79 E150 Build

[Paisley777]

Hello,

Since few in my life 'get' why I'm bothering to do this build, I would like to share here for feedback, ideas, support, etc.

I am a 43yo woman, recently returned from overseas work. I like being a gypsy and I already miss being mobile. I have seen much of the world and want to see more of the US. I teach online classes, so I can work from any WiFi connection. So, I figure, why wait for 'later'?

I bought this vintage converted van last year. The body in very good condition (some rust around the rear gutter), and running well enough at the time. The interior was ~ok~; ripped here and there, stinky stained carpet, one (too)big cabinet, functional bench, etc. The biggest issue is the rusty rear gutter with some leaking at the rear.
It would do for a day or two of camping (and the emergency night in when the pest control spray poisoned my apartment!), but it just won't do as a real, 'liveable', long-term home.

Just had the engine completely rebuilt. My grandmother's mechanic friend/neighbor did the work for damn near cost of parts. yay!

That finished last week and as of today... everything behind the cab is stripped out. My oh my the wood rot of the particle board flooring! I plan to silicone the window seals & fix the few rust areas on the floor and gutter before I leave Weds. I have a family trip and will have to let her sit for 6 weeks. I figure that gives me plenty of time to plan my next steps.

I plan to raise the roof just as soon as I return. Leaning toward using a truck topper at this point. (budget and usable space reasons)

Any thoughts on what to look out for as I get her back together?

 

[Almost There]

GeezLouise and I thought mine was messy while I was dismantling the crap that was in it when I bought it. Did you find any animal nests like I did?

Have you considered having the windows popped out at a glass shop and having new window rubber put in instead of trying to silicone them to stop the leaks.

I'm having to wash mine down completely to eliminate the mold. Once that's done, there's some rust spots that will need wirebrushing and then sealing.

One of the techniques I've read about for getting the floor completely cleaned up is to park it on a fairly steep incline, open the back doors and use a pressure washer, then let it sit open in the sunshine until completely dry. Yours' looks like it might be a candidate for that ..

I've had a van with a high top before - it had the original roof left in place ONLY over the drivers' compartment which is the normal install design. This van had the original roof left in place at the rear also, leaving me with the center of the van at the high top height for standing room AND a humungous additional storage spot.

I suspect between the two of us we could write the book on what NOT to do to a van....

 

[Paisley777]

Ha, no nests. A 53 penny, an old Disney pen, & a few roach wings. :/

I hadn't thought about going to in depth with the windows. They don't appear to be leaking at all. I can see the seal is just a little old, a little dry.

Good ideas for the washing.

That is EXACTLY what I was thinking about... leaving the rear roof for storage. I figured I really only need/want the height over the cooking area.

GeezLouise and I thought mine was messy while I was dismantling the crap that was in it when I bought it. Did you find any animal nests like I did?

Have you considered having the windows popped out at a glass shop and having new window rubber put in instead of trying to silicone them to stop the leaks.

I'm having to wash mine down completely to eliminate the mold. Once that's done, there's some rust spots that will need wirebrushing and then sealing.

One of the techniques I've read about for getting the floor completely cleaned up is to park it on a fairly steep incline, open the back doors and use a pressure washer, then let it sit open in the sunshine until completely dry. Yours' looks like it might be a candidate for that ..

I've had a van with a high top before - it had the original roof left in place ONLY over the drivers' compartment which is the normal install design. This van had the original roof left in place at the rear also, leaving me with the center of the van at the high top height for standing room AND a humungous additional storage spot.

I suspect between the two of us we could write the book on what NOT to do to a van....

 

[Almost There]

Ha, no nests. A 53 penny, an old Disney pen, & a few roach wings. :/

I hadn't thought about going to in depth with the windows. They don't appear to be leaking at all. I can see the seal is just a little old, a little dry.

Good ideas for the washing.

That is EXACTLY what I was thinking about... leaving the rear roof for storage. I figured I really only need/want the height over the cooking area.

Old rubber (and yours' is 35 years old) gets dried out and loses it's pliability. Once that happens water seeps in and while it won't flow like a tap, it definitely creeps in there. One way to tell how much if any the windows leak is to use as hard a pressure against the outside of the van around the window as you can get. Tuck some paper towels inside the rubber on the inside before you start and then check them afterward. The problem is that it might not leak in the first 5 or 10 minutes, only on the night that it rains heavily all night.

If you've got the time, maybe put the paper towels in place and then check them after a particularly rainy night or day.

It would suck to put a new interior in the van and then find out that you've got water penetration.

If the budget won't allow for new seals then silicone on the inside is better than nothing.

To me, and I've been wrong before, the second pic of the wall underneath the window looks like it's had water damage.

 

[Paisley777]

There is a leak at the gutter/door area on the passenger side. That is what you're seeing in that pic. Still, you have a point, hate to ruin a new interior. I'll look into how much it would cost to have done. Budget is an issue so if it is too expensive, I'll silicone the heck out of it. lol

Old rubber (and yours' is 35 years old) gets dried out and loses it's pliability. Once that happens water seeps in and while it won't flow like a tap, it definitely creeps in there. One way to tell how much if any the windows leak is to use as hard a pressure against the outside of the van around the window as you can get. Tuck some paper towels inside the rubber on the inside before you start and then check them afterward. The problem is that it might not leak in the first 5 or 10 minutes, only on the night that it rains heavily all night.

If you've got the time, maybe put the paper towels in place and then check them after a particularly rainy night or day.

It would suck to put a new interior in the van and then find out that you've got water penetration.

If the budget won't allow for new seals then silicone on the inside is better than nothing.

To me, and I've been wrong before, the second pic of the wall underneath the window looks like it's had water damage.

 

[Oberneldon]

Just like a house keep the water out - no one likes the feeling that comes from all the hard work being damaged from a leak. If the window gaskets on my Campervan had been maintained by the previous owners I wouldn't have had the rot inside the wall that needed repair.

 

[Paisley777]

The latest acquisition for the van. I have to adjust the front to fit and add a 'nosecone/wind wing' to the front so it is aerodynamic. By the end, I will be able to stand up in there and have some (lightweight) storage!

The good news is - if it works, it 'only' cost me less than $200
The bad news is - if I can't make it fit, it cost me damn near $200!

 

[akrvbob]

I can't wait to see how that works!! Brilliant idea!
Bob

 

[Paisley777]

I can't wait to see how that works!!
Bob

Yeah, me too. lol

Sadly the whole thing is on hold for about 6 weeks while I have to travel. I'll let y'all know.

 

[MikeRuth]

Give some thought to putting that center or forward. It's head room and you might make more of it.

 

[ganchan]

The latest acquisition for the van. I have to adjust the front to fit and add a 'nosecone/wind wing' to the front so it is aerodynamic. By the end, I will be able to stand up in there and have some (lightweight) storage!

The good news is - if it works, it 'only' cost me less than $200
The bad news is - if I can't make it fit, it cost me damn near $200!

I'm saving this photo. A $200 truck-topper alternative to a full high-top costing thousands? Sign me up!

 

[66788]

I'm saving this photo. A $200 truck-topper alternative to a full high-top costing thousands? Sign me up!

junk yards here have high tops for about $200 each. good selection too.

 

[Paisley777]

I've been out of state for a couple months.  Before I left I had completely gutted the van and was looking at high top solutions.  The local junk yard only had one and it was the short kind.  I'd rather have the taller kind for storage.


Well, after looking on Craigslist, I found a running 78!  Same exact engine, the high top I want, all the odds and ends parts I had to go to the junk yard for as well as the RV propane hook up and other RV hook ups.  I seriously considered maybe moving to the 78, but the 79's cab is in better shape & the engine was just rebuilt so I'm sticking to the 79.

Now I won't have to sweat at the junk yard!

I am thinking that I might still try my truck top experiment on the 78, but that would be later.

Here is the new 'parts' van!

 

[Almost There]

I've been out of state for a couple months.  Before I left I had completely gutted the van and was looking at high top solutions.  The local junk yard only had one and it was the short kind.  I'd rather have the taller kind for storage.


Well, after looking on Craigslist, I found a running 78!  Same exact engine, the high top I want, all the odds and ends parts I had to go to the junk yard for as well as the RV propane hook up and other RV hook ups.  I seriously considered maybe moving to the 78, but the 79's cab is in better shape & the engine was just rebuilt so I'm sticking to the 79.

Now I won't have to sweat at the junk yard!

I am thinking that I might still try my truck top experiment on the 78, but that would be later.

Here is the new 'parts' van!

Wow, finding a donor van is a wonderful thing!

Something that the PO did on my van that I'd never seen done before might be of interest to you.

Normally when a high top is added to a van, the van roof over the driving compartment is left in place to provide protection in case of roll-over (the ribs are still there). The rest of the roof is cut back leaving a lip about 4 to 6" all the way around.

When my high top was installed they left the van roof at the rear of the van as well, cutting it off just in front of the first rib from the rear. While this leaves standing room only in the middle of the van about 5' front to back, it's right where I want it. I have this massive cavern for storage instead of having to install rather dinky little cabinets all around the edge of the van.

It's in the shop right now getting body work and some mechanical done so I can't take a pic for you but it runs the width of the van by the height of the topper (almost identical to yours) by about 30" deep. I'll have to use a step stool to reach stuff in the back but man, I'll be able to get a lot of stuff in there...

 

[Gary68]

i dont know the full condition of the vans but if i was offered to do an engine swap or a hightop swap i would take the engine swap,no brain job just a bunch of bolt to take off then put back on and would give you the opportunity fix/clean other mechanical stuff

 

[Almost There]

i dont know the full condition of the vans but if i was offered to do an engine swap or a hightop swap i would take the engine swap,no brain job just a bunch of bolt to take off then put back on and would give you the opportunity fix/clean other mechanical stuff

The high top swap is actually quite easy to do. My dad did one on a pair of matching Fords when he was 70ish, with the help of 3 other guys all about the same age, a couple of pieces of 2x6 and some step ladders.

I think the hardest part of something like that is getting up the nerve to chop the roof off of the van..

The complexity of engine swaps depends on the age of the van...when we did it to the 61 Ford, it was no problem, to do one on todays' engines...ummm no thanks.

 

[Gary68]

The high top swap is actually quite easy to do. My dad did one on a pair of matching Fords when he was 70ish, with the help of 3 other guys all about the same age, a couple of pieces of 2x6 and some step ladders.

I think the hardest part of something like that is getting up the nerve to chop the roof off of the van..

The complexity of engine swaps depends on the age of the van...when we did it to the 61 Ford, it was no problem, to do one on todays' engines...ummm no thanks.

but if you have a factory high top sitting there...
but if the standard top van is just in way better condition...
have to take all things into consideration

the new stuff if its an exact match isn't to bad but if one wiring harness or whatever is different its a nightmare,the only thing i know about electricity is that it hurts me

 

[Paisley777]

Wow, finding a donor van is a wonderful thing!

Something that the PO did on my van that I'd never seen done before might be of interest to you.

Normally when a high top is added to a van, the van roof over the driving compartment is left in place to provide protection in case of roll-over (the ribs are still there). The rest of the roof is cut back leaving a lip about 4 to 6" all the way around.

When my high top was installed they left the van roof at the rear of the van as well, cutting it off just in front of the first rib from the rear. While this leaves standing room only in the middle of the van about 5' front to back, it's right where I want it. I have this massive cavern for storage instead of having to install rather dinky little cabinets all around the edge of the van.

It's in the shop right now getting body work and some mechanical done so I can't take a pic for you but it runs the width of the van by the height of the topper (almost identical to yours) by about 30" deep. I'll have to use a step stool to reach stuff in the back but man, I'll be able to get a lot of stuff in there...

I was planning to the the same thing! (keep the rear roof as well as the cab roof)  Cool to hear about someone else having done it too. 

 

[Paisley777]

but if you have a factory high top sitting there...
but if the standard top van is just in way better condition...
have to take all things into consideration

the new stuff if its an exact match isn't to bad but if one wiring harness or whatever is different its a nightmare,the only thing i know about electricity is that it hurts me

Exactly.  The std top was originally a higher model, nicer interior, wood inlays, etc. and well taken care of.  The interior of the parts van is pretty beat up.  The story goes that grandpa let grandkid use it for a gig van.  Runs and all the parts I want are there, but kinda trashed inside. 

I'd rather take the devil I know.  It's also about more straight forward mechanical swaps, less unknown factors there.  Also things I can handle mechanically.

 

[MikeRuth]

The complexity of engine swaps depends on the age of the van...when we did it to the 61 Ford, it was no problem, to do one on todays' engines...ummm no thanks.

Hard? not any more than most any other engine removal but time consuming!!! Nothing like tearing down the front end to make room eh!