New-ish guy sayin' hello.

Aloha all,
Names Shane.
Just picked up an ugly 2003 E-350 7.3l cargo last week and figured I'd make it public.
She is at my mechanic getting a lot of love: water pump, turbo (reman stocker), hoses, serp belt, diff fluid/seal, transmission service, fluids, and a hug.
I stole my wife's car today while she was home sick from work and got some NOS creation windows from a guy local for a mega steal. She needs lots of body work too (the E350, not my wife).

After I get seats and some basic interior comforts (sound materials, carpet, seats, and a radio), I'll probably only go as far as a selectable locker for a while. Once we've finished paying off our student loans, I'll have cash to spend freely on a serious build We have a chart on our fridge and we color in a bar for each loan we pay off early. Feels pretty effing amazeballs each time...
back to my van, I've decided to call her Osita. Osita Von Deezul. Here's a pic.



Some of you look familiar from mud... my sig is philos1 there and I had an 87 FJ60 named Tootsie Roll. Here's a shot in Baja with the dog and before the kids....

also, Osita's pinstripes are real. They'll be gone soonish, but it seems a shame to destroy the hard work and talent. She's mine now, so off they go.

Welcome to the van craze!


Sent by wing, prayer & ATT

Welcome to ExPo! Nice van and nice 60!

Again welcome to the addiction.

can a pronunciation on Osita? O or ah?

Oh-see-tah - spanish for little bear (in the feminine).
I pondered naming her Buttercup or Snowflake, but Osa/Osita seemed to fit better.

I'll get pics of the windows and stuff as I do them if I can remember to slow down while I work...

Congratulations on the van, excellent platform, I really want a 7.3, I think that'll be my next. Cant wait to see what you do with it, and rad 60, my brother had one and I loved it. Also nice job working on the debt, Ive been cleaning mine out for the past 2 years and finally got it all done, free and clear baby. Feels amazing, are you a Dave Ramsey fan? Let the van jokes start, get used to them. Welcome

Yeah, Dave Ramsey is pretty rad. I catch the radio show here and there, he's funny. Cracks me up when he calls folks stupid right before he nurtures them... As to the van jokes, a couple of guys I used to work with offered to buy a vanity plate for me - RUASZ14 not everyone is gonna get that...

Finally got a bit of time to work on seating. It's a priority with two toddlers...
Found some dirty seats from an 05 F-150 for a bargain $150. I can afford to have them recovered by Nacho at that price!!!


Pics are in no real order, but if you look you can see some of the brackets I made as well as some 3/4" flat stock I used for a captured nut. I was a bit surprised to find such tight quarters for where I wanted the seats, which led to the flat stock. Makes for a solid base.

The seat brackets are designed to allow for a forward folding arrangement when I need to haul shtuff around....

Cheers


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Welcome. Let me know who you take the van to for body/paint. thinking of getting mine painted in the next couple of months.

Paints gonna be a ways off yet. When I do get to paint, I'll do as much prep as I can myself and then likely send er to One Day. They use good product here and as long as the prep is good the rest will follow...


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Made a little headway over the past few days. Got both barn door windows cut and installed (still needs trim on interior to conceal my cuts). Put some hella supertones behind my grill. I cut out the plastic honeycomb shapes in the grill with an angle grinder so that I could get the horns located in a better spot to be heard. Also replaced the power door lock actuator in the DS door, and that induced a lot of sweating and expletives....
Pics of the windows and horns are included, no dice on the actuator install. I was occupied...


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Love me some Hella Supertones. Best damn horn out there. These are basically standard issue for the Subaru guys since the stock horn is so anemic. Been wondering if I should throw a set in my van...

yeah, I've already used them... every one of my rides gets a set.
I actually left one of the stock horns connected as I only needed one lead for the relay, so now I actually have three horns when someone commits a worthy offense.