Van with wide footwell?

[tailwind]

Hi, I have a bad left leg and low back, need to stretch out my legs wide, and feet flat, while driving, to manage pain.  I've checked vans from the 90s, ford, chev, dodge, all i've seen have narrow footwells or even a big bump in the floor where the driver's left foot rests. 

Are there any vans with wide footwells, or at least not cramped/humped?  any year or brand.  any body style, long as there is a pass-thru and standing room in back.  i hope i explained it ok.  here is a pic to show, what for me, is a narrow footwell.  i hope.  need something wider... thanks for any help

 

[Willy]

How about a step van?

 

[MrNoodly]

That hump is for the left front wheel.

 

[crofter]

How about a step van?

Looks pretty roomy in the footwell.    ~ crofter

 

[B and C]

I have a bum left knee and I generally drive with my left foot on the hump as you call it (this provides a comfortable place to put my foot) and my knee against the wall. My right knee sometimes rides against the dog house (engine cover). I drive with my seat most of the way back (I can still reach the brake and gas pedals). My seat has good lumbar support.

If you have sat in a van and determined it won't work then you are into a different vehicle unless maybe a VW bus but I wouldn't wish that on anybody. A van footwell with your foot on the hump is not much narrower than a pickup floorboard.

 

[Willy]

Looks pretty roomy in the footwell.    ~ crofter

 I plan to have a shower setup in my passenger side  wheeel well for the summer. On the drivers side I've  got a 10gal water tank setup that, standing on end, comes up underneath my driver's  seat. Can still enter/exit through that side tho. ..Willy.

 

[tailwind]

Thanks for the tip on the step van.  Although my dog gets car sick, so any noise/vibration would be an issue.  Will see.

Meanwhile if anyone knows of a van older than the 90s, or from the new century, with a wide footwell i'd appreciate any input.  I believe i've exhausted the 90's models near me. 

fwiw any kind of hump on the floor bugs my leg, as well as a big wheel well crowding in from the side.  thanks again

 

[bullfrog]

Just out of couriousity what vehicle are you driving now that works for you?

 

[tailwind]

Current rig old Lincoln Town Car


I'm not expecting something this roomy in a van... just something where i can get my feet at least shoulder width and flat on the floorboards..

 

[highdesertranger]

so how about a truck and trailer? highdesertranger

 

[bullfrog]

^ +1

 

[B and C]

OP wrote: "Are there any vans with wide footwells, or at least not cramped/humped? any year or brand. any body style, long as there is a pass-thru and standing room in back."
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The pass-thru is the second half of the equation and probably the toughest part with a wide footwell. Shuttle bus, school bus? I don't know about footwell on those. Rear engined class A should have both.

 

[Headache]

You're pretty much screwed when it comes to any standard vans new or old. They all have at least some portion of wheel well in the driver's side area. I'm in a 92 E350 atm and it's less painful than the 91 Chevy shorty I had. The newer vans including the Chevy/GMC and Dodge have them as well but they really aren't any different. You won't get away from them entirely unless you buy something else.

I rented various models from Uhaul to try them out. I recommend you do that so you can see what positions you can get in. Even stuff on the door can create an issue.

 

[tailwind]

Thanks for the info.  It saves me from driving around looking at vans that wouldn't work for me.  

I looked at a couple shuttle busses, problem was the cutaway van part, still has the factory narrow driver wheel well. 

A school bus is more vehicle than i want to get into at present.  

A small camp trailer may be my final option, if I find a permanent home base.  For now, looking at a gypsy life, i would rather have a single, live-in vehicle.  For now I will check out step vans. 

Meanwhile if someone happens to be in a regular van and you think the footwell is pretty wide and flat, compared to the average van, please let me know.  even an old motorhome, if it is small enough to be daily driven?  

A class A would be too big for me at present as well, sorry i didn't mention, extended passenger van size would be my max for now.

thanks again

 

[Headache]

I have an extended passenger van and have parked along vehicles to compare lengths. So far I have parked next to all sorts of vehicles about the same length as mine. Without my carrier on the back I'm at almost 21 ft long, with it almost 24. There are some small class As that are about the same length. I parked next to this gal and with my carrier on hers was about a foot and a half longer than mine. That was with her carrier on the back for her scooter so technically her class A without the carrier is about as long as my van with my carrier on. In the pictures it looks bigger than it really is.

https://agirlandhercommander.wordpress.com/

 

[Doubleone]

I was thinking a pickup truck w/trailer would be better too...

 

[Seminole Wind]

there are cutaway busses and box trucks that are based on a truck chassis instead of a van. those would have much more leg room as there would be no wheel hump.

as far as vans, you would need to go back to around the 60's. many of the vans back then had the driver ontop or infront of the wheel. you might check some of those body stiles

also nissan has a new van that has more hood out front with the driver back a bit farther more like a truck. i have not look in those but would suspect they would have more leg room

 

[B and C]

Another item on the list everyone is overlooking is the part about easy access to the back. This eliminates a trailer and probably almost all truck campers. The early vans with the engine between the front seats are also ruled out. There are class C's that have a pickup front end and class A's. These are the only two categories that I think fit the bill on both counts.

 

[tx2sturgis]

Late model Nissan NV (1500,2500,3500) with a high roof.

Found this picture online:

 

[Artsyguy]

At 6'3", the lack of space for my left foot in my 2015 Chevy Express is my biggest complaint about my van. Essentially, it means just pulling over more often to stretch my legs on a trip. There is NO workaround that I can see...