Van!!!

[idi_econoline]

Yep, ya either luv 'em or ya don't. Can't convert anybody once they're mind's made up. The below pic shows which camp I'm in.

7.3's still on a stand; time to install heads, injectors & IP tomorrow. No way heads or IP were gonna happen in-frame.

It's all doable, at least for my insane buddy. He's pretty graceful with a hoist, though.

 

[Wyreth]

Ohhh, I so want that.

 

[RLDSL]

Whats funny is I actually like driving the things. I really liked my conversion van, it was nice having those big comfy seats with a big fold out sofa in the back to flake out on, but I couldnt stand having to pull that doghouse to get to everything, and nowdays, i probably couldnt even get one pulled off

 

[460mudsports]

You can't beat an actual Lazy Boy recliner in the back of panel van for cruising comfort. Although, it is kind of hard to add seatbelts to true household recliner.

I have a 91 E250 panel van with a 4.9/E4od that a funeral home owned for the first 10 years and a 90 E350 7.3/c6 Uhaul.

 

[IDIDieselJohn]

Yep, ya either luv 'em or ya don't. Can't convert anybody once they're mind's made up. The below pic shows which camp I'm in.

7.3's still on a stand; time to install heads, injectors & IP tomorrow. No way heads or IP were gonna happen in-frame.

It's all doable, at least for my insane buddy. He's pretty graceful with a hoist, though.

Once I get my IP from Dragrag, i'm doing a complete upper gasket set and IP with the engine still in my 85 E350 6.9. I've done head gaskets in my 87 motorhome as well. It's a big job, but it's even a bigger job taking the engine out, so mine is staying in the van for that!

 

[IDIDieselJohn]

I do agree vans are SOOO much more versatile than trucks!

You can load up as much stuff in a van, if not more than a truck for work, or you can clean it up, throw a couch in it, and go camping for a weekend, still pull any trailer a truck would except 5er's ofcourse, or when the wife throws you out the house for a night, you can sleep out of weather



And best of all, you can get up out of the drivers seat, and walk to the back to get access to your cargo!



I do agree I hate working on vans for certain things, but the rest makes up for it


I sure will miss my van for winter (I am storing it for winter, keep it out of salt since it's still in great shape!), so i'm gonna be driving a short bed reg. cab 4x4 F150 for winter, but i've been looking for a cap for the box, guess I need a big empty space behind me but it's hard finding an older style aluminum cap for a short bed!

 

[SparkandFire]

I'm a big van fan. So much so that I bought this gas powered pig...

If I could find something like this with an IDI I would have bought it. But I couldn't...

I do know when this van's Triton engine gives up the ghost, I am going to try and stuff a 24 valve cummins in it's place...

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[freebird01]

i dont think anyone's written a song about a van since the 70's..... but "theres somethin women like about a pickup man..." hhahahahaha

 

[IDIDieselJohn]

That may be true, however, "If the vans a rockin', Don't come a knockin'"


Still is a work in progress as far as the interior goes, but the most important things are there

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[freebird01]

That may be true, however, "If the vans a rockin', Don't come a knockin'"


Still is a work in progress as far as the interior goes, but the most important things are there

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that screams "free candy" more then "hey baby..."

 

[smolkin]

"theres somethin women like about a pickup man..." hhahahahaha

Really? Please explain this to my wife...she seems to be missing the "something"....

But anyway, I've always wondered, having never seen an IDI van up close, why is it that much harder to do reg maintenance? Our first band van (the shortbus) was a '98 with the gutless piggy V10 in it. With the doghouse off, you had pretty nice access to the top of the motor as I recall. Is working on a van worse than a truck, I mean at least you don't have the hood latch trying to disembowel you constantly...?

 

[IDIDieselJohn]

Heres a closeup.

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And under the hood, and this van is as basic as you'll get it.

In my camper, it has AC, and Cruise control witch take alot of room. I'm glad this van doesn't have cruise or even less AC.

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[smolkin]

Well, that's a different side than I'm used to seeing...I can see how that might complicate things a bit. But I still think it might be nice sometimes to be SITTING on the van floor while wrenching instead of squatting on a radiator with my left foot on the fuel filter assy (how I spent yesterday basically)...

Also, John I love what you're doing with the back, I think it needs a flat screen mounted on the pass wall so you can veg out on the couch...lol

 

[Portuga]

Thats a mans van right there!

 

[The Warden]

But I still think it might be nice sometimes to be SITTING on the van floor while wrenching instead of squatting on a radiator with my left foot on the fuel filter assy (how I spent yesterday basically)...

There is something to be said for that. I remember unbolting both front seats and moving them back, pulling the doghouse, then changing the glow plugs on my van on a rainy day without getting wet. Just sat on the floor...made for a very easy and painless job.

Pulling a cylinder head, OTOH...I don't even want to contemplate that. I imagine a water pump job (or anything on the front end of the engine, for that matter) wouldn't be a pleasant task...fortunately, my old van was pretty trouble-free; never had to do any serious work on her. I wish I could have kept that van...