2013 GMC Savana 3500 Overland Build

[KirkL]

Random question for you.
I'm thinking about buying an Express/Savana passenger van for a weekend adventure basecamp rig. I am unsure if I want to go for the slightly more nimble regular wheelbase or the more spacious extended wheelbase. More specifically, I am struggling to figure out exactly how much space I would have to work with between the backdoors and the front seats for cabinets/storage. I can only find the floor distance, but I'm not sure how much space you lose from the back of the seat. Do you happen to have a measurement handy for the distance between the back door and seat at the same height as the bottom of the windows?

 

[ExpoMike]

Random question for you.
I'm thinking about buying an Express/Savana passenger van for a weekend adventure basecamp rig. I am unsure if I want to go for the slightly more nimble regular wheelbase or the more spacious extended wheelbase. More specifically, I am struggling to figure out exactly how much space I would have to work with between the backdoors and the front seats for cabinets/storage. I can only find the floor distance, but I'm not sure how much space you lose from the back of the seat. Do you happen to have a measurement handy for the distance between the back door and seat at the same height as the bottom of the windows?

It measures 131" at the bottom of the side windows, back of pass seat to rear door.

Regular length would lose 20" between the side door opening and wheel well.

As for overall size, it is exactly the same WB and footprint of my 2000 Ram extended cab, long bed. I was shocked as I thought the truck was bigger but it's not.

For 2 people, I don't think I would want a regular length, as it's going to be tight. For 1 person, it would be perfect. For us, the extended length works for us.

 

[ExpoMike]

Took care of a couple projects today. The big one was installing the pass. side seat swivel. This is made by Ironcloud Metal and is one of the nicest fabbed items I have seen in a while. Very well constructed and works great. Install was easy. Only thing that wasn't just dealing with 8 nuts was I needed to de-pin the power seat connector, since the plug would not pass through the hole. It was easy to do. Very happy to have this done and is the first "official" camper specific build item. Wasn't cheap but the quality was definitely worth it. Keeps the factory seat height and angle, which was really important. Plus using a wheel hub means this is going to last forever without the typical wobbles, squeaks and rattles that cheap seat swivels tend to have.

I also replaced the underhood HVAC vacuum lines and check valve. I figured the check valve was bad, as with the vents pointed at the people, as you put a load on the engine, they would slowly switch to defrost. This is a common issue. What I wasn't expecting was when I went to swap it out, the original hoses basically were just falling apart. I bought a kit with thick wall silicone vacuum lines and replaced everything. Shouldn't have to do that for a long time.

Productive day.

Seat swivel

 

[RVflyfish]

I had the same vacuum line experience with my ‘03 Astro AWD. I couldn’t believe it, they all basically disintegrated. I’ve never seen that before. Maybe it’s a GM thing.

 

[ThundahBeagle]

I had the same vacuum line experience with my ‘03 Astro AWD. I couldn’t believe it, they all basically disintegrated. I’ve never seen that before. Maybe it’s a GM thing.

Could be a "22 years old vehicle" thing. I've had vacuum lines go brittle in a car only 5 years old before.

 

[KirkL]

The big one was installing the pass. side seat swivel. This is made by Ironcloud Metal and is one of the nicest fabbed items I have seen in a while. Very well constructed and works great. Install was easy. Only thing that wasn't just dealing with 8 nuts was I needed to de-pin the power seat connector, since the plug would not pass through the hole. It was easy to do. Very happy to have this done and is the first "official" camper specific build item. Wasn't cheap but the quality was definitely worth it. Keeps the factory seat height and angle, which was really important. Plus using a wheel hub means this is going to last forever without the typical wobbles, squeaks and rattles that cheap seat swivels tend to have.

Very nice! This one is on my wishlist... although my search for a van continues, which is obviously first on the list. Seat upgrades with passenger swivel and an overall cab refresh are high on my priority list for post-purchase build, and I've been fantasizing about finding a recently wrecked conversion van so I can score a good deal on some big plush Explorer seats.

 

[Moyshe Kapoyer]

Thanks. Sadly I HATE black vehicles. I have owned one in the past and I would take any other color over black. My plan it to Raptorline it down the road. Been playing with color ideas. Blue is my favorite color, so likely something along that color but I have also looked at green. Here are a few drafts I had done (not my rig but one with the high top we are planning). Who knows what it will end up being.. LOL

View attachment 878336

My vote is for the blue, with dark tinted windows

 

[RVflyfish]

Could be a "22 years old vehicle" thing. I've had vacuum lines go brittle in a car only 5 years old before.

I suppose. But my ‘05 Tacoma’s are like new.

 

[ExpoMike]

I suppose. But my ‘05 Tacoma’s are like new.

Yeah, I have to agree with you. My '13 Xterra hoses are in great shape, my '00 Ram hoses are in great shape, heck even the few I have on the '84 M1010 are in good shape. In the 59 vehicles I have own, these were by far the worst I have ever had.

 

[rruff]

I suppose. But my ‘05 Tacoma’s are like new.

Yep, my experiences are that the old Toyota hoses last forever. Mice and similar critters love to chew on the wires though...

 

[ExpoMike]

Did a little more prep on the van. We have the funding to put in our order for the high roof conversion. Sent deposit and hopefully within 2-3 weeks, we'll have the new high roof!!!

Needed to get the van prepped by getting out interior panels and the headliner. Overall it came apart fairly easily and took about 1.5 hours. Excited to be moving forward.

Pre removal


Post removal