Family Vehicle Choice Predicament

[brp]

There are a few diesel 4x4 vans on CL right now, even with the 7.3. They are not converted into RV's like a Sportsmobile, but neither are the other vehicles you are looking at.
Vans are super practical, throw in 4x4 and a good diesel motor and you've got quite a package. You can do nationwide CL searches at craiglook.com and allofcraigs.com.
Good luck.

 

[Buliwyf]

There are a few diesel 4x4 vans on CL right now, even with the 7.3. They are not converted into RV's like a Sportsmobile, but neither are the other vehicles you are looking at.
Vans are super practical, throw in 4x4 and a good diesel motor and you've got quite a package. You can do nationwide CL searches at craiglook.com and allofcraigs.com.
Good luck.

I don't know. It's going to take some serious suspension tuning before I'll put my family in a Van.
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The whale tail Fords love to catch wind/drafts and swing around.
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Hopefully the solid axle swaps take care of that with the Fords. But it looks like they fab the independant suspension into the the GM's. Our 1500 AWD vans are death traps. Very tippy. I'd imagine some decent springs and shocks would do the trick, mostly.
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I'd feel alot safer recommending an Excusion or Suburban.

 

[Clutch]

I don't know. It's going to take some serious suspension tuning before I'll put my family in a Van.
-
The whale tail Fords love to catch wind/drafts and swing around.
-
Hopefully the solid axle swaps take care of that with the Fords. But it looks like they fab the independant suspension into the the GM's. Our 1500 AWD vans are death traps. Very tippy. I'd imagine some decent springs and shocks would do the trick, mostly.
-
I'd feel alot safer recommending an Excusion or Suburban.

Dang dude, do you hate everything!? Turn that frown upside down.

Oh...we have had service vans, conversion vans, box vans, and a handicapped van for my dad. They are no race cars, but if drive them normal and not like an idiot...say like the speed limit where ever you go, they are pretty safe. My buddies 7.3 E250 feels pretty stable, even with the crappy Quigly conversion.

 

[8-Lug]

Why not convert the pick up into a Tiger like conversion like Shortbus? http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/37917-Shortbusadventure-s-Tiger-Motorhome-build

Without all the cabinets and such , just seats like in a conversion van.
http://www.tigervehicles.com/tiger-models/siberian/

There is a expedition tour company that uses converted trucks similar to the above vehicles, though Dodge's.

Having said that, I was the youngest child in a family of six kids. We started with 1967 Impala pulling a 16' Aristacrat. Then went through 3 full size station wagons with a pop up behind. Next came a 19', then a 26', Winnebago Braves and in between were 2 cargo type, 2 different conversion and 1 passenger type vans. The last conversion van pulled a 31' Avion.
With my wife and family, we've had a Mountianeer, a 24' Brave, and 4 different Suburbans - plus other assorted type vehicles for trips. Like many of the others I feel that a fullsize van is the most conveinant.

Given the option, though, a limo would be nice with the divider to close off the pets and children.