To extend or not to extend

[highdesertranger]

here in kalifornia at the moment diesel is cheaper than gas.  plus better fuel economy.  plus longer engine life.  highdesertranger

 

[MikeRuth]

I'd like to have a hightop on my E-150.I had a Dodge B-250 for a few years that had been built as a camper with high top and at 6'1" I could stand up in it! There was storage space above the drivers cab there seem to be storage everywhere. I really liked that old van, just got to the point where maintenance was exceeding worth.

I recently inquired about having a hightop put on, about $3K and not in my budget for now. The other factor about the hightop is re-enforcing it to hold a couple solar panels on top of that. Then were talking some pretty stout roof height and were getting tougher to handle in strong winds.

there's a little good and bad to every choice. I saw a Freightliner Sprinter Dually yesterday that was the tallest and longest wheel base made. Man do they have a ton of room inside~!
At $45K plus build not for everyone nore would it be as stealth as some would like.

 

[Almost There]

I'd like to have a hightop on my E-150.I had a Dodge B-250 for a few years that had been built as a camper with high top and at 6'1" I could stand up in it! There was torage space above the drivers cab there seem to be storage everywhere. I really liked that old van, just got to the point where maintenance was exceeding worth.

I recently inquired about having a hightop put on, about $3K and not in my budget for now. The other that about the hightop is re-enforcing it to hand a couple solar panels on top of that. Then were talking some pretty stout roof height and were getting tougher to handle in strong winds.

there's a little good and bad to every choice. I saw a Freightliner Sprinter Dually yesterday that was the tallest and longest wheel base made. Man do they have a ton of room inside~!
At $45K plus build not for everyone nore would it be as stealth as some would like.

I totally lucked out when I found the 2002 GMC with the high top already installed on it at a price I could afford last September. I make her a solemn promise every day that this will be the last snow she'll ever see...just waiting for spring melt to get started working on her.

When I add solar (it's not at the top of the list), it will be portable panels rather than roof mounted ones. There is no way I could ever get up there to service them if they ever needed anything. Portable ones will allow me to park in the shade, charge from the sun, tilt them where best suited. Better the storage space for them than space for a 10' ladder!!

One of the nicest things (about the only thing..sigh) that the PO did was to leave part of the rear van roof intact as well as the standard section over the drivers' compartment. In addition to the huge storage space up front, I also have an even bigger one at the back. The only compromise I have to make is in layout so that nothing that needs standing height (kitchen unit) will be under the lower section of roof.

If and when this van ever needs replacing I will move the fiberglass roof to a newer van. I lost custody of one high top when the van wore out and it's not going to happen again!

You might luck out and find a high top on a van at the scrap yard. It's not really a difficult job to move one over from one to the other. Most scrap yards have no idea of the value of the high top and will sell it cheap.

 

[akrvbob]

I totally lucked out when I found the 2002 GMC with the high top already installed... I make her a solemn promise every day that this will be the last snow she'll ever see...just waiting for spring melt to get started working on her.

That's one promise you should keep to her--and to yourself!!
Bob

 

[Almost There]

That's one promise you should keep to her--and to yourself!!  
Bob

Oh, this one is written in stone. Nothing is going it budge me from my plans...I'm outta here this fall! See you in January!

I've told my mother that she will be hiring staff to replace me cause I'm outta here. Her initial response was good but that was when she was thinking of all the travelling her and Dad had done when he first retired. She's already started to worry about me but that's nothing new and it's her problem not mine.

My brother and  SIL are going to flip...I was always the irresponsible one anyways and they'll have to pick up some of the slack..too bad. One or two trips to W/M is not going to kill them but staying housebound in a Canadian winter surely will kill me.

 

[SoulRaven]

Over the years I have come to the conclusion that repairing these older vans is a far better choice than getting newer ones. They're just built better to begin with.

The entire drive trains, front ends, rear ends, and suspensions can be replaced as needed and will still save you a ton of money over the newer ones, plus they're easier to work on and have fewer electronics to cause problems.

All told, in over 10 years of owning this van, I doubt that I have over $2500 total in it, and it still drives like brand new. You just can't beat that.

 

[NWShortyFord]

First off I would like to say that engine size does not always denote MPG...for instance, take a ratty old smallblock of any brand with a ***** carb, worn distributor and wires, lots of miles, sludgy heads, running on 5 cylinders, etc...and give me a nicely built big block engine of any brand with good compression, give it fuel injection, new wires, plugs, cap, etc. Which one if put in the same vehicle would you imagine to give the better MPG. I know that is the extreme way to look at it but I think it makes solid sense.

I have lived in my shorty E-100 for three years and used to daily drive it before that. It has the larger, 5.8L engine that the bigger, 3/4 ton vans usually have. Given engine size, spring rate and the 3.0:1 gear ratio this thing is a gas hog and a turd around town when it is loaded like it usually is now that all my stuff is in it. I swear I almost killed the transmission once before I knew I only had a G.V.W.R. of 5,700lbs....had it loaded down practically to the bumpstops. She was always peppy and got decent milage when unloaded, but clearly the designers weren't intending this much weight.

They DO make vans that have smaller engine and a higher G.V.W.R. This includes better springs and lower axle gears. Given the right gears and chassis I don't see why you couldn't get away with a smaller v8 even for a bigger van. The 5.0L Ford V8 with F.I. has been said to get around 18mpg highway when tuned right and in the proper van. Don't know if I believe those guys but it is something I have heard a few times.

Unless of course you can find a diesel...then just get the nicest one you can afford 'cause they all do pretty well. I had a Cummins powered '96 Ram 2500 4x4 w/camper that got an easy 20mpg on average. The 7.3L Powerstrokes are usually good for almost 20mpg, great motors. I even found an 88 or 89 E-250 with the 7.3 for $1,500. It was owned by a pro diesel mechanic and he had outfitted it very nicely under the hood, it ran GREAT! He said he always drove diesels and got them for cheap, fixed them up and usually sold them to guys like me who wander by and notice how much work he had done.

 

[NWShortyFord]

Over the years I have come to the conclusion that repairing these older vans is a far better choice than getting newer ones.  They're just built better to begin with.

The entire drive trains, front ends, rear ends, and suspensions can be replaced as needed and will still save you a ton of money over the newer ones, plus they're easier to work on and have fewer electronics to cause problems.

All told, in over 10 years of owning this van, I doubt that I have over $2500 total in it, and it still drives like brand new.  You just can't beat that.

I couldn't agree more. I have had numerous old trucks(60's-70's) and numerous new trucks(90's-05). My older pickups were always more beloved and easy to work on and keep running. My '77 Jeep CJ-5 was my favorite, blew my $25,000 2005 Wrangler out of the water as far as upkeep costs. The older stuff was stronger and easy to fix, period. I know everyone has their own taste and mine is for the older rigs, it is just what works for me.