The 4x4 conversion to the RV that won't go away.

[steamjam1]

I thought I had it given away to a coworker who was living in an abandoned snack-shack. For weeks and weeks our schedules never matched and he couldn't pick it up. FINALLY this morning the planets were aligned and I grabbed the company mini van to take him out to my 'rents house to pick it up..

And he got cold feet and backed out.

I won't go into why he backed out, cept to say that 50% of his explanation I completely understand, and should I be in his shoes, I would also take it into consideration, but still it sux for me. So now I have a 6000lb boat anchor that looks like a giant baked potato sitting in the 'rents driveway that I don't know what to do with. My parents haven't given me any flack about storing it there, but its their house and their space, not mine. I shouldn't be storing an RV there. It's still annoying. But O.K. I'll live...

So after some time this morning thinking about what I am going to do with it, and not having a ton of time, nor patience to deal with the B.S that is called Craigslist when your trying to sell something, and no one else thats around me that wants it.... I decided to go ahead and just do something with the old girl. I could just junk it, but that would piss me off. I want someone to love it, and no one around me does..

Here is what she is: Its a 1978 Dodge Surveyor High-top RV.
[img=302x198]http://oi65.tinypic.com/suwzeg.jpg[/img]
It's got the Dodge 360-4v engine and 727 automatic. It runs good and rolls down the road pretty solid. Its a 1-ton chassis B300 with a dana-60 rear axle.

[img=299x168]http://oi68.tinypic.com/8wz87o.jpg[/img]
When I bought it and was driving it home I got a terrible headache, and felt nauseated to the point where I had to stop and step out of it for a bit then drive it again. When I got it "home" I peeled away some of the carpet and I saw this black/red/brown smelly goo everywhere .  I was forced to completely gut it and remove every inch of flooring, and insulation. I deleted the shower in the back because the fiberglass was in poor condition, and all the appliances because they were all mouldy and non operable. I ended up welding atleast 25 patch panels to the floor and other areas ontop of replacing both quarters, and half the rockers.

[img=301x169]http://oi65.tinypic.com/96zzox.jpg[/img]

[img=300x225]http://oi68.tinypic.com/vmycet.jpg[/img]

[img=303x170]http://oi66.tinypic.com/2ih1qtv.jpg[/img]

[img=300x399]http://oi64.tinypic.com/59zfyp.jpg[/img]


[img=300x221]http://oi68.tinypic.com/oo57o.jpg[/img]

[img=299x224]http://oi66.tinypic.com/2ah7gig.jpg[/img]
After I patched her up, I coated the entire floor with Chassis Saver paint.

[img=301x169]http://oi64.tinypic.com/2v1nqzs.jpg[/img]
Thats whats left after I re-installed what furniture that remained, and was still in usable condition. About the only things that were salvageable appliance-wise was the sink, and the fresh water tank. Then I bought Big-Blue and tried to give the Dodge away. Well that didn't work...

So I've decided to just keep it and do the 4x4 conversion to it instead of buying a Ford. I've done a 4x4 conversion to a Dodge already, and I've got some ideas on how to make it ride better, and mechanically simpler then my '89 Van Charger. Its a good thing some other things didn't work out to my preference lately, cause I'd really be in a bind if I had two of these things laying about.

But at this point the RV isn't mouldy anymore, the windows/doors/top no longer leaks, and I've repaired all the rust. Its a good starting point to make a van (Now RV) that can go half way around the world and back. Its not ideal. I'd rather do this in a van with a Ford straight 6, but its what I've got to work with.

So yeah. What was once a "Econo-Econoline 4x4 conversion" is now turning into a "WHAMM BAMM 4x4 DODGE VAN" kinda project.

I suk.

 

[ViaVacavi]

Adapt and overcome. No big deal, play the cards you're dealt and be happy. Looking forward to seeing it

 

[GotSmart]

SOOO~~~

Is it CA legal, and what would you take for this project van?   :huh:

 

[highdesertranger]

hahaha Got Smart, I get it. highdesertranger

 

[GotSmart]

hahaha Got Smart,  I get it.  highdesertranger

I actually need a larger unit, and that looks like a good base.  

The Mini shorty I have is a little cramped.

A 78 might be smog exempt in CA.

 

[highdesertranger]

a 1978 is NOT smog exempt in CA. ask me how I know. highdesertranger

 

[steamjam1]

1978 is not smog exempt in California, however because its a heavy-duty VIN number, it has no catalytic convertor, or smog pump, etc etc. Its just engine and carb. You would literally have to be pouring raw un-burned gas out the tailpipe to fail.

 

[ArtW]

it is in Texas, and I would love that van
no idea where you are though, might not be feasible, and you sound like you're determined to do the dodge up, now
Why do I never get chances like that?

 

[steamjam1]

For now I'll hang onto it. Its a giant piece-of-crap, but I know that if Big-Blue caught fire tomorrow morning and got destroyed, I could simply buy an Ikea futon, throw it into the old Dodge RV along with whatever was left of my belongings, start it up, drive her away and start living in it straight away. It would suck tho... ALOT.

 

[ArtW]

Sound reasoning

 

[steamjam1]

To be honest my first impulse was to pull the VIN and push it off a cliff. My second impulse was to pull the hightop, push the rest off a cliff, then buy a van that doesn't suck to put the hightop on. My distant third impulse was to actually fix it.

 

[Txjaybird]

To be honest my first impulse was to pull the VIN and push it off a cliff. My second impulse was to pull the hightop, push the rest off a cliff, then buy a van that doesn't suck to put the hightop on. My distant third impulse was to actually fix it.

There is always DOOR #4  Utilizing OSHA Safety Guidelines.......... run it out in a field....set it on fire.....call it a bonfire and call your pals over........remember that I said use OSHA safety measures........all I need is someone not getting it. 
 I'M JUST KIDDING           iT''S A JOKE   

I DO LIKE THE DODGE....IT'S BROWN LIKE TURTLE

         HAVE A GOOD HOLIDAY       TEXAS JBIRD

 

[steamjam1]

OK... So I went out to the shed and took an "inventory" of the spare parts that I can use on the RV. Some parts will, some parts won't only because the RV is a '78, so parts like dash board stuff is common to '79 and up, while front end sheetmetal and some brake parts are '77 and older.

So what I saw I could use is a spare set of rear doors with pop outs, a 2v intake manifold and carb, front and rear bumper, tail lights, spare engine, transmission, exhaust system I never used, 1/2 a sheet of 18ga steel, a half a sheet of auto 20ga steel, a milk crate full of new suspension bushings, idler arms, and engine/tranny mounts, door seals, NOS door hinges, Mirrors, dash gauges, steering column, a set of blue front seats, and some left over patch panels I ended up not using. Oh yeah and two 16x7 Ford 8 lug rims.

So to get the RV rolling safely down the road, all I needed to buy was a set of shocks, and a wiper motor. I ordered them just now from Rockauto for just shy of $100. I have to roll myself to the wrecking yard next week to get three more Econoline 8 lug wheels and I am going to go buy some used tires. The RV still has its original 16.5" wheels and I don't feel like trying to find tires for them.

Since this is no longer a restoration project, and more a "Get 'er DONE" kind of affair, I went to my local Napa Auto parts and bought a tub of dura-glass to fill the welded body work, and Ill go ahead and mix some left over paint to somewhat match whats there. (yeah OK whats left of the paint thats still there.)

So yeah keep checking this thread as I hack-n-pack this RV back together over the next few weeks. I'll take pics and I'm sure some of you will make fun of me for some of the hacking I am going to be doing.

 

[TMG51]

Keep us posted. I like hackjobs that work.

 

[Milk Hauler]

Someone told me if I had $10 in my pocket, had a roof over my head, and no debt, I was living better than 80% of the people on the planet.

Thats still gonna make a nice base camp. Im gathering the courage to do Slab City for a few weeks in the fall.

That would be perfect van for those silt roads.

4x4 and easy to work on, in case you break something out there. Thats the last place you want to be stranded. I still have love for the slabbers, but an abandoned van would be stipped and torched within hours.

Sent from my LGL82VL using Tapatalk

 

[TMG51]

I still have love for the slabbers, but an abandoned van would be stipped and torched within hours.

I'm not sure that's fair... I've left my van there unattended for 1/2 day+ before, more than once, and no one touched it. However if a vehicle were noticeably abandoned there that'd be a different story.

I like the $10/roof thing. I think that's a good attitude.

 

[steamjam1]

I went to the wrecking yard today and picked up some rims.

For those of you with similar era Dodge vans, RV's and trucks. Getting rid of the 16.5" rims is a must. Firestone is the only company that still makes tires for the 16.5" wheel and last I looked they go for $140+ a pop on special order. Like everyone else, I'd like tires that I can commonly find at any retailer. I could have just gotten the newer Dodge 16x6 wheels, but wanted something a tad wider so I went with the Ford 16x7's.

[img=298x342]http://oi66.tinypic.com/15ov0k2.jpg[/img]

The wheels cost me $45 a piece from a local wrecker. I already had three, so I bought three more. One will go to the 4x4 white van with a 265 tire for a spare... The remaining five will go on the Dodge RV.

I am going to go get a set of used tires on Monday. 225/75/16 should be easy to get, and cheap.

 

[highdesertranger]

your Dodge RV has single wheels? non of the Dodge's are hub centric like most 1 tons? highdesertranger

 

[steamjam1]

your Dodge RV has single wheels?  non of the Dodge's are hub centric like most 1 tons?  highdesertranger

Its not a dual wheel. its essentially a hightop van.

 

[highdesertranger]

so they are not hub centric rims? highdesertranger