Old UHAUL Ford Box Van

[Ballenxj]

I found an older 1973 Box Van for sale that was apparently a UHAUL van back in the day. <br>It has what looks to be a ten foot box that is around six foot high by six foot wide, and a roll up door at the back, and you can walk all the way up to, and enter the cab from the rear.&nbsp; It's wide open.<br>Before you laugh, it has a rebuilt 302 with a three speed on the tree and a like new set of tires.<br> The seller said he would drive it across country right now with no hesitation. <br>He used it for work, so it could use a little love. <br>One of the things I don't like is that the box has a translucent fiberglass roof. I suppose I could paint it. The whole truck could use a paint job anyway. <br>Any advice about this would be appreciated. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img"> <br>-Bruce

 

[MrNoodly]

I like that vintage of Econolines. Those were my college years and we all wanted to be van hippies and/or have rolling love shacks. Alas, I had to make do with a Beetle.<br><br>There's not much to go wrong with those, though metal fatigue on the suspension and running gear could be an issue. Does it have air conditioning? If it's aftermarket add-on (like a lot of AC was back then), it might be hard finding parts for it.<br><br>The 10-foot U-haul format could work really well. I'm considering some '04 and '05 versions on GMC chassis. I'd need to cut open a crawl-through, though.

 

[Ballenxj]

Does it have air? I don't know yet. I went by and looked at it, but the owner wasn't at home. I only talked to him on the phone so far. <br>I'd prefer a Chevy/GMC, but this one fits the bill better than anything else I've found lately. I'm sure I can get it real cheap too. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img"> <br>-Bruce

 

[Wild_E]

Since I live in a 1988 Ford Box truck, I for one will not laugh!<br><br>The rear doors will drive you nuts to live in it, to use working or delivery they are awesome. Try to keep the wind and cold out is impossible. I will be moving mine in the up position very soon and making a false wall/new outside wall with a door and a window. This will have to wait until it gets warm enough here to work outside though.<br>cheers and best of luck

 

[MrNoodly]

I will be moving mine in the up position very soon and making a false wall/new outside wall with a door and a window.

<br><br>Why aren't you going to remove the rollup door completely before building the new one? You'd also preserve your headroom.

 

[Ballenxj]

Coincidentally, I was just thinking about how to convert the rear door. I was wondering to myself if they might sell a door kit that would convert it to swing out doors? I could frame it out and make a regular outside (house type) entry door, but the stealth would go out the door. (Pun intended) <img src="/images/boards/smilies/rofl.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img"> <img src="/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img"><br>

I will be moving mine in the up position very soon and making a false wall/new outside wall with a door and a window.

<br><br>Why aren't you going to remove the rollup door completely before building the new one? You'd also preserve your headroom.

<br>I did note that while walking in the back that I could stand almost straight up with the exception of under where the door is overhead. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/frown.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img"> <br>-Bruce<br><br>

 

[Wild_E]

In my Truck I can stand under the upright door, with some room to spare about 2"<br>I will use that area for some light storage. <br>Why not remove the door. They are expensive, lets say I want one in the future for another project so I can use this door for that. Perhaps later I will decide to sell this vehicle, then it is still there and workable so the vehicle is worth more.<br> just my thoughts.&nbsp;<br><br>.. added..<br><br>In another blog, they kept the roll up door in place, creating an inside wall with door and window, I am also considering this. The issue then becomes framing the overhead where the door is, because the wind and bugs will just go over the wall in between the door and new inside wall. So you will need to frame and enclose the door to stop the wind and bugs. Keep enough room that the door still functions in order to lower it. Another way to go, but&nbsp;definitely&nbsp;there will be head room issues then.&nbsp;

 

[rokguy]

<P><EM><STRONG>Hi Ballenxj,<BR>Just trying to help.</STRONG></EM></P><P><EM><STRONG>You could build a lift up tailgate and drop down lower tailgate. At that size dimensions it would be easy.</STRONG></EM><BR><EM><STRONG>1.Scrap the roller mech altogether.&nbsp;</STRONG></EM><BR><EM><STRONG>2.fit bus type door piano hinge to the top and bottom edge of opening&nbsp;</STRONG></EM><BR><EM><STRONG>3.Cut two sheets of 3/4in formply one to match opening width X 4ft high, upper<BR>one to match opening width X 2ft high,&nbsp;lower</STRONG></EM><BR><EM><STRONG>4.cover one side of each piece with thin alloy sheet. Screw and glue it down.</STRONG></EM><BR><EM><STRONG>5.buy 2 gas rams and fittings (from car wreckers) about the size of a liftback hatch or van would suit.</STRONG></EM><BR><EM><STRONG>These are for the upper tailgate only.</STRONG></EM><BR><EM><STRONG>6. buy two cam locks or similar from hardware store. One for each side of upper tailgate.</STRONG></EM><BR><BR><EM><STRONG>If you make the lower tailgate fit into opening with a L shaped lip on it the upper tailgate will naturally keep it closed when it has been closed.</STRONG></EM><BR><BR><EM><STRONG>A nice touch is to have the lower gate fitted with wire cables to hold it level with the floor when its open making a porch and at night you can either leave the upper or lower gate open for ventilaion or have both closed.</STRONG></EM><BR><EM><STRONG><BR>I scrapped the barn doors&nbsp;on mine below&nbsp;<BR></STRONG></EM><BR><EM><STRONG>&nbsp;<IMG class=bbc_img src="http://stonemasoncarver.com/sitebuilder/images/paint_layout-395x290.jpg" rel="lightbox"><BR><BR>and did this. you don't need the inner walls of course.<BR></STRONG></EM><BR><IMG class=bbc_img src="http://stonemasoncarver.com/sitebuilder/images/tailgate_and_walls-325x294.jpg" rel="lightbox"><BR><BR>&nbsp;<IMG class=bbc_img src="http://stonemasoncarver.com/sitebuilder/images/lifting_gate-370x295.jpg" rel="lightbox"><BR><BR><IMG class=bbc_img src="http://stonemasoncarver.com/sitebuilder/images/general_arrangement_rear-404x311.jpg" rel="lightbox"><BR><BR><EM><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">Geoff</SPAN></STRONG></EM></P>

 

[Ballenxj]

Hey Geoff, That's pretty slick. The outer door hides the inner door, and looks like nothing more than an ordinary roll up door? NICE! <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img"> <br>That may be beyond my fabricating ability though. Having said that, I would have been happy with your old barn doors. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img"> <br>-Bruce

 

[rokguy]

<STRONG><EM><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">Hi Ballenxj,</SPAN></EM></STRONG><BR><STRONG><EM><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">Thanks. Its not as complicated as it looks, I got the idea from those old surfer wagons of the sixties and seventies. The old barn doors were heavy and you couldn't close them from inside. I still use them as a bench in my shed though.</SPAN></EM></STRONG><BR><STRONG><EM><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">Geoff</SPAN></EM></STRONG>

 

[Ballenxj]

Thanks rokguy, I'm still studying what you did. The more I look, the more I think maybe I could? <br>The plyboard door opens like a garage door, then acts as a shade over the veranda when open? <img src="/images/boards/smilies/biggrin.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img"> <br>I'm still thinking about the truck. Not sure if I'll get it or not. <br>After seeing Grummy's step van I kind of had my heart set on one of those, but they seem to be as elusive as the proverbial Unicorn around here. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/frown.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img">&nbsp; <br>Hmm, thinking hard about all this. <br>-Bruce

 

[Wild_E]

I love that back as well and was thinking I might do that a while ago. After seeing this one, maybe that is the way to go?

 

[rokguy]

<EM><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">Hi Ballenxj and Wilderness,</SPAN></STRONG></EM><BR><EM><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">&nbsp;Here are some close ups of the setup on the other truck I did, exactly the same idea only this one has a fixed lower half meaning you step into the accomodation from the trayback.</SPAN></STRONG></EM><BR><EM><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">Pictures below show the&nbsp;formply is drilled to except the camlock fittings, with a slot cut into the surround of the opening in which the arm of the cam locks into. Makes a very secure door. I used a stick on door seal around the perimeter of the opening for air / water tightness. The brackets for the secondhand gas rams I made from bought ""L" shaped alloy.</SPAN></STRONG></EM><BR><EM><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">Geoff</SPAN></STRONG></EM>

 

[Ballenxj]

Thanks for the additional photos Geoff. Looks like you also got a COOL little patio for working on your bicycle. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img"> <br>-Bruce

 

[rokguy]

<EM><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">And sitting on.</SPAN></STRONG></EM><BR><EM><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">Yeh, she also needs to carry stone, hence the fixed bulkhead. You don't want this stuff moving aruond! yikes</SPAN></STRONG></EM>