaha

As far as the step vans having TERRIBLE gearing for the highway, what kind of rear ends do those things have and are their any rear ends that can be swapped in its place that is relatively a direct swap for better highway mileage?(Damn long sentence) having a custom drive shaft made wouldn't bother me that much. Im just not a good fabricator, something I need to learn. Maybe this would be the time?

The box truck thing I would really want cab access even if it meant making an access and making a bladder to seal it myself.

Now I see why people just get enclosed trailers, but I just like the idea of being able to use it on non-race weekends(with my car) like Sebring, Petit, or just going camping without dragging a 24' trailer.

The rear axles should be (no guarantee; I did my studying on pre-1970 vehicles) a relative bolt-in affair provided the track is the same. Most step vans are 3/4 or 1 ton capacity, which means full floating, 8 lug units. A Chevy chassis should be the same across the board for the assembly, and it may not matter about the driveshaft, but you have homework to do. I'd avoid dual wheels if possible.

Those Mitsu/Iveco style box vans...don't crave one until you drive one. They aren't any fun to drive. The giant box sticking up above the cab is a giant air brake and the mileage sucks. The diesels don't have much giddy-up in my experience.

Buy a van and build it out as you see fit. Like I mentioned this weekend here are two sites that have info on home built camper van conversions.

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/forums/58-4wd-Camper-Vans

http://www.sportsmobileforum.com/viewforum.php?f=24&sid=0ca2e80afaccae39982b7840afbd2922

Forgot about Shuttle buses. http://roswell-georgia.olx.com/14-passengers-shuttle-bus-for-sale-iid-3199671

vw_jason79 wrote: Question on the E350 Powerstoke, Is it a pain in the ass to work on? I have seen a few for sale when I was shopping the F350. I think I heard something ridiculous like having to raise the body off of the frame if you need to replace the injectors. If you have a lift, it wouldn't be a problem but my access to a lift is a problem. Free candy to the kids.... hahaha

The engine either has to come out or the body lifted to replace the injectors, at least on the 7.3L PS, not sure about the later diesels.

I would say don't acquire one more vehicle to maintain...think tires, tags, insurance, various repairs, tune ups, etc.. The slide in camper is great but don't try to get one with a slide-out, not worth the weight penalty. I have a 9 foot camper, and a Torklift hitch with extension and all that. With the camper on and towing a large trailer, it rides and drives better than empty. I would recommend a newish slide-in, no water damage, and make sure to get one with electric jacks. I think you could pick up something similar to mine (a '99 Fleetwood Elkhorn 9T) well maintained for about 5k.

Great thing about the camper is it is useful in a lot of other ways that a more purpose built track hauler may not be. J

81cpcamaro wrote:

vw_jason79 wrote: Question on the E350 Powerstoke, Is it a pain in the ass to work on? I have seen a few for sale when I was shopping the F350. I think I heard something ridiculous like having to raise the body off of the frame if you need to replace the injectors. If you have a lift, it wouldn't be a problem but my access to a lift is a problem. Free candy to the kids.... hahaha

The engine either has to come out or the body lifted to replace the injectors, at least on the 7.3L PS, not sure about the later diesels.

You mean on the E350? Because that is not necessary on the F250/ F350.