Van conversion

[towcat]

Corrosion issues? or did some Bubba try to fix it himself?

bubba wasn't there.
a butcher was.

 

[idi_econoline]

Yeh, that's a circa 2000 Calif plate for that old a rig. Could have come from who-knows-where if the plates aren't original.

And those tags are expired, so it's not registered. 2012 is teal, 2013 is orange. Yellow is from a while back. So this rig's been off the road for years.

Electrical issues with all that non-factory stuff or in the factory harnesses? Yikes.

And, as with an old RV, how tight does all that fiberglass seal to the steel during the rain? These rigs often come with fancy interiors; interior water damage would be another thing to look for.

 

[NTOLERANCE]

You up for a little traveling?

http://www.auctionflex.com/showlot....158&archive=n&lso=lotnumasc&pagenum=1&lang=En


http://www.auctionflex.com/showlot....161&archive=n&lso=lotnumasc&pagenum=1&lang=En

Typically, these sell for 1200-$1500 at auctions. Bad news is ya can't drive em first.

Look at your city & state's govt sales & auctions.

Me likey, me got $1000. but thats a looooong haul.

 

[NTOLERANCE]

Sure is abit tight of a fit

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Got a pic of the sound deadening material on that dog house?

I'd run a c6, not sure I would need the hump.

 

[DOE-SST]

Me likey, me got $1000. but thats a looooong haul.

Check out the GSA sales in your area.

Some govt vehicles (usually Federal) are well maintained up to the day they get surplused, some are surplused at a specific mileage point, and some get surplused simply because the agency bought new ones.

But,

they usually sell at auctions, and ya can't drive them first. I got some insider info. My vans were retired because of newly purchased vehicles. Bidding was fierce, but there were enough vehicles that the prices eventually dropped to reasonable levels.

 

[idi_econoline]

Got a pic of the sound deadening material on that dog house?

I'd run a c6, not sure I would need the hump.

Will grab camera & snag a pic before sun goes down here on the Left Coast.

One of the notorious things about the later IDI vans is that the E4OD was your only choice from like 1991-1993? Don't have those dates nailed down, but 1992 (my year) was one of those years. Considered doing a C-6 swap for awhile, until I realized my E4OD works quite well so far. No trailer-pulling, though, until head gasket work is done and tested.

I did find out that the C-6 requires a mechanical kickdown attachment on the IP, which did not come on the E4OD-equipped engines. FYI.

 

[NTOLERANCE]

My engine and trans are still in the box truck, running and driving. How loud is the engine in the van?

 

[NTOLERANCE]

I'm looking at this electrical nightmare of a van. It'd be a sweet ride if everything was working right. Guy was asking $1500 for it. I was stupid and offered $500. He's been calling constant wanting me to come get this thing out of his life.

Is it a diesel?

 

[idi_econoline]

Well, turns out I had a chunk of insulation tearing off anyway. This is on the engine compartment itself (the section under the dashboard). Different layers to this piece. Kind of like fiberglass, tar paper and some other fibrous material, almost like jute. Not asbestos, though.

The insulation inside the removable doghouse cover is the usual silvery-coated material.

As for noise level, I can speak to this quite well. Put many miles on a 1990 E350 with the same engine/trans combo. Though both sounded about the same from the outside, I can say quite candidly that my 1992 is MUCH quieter inside, and much cooler on the interior as well (neither van has/had A/C) Can't say why; I can only guess the later one is better insulated.

After more thought, I am realizing that the rig you've pictured must be a cut-off van body on a truck/RV frame. Van body may have different harnesses than the chassis and (especially) engine it was mated to. There may well be still-hot circuits in the body harnesses that go nowhere any longer, and may not have been terminated properly. Or even improperly re-used for other accessories. Which makes me wonder if the body, chassis and engine were all properly grounded together when assembled as a unit.

Hope all this helps.

 

[idi_econoline]

I.E., not a factory cut-off cab, but an entirely different body, if I see it correctly. Do I see the front of the 2 side cargo doors remaining ahead of the fiberglass?

 

[yARIC008]

Here are a few pictures from my engine job about 10 years ago now. My website domain expired and I don't have them up on my site anymore, not sure who all remembers these from the TDS days... It is indeed a tight fit.

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[NTOLERANCE]

Going to look at an 89 E150 Thursday/Friday. Bit older of a truck, should have an 5.0/AOD

 

[NTOLERANCE]

Well, I Think I found my van. Going to put the money on it tomorrow.

Not exactly what I wanted, but its a 95 extended van, with a sick 5.8/eod combo.

Pretty solid body, 15 passenger seating, extended model.

Dont know how I will get the cruise and the AC to work, but for $500, its hard to pass up.


So the 1990 7.3 IDI and C6 will be going into this.


So looks like I will need a van oil cooler ends and van exhaust manifolds.

I do know of an IDI van in a junk yard near me, will have to check it out.

I am thinking I will relocate the filter some place under the van, use an elect lift pump.

 

[DOE-SST]

If that doesn't work out, here's a 89 IDI E350 van with a raised roof, going to auction July 21.

http://www.auctionflex.com/showlot.ap?co=6628&weid=24839&weiid=9116472&archive=n&lso=lotnumasc&pagenum=1&lang=En

 

[idi_econoline]

Nice looking body. I'd've grabbed it for $500.

You'll also need van engine mounts - they are different from F mounts. We didn't notice this when putting an F engine into my E, and got to haul the engine back out! Good practice, though.

Also, if the IDI van at the yard is complete, grab the fuel filter head from it, and the pipe to the IP. Beats a remote filter and its long hoses. Fits on top near the IP. Cannot install until the engine's in place, though.

Don't remember if I've said this before: Think long hoist & short chain! And remove all the belt-driven stuff until she's on her mounts - you'll need the clearance.

Oh, and as someone else suggested here: Remove the passenger seat. Makes it MUCH easier to do the rear-of-engine work, plus doghouse cover easier to remove.

Exhaust system will probably need to be changed?. Cat deleted, at least. Of course, may not be much left of the orig in your climate!

No oil in my coolant yet, but my head gasket job (and its engine pull) still awaits. Best of luck to ya & keep us posted. Would enjoy being there to help.