Yet another E350 build

[Sheep Shagger]

Since my van seems to be one never ending project, I figured I'd start a thread and put all the into in one place rather than separate projects.

I'll add some details and pic's on the start of the van, but it's an 06 PSD E350 EB van with Quigley 4x4 conversion. After a 6 months of searching to find the right van at the right price, this is what I bought home.

I will add all the info in this thread, but here are some of the projects.
Mounting 3rd frame rail battery.
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/45009-Mounting-3rd-battery-to-frame-rail?highlight=

Adding fridge & slider + small solar panel
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/46818-Another-Edgestar-fridge-slider-(63qt)?highlight=

Changing out the seats
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/54257-New-Seats.?highlight=

 

[Sheep Shagger]

Onboard Air & Water

Time had come for onboard air and water, not wanting to take up interior space I started looking under the van for options. I didn't like outside the frame rails at the back since there is so much dirt and stones thrown up from the tires in that area, my drivers & passenger side has batteries on the rails, so that only left the rear area. Just behind the axle I have reserved for a 2nd diesel tank so that only left the spare tire area. This was really the last location I wanted to use as it's a lot of weight to hang behind the axle, but it was the only area available.
So after cutting out the spare tire chassis member, (that was a job all on it's own) I set about designing a way to hold Air tank / 2 compressors / Water tank & water pump. Initially I wanted to use UJoint skidplate kit, but I really didn't want to cut out the remaining chassis member and weld in a new one, so that kind-a ruled out that kit.
So in the end I decided to make my own from steel stock I could get locally and tools I had available. If I had access to a decent bending machine, or a way to weld ally my design would have been different, but I don't. :a1:

I use 2"x3" steel box section as frame rail extensions, and 3/4" box section for the support braces. The 2x3 were notched so the 3/4 box section actually goes inside the 2x3's, and they are also welded inside. (just for extra strength as I guess all the parts will be ~250). Once the cross member were welded, I capped the 3x2's to stop and crap getting inside.

There is some kind-a reason to the placement of the vertical cross braces, they hold the tank and compressor.

All mounted up. I new I could fit a bigger air tank, but I decided to pick a 2.5gal 200psi tank as it gave me more volume that a 3 at 150psi, and the compressors are rated for 200psi.

Now I had the exact size, I ordered up the water tank. I would have preferred to mount the water tank further forward where the compressors & air tank are, but there is a body cross-member there that limits the height, you can just see it in the above picture.

Since the water tank will be ~150lbs I decided to brace the extension that's not really supported. Below you can see some angle I bolted to the tow hitch to brace it.

Added water tank, pump and all wiring.

All mounted up

For the fill, I couldn't bring myself to cut holes in the body and didn't want a fill inside the van, so I decided in placing a boat fresh water deck fill on the bumper.

And a side shot, the whole system doesn't hang as low as the spare tire did, which is good as I've managed to scrape that up a few times.

In the very first pic you will see some tabs welded to the frame, they will be drilled and tapped to hold a skidplate. I still need to make the skid plate, but my local metal suppler shut up shop during this project, so that will have to wait.

 

[VANquisher]

Pretty work.

Do you have any concerns about water freezing, or do you intend to stay out of colder climes?

 

[Sheep Shagger]

Installing a window

I really needed to add a window behind the driver, after lots of searching for a window that looked identical to the window in a passenger van (ie fit in the van body indentation), I gave up. There simply aren't any aftermarket windows for the econoline, with an identical shape / size as Ford intended. They either go over the body lines in the van and IMO look silly, or are tiny. I started looking into grafting a passenger window into a panel van, but quickly ruled out that as too much work. So in the end, I decided on a CRL window as that was the closest in size to the van body indentation. 3/4" shy on all sides.

After 2 returned windows that were damaged in shipping (not surprising the way it was packed), the 3rd arrived with only a small dent in the frame that I managed to bend out without too much difficulty. So onto installing it.

Had the wife pull off all the interior material added by the previous owner. Since she was was going to put it back on, this seemed only fair. Dog was a great help.

I tried to cut out the minimum inside panels as I could, that way it was less to fix once the window was in.

Cut out a cardboard template the size I needed the opening to be, and bolted it in place so it looked right from the outside. Then used the bolt holes to measure where the cut would end up being on the inside, to see if it was going to work. After a little trial and error I got a placement that I was happy with on the outside and I could deal with on the inside.

Cutting the opening wasn't that hard, just took a big leap of faith. I found an air saw worked best for this.

With the outside cut I now had to go to the inside and make the opening 1/4" wider on the 2nd sheet metal skin, so the frame of the window can fit between the 1st and 2nd layers of metal to pull it all tight. This actually took a long time, this picture doesn't really show it, but if you look at the left side of the opening, you can see the inside skin is cut larger than the outside.

With the hole all done, the easy part, fitting the window. Here you can see the 3/4" gap between the window edge and body indentation. I really wanted to get a window that touched that indentation perfectly.

Then getting the wife back to work on re-fitting the material.

Material done, the window still needs a frame.

I made a frame of ply, then coated it with fiberglass resin to protect it from any moisture, since it's against the window.

Then the wife covered the frame with material that matches the color of the other plastic door trim (that's still not in place).

Things I learned, CRL make some really poor quality windows and pack them even worse. Their special screw's that you pay extra for are completely worthless, they don't fit the window frame correctly and brake off with a little bit of pressure.

 

[Sheep Shagger]

Pretty work.

Do you have any concerns about water freezing, or do you intend to stay out of colder climes?

Thanks. I live in a hot climate, so while at home I have no concerns. I do usually do a few winter trips into freezing temps though. I will probably empty the system and go back to a water jug inside for those trips. Eventually I will be putting in a water heater though, so I've been thinking of a return from the hot water back into the tank to heat it. But still just playing around with that idea, there are a lot of things I don't like about doing that.

 

[loren85022]

I really like your ideas, and the quality of work. We're on sorta similar paths. I have an 08 E-150 Quigley and am currently working on installing a 16 gallon tank, only it's going in a trailer. Question: what is your theory behind having the two ports feeding the Sureflow pump? I can think that maybe you have a very hi-volume pump, and or that you want to ensure every last drop gets used if at any incline/decline.

BTW: Smart move(s) on your air compressor. My single compressor w/same tank takes way too long.

 

[Smksignals]

Very cool, but I gotta good laugh at quote - "For the fill, I couldn't bring myself to cut holes in the body and didn't want a fill inside the van, so I decided in placing a boat fresh water deck fill on the bumper." and then this picture was a little further down. :Wow1: Nice work. Good luck with the build !!

 

[Sheep Shagger]

I really like your ideas, and the quality of work. We're on sorta similar paths. I have an 08 E-150 Quigley and am currently working on installing a 16 gallon tank, only it's going in a trailer. Question: what is your theory behind having the two ports feeding the Sureflow pump? I can think that maybe you have a very hi-volume pump, and or that you want to ensure every last drop gets used if at any incline/decline.

BTW: Smart move(s) on your air compressor. My single compressor w/same tank takes way too long.

Thanks, after looking at the CMF and tank volume, I decided twin compressors was the the best option but didn't like the price. Then when 2 brand new / never used / most powerful viair ones came up on craiglist for cheaper than I could buy one for, it was a done deal.
The two supply lines to the pump are simply an idea to get the most water out of the tank independent of the vehicle angle. Seems to work well. It's also a low volume pump. After a lot of research and very close to getting a high volume pump but with a variable pressure / speed, I decided a low pressure pump was the best way to conserve water.

 

[Jeffh555]

The window install came out really good, is there any chance you could post the part number of the window you used?

Thanks,

Jeff

 

[Sheep Shagger]

The window install came out really good, is there any chance you could post the part number of the window you used?

Thanks,

Jeff

CRL T-Slider Window - Driver Side Forward 1992+ Ford Vans 44-1/4" x 22"
Part: VW21601L

 

[Sheep Shagger]

Very cool, but I gotta good laugh at quote - "For the fill, I couldn't bring myself to cut holes in the body and didn't want a fill inside the van, so I decided in placing a boat fresh water deck fill on the bumper." and then this picture was a little further down. :Wow1: Nice work. Good luck with the build !!

It was a big leap of faith to do that window, I spent days agonizing over it. But strangely enough the water fill seemed such a silly thing to cut up the body for.:sombrero:

 

[Sheep Shagger]

Rear Door storage

I kept forgetting some basic things on camping trips, Axe on one trip, decent knife on another, so I decided to mock up a rear door storage to hold some things one afternoon. This was just a mockup so it's not neat or tidy, but it's worked so well, I've just left it.

It's just a sheet of that cardboard/wood (the stuff people make peg boards from, but this doesn't have holes) with a hole cut out for the storage box and painted black. The box is just made out of wood and goes all the way down to the bottom of the door, just some extra storage.

Then I covered it up with some material and poppers for access.

This was never meant to be the finished product, and eventually I'll get round to making a nicer one.

 

[ExpoMike]

Nice build so far. Keep up the nice work!

 

[Herbie]

For the fill, I couldn't bring myself to cut holes in the body and didn't want a fill inside the van, so I decided in placing a boat fresh water deck fill on the bumper.

I like that. If/when I ever get around to hard mounting a tank, I'll keep something like that in mind.

 

[sdski]

Awesome build, the window looks great, thanks for the pictures of the install.