Bought A Van!! Have a few Questions!

[Rick39]

Hey everyone!
Finally bought my van, it’s a 2017 Chevy Express 3500. It’s an old border patrol van and has a few quirks that I was hoping to get some more info on.
Firstly, it seems to have spray foam insulation already applied, I’ve attached pics and was wondering if anyone knows if it looks like a job well done? Can I just put walls up right away
Second, there’s a weird blower in the back. It seems to blow both hot and cold air, and i wanted to see if anyone had any ideas on how this could be useful for my build?
Thanks everyone!

 

[Rick39]

Sorry, here’s the pics!!

 

[Qxxx]

My guess is, the rear was outfitted in order to transport illegals, both during hot and during cold weather.

 

[highdesertranger]

yes it has spray foam insulation. yes you can install the walls right over it if you want.

it has a rear heater and I guess AC. your engine must be running to have these work. don't pull them out until you know what you are doing.

highdesertranger

 

[Rick39]

Do you think its something that needs to come out? Or could I use it as a space heater while the van is idling?

 

[highdesertranger]

yes you could use it like that. it's very inefficient but it is safe. highdesertranger

 

[bullfrog]

The border patrol vans I have seen spend a lot of time iding which isn't really good for them as maintenance in government vehicles it usually is done by mileage. They generally sit at an assigned point idling and wait till they are called usually down a dirt road somewhere. I would have it checked for engine deposits and change the oil after having it checked out by a mechanic for sure. It looks like a really good starting point. The rear heating and AC unit might be useful while traveling down the road as they usually require a large amount of battery power and air flow but would not very well or efficiently while sitting at idle hince the attempt to insulate the box.

 

[Rick39]

The border patrol vans I have seen spend a lot of time iding which isn't really good for them as maintenance in government vehicles it usually is done by mileage.  They generally sit at an assigned point idling and wait till they are called usually down a dirt road somewhere.  I would have it checked for engine deposits and change the oil after having it checked out by a mechanic for sure.  It looks like a really good starting point.  The rear heating and AC unit might be useful while traveling down the road as they usually require a large amount of battery power and air flow but would not very well or efficiently while sitting at idle hince the attempt to insulate the box.

Thanks for the advice! Would using the blower in the back drain my car battery too fast? I'm trying to decide if I want to take it out before I start doing walls etc

 

[bullfrog]

Personally I would leave it if it is working as to disable and remove it properly while keeping heat and AC up front is a lot of work in my opinion. You can always leave it turned off and use it as a backup emergency system while parked or while traveling to a parking spot and just built around it.

 

[Rick39]

Got it! I was thinking maybe using some duct material and building a vent into the wall to have it come out of? That way I can choose where the air ends up going

 

[Trebor English]

Maybe you could use the rear AC or heat while you are driving to another place.

 

[MotorVation]

My van came with a rear AC/heater from the factory. The rear AC really helps to cool the van down in severe heat (while driving). I'm in Florida. Without the rear AC running it's a little stuffy in there. Since I covered all the windows it's really sweet. I doubt running it hurts the gas mileage as both units run off the same compressor.

I personally wouldn't remove it although it took me a while to figure out how to "build" around it. I ended up putting my bed over it.

You can duct it. On mine, the rear AC is factory piped through the headliner vents and the heat is piped through vents in the side panels. If I ever remove that stuff I'll have to duct it another way

 

[Doubleone]

If it's working, I'd build around it. You could use it for pre-heating or pre-cooling the van interior while driving, or in case you encounter extreme weather change until you could travel somewhere more temperate. The engine needs to be continuously running for that heater or A/C to work.