Advice on a 15 foot ex uhaul van?

[Rajendora1]

I'm just beginning to look at it and the CA DMV is as about as stubbornly unhelpful as most government agencies.  Questions I have is: how to convert it on paper.  Right now it is a commercial vehical my mechanic is going to sell.  The last thing I need is yet another fight with the government after I've sold the ranger and got the van on the road.  >.<;;  Any help deeply appreciated.  

In the meantime, I'm searching the net.  But experience is always better than the internet, right?  

It's a cummins diesel ford 350 with solar panels already on, so yeah, in luurve with it!

 

[wayne49]

Change your domicile to another state.
More details abut your DMV issues might help.

 

[Pleasant Travels]

Are you certain it is a Cummins in that Ford? It would have to be the little 4 cyl 3.9 liter 4bt, because the 5.9 liter straight 6cyl will not fit. The newest version of the 3.9 Cummins that one would buy new direct from the factory is in fact powerful enough for your purposes, but an older generation might leave you unimpressed.

I too have researched getting a box truck reclassified by a state dmv as an rv or private vehicle, and few states make it easy. New Hampshire is said to be friendly to this purpose. The folks on the school bus forums have far more experience in this regard and are very knowledgable.

 

[Rajendora1]

Change your domicile to another state.
More details abut your DMV issues might help.

I figure we'd have to, but it's going to be in California for a while, and all they give you is a Miscellanious Form (forgot the number) and it askes how much the thing cost, how much it cost to convert it, and that's that.  Not what exactly makes it livable.  So I'm still going through the internet.  No one at the DMV answers the phone any more.

 

[Rajendora1]

Update:

Hubby got his info wrong. It's an E-350, diesel v-8 7.3. Our mechanic just said so. Still in love with it, though.

So, the bus conversion forum? Thanks for the info!

 

[LoupGarou]

DMV is easy, it’s sourcing insurance coverage that may prove to be problematic. Run the VIN though your insurance company to see if you can get coverage before you buy it.

Try to insure it for what it is, not for what you intend to turn it into.

 

[Headache]

Absolutely what Loup stated but more on that below! CA has become really picky about emissions including diesels so find out if it will require an inspection. You may have to register it "private use" first if CA still does that. HDR can tell you more. He LOVES the CA DMV. /giggle

As far as making it an RV on paper it won't be that easy in CA and it's fraud(I'll explain more in a bit) of you really don't do the conversion first. You've already gotten hit by the first roadblock; they usually don't actually know the information you want because they rarely process it. You will need to speak to a supervisor who will call Sacramento and get the word from above. You need THE definition of what it takes to convert a commercial vehicle into a RV.

It might also help to have the California Vehicle Code regs relating to this handy so look it up yourself as backup. It's going to be in some dusty place in the code. It USED to be that you had to have 4 of 6 items permanently installed. I don't know now. On second thought make them give it to you. That code is a mess!

As far as "RV on paper" its not a good idea. I went through this with my Uhaul. Its not a good idea because its not really an RV yet but if you were to insure it as one and get in a collision whether or not you caused it your insurance company will drop you for a fraudulent application. This opens the door to litigation. At the very least they can and have(Progressive is famous for this) cancelled policies because an underwriter later decided they wouldn't take the risk.

My problem was the opposite of you, it was converted previous to me but never registered as an RV, I got the title amended and then the people registering it in SD for me registered it as a truck instead of motor home. It took me 3 YEARS before I was able to clean up that mess and drive it again as I couldn't get insurance on it until the title was corrected.

Another issue regarding insurance is many companies are not insuring homemade conversions. For my insurance I haul my camping gear while snow birding. Nothing is permanently attached. I'm honest with my insurance company. Eventually if I decide to really take off and travel I'll set myself up a little business and get commercial insurance on my rig so that my contents will be insured.

Good luck to you. If you buy that truck you'll immediately enter the frustrating, headbanging part.

 

[highdesertranger]

I am not sure on vans in CA. aren't all vans in CA commercial? I am not sure. I know all pick-ups are commercial. also I think CA is going to make it very hard because they are going to loose a boat load of fees every year. I can tell you first hand the state doesn't want to loose any money. also CA wants older vehicles off the road so they kinda of rig the game against older vehicles, my 40 year old truck was still 250 bucks a year to register, my buddies RV that is 6 years old is 850+. that's really the only help I have, I know it ain't much. highdesertranger

 

[Rajendora1]

I am not sure on vans in CA.  aren't all vans in CA commercial?  I am not sure.  I know all pick-ups are commercial.  also I think CA is going to make it very hard because they are going to loose a boat load of fees every year.  I can tell you first hand the state doesn't want to loose any money.  also CA wants older vehicles off the road so they kinda of rig the game against older vehicles,  my 40 year old truck was still 250 bucks a year to register,  my buddies RV that is 6 years old is 850+.  that's really the only help I have,  I know it ain't much.  highdesertranger

My 88 ranger went from 75 to 132 over the years 2000 to 2019, with a camper shell on it, first the brahma then the Bellaire custom built.  All they did was ask me, personal or business at the first registration.  But yeah, I expect issues.  Mechanic says this thing (the E350) is 499$ a year right now and he just registered it, but it's old enough to not be smogged according to the DMV.  They want to smog my ranger every other year, but we got a random one year smog one time, too.  It always passes.  CA is going to loose a hell of a lot, but they have a new politically incorrect herd they are going to be milking so they will survive.   :angel:

 

[highdesertranger]

yeah that 40 year old truck went from 250 bucks a year to 14 bucks a year when I registered it in Arizona. sickening. highdesertranger

 

[Rajendora1]

yeah that 40 year old truck went from 250 bucks a year to 14 bucks a year when I registered it in Arizona.  sickening.  highdesertranger

I'm glad you got a break.  It's encouraging.  ^_^

 

[JD GUMBEE]

Are you certain it is a Cummins in that Ford? It would have to be the little 4 cyl 3.9 liter 4bt, because the 5.9 liter straight 6cyl will not fit.

not true.

6B's do and have fit in MANY F350's and E350's.
Even a couple of E350's with clutch pedals and NV4500's in them.
Adjusting the valves on #3 and #4...ehhh, not so practical on the van, however.
(But you would gain nothing there by using the 4B anyway...you would still be up against the top of the compartment no matter what.)