Pulled the trigger! Meet Babe the Blue Ox.

[Porterdog]

This is my new van! She's a 2008 Chevy Express 1500 passenger van with a 5.3L. I'm excited to start customizing. I'm doing a weekender style build for skiing, river and general fun adventures. This is my DD so I want to keep it light and functional. Many folks on this forum have already been very helpful. I'm starting to compile a list of must haves. Firstly, I'm looking at changing the floor plan. Currently, there are two bench seats that don't fold down. I want two captains chairs and rear bench seat. I don't want a bench that folds out to a bed, but rather folds in half. I want to build a fold out sleeping platform in the back. It looks like there are a different options for the captains chairs. I really like sienna captains chairs with the Ujoint mount. However, they look like they are built for an E-series. Do they work in an Express? I also like that there is no messing around with moving seat belts. I was also thinking about just using Chevy bucket seats. I found several dealers on Ebay that have seats and bases for much cheaper than the sienna seats. Mounting seems like it may be more simple. I have no welding skills, so I would have to have a shop do any fabrications. This is my first project, so all feedback is welcomed. Thanks!!!

 

[steelheadbum]

Nice looking van bud! Congrats
Buck

The Redneck Mexican
2002 E350 7.3 PSD 4x4 8inch lift pop top conversion....

 

[CrabbyMcNab]

If I wasn't stuck on finding a Ford Diesel, this would have been on my short list.
Congrats and patiently waiting for updates.

 

[coolfeet]

half folding bench seat

View attachment 201897
I don't want a bench that folds out to a bed, but rather folds in half. I want to build a fold out sleeping platform in the back. It looks like there are a different options for the captains chairs. I really like sienna captains chairs with the Ujoint mount. However, they look like they are built for an E-series. Do they work in an Express? I also like that there is no messing around with moving seat belts. I was also thinking about just using Chevy bucket seats. I found several dealers on Ebay that have seats and bases for much cheaper than the sienna seats. Mounting seems like it may be more simple. I have no welding skills, so I would have to have a shop do any fabrications. This is my first project, so all feedback is welcomed. Thanks!!!

I have a base Ford E150 Club Wagon and I want to do something very similar to what you are doing. The idea of a half folding bench seat really interests me! Does anyone know where I can get a half folding bench seat?

Are you going to mate this to the folding platform bed in the rear?

I made a folding platform bed in the rear of my Ford with heavy duty door hinges and folding table legs. If I could mate this to half folding bench seat, It would give our family everything we need for sleeping.

I built a similar folding front platform bed that mates with the rear non-folding bench. It doubles as a storage shelf during the day. Our Club Wagon is not our daily driver, but we do use it on the weekends for trips to the farmers market. We want to keep it set up to be used as both a daily driver and a weekend camping van.

I will be following your updates. I am not a welder or a fabricator. Like yourself, I will have to hire someone to do the heavy work for me.

 

[JET4]

nice find, good looking van

 

[mgmetalworks]

.....I really like sienna captains chairs with the Ujoint mount. However, they look like they are built for an E-series. Do they work in an Express?....

The Sienna mounts are pretty generic by design. They don't have a Ford-specific mounting pattern so they can be used in many applications.