conversion vrs cargo vans?

[Seraphim]

There's a stripped down shUttlebus locally, parked At a business, but it seems someone else is doing the restoration. We've been talking about that unit for a year. It would have been ideal for us lol.

 

[She]

I do have a question. Does it really make a difference if you have a high top or not? I mean you have little room to move really. To the bed to the doors...etc. I mean in mind I was all set for a high top but now I wonder..... Also Im 5'4 would I be walking around hitting my head..well not walking around really LOL You see I'm confused!!!

 

[Seraphim]

Advantages of a high top:

More room for storage cabinets
Makes the unit FEEL more spacious
We have winows mounted in the high top with slides: permits cross ventilation and doesn't need window treatments. Let's light in but not people's curiosity.
We do walk in ours, from front to back. Wife is 5'2 and she's glad for the height.
Easier to do a full body wash standing up

Actually, I can't think of any reason not to have a high top. More room, more comfort, more flexibility of design... We looked at newer Class Bs, but none beat our old high top.

 

[VanFan]

Does it really make a difference if you have a high top or not?

<br>We have a low top and have never spent any time in a high top, so cannot offer a valid comparison between the two.&nbsp; What I can tell you is that we are "fine" with the low top for the traveling and camping (not full time living) we do.<br><br>My husband is around 6'3" and I am about 5'2".&nbsp; Our 8" thick bed is on the van floor, and we don't store anything above the van's "belt line," so it seems like there is plenty of room overhead.&nbsp; That was not true for him when the bed was elevated 14" or so, although it was okay for me.<br><br>I absolutely agree with the value of cross-ventilation as mentioned above.&nbsp; We have the old style big windows with screened sliders and love those breezes!<br><br>Vickie<br><br>

 

[WanderingRonin]

I would go with a high top if you can manage that with your first buy. Being able to stand up inside your home is a huge thing, I believe. Right now, I am stooped all the time... But my home will eventually evolve... I will eventually straighten up again like those "evolution" caveman pics...

 

[WanderingRonin]

My dream now is to move into one of those airport shuttle type vans... I think the stealth factor on those is great as they are all over the place.&nbsp;<div><br></div>

 

[LowTech]

&nbsp;&nbsp; This is what we did to one of those buses;<br>And it WAS invisible until we had it painted.<br><br><a target="_blank" href="http://www.pbase.com/lowtech9/camper">Free Wheelin's Build</a><br><br><br>

 

[gp]

<P>Hi Deano. We have a 2 ft high top on an E350 and love the headroom. We're getting about 13 mpg highway. A couple of things to consider regarding cargo vs passenger van are: agricultural stations require cargo vans to stop, though they send you right through when you tell them it's a camper. The signs in FL and TX don't indicate that conversion vans are required to stop.&nbsp; Also, one night while parked in a Wally parking lot, we woke up to three police cars behind our van. Come to find out, the military was offloading guys from a bus in that parking lot, and they were very interested in a white cargo van parked there. Had it been a conversion van, they probably wouldn't have given it a second thought.&nbsp;&nbsp;</P>

 

[rubbertramp]

i have a standard height ford e250 i am 6'1 put i do not mind the low ceiling height i can sit on my bed that is mounted 16" off the floor with storage underneath and watch tv , use laptop etc . <br>with not hitting my head it works for me