How about having the dimension data in an Importnat Thread?

[itsnotliving]

Seems like there is a lot of duplicated threads on dimensions that makes it hard to navigate and there is the possibility that what you are looking for is missed.

Having everything in one place makes sense?

Is that an admin function? Probably huh?

Need to go drill baby drill.....

After I try to set up a poll!

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Could be democracy in action give that it is election day

 

[LeeRevell]

I could see some great utility in a sort of 'van data library', that we could save various body measurements (outside and inside), engine specs, tranny specs, etc, sorted by Manufacturer, Model, year range/generation, etc.
Included pics and drawings would be a bonus!

 

[AimlessWanderLust]

I haven't looked, but I bet you can find almost all of that information on wikipedia.

 

[LeeRevell]

Wiki has no info on internal widths, ceiling heights or door opening sizes.

 

[pseudo_mccoy]

Can confirm, finding this info was difficult. Even then, what I could find did not account for how the body sort of bends outward on the sides and inward toward the top. Idk if that makes sense, but I could Definitely have used some more detailed dimensions.

If I can get sketchup to work again, I may even play with turning recorded dimensions 3D models if anyone's interested. Be warned, I'm not that good with the software just yet.

 

[itsnotliving]

Someone called Thinker posted a link for the Ford fleet body building manuals. From there I was able to locate archived copies of other years.

Ford had thee manuals from the late 90's to the present. Not all the older years have the data but many do.

They have the width listed at the floor, belt-line and the roof (along with other odd dimensions).

They also have the side door openings for the slider and barn doors. Pretty detailed.

For the 2004 E-series van >Click<

It's a pdf file that may not display the diagram on the first page if it opens in your browser, you may need an app like Acrobat of Nitro to view it correctly. Pretty cool.

 

[LeeRevell]

But having all the info HERE in one place would be immensely handy.

 

[itsnotliving]

I found similar data/guides for the GM vans, Sprinter but the Dodge body builder site is dreadful (if you can find one that works) and only seems to cover 05-07 Durangos, Caravans, Dakota's and Rams. Odd there is no van info.

• The GMC/Chevrolet site (seems slow to load)
• Sprinter site

Also no easy way of viewing the Dodge info. A Dodge user forum has comments about how good it is/was. Looks like it went away.

Dodge is the only one to have a copyright page outright forbidding copying and/or distributing the material (probably why it is not available) unless expressly allowed in writing.

Guy (gsfish) had a good idea about raiding U-Pull-It yards for info.

Anyone know how to add this as a sticky thread? Bob?

 

[LeeRevell]

Maybe have a 'Van Data' page on the blog site, if there is no way to do a sticky here?

 

[highdesertranger]

I much prefer the hands on method. pick-a-part is good a regular junk yard would be good used car dealers would be good. to be able to see the van as you measure is priceless. you do realize technical drawings do not tell the whole story. also to have someone else measure is suspect at best. there is only one person beside myself that I trust for measuring anything. in construction 5 people can measure something and you are going to get at least 3 different measurements. once I had an architect try to tell me that 7'6" was 9' this was as I held the tape measure in place right in front of his face, but since the blueprint said 9' it was 9'. talk about stubborn. highdesertranger