Is this the Step Van “lounge”?

Calypso said:

I just adopted a stepvan and trying narrow down the best room or channel or whatever for posting. I get a bit lost with all of this.

We don’t fit in with the sprinter pro master .. soccer mom vans (idk that’s what I always called them when I was a soccer mom with my Jeep). But not really an RV or truck.

So I’m wondering if this is the right place for “misfits” and where I can direct my lists to others who have adopted similar beasts of beauty.

I adopted a 2001 Workhorse WP31842 .. so P42 5.7 gas with 135k miles,20k in the past 8 years.

I put pictures up in another room or thread. She is a dually, and has her summer sandals on at the moment, with her winter studs off rim. Used as a contractors rig.

Im not too sure what I’m doing. I probably have more skill than I do confidence. I’ve done a fair bit of home remodeling (not just design, like excavation additions, replumbing, ect), some mechanical (changed fuel pump in my subbie, rebuild rear differential on my dodge). But still couldn’t explain it to anyone using words or terminology… I just sort of do.

I have a hard time digesting written information, even though I’m a prolific writer myself.

Other than the fuel pump I usually had some “man” there, even if they didn’t do much, they often had better tools and knew more than me. Well one I was married to. But I think I knew and did more than I realize or gave myself credit for.

I don’t like coming off as some typical girl who needs a man, but being totally solo on this is a bit scary. What I really need to do is find friends who have the same interest and I’m hoping I’ll find some of that here. Or if anyone is in Alaska that would be great.

I probably have really stupid questions like how do I clean she out? Esp the cab. I wish I could take the hose and just blast the dash and floor and all that. I am working in an outdoor lot in Alaska, Anchorage, which is mild, but still we’re actually coming into our snowy season. Spring is a ways off.

I am not even sure what tools I’ll need. I have some older cordless 10.8 v lit ion drill and hammer and a newer dewalt miter saw I treated myself to last Mother’s Day. Skil saw and jig saw of my Dads with questionable wiring and probably need some tlc.
And then tons of hand tools, mechanic woodworking ect (dont have a torque wrench), tile snapper saw thing. See? I don’t even remember the names of tools I just use them.

I’ve been dying to get an oscillating tool, which I think is going to be essential for this but not sure what the best one to get, if I need new drill hammer or a new skil, jig.. or will the oscillating one work for a lot of things?

I’m not sure how to work with metal, I know aluminum is light and use rivets, steel I’ll need to weld. What type of metal working tools do I need?

Has anyone worked on their rigs in a cold winter and if so what are some hints. And do I need to compensate for contraction/expansion?

Maybe there’s a better thread for this, but I serious.y got overwhelmed with the platform and all the channels and how to read a thread. (I’m not totally tech idiot, I do have discord handle)

I try to make my novels easier to read using paragraphs, but I apologize for the length.

Okay … thanks if you actually made it here to the end.

Caly

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Lordianro said:

Hi oh my gosh you sound like you could be my clone regarding your step van and almost everything else you've written. I also am a writer and a lover of my great white Grumman Olson Step Van. She's an old 1978 bread delivery dually, with a 300 straight Ford 6 engine 4 speed. I've had her for 20 years. I torched out all the bread racks and made her wide open and then built shelves and put a tub in the back and had a mobile grooming business for a short while until my back broke from concurring trauma over a lifetime. Surgeons terminology. now I have gutted her again. Like you I am solo and although quite a bit of mechanical and creative skill I have not been able to get answers. Like switching split rims to regular rims. She had been sitting for 8 years and had become a Taj Mahal for all the very thankful Critters where I live in Southern California high desert. So much more to explain but you almost said it for me in your post LOL! I'm not sure what the rules are but I am open to sharing my phone number for texting and speaking the good old-fashioned way. I am very thankful for this forum because this is the first time that I've actually looked through posts and found someone with the exact oh, well not exact but close enough, type of van and other issues. I'm Oregonian and working toward getting the heck out of California. My girl is 25 ft long with just the passenger sliding door and a roll up back door. I'm a newbie on this forum so I still have to properly investigate Waze or possibilities of sharing pictures Etc. I'm going to give my number hoping that it's not breaking some rule. After all it's my number and after being evicted in the middle of covid I am way past desperate to get the help and expertise to get her roadworthy even if actual living in her is not completed. Please feel free to contact me the easy way. And maybe both of us can raise some interest from all those experts out there! Thanks for sharing openly and hope to talk to you soon and Happy Valentine's Day to us and our great whites!LorriDianne
6612315394View attachment 30568 1978 GrummanOlson hostess wonderbread

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Calypso said:

I just adopted a stepvan and trying narrow down the best room or channel or whatever for posting. I get a bit lost with all of this.

We don’t fit in with the sprinter pro master .. soccer mom vans (idk that’s what I always called them when I was a soccer mom with my Jeep). But not really an RV or truck.

So I’m wondering if this is the right place for “misfits” and where I can direct my lists to others who have adopted similar beasts of beauty.

I adopted a 2001 Workhorse WP31842 .. so P42 5.7 gas with 135k miles,20k in the past 8 years.

I put pictures up in another room or thread. She is a dually, and has her summer sandals on at the moment, with her winter studs off rim. Used as a contractors rig.

Im not too sure what I’m doing. I probably have more skill than I do confidence. I’ve done a fair bit of home remodeling (not just design, like excavation additions, replumbing, ect), some mechanical (changed fuel pump in my subbie, rebuild rear differential on my dodge). But still couldn’t explain it to anyone using words or terminology… I just sort of do.

I have a hard time digesting written information, even though I’m a prolific writer myself.

Other than the fuel pump I usually had some “man” there, even if they didn’t do much, they often had better tools and knew more than me. Well one I was married to. But I think I knew and did more than I realize or gave myself credit for.

I don’t like coming off as some typical girl who needs a man, but being totally solo on this is a bit scary. What I really need to do is find friends who have the same interest and I’m hoping I’ll find some of that here. Or if anyone is in Alaska that would be great.

I probably have really stupid questions like how do I clean she out? Esp the cab. I wish I could take the hose and just blast the dash and floor and all that. I am working in an outdoor lot in Alaska, Anchorage, which is mild, but still we’re actually coming into our snowy season. Spring is a ways off.

I am not even sure what tools I’ll need. I have some older cordless 10.8 v lit ion drill and hammer and a newer dewalt miter saw I treated myself to last Mother’s Day. Skil saw and jig saw of my Dads with questionable wiring and probably need some tlc.
And then tons of hand tools, mechanic woodworking ect (dont have a torque wrench), tile snapper saw thing. See? I don’t even remember the names of tools I just use them.

I’ve been dying to get an oscillating tool, which I think is going to be essential for this but not sure what the best one to get, if I need new drill hammer or a new skil, jig.. or will the oscillating one work for a lot of things?

I’m not sure how to work with metal, I know aluminum is light and use rivets, steel I’ll need to weld. What type of metal working tools do I need?

Has anyone worked on their rigs in a cold winter and if so what are some hints. And do I need to compensate for contraction/expansion?

Maybe there’s a better thread for this, but I serious.y got overwhelmed with the platform and all the channels and how to read a thread. (I’m not totally tech idiot, I do have discord handle)

I try to make my novels easier to read using paragraphs, but I apologize for the length.

Okay … thanks if you actually made it here to the end.

Caly

Click to expand...