YOLANDA...My Turbine Princess build 03 7.3 E350 pop top 4x4

wanderer-rrorc

Explorer
Back in 2007 I purchased my first E250 6.9 diesel Ford van and fell in love with her.



After my family grew we realized that she wasn't going to be big enough to camp in. so I sold her and sent her out west, bought a tundra and a slide in camper.

Many years later when I left my job decided that I needed a new work truck and was torn between buying another full-size diesel van or a diesel half ton pickup. Unfortunately Ford no longer made diesel vans and I just didn't need a sprinter. Fast forward 2 years from then after building the Flip-Back I've changed the kind of work I do, so the truck isn't being used as more than a glorified Prius...

With a family of 7, all of the trips that we've taken we've always ended up having to take 2 vehicles. Last summer this resulted in my wife's windshield getting smashed when the trailer threw a board from the road!! we were lucky nobody got hurt!!

For the last several months have been kicking around the idea of picking up another van and started searching an Earnest about a month ago and that's when I ran across an extended Bonnie 7.3 L Powerstroke with about 200,000 miles on it. Went down last week and test drove it and had to wait until last weekend to be able to go down and pick her up..


And here she is I've decided to name her Yolanda cuz she reminds me of a white girl with a big old booty!! And turbine princess was something said late one night after too many DRINKS and too much ANIME!!!


She runs drives and shifts like she's brand new doesn't leak a drop of any fluid I got her home after 300 mile marathon trip from picking her up in Southern Ohio all the way out to Dayton to pick up the leather seats for the inside back across to a meet and greet at Quaker Steak Saturday night and then home she never missed a beat never gave me a lick of trouble but she needs to do front tires because the standard Fords are cupped pretty good!!!


Last night I got her in the garage and got a stripped out.we think she was a security vehicle probably hauling cash dispensing ATMs judging by the E Track and the elaborate security system in the doors!! But I didn't find any extra hundred dollar bills wedged in the cracks just yet.

She's full polyline on the sides with reflectix insulation underneath of it I'm going to go ahead and get the floor cleaned up por15 and then put Dynamat on all of the walls and the flooring, foil bubble and batt insulation in the walls bubble insulation the floor then reinstalled the pre-cut plywood flooring that was in great shape throw the rubber mat down on top of that it already has the sound deadening on the backside of it and then a little chunk of carpet run from the front to the back.

I've already order the track and the metal for the roof and it should arrive next week so that I can get the penthouse roof cut then start laying in the superstructure get the lifting mechanisms in the roof rack built and the whole thing painted then installed!!!! She should be able to lift her top by thanksgiving!!!

Then I can get her insides done..2 full 6ft couches as the main lower bed. 4 captains chairs all on swivel bases..led lighting and accent lights..and a tv on an arm mount for the kids to watch movies on the in dash DVD or play video games.

Backup camera,360* site lighting, 200 watts on the roof and 135ahu battery feeding 1500w inverter, bumpers front and rear and the rear storage box for kitchen..


Then ill source a d60 for the front and a divorced Atlas...the trans shifts way too good to wanna pull it apart and risk messing something up!!...that's probably going to be late summer if not next fall!!
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wanderer-rrorc

Explorer
Heres the basic idea on the cut out

Red is roof line..blue is inner frame 4'6x9ft opening!!

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wanderer-rrorc

Explorer
Ive seen several people struggle with making Fiberglass tops so I decided to go with something similar to GTRV and use metal...

Im no stranger to making tent toppers so Im doing 6 windows with screens plastic and curtains for a 360* view!!!

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wanderer-rrorc

Explorer
the plan for the roof is a piece of 18ga steel thats bent slightly and gasketed all around the edge...

it will also have a L bracket frame underneath for the lifting mechanism and canvas mount...the top will have a slimline design (similar to the one in the photos)...

Im putting in 2 sunroofs one above the driver and one in the back that we will be able to remove the glass...so I want the rack to help with ridgidity and also someplace to mount the solar panels..and 7 peoples worth of gear if needed!!

it will all get assembled then painted white..or white bedliner...not sure just yet...

should be plenty ridgid!!

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Raul

Adventurer
Congratulation on the new vehicle. I'll follow with interest. Great project.

Fitting a divorce transfer will imply building cross members for it strong enough to take the torsion also. It seems easier to just rebuild the tranny and bolt it.

I am toying with the idea of building a pop top or a rigid top.
 

wanderer-rrorc

Explorer
Congratulation on the new vehicle. I'll follow with interest. Great project.

Fitting a divorce transfer will imply building cross members for it strong enough to take the torsion also. It seems easier to just rebuild the tranny and bolt it.

I am toying with the idea of building a pop top or a rigid top.
Yeah it will take some more work...but I also want to be able to do front wheel drive on tight trails..

I've taken working transmissions apart to convert to 4x4..never had one last...I'm gun shy...

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wanderer-rrorc

Explorer
Got the side panels down and she keeps showing me she's in good shape!! Quick scuff and wipe it all down...found a bunch of new cans of paint and spray glue in my cabinets in the garage...they are warming up inside for this weekends painting.

I'm gonna Dynamat the walls and floor..then spray glue the bubble foil to the inside plastic liner so I've got an air gap between between the mat and foil to help with noise..

Then the rubber floor liner goes back down..and seat bases get mounted!!


OH AND NEW SHOP LIGHTS CAME IN!!! They are AWSOME!! 3 Light my 24x40 shop completely!!
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tgreening

Expedition Leader
What transmission is in there? If it's the 5r110 which started in ‘03 I think, you don't even have to pull it out of the frame to convert. Pull 5he adapter off the rear and the output shaft swaps out from the back. Remove, replace, attach xfer case adapter, do The Happy Dance!
 

wanderer-rrorc

Explorer
What transmission is in there? If it’s the 5r110 which started in ‘03 I think, you don’t even have to pull it out of the frame to convert. Pull 5he adapter off the rear and the output shaft swaps out from the back. Remove, replace, attach xfer case adapter, do The Happy Dance!
Dunno....gonna have to get under her and compare pictures!! That would be sweet thou!!

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FDM2012

Adventurer
Pretty sure the 2003 7.3 PSD only had the 4R100. The 5r110 seems to have started with the 6.0, and subsequently the newer model Tritons.

Good news is that you should have the triple disc TC in it, right? (an upgrade item on my long list of projects still to do!)


This will be an interesting build to follow. Sub'd!
 
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wanderer-rrorc

Explorer
Pretty sure the 2003 7.3 PSD only had the 4R100. The 5r110 seems to have started with the 6.0, and subsequently the newer model Tritons.

Good news is that you should have the triple disc TC in it, right? (an upgrade item on my long list of projects still to do!)


This will be an interesting build to follow. Sub'd!


Thanks for the info...Im pretty sure its a 4r100...dunno about the triple disk...I'll have do some Google-**** and find out!!!


Got the rust mitigated lastnight with my sons help...and the first coat of paint on the floor is drying...dynamat and foil to be picked up this weekend!!!
 

wanderer-rrorc

Explorer
Clean rust free and fresh paint!!

Spin bases being picked up tomorrow then sound deadener going down before they are mounted to insulate noises from following up metal in the bases!

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