Speculating on Van

[jim solo]

1. 
   I need some advice from people that know about Vans more than I do, and what I should look at more closely. A friend of mine has a Chevy Van (Pictured below) he want’s to be gone. I haven’t gone over it fully yet. Will do that this week, and get a good look at the inside. Needs Tires, rocker panels fixed, and transmission rebuilt. It is a 91 model 3-quarter ton, wheel base looks long to me. He owns a HVAC business and said he will sale it for scrap price to me. (better for him to do that than make to much to put on the books, tax thing I guess)?). He said the engine runs fine.

My thoughts where to buy it and sell my 24 ft class “C” to do the work on the van, to become a van dweller. As, I have learned so far that RV’s have a lot of maintenance involved with them, I’m getting to old for to much of that.


I’ll get some more info on that van this week, but that is all I got now. He should have good records on it. And get pictures of the inside, Glass is good all around a plus. He has to pull his boxes out before I get to see if it has any rust around the floor. Any advice will help from the people that know.

 

[B and C]

Ug, rust, it never sleeps. Get it on a rack and check the frame for sure. You may buy it cheap but could turn into a money pit quick.

 

[highdesertranger]

yes rust is like an iceberg, only 10% of it is visible. I am guessing rust belt?

with current scrap prices you might get 4-500 bucks.

highdesertranger

 

[MrNoodly]

What's the mileage? Which engine?

 

[jim solo]

What's the mileage? Which engine?

Mileage is some thing I'll be looking at this week. 
Engine I think 350 v8 or 5 lL v6 , will get details.
Yeah, they throw down the salt in the winter around here,
I will look under it really good and bang around some.
Money pits are not what I need right now for sure.
When he gets his boxes out, I hope floor ain't rusty.
I'll look the inside over good for leaks above too.
Thanks

 

[Riverman]

That long wheel base van is valuable, if it isn't covered with rust.

 

[regis101]

Scrap? $500? Might be worth it. Gonna need tires, battery, windshield wipers, and a headlight, maybe two. Engine oil change. Engine coolant flush. Maybe a serp belt. Maybe a smog check.

Then you can put gas in it and go for a ride.

I don't usually buy or sell from/to friends. But hey, that's just me.

<96 is the OBD1 engine management. No big but here in Cali-Land , they get harder to smog.

<96 uses the r-12 AC refrigerant. No big but here in Cali-Land that's non-obtanium.

All that aside, it could be a fun project. Hang onto the "C" until you work out the kinks in the Van.

Just some thoughts.

 

[maki2]

If you are feeling too old to look after an RV then you are for sure too old to take on a major fixer and put in a new interior with the amenities you need. Try not to be tempted by the price because the amount of work will quickly make you realize you got out of the frying pan and into the fire.

 

[B and C]

'96 was the first year for OBDII.

With what a trans costs, you may well have more in it than it will be worth with a good trans. There are others out there and look outside the rust belt.

 

[regis101]

True true. <96 , pre-96. Maybe more accurate is <95.

Post-96, >96, would be OBD2.

I should have wrote it out. Sorry to all if misled

 

[DannyB1954]

Rent a short u haul cargo trailer, (one of those that are 4' tall), and crawl around the inside of it for a week. Put in a cot, cooler, and camp stove. Being able to stand up seems to get to be more important to me as time goes on.
You can tear out the inside of a class C and eliminate maintenance items that you will not have in a van. Shower, toilet, refrigerator, furnace, etc. or get a box van.

 

[jim solo]

   Posted by DannyB1954 --   You can tear out the inside of a class C and eliminate maintenance items that you will not have in a van. Shower, toilet, refrigerator, furnace, etc. or get a box van.

That was on my mind after the first year of owning this Class "C". I'm a half-ass carpenter by trade, but I know I could do better on the interior than the maker did. If the van is to junky then I will probably go that route.

Posted by maki2--   If you are feeling too old to look after an RV then you are for sure too old to take on a major fixer and put in a new interior with the amenities you need. Try not to be tempted by the price because the amount of work will quickly make you realize you got out of the frying pan and into the fire

That is good advice, I guess I was saying I'm to old for the hassle of waiting for the right time to get it done. We have had the worst weather since I got this rig, I am very lucky to gotten this far with it. To be honest, if I stop doing things or chores I would go insane.

Posted by regis101--All that aside, it could be a fun project. Hang onto the "C" until you work out the kinks in the Van.

I am going to look deep into the van and weigh the cost to fix ratio, if odds ain't right some one might use as parts out there.
I don't need more bills coming in.

Thanks everyone for the advice

 

[DannyB1954]

The plus side to doing a tear out in an RV is no matter what you do with it, it is still an RV. You can get it registered and insured anywhere . In some States converting a commercial vehicle into an RV is a real Hassle. Once you do it with your Department of Motor Vehicles, you still need to get insurance. That is a whole new problem.

 

[jim solo]

Yeah, I just need the basics, it's just me in the rig. The furnace is not cheap on fuel and runs batteries down fast. Just have to go where it is warm.

The fridge is nice, but to roomy for my needs, and wastes a lot of space. I can build a storage cabinet that is more useful in that space.

The sink counter top sticks out and attacks me when I pass by it, one of those 90 degree angels type, I'll make it flush to the side wall.

The stove is 4 burner with oven, Magic Chef almost never used in past., all I would need is 1 or 2 burner camp stove, I have a 40 LB propane tank. Just need to buy a longer hose for it.

Hot water heater is newer too, I could run an independent gas line to it, I'll most likely keep it. It is not in the way.

I'll keep all the tanks, black, gray, and fresh in tact, but rearrange the fresh tanks position to fit length wise and out of the way.

I guess all that can be done. May take me all winter season to get it done by myself. Good friends that said they would help are hard to find when work has to be done. If the Van idea falls through I guess I'll do the redo on my rig.

 

[66788]

[quote pid='460296' dateline='1564953803']

<96 uses the r-12 AC refrigerant.  No big but here in Cali-Land that's non-obtanium.

All that aside, it could be a fun project.  Hang onto the "C" until you work out the kinks in the Van.

Just some thoughts.
[/quote]

96 starts OBDII
94 had R134a, not R12, so 96 is R134a

 

[cherterr]

My 2 Cents:
First.. I am NOT a contractor; but I have dabbled enough with tools to know.. OMG.. What the previous poster said.  Here's why I think it's not such a hot deal:

I purchased a gorgeous '99 Chevy high top with only 113K miles that had been garage kept.  I love it.  I spent $5K for it.  I ALSO spent around the same for all the (expected) new stuff it needed.  Mostly dry rot items and light mechanical like a/c, speakers, windshield,?? I forget.

To get that one up to snuff it's likely gonna cost you that much... just for the basics.  Now, you might save a LITTLE bit doing the work yourself (which you said you're too old to do!! lol), but tires are pricey these days!!

Again:  JUST MY OPINION.  ANd yeah.. the high top is HEAVEN to an old (er) person! ;0

 

[regis101]

66788 wrote - 94 had R134a, not R12, so 96 is R134a

Thanks for the correction. I fired the editing department.

 

[eDJ_]

There are a lot of "home" mechanics who work from a garage behind their home.   Do you know any of these types ?


If so,  it may be worth buying a transmission out of a wreck at a scrap yard.  It won't be cheap.  If you go this route I would suggest having the mechanic to install a new front main seal in the transmission and taking the torque converter to a Transmission shop to have it cleaned. Such equipment does exist.  Then a new filter in the transmission and fluid when it is installed.  

Tires and brakes are smaller stuff.  

If you go this route the drive shaft U joints should be inspected and considered to be replaced.  

But the big issue I see is the salt and rust. If this rig looks like it's eaten up with rust it would be better off in the scrap yard.

You may do better to find another Van in another part of the country where the climate is "salt free".

The end of August is a good time to find deals on new tires.  September usually shows deals on car batteries.  October, November, and December are the prime Used Car buying months.

 

[jim solo]

I will hang on to the class "C" until I look at the van closely, if it is worth buying, and not rusted out underneath.
That friend of mine that is selling the van is hard to catch sitting long enough to talk to. HVAC is all year work,
he is kept busy.

I'm 5ft 3In tall, high top would be nice but can be added later.

I want to be careful with this van, my main thought is with a van I can afford more gas and be more mobile.
Some thing I didn't realize is that an RV has a few more restrictions on where it can go. But it is more like a
home on wheels. Depends on what you would call a home I guess. The worst trouble I'm having with the RV
is leveling it. Pix Below. Took 3 hours to get it level this time. I should have been sitting in that chair drinking a coffee.

 

[WalkaboutTed]

"I think I'll end up being "that" guy that has cameras all over the outside of the van because practically none of the Nissans have windows"

We've put windows on all sides of our Nissan vans.  Hubby bought a hood for 10$ from a junkyard to practice on it first. Pretty easy with a drill, an angle grinder,  masking tape and a screwdriver.  And a shot of tequila after the first window. The only warning is that the back windows require cutting through two layers of sheet metal.  Putting in the overhead vent is recommended so if you make a mess, no one will see the repairs.
Ted