Cant Write
Full Access Member
Did Saginaw end with the body change? Cause my ‘92 has serpentine and no Saginaw pump.
Traveller Smurf (Cubey's '89 van)
- Thread starter Cubey
- Start date
Yes. RockAuto shows Saginaw and v-belts for '91 E350 7.3
Ok I decided against a winter use travel trailer. More expense (storage, tires) for only used part of the time.
I decided to order one of these since it's 52% off on sale right now. Plus one credit card offers 6% back from White Duck's website, so that covers most of the sales tax.
It's something I can pack and take with me in summer too for a kitchen and day use living space without being out in the bugs/yucky weather. And 10x14 is bigger than the van's inside space actually.
It was only $90/13lbs more than the 10x10 model, so I figured I'd get the big one. Good backup living space in case something happens with the van. And actually I kinda need to empty the van and redo the build. I don't like the carpet, it holds dust/dirt and moisture. and I want to install a sink and holding tanks, so that means cutting a hole for a 1-1/2" drain pipe someplace.
That would give me a way to store everything out of the weather while it's being worked on.
I decided to order one of these since it's 52% off on sale right now. Plus one credit card offers 6% back from White Duck's website, so that covers most of the sales tax.
It's something I can pack and take with me in summer too for a kitchen and day use living space without being out in the bugs/yucky weather. And 10x14 is bigger than the van's inside space actually.
It was only $90/13lbs more than the 10x10 model, so I figured I'd get the big one. Good backup living space in case something happens with the van. And actually I kinda need to empty the van and redo the build. I don't like the carpet, it holds dust/dirt and moisture. and I want to install a sink and holding tanks, so that means cutting a hole for a 1-1/2" drain pipe someplace.
That would give me a way to store everything out of the weather while it's being worked on.
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Cant Write
Full Access Member
It’s even tall enough for me to stand up in!! 52% off, how long is the sale going?
I don't know, it doesn't say, I don't think.
Cant Write
Full Access Member
Your photo says 6’6” wall height and interior height.
I meant the sale end date.
I mounted a $100 awning today after bending the heavy brackets in a vise using a small sledgehammer. It's pretty cheap feeling metal wise (except for the brackets) but RV grade ones cost 10x as much. The fiberglass is thick enough, the 1/4" lag screws should hold it. The whole van rocks if I grab the horizontal portion of the bracket and push/pull. The awning bounces in the bag, so it shouldn't put too much stress on it since it's not very heavy.
There was no wind, so I snapped some pictures with it free standing without guy lines, before I put it back away. It's a bit of a pain to set up solo, but it's not too bad. I can readjust where it covers before setting up by loosening the lock nuts and just slide it forwards or backwards. I think like how it is right now though.
There was no wind, so I snapped some pictures with it free standing without guy lines, before I put it back away. It's a bit of a pain to set up solo, but it's not too bad. I can readjust where it covers before setting up by loosening the lock nuts and just slide it forwards or backwards. I think like how it is right now though.
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I ran across this on eBay last night and bought it. Cheap! They're $350 for the newer model normally, though they're on sale for $200 right now. But this older one was half that.
Considering I don't have any air conditioning in the van, cannot add it without great expense, and I'm out west mostly, I figured this was a good purchase. I'll be moving around more due to my limited toilet capacity so supplying it with water shouldn't be a big deal.
Yes, I plan to follow cooler temps but you can't always do it perfectly and sometimes down here in March/early April, you end up with only a handful of days in the upper 90s before it drops down into the 80s again. Sometimes you just need a way to have the extra cooling.
And this van heats up far more than the RV did too, so I'll need it. As well as Lucy. If it was just me, I'd just get by with fans.
And solar is a double edged sword. Sun gives power but gives it more heat. Shade reduces power but keeps it cooler.
A severely yellowed one sold for $125 back in October:
Considering I don't have any air conditioning in the van, cannot add it without great expense, and I'm out west mostly, I figured this was a good purchase. I'll be moving around more due to my limited toilet capacity so supplying it with water shouldn't be a big deal.
Yes, I plan to follow cooler temps but you can't always do it perfectly and sometimes down here in March/early April, you end up with only a handful of days in the upper 90s before it drops down into the 80s again. Sometimes you just need a way to have the extra cooling.
And this van heats up far more than the RV did too, so I'll need it. As well as Lucy. If it was just me, I'd just get by with fans.
And solar is a double edged sword. Sun gives power but gives it more heat. Shade reduces power but keeps it cooler.
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A severely yellowed one sold for $125 back in October:
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Cant Write
Full Access Member
Cant wait to see how it works for you.
If you ever do a build on your van, or when mine becomes priority #1, DIY spray foam!!
If you ever do a build on your van, or when mine becomes priority #1, DIY spray foam!!
Maybe next winter I'll see about doing a better build. I know swamp coolers work well, I ran a big one in the RV but it's only good for stationary use. And it was way too big to have in the van.
The newer model:
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He's very wrong about using it in a van or vehicle though. But it also depends on if you're insulated, have windows covered, have extra ventilation, etc.
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Of course.... a big one just like the one I left in Arkansas was at the free table today. But I left it for someone else. It's too big for the van, that's why I left mine behind. They do work great though! (but high water usage)
I did grab this table though! It's much more useful in the van with my redone "floor plan". It's at the proper desk/table height for sitting on the cushion on the toilet, so now I have a usable desk. The funny offset position of the mount is to my advantage due to where the floor mount is on the van. It has optional fold out leaves even, which makes a great wrist wrest for typing, etc.
I have almost never used the plastic one because it's so awkward. It's too high up and is too far away. I'll be returning to the pole to the free table since it's the same height as the van's, but I'll also go leave the plastic table for someone else who might need it.
But I left it for someone else. It's too big for the van, that's why I left mine behind. They do work great though! (but high water usage)
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I did grab this table though! It's much more useful in the van with my redone "floor plan". It's at the proper desk/table height for sitting on the cushion on the toilet, so now I have a usable desk. The funny offset position of the mount is to my advantage due to where the floor mount is on the van. It has optional fold out leaves even, which makes a great wrist wrest for typing, etc.
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I have almost never used the plastic one because it's so awkward. It's too high up and is too far away. I'll be returning to the pole to the free table since it's the same height as the van's, but I'll also go leave the plastic table for someone else who might need it.
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Cant Write
Full Access Member
Are you missing your RV, or are you happy enough with the trade offs you’ll stick with the van for the foreseeable future?
Kinda both? I miss having an indoor shower and headroom, but it's been less windy out here this season so it's not been bad to use the shower tent. The lack of a sink has been crappy but that's gonna get addressed within in next month or so. I need some hardware and plumbing bits to get the new tanks (20g fresh, 15g grey) installed.
The fuel economy is gonna be great for summer travels, so I intend to stick with it. I just have to get into a different mindset after so many years in the RV of minimizing distance every month and hunkering down for 2 weeks at a time. I can't do that with this unless I have exterior toilet and drinking water access. But that's doable too. There's a fed campground near Prescott AZ that would cost me $5/night with both amenities, and it's only 11 miles to get to a gym for showers. But would I want to stay there 2 weeks? Maybe actually, it should be very nice in early to mid April and it's not far to get to. I don't even really know what I'm going to do this summer, but I'm considering going to Glacier national Park as a major destination, as well as western South Dakota. That'll eat up several months easily, including the trips between. Then I'll go drop the bug at my mom's house around early October and head back west. I want to get the cargo trailer moved to her house but I can't double tow with the bug, so that's how I'll have to do it. Then around March or April next year, I'll head back to Arkansas, drop off the trailer and pick up the bug again.
Although admittedly the bug is probably not worth dragging around due to the insurance expense but I'm gonna keep it for now. The van mpg offsets it by a lot. A better, modern tow bar would help, make it easier to hitch up vs this rigid one.
Once I get going in March or April, I'll be outside more probably seeing stuff etc and it probably won't be so cramped feeling in the van. In fact, it hasn't been too bad lately since it's been very nice weather mostly.
Dunno if dragging the huge tent along is gonna be worth it. It might get put into a big plastic tote to help protect it better in the cargo trailer for the summer, but I'll just have to see how the van cargo space fills up, closer to time to leave.
I'm slowly working on reducing stuff that got carried out here in the van because I wasn't sure of what I needed, and knew it could go in the trailer if not.
I definitely like the new table, it's a big quality of life improvement in here for comfort and usable space. Yeah it's mildly annoying to have to set up often but eh, that's how it is. It's better than the plastic table in every way. I had it set up this evening for eating dinner. No more using the bed edge or my lap as the dinner table.
LowTech
Mech Wrangler
Haven't been around for awhile but wondering if you still have that refrigerator and want to sell it?
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