Rollingbrick
New member
Nice build! Great pics on the trip!
Another E350 build thread
- Thread starter witt
- Start date
whhite whhale
New member
middle seat
Your middle seat dilemma reminded me of this guys creative solution.
More info here.
Not sure if it would work with your van's configuration, but maybe?
Have fun.
Your middle seat dilemma reminded me of this guys creative solution.
More info here.
Not sure if it would work with your van's configuration, but maybe?
Have fun.
mrwizard - thanks! Yeah, tires are 33s (305/70R16)
Whhite whhale - Wow, that thing is amazing. Good thing I didn't see that before I put mine it or Derek might have had to figure out how to build one! We were hoping to be able to rotate both the passenger and center seats, but with our setup only the center seat rotates. We're pretty happy with it though.
Got most of the red dirt cleaned out of the van (you can never get it all out) yesterday and started installing a new stereo. We got a dual-din touchscreen pioneer, mostly so that we could install a backup camera without having to have a separate screen attached to the dashboard. The instructions said you could install it with the dash panel in place, but by the time I had coaxed the factory radio out I had mostly pulled out the whole dash panel so after searching around trying to figure out how to get the headlight knob off I pulled the whole dash panel off so I could work on it in the garage. You have to cut out some plastic to get the new radio to fit, and that was much easier to do with good light and a workbench.
Plus I have to run wires for the parking brake interlock (keeps you from watching DVDs while driving) and the reverse switch (so that the rear view camera comes on when you put it in reverse). Both of those seem to be in the drivers side footwell (http://www.justanswer.com/ford/5pj3p-ford-e-250-econoline-2011-ford-e250-factory.html) so I would have needed to take the dash panel out to run those wires anyway.
We got our first "real" snow yesterday and since I just have a regular garage that the van won't fit in the diesel heater is coming in handy! I think I'll save crawling around routing the wire for the backup camera for sometime warmer and less snowy.
Dash Panel
Cabinets
Dash panel removed
Whhite whhale - Wow, that thing is amazing. Good thing I didn't see that before I put mine it or Derek might have had to figure out how to build one! We were hoping to be able to rotate both the passenger and center seats, but with our setup only the center seat rotates. We're pretty happy with it though.
Got most of the red dirt cleaned out of the van (you can never get it all out) yesterday and started installing a new stereo. We got a dual-din touchscreen pioneer, mostly so that we could install a backup camera without having to have a separate screen attached to the dashboard. The instructions said you could install it with the dash panel in place, but by the time I had coaxed the factory radio out I had mostly pulled out the whole dash panel so after searching around trying to figure out how to get the headlight knob off I pulled the whole dash panel off so I could work on it in the garage. You have to cut out some plastic to get the new radio to fit, and that was much easier to do with good light and a workbench.
Plus I have to run wires for the parking brake interlock (keeps you from watching DVDs while driving) and the reverse switch (so that the rear view camera comes on when you put it in reverse). Both of those seem to be in the drivers side footwell (http://www.justanswer.com/ford/5pj3p-ford-e-250-econoline-2011-ford-e250-factory.html) so I would have needed to take the dash panel out to run those wires anyway.
We got our first "real" snow yesterday and since I just have a regular garage that the van won't fit in the diesel heater is coming in handy! I think I'll save crawling around routing the wire for the backup camera for sometime warmer and less snowy.
Dash Panel
Cabinets
Dash panel removed
robert
Expedition Leader
Unless you're just a stickler you can forgo the parking brake interlock and use a relay to override the system. There are videos on youtube that show how to do this or you can hit up most any audio or tuner forum. Using the relay will allow you to watch movies any time but it's illegal in most states and dangerous as hell; on the other hand you can hook up video games to most of the Pioneer systems so your kid could play games if he wanted (I guess that's not as distracting). I've never bothered to try watching a movie at all so I can't say exactly how the system works.
Anyways, the backup camera is easy to hook up on Pioneers. Just be sure you protect the wire from the camera as it's thin. Check polarity of the camera before you mount it, but if you forget and somehow get it backwards you can change the settings in the head unit. You can actually hook up more cameras to the system and use them when you want (besides going in reverse) with a few mods. I'd also recommend going ahead and and connecting your auxiliary cables including an iPod cable and an extended USB female port. You'll end up wanting them and it'll keep you from having to pull the dash again.
Pioneer's Bluetooth works alright but isn't anything special and the GPS isn't worth messing worth; Garmin is cheaper, has more features and is just better overall.
Pioneer also makes some simple remotes for their systems too; not too useful for my pickup, but would be kinda cool in a van.
Anyways, the backup camera is easy to hook up on Pioneers. Just be sure you protect the wire from the camera as it's thin. Check polarity of the camera before you mount it, but if you forget and somehow get it backwards you can change the settings in the head unit. You can actually hook up more cameras to the system and use them when you want (besides going in reverse) with a few mods. I'd also recommend going ahead and and connecting your auxiliary cables including an iPod cable and an extended USB female port. You'll end up wanting them and it'll keep you from having to pull the dash again.
Pioneer's Bluetooth works alright but isn't anything special and the GPS isn't worth messing worth; Garmin is cheaper, has more features and is just better overall.
Pioneer also makes some simple remotes for their systems too; not too useful for my pickup, but would be kinda cool in a van.
Cool, thanks for the info. The cheapie camera I bought off of amazon didn't work, so I sent it back and ordered a more expensive one from crutchfield.
I thought about overriding the brake interlock thing and might still do that, but the brake sensor wire was easy to find so I just hooked it up that way. We'll see how many actual dvds we watch with this thing; since the kiddo's seat is in the middle that would be the perfect viewing position for him. But like you said, illegal.
I never did find a wire I could tap into for reverse under the dash. I'm sure it's in one of those giant bundles of wires somewhere, but who knows where. I figure when the new camera comes I'll just run another wire along side the video cable from the reverse lights to the head unit.
The pioneer I bought came with a remote; I was thinking it was kind of useless, but you're right, it might be nice if we're listening to music in the back.
I thought about overriding the brake interlock thing and might still do that, but the brake sensor wire was easy to find so I just hooked it up that way. We'll see how many actual dvds we watch with this thing; since the kiddo's seat is in the middle that would be the perfect viewing position for him. But like you said, illegal.
I never did find a wire I could tap into for reverse under the dash. I'm sure it's in one of those giant bundles of wires somewhere, but who knows where. I figure when the new camera comes I'll just run another wire along side the video cable from the reverse lights to the head unit.
The pioneer I bought came with a remote; I was thinking it was kind of useless, but you're right, it might be nice if we're listening to music in the back.
robert
Expedition Leader
Do a search on some of the tuner forums and I'm sure someone will be able to tell you where your reverse is. I'll try to find the thread on adding multiple cameras; it was somewhere on TacomaWorld and the guy used a six position switch from Radio Shack and had the front camera as well as a camera in the front and one under each side. These were for harder core wheeling but I could see a second camera in the front being very handy off-road for a larger vehicle especially. It should be pretty simple as the reverse wire just provides power so instead of hooking into that you'd only need to have it go to your switch then have your other cameras hooked up to it also and you could select the one you wanted to view on your in head unit. I ordered the Pioneer reverse camera and have been happy with it- they make two (or did); from everything I read the more expensive one wasn't worth the extra money.
Depending on which unit you got, you can add extra monitors too and only the rear monitors will get the video- makes it easy for you to control the DVD.
To be honest, I'm impressed with the amount of stuff you can do with these new stereos but they're a lot smarter than me and I still have to break out the manual at times.
I do use the remote in my VW occasionally if I'm kicked back in bed.
ETA- found one of the posts talking about multiple cameras:
http://www.yotatech.com/f2/pioneer-4100-hu-installed-cameras-193146/
Depending on which unit you got, you can add extra monitors too and only the rear monitors will get the video- makes it easy for you to control the DVD.
To be honest, I'm impressed with the amount of stuff you can do with these new stereos but they're a lot smarter than me and I still have to break out the manual at times.
I do use the remote in my VW occasionally if I'm kicked back in bed.
ETA- found one of the posts talking about multiple cameras:
http://www.yotatech.com/f2/pioneer-4100-hu-installed-cameras-193146/
Last edited:
Hi-cube container
Hi-cube containers are very common in most place around the world now. Just stipulate a Hi-Cube when ordering the container. They are sometimes called High Top.
1 vehicle in a 40ft is obviously a pain in the you know where but there is a good likelihood of finding options to fill the remainder once near the port of shipping. Consider motorbikes too. www.horizonsunlimited.com is good for posting shipping requests.
If you are going to ship RORO, you must have a way to secure you possessions as the shipper has the key and therefore access to the front of the vehicle. Things do go missing if they are not bolted down or locked up.
Hi-cube containers are very common in most place around the world now. Just stipulate a Hi-Cube when ordering the container. They are sometimes called High Top.
1 vehicle in a 40ft is obviously a pain in the you know where but there is a good likelihood of finding options to fill the remainder once near the port of shipping. Consider motorbikes too. www.horizonsunlimited.com is good for posting shipping requests.
If you are going to ship RORO, you must have a way to secure you possessions as the shipper has the key and therefore access to the front of the vehicle. Things do go missing if they are not bolted down or locked up.
So it's been awhile since I've updated this. We just got the van back from CCV the other day. Derek has had it on 4 or 5 separate occasions over the course of the past year. Unless we come up with something we haven't thought of, everything else is minor stuff that I'll do myself.
Here's what was in the final phase:
Air bag system for the rear - this is the pressure guage and controls
Built-in safe. This is where we'll keep our electronics/valuables. Derek built a carpeted panel that snaps over the face of the safe. With it in place you can't see that there's a safe there.
Solar charge controller. We put in 100W; the electronics can handle up to 400 if we need more power.
Derek re-worked the plumbing (at no charge) to use more standardized connectors. The white hoses in the box are for the shower.
I put in a Blue Sea power outlet with a flush-mount USB adapter in it. I'm planning to install one more like that.
The electrical distribution panel gets more and more complicated. Kind of scary...
The carpeted box inside this cabinet is the safe
Behind the safe is a power port with two USB ports and two cigarette lighter ports. The plan is to run wires into the safe so that our stuff can be charging while we're driving.
Fiama awning, and look! Windows! There's another one like it on the other side. This really helped the appearance IMO. Looks less creepy this way.
New Bilstein shocks. These and the airbags made a huge difference in the ride. I guess that shouldn't be surprising since Derek said the old ones were completely shot. I guess we should have put in the new shocks before we did the white rim road in it.
There are a few more things that I'll add in a future post, along with all the stuff I'm planning to do myself.
Here's what was in the final phase:
Air bag system for the rear - this is the pressure guage and controls
Built-in safe. This is where we'll keep our electronics/valuables. Derek built a carpeted panel that snaps over the face of the safe. With it in place you can't see that there's a safe there.
Solar charge controller. We put in 100W; the electronics can handle up to 400 if we need more power.
Derek re-worked the plumbing (at no charge) to use more standardized connectors. The white hoses in the box are for the shower.
I put in a Blue Sea power outlet with a flush-mount USB adapter in it. I'm planning to install one more like that.
The electrical distribution panel gets more and more complicated. Kind of scary...
The carpeted box inside this cabinet is the safe
Behind the safe is a power port with two USB ports and two cigarette lighter ports. The plan is to run wires into the safe so that our stuff can be charging while we're driving.
Fiama awning, and look! Windows! There's another one like it on the other side. This really helped the appearance IMO. Looks less creepy this way.
New Bilstein shocks. These and the airbags made a huge difference in the ride. I guess that shouldn't be surprising since Derek said the old ones were completely shot. I guess we should have put in the new shocks before we did the white rim road in it.
There are a few more things that I'll add in a future post, along with all the stuff I'm planning to do myself.
Acheateaux
Adventurer
If that beast ever makes it up to Evergreen for a mountain bike ride, Team Cheateaux would love to hook up and check it out. We are trying to figure out our interior layout the exact same rig...
steelheadbum
Adventurer
Looks great bud glad your happy with Dereks work from CCV, makes me fill more at ease that He's doing mine....
Can't wait to have my top on yours looks great, my scheduled build date 4/15/2013
Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2
Can't wait to have my top on yours looks great, my scheduled build date 4/15/2013
Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2
And the rest of this phase:
Fuel tank selector valve. This replaced the fuel transfer pump that used to pump fuel to the main tank. This switches the tank the engine draws from.
Aux fuel tank
Top view showing solar panel and awning
Since I'm not planning to replace the front bumper, I needed a recovery point. Derek removed the bumper, cut a hole in it, reinforced the frame, and attached a tow hook. Not bad!
Here's some of the stuff that's left to do:
Fuel tank selector valve. This replaced the fuel transfer pump that used to pump fuel to the main tank. This switches the tank the engine draws from.
Aux fuel tank
Top view showing solar panel and awning
Since I'm not planning to replace the front bumper, I needed a recovery point. Derek removed the bumper, cut a hole in it, reinforced the frame, and attached a tow hook. Not bad!
Here's some of the stuff that's left to do:
- Run power to the front so the stereo runs off the house battery
- Install some map lights in the cab
- Install an inverter
- Mount a shovel on the spare tire rack
- Replace the alternator with a heavy duty one
- Install a wifi range extender - this will have an exterior antenna that will hopefully pick up and repeat wifi signals
- Build some kind of shower enclosure using the back doors
- Privacy curtains on the windows.
Oh, and I weighed the van today:
3880 front, 4580 rear, 8460 total.
When we started, the total was 6640, so we've added about 1800 lbs in the build. I figure that with us and all of our personal stuff, and loaded with water, we'll probably be a little over GVWR, but not by too much.
3880 front, 4580 rear, 8460 total.
When we started, the total was 6640, so we've added about 1800 lbs in the build. I figure that with us and all of our personal stuff, and loaded with water, we'll probably be a little over GVWR, but not by too much.