Selecting My Best Option for a Van

[Sundance]

Hi, folks,

I've been spending hour after hour going through previous posts on this forum, trying to get a feel for my options.  I'm planning on an extended trip through mostly Wyoming, Utah, and maybe Arizona this year. I plan to live out of my van most of the time over many months, primarily boondocking.

I'm a single woman with some disabilities.  My hands are badly damaged from arthritis, so working on my vehicle myself isn't realistic and I don't have the experience either.  So, I'm thinking I should focus on vans under 10 years and 100k.

My back is bad from arthritis, too, so I want to be able to stand up inside.  I'm only 5' 3", but I'll want enough space to insulate properly. So, I think at least a mid-top with close to 6' clearance inside.

I have no experience driving a vehicle bigger than a Jeep comanche pickup. (Boy, I miss that truck!) I've started looking around for a Chevy Express within 200 miles or so. I'm in Virginia, and the prices seem a bit higher than I hear some of you quoting.  The 2500's are the most common.

They're still often asking $10-11,000 for a 2006 Chevy Express 2500 with well over 150k.  The 3500 model is closer to $15,000 if you want lower mileage.  So far, none of them have high tops.  And I haven't seen many listed as extended, though I don't know what "LT" or "LS" means in the listings.

For my purposes, would a 3500 extended Express be best? How new and how much mileage?  I don't have any experience living in super small spaces (other than backpacking with a tent years ago), but I think that size would work fine.  However, I'm a little concerned about my ability to maneuver a vehicle that size, and maybe getting stuck somewhere in the boonies by myself. (Yes, I've been reading up on Bob's posts on that subject!)

I have friends locally that can help me work on converting the van (including an electrician), and I've even had 3 solar panels donated for the trip! Woo hoo! But I'm not sure how many will fit on the roof, or if it will work with a fiberglass hightop.  I might have 2 deep cell batteries, too. (I feel rich!)

Any suggestions or ideas?  Also, what would be my safest option for a secure, leak-free installation of a hightop?  Do it ourselves, or contract it out to a professional?

Thanks so much!

 

[Gideon33w]

Check out my LONG post in the "Mechanical Issues" sub-forum.

You can hit a pretty major price drop if you aim for a Chevy Express from 97-2005. They will pretty much all be an L31 350ci motor mated to a 4L60e trans.

Plenty of high tops and high top conversions out there in those years that have 150k miles and are available for less than $4,000. 

Put the money saved into having the whole van gone through mechanically and you will still be substantially cheaper.

Dont buy a brand new high top to bolt to a regular top. New high tops are pricey and there are plenty of junkyard tops or vehicles already equipped with one.

My $0.02

 

[Gideon33w]

Here is one reasonably close and not a bad price. http://roanoke.craigslist.org/cto/5409880450.html

Keep in mind, a 6' interior height will be A LOT more expensive than low/mid conversion tops.

 

[Sundance]

Here is one reasonably close and not a bad price. http://roanoke.craigslist.org/cto/5409880450.html

Keep in mind, a 6' interior height will be A LOT more expensive than low/mid conversion tops.

Thanks for the suggestions.  Are you saying that an interior with a 6' height is considered a hightop, and not a mid conversion top?  I need to allow 4-6" for insulating the floor and ceiling (combined), so if I don't want to bump my head, I think I'll need an initial height of at least 5' 9" to 5' 11" or so.

I'll check out your post in the other subforum.  Thanks!

 

[Sundance]

Great post summarizing the strengths and possible issues with the big 3 brands of vans, Gideon33w! Not sure how I missed that great resource with all my browsing. Thank you for the work you put into that!

One thing I worry about when considering really old vehicles (like pre-2000) is having the frame fail due to rust. That's one reason why I gave up on my old Jeep pickup. Rust is a huge issue in my climate.

I browsed further afield for older Express vans. Found a 1997 G3500 being used as a handicap bus. Already has a hightop, and only 137,000 miles. Asking $2,500. I could sell the wheelchair lift from it, too. But it's nearly 200 miles away, and I'm not sure how to find a reliable mechanic to check it over in a strange city.

I'm not in a rush, though. I have a few months to find something.

 

[nobodyG17]

Something to consider if it's too hard to find a high top van is to get a tent/screen tent.  That way you can have a larger area to hang out in if you stay somewhere a decent amount of time.  I try not to hang out in my van unless sleeping.   Not sure if that will work for you with your back issues but something to consider.  It keeps you outside more often which is always a good thing!

Keep us updated on what you decide on and sorry if that's not something you are interested in.

 

[Almost There]

The only fiberglass top that will give you at least a 6' standing height after you finish the inside is a 24" high top. The mid tops sometimes known as TV tops will not give you standing height even at your height of 5'3". They only raise the inside standing height to something around 4'10" - I'm 5' and can't stand in them!

There really isn't much in between - it's either a conversion top which will not let you stand up inside - they were designed to add head room for the fancy seating, not standing height OR a full blown high top.

Unless you're putting 3" of foam in the ceiling (which isn't really necessary IMO) you won't be losing 4 to 6". I put 3/4" plywood on the floor plus vinyl laminate so count on an inch there. I used 1x2 strapping (3/4" thick actual dimension) glued to the fiberglass top with bubble wrap/reflectix (app 1/2") under 5/32 luann paneling with 1/8" closed cell foam and vinyl for my roof panels. So total of 1 3/4" height loss in the roof and 1" on the floor end. Total - less than 3".

As to finding a van...be very, very patient and be prepared to shop outside your initial radius. I found my van 3 1/2 hours from home but had looked as far away as 5 hours driving time. It took me 6 months of persistent searching to find mine.

Perhaps instead of finding a mechanic local to the possible van, you might want to consider taking a trusted mechanically inclined friend along to render a second opinion. Check it out first yourself and then if you think it's what you want, take a second trip with another person.