I'm 5'4": what older model van could I stand up in?

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Indyflies

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My lord there are a lot of Fords, Dodges, Chevys and GMC high tops!!!  I'm overwhelmed by them all.  I'm on the hunt for an older model (80s/90s/2000s) that doesn't cost an arm and a leg.  Any advice on which I should look at if I want to be able to stand up at least in the tallest part of it.  I know some conversions are after-market, but it looks like some were off the lot with a high top (I confess, I don't know - I didn't grow up in the States).  

I'm 5' 4", and will want to insulate it, though if it's cutting it close, I'd consider leaving part of it uninsulated to allow for the headroom.

Thank you all!  I'm so glad I found you.

PS - I did look through the Van Dimensions Sticky first, but didn't see anything that would fit me.
 
Welcome Indyflies to the CRVL forums! IIRC, the TV top ones could work.

To help you learn the ins and outs of these forums, this "Tips, Tricks and Rules" post lists some helpful information to get you started.

Most of our rules boil down to two simple over-riding principles: 1) What you post should provide good information (like your introductory post), and 2) Any response to someone else's post should make them feel glad they are part of this forum community.

We look forward to hearing more from you.
 
Nice part about it is you may be able to sleep across the width of the van which is a big advantage. Welcome!
 
If you look around on the iternet you will find websites which state interior as well as exterior dimensions for vehicles including vans. Lots of people besides van dwellers need to carry cargo in vans so there is a need to know ghose facts.
 
Be wary of Dodge Promaster... slightly wet muddy incline and the front wheels spun nervously up the hill...it acted like it
wasn't going to make it up the hill,lost all momentum and almost quit, that and the dash is a useless...waste of space...
 
My '93 Ford Companion Van conversion has a 'TV top' (or mid-high top) and the inside height measures 64" at the highest point. It's a little less towards the rear of the van. The floor is covered with 1" of foam padding topped by thick carpet. By removing the foam and using thinner flooring, an inch of headroom could be gained.

In shoes, I'm just under 6' and this van works OK for me. I can stand but need to duck my head and at least pulling on my pants is easier than if it was a regular height van. I travel half of the year and when I'm on the road I live 'out of the van' and not so much 'in the van'. It's for cooking meals, lounging (in the reversed passenger seat) and sleeping. Sometimes in my travels it will be very rainy for a couple of days and that's when I wish I had a van or trailer that I could fully stand up in and be able to walk around.

You say you're looking for an '80s/'90s or so van. Are you able to do mechanical work and/or most maintenance on an old van? Or will you have plenty of funds to cover major repairs? Old vans can end up being very expensive.
 
All older American full size vans with unmodified roofs are less than 5 feet high inside. Newer generations, like Sprinters, Fords and Rams come with higher roofs from the factory. Older camper or limo conversion will give you more. Wheelchair and school bus/shuttle conversions will give even more. Some conversions give up to two extra feet. Ther are older vans with pop-up roofs, but those are hard to find.
 
Zmann said:
Be wary of Dodge Promaster... slightly wet muddy incline and the front wheels spun nervously up the hill...it acted like it
wasn't going to make it up the hill,lost all momentum and almost quit,  that and the dash is a useless...waste of space...
maybe you needed something different for tires
 
slow2day said:
My '93 Ford Companion Van conversion has a 'TV top' (or mid-high top) and the inside height measures 64" at the highest point. It's a little less towards the rear of the van. The floor is covered with 1" of foam padding topped by thick carpet. By removing the foam and using thinner flooring, an inch of headroom could be gained.

In shoes, I'm just under 6' and this van works OK for me. I can stand but need to duck my head and at least pulling on my pants is easier than if it was a regular height van. I travel half of the year and when I'm on the road I live 'out of the van' and not so much 'in the van'.  It's for cooking meals, lounging (in the reversed passenger seat) and sleeping. Sometimes in my travels it will be very rainy for a couple of days and that's when I wish I had a van or trailer that I could fully stand up in and be able to walk around.

You say you're looking for an '80s/'90s or so van. Are you able to do mechanical work and/or most maintenance on an old van?  Or will you have plenty of funds to cover major repairs?  Old vans can end up being very expensive.
Thank you!  So ... "TV" top means the ones I see that have a TV embedded in the front?  Or is this a manufacturer?

I think I'll be similar to you - living mostly outside, but I do want to be able to work inside, and do envision some bad weather where Ill be trapped inside.  

I used to do some mechanical work on my old Vauxhall Viva back in the day, so would look forward to picking up some basics on an older vehicle, but mostly it'll be $$$ to my favorite mechanic :)  He's a good guy, thankfully.  I've also reached out to him for advice on models to avoid like the plague.
 
Scott3569 said:
maybe you needed something different for tires

It's a matter of it being front wheel drive and the weight shifting to the rear wheels when going up hill, putting less weight on the front wheels. It's not as bad in something low, like a car, but it's worse with tall vehicles.
 
I own a 1993 Chevy G20 with the TV top.
I have about an inch of added flooring and a inch of added ceiling which leaves 64 inches in most of the central part of the back section of the van.
The small area where I installed my fantastic fan is at 65 inches.
My wife is 63 inches and can stand and change clothes etc in there with no problem.
 
Yep, I was "crazy" for the tv top full sized vans for a couple years, all are about the same height which has been stated as 63-65" without taking anything out/apart. At your height you should be fine in any of them.

Careful though, in the last about 3 years they have gone up a lot in price due to van popularity. You might have to travel to find a decent one at an affordable price.
 
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