E-350 4x4 "Big White Truck" build for a year long trip

[kins18q]

The wife and I spent 2016/2017 on the road in a suburban. Trip Report here. Ten years later, we've got a 2 year old and the itch to get back on the road. Ten years ago we decided on the suburban because it was as close as we could get to a 4x4 Sport mobile for our 10k budget (vehicle and build). Now, it's time to build the 4x4 van we always wanted. This time around, the budget is $50,000. We just bought an E-350 4x4 and plan to do a full interior build out and spent 2026/2027 on the road before he heads off to kindergarten. If I work quick, maybe we will go down the east coast this winter to warm surf in Florida. Our son calls the van "Big White Truck" and the name has stuck.

The plan is to add a high top and a full interior build that seats four, sleeps four, and has interior bike storage.

Here's the Big White Truck on the day we bought it:

Here are the stats:
Bought for $30,000
2013, 87,000 miles
E-350 Extended Body
5.4 Engine, 3.73
Quadvan 4x4 Conversion w 5 Inch lift
Aluminess Roof Rack, Running Boards, Ladder, Surf Poles
Trail Ready Front Bumper and Badlands Winch
UJoint Rear Bumper
Hornblasters Train Horn

Just barely fitting in the driveway:


We took a ton of measurements of our driveway before buying...And it barely fits but we're still able to get the bikes in and out of the garage and past the house so we're happy!

Right away I started posting things for sale. I knew we were going to install a high top, so the roof rack has got to go. Sold that to a dude for $2500. He wanted the running boards too so I sold them to him for $1000. I always liked the hoop steps so I figured I could find some used for cheap. Sold the rear seats, and bushwhacker flares that the previous owner never installed as well.

Total van build credits from selling parts: $4075, needless to say I was pretty fired up about getting back 12% of purchase price.

So I mentioned the high top...I'm 6'2" and I would prefer not to stoop so the only real option was a couple options from Fiberine in CA, the rare jumbo tops on select wheelchair/school bus vans, or a top off an Airstream or similar. Fiberine was going to cost be 8+ a drive across the country- we are in RI. Found a junkyard van with the jumbo roof in CT a few minutes away from where my strongest friend lives. Very convenient. $500 bucks and a lot of elbow grease and we got it to my backyard. Also grabbed the rear Driver door as mine was dented from the previous owner's kid driving off with the tire swing out unlocked.

It took the better part of a morning to get this thing off. Tons of screws and exceptionally strong adhesive. It's almost like whoever installed it didn't ever intend for it to come off! We would think we had all the screws out just to find more hidden in random places.





In the image above you can see the donor van in the background with it's roof gone. You can see the extended height doors and the huge gaping hole in the fiberglass topper to accommodate the high doors. The Big White Truck doesn't have extended height doors, which means I have some work to do.

More shots of the top in the backyard, it needs a wash:


And the gaping hole again:


Good thing we are surfers. We are constantly doing board repair so we're comfortable with fiberglass. But I've never fixed a ding this big!

Making the mold and trying to match the body line. 1/4 ply and Liquid Nails:



Only 10 images per post?! Fiberglass and rust remediation coming in the next post...

 

[kins18q]

I'm finding it funny how weeks of work can be posted in minutes on here. Anyway here are some more weeks of work in a minute:

More work on the "boat" as my two year old calls it:



Switching gears to gutting the van. It took an entire day to remove the seat bases. They were rusted in and I broke a T55 torx bit using a giant pipe as a breaker bar. Also broke a socket extension. The penetrating oil just wasn't enough for a couple of these bolts. Ended up needing to angle grind a bold head off. Here is all that work in two pics:



Annnnd we've got rust and a swivel seat installed! To keep the rear AC or not, that is the question...We will keep it. Not the worst rust. But definitely not the best:





Got some remediation to do.

 

[kins18q]

Back to the topper. Never used fairing compound before. Pretty simple, but I really really hate sanding.


Took the big decals off the top and apparently the old donor van carried kids to school back in the day. If you can't read it, it says, "Carrying School Children"



And back to the rust. Nearly an entire day with the wire wheel on the angle grinder, soap and water and the hose got me here:


Rust-Oleum Rust Reformer and some Rust Stop paint got the floor looking pretty good:




But alas, the holes remain...but not for long!

 

[kins18q]

I was reading about options on how to repair holes in floorboards and came up with three solutions:
1. Weld in new steel patches
2. Butyl patches for smaller holes
3. Fiberglass

Already have the surf repair kit out, easy decision. Plus this will live under an inch of foam board and a half inch of plywood so no need for it to be steel strong.





On to sound deadening. There is a huge range of ways that people use butyl based sound deadening like Kilmat. Some people completely cover ever metal surface, and others use it sparingly claiming it does nearly as good a job as complete coverage. I couldn't find any more evidence to suppor the full coverage theory than the sparse coverage theory, so I went with the option that is cheaper, easier and lighter.

Went hard on the wheel wells thought. Still need to do the doors. Also bought some flexible, sticky closed cell foam for cab floor, hopefully I'll get to that tomorrow.



Next steps: Finish sound deadening, paint high top, install fan and solar, install high top, insulate, flooring etc.

 

[RVflyfish]

I’m at the same stage of my build. What closed cell foam did you choose for the cab?

 

[kins18q]

I’m at the same stage of my build. What closed cell foam did you choose for the cab?

I bought Siless 4mm foam. It's thinner than I expected, although I should have realized that when it said 4mm...I think 10mm would have been better but this should do something and won't be too spongy under the flooring in the cab. What vehicle are you building out?

 

[RVflyfish]

Thanks for the info. I’m doing an E350 RB. I think CCF covered with a Husky liner would be perfect.

 

[kins18q]

Thanks for the info. I’m doing an E350 RB. I think CCF covered with a Husky liner would be perfect.

You sold me on the Husky Liner. Just picked one up. I wasn't impressed with the performance of the vinyl floor that was in the van to begin with...salt water from the beach, snow etc just melts and flows under the flooring. Looks like the husky liner will catch the water in grooves like any other rubber mat with edges. Would prefer not to go through the rust remediation again...

 

[kins18q]

Picked up some Rustoleum marine topside paint for the high top. Not the prettiest job, but it'll be pretty high up there in the air. Color is a pretty good match. We have long term plans to paint the van like an Econoline from the '60s


But in the meantime here's a before:


And after:


Mocked out the positions of the Maxxair fan and solar panels. Decided to go with the fan in the middle and 2x100w panels to the front and 2x100w panels to the rear. Installed the fan today, and will work on the panels tomorrow.

Cut the hole. There is a 1/4 inch or so thick plywood layer sandwiches between two fiberglass layers in the top of the high top. Wet the plywood down with epoxy to make it water tight in the event of a leak:


Framing the inside:



Turns out I never took a picture of the finished product. To be continued...

 

[kins18q]

Used butyl tape and Dicor lap sealant to finish up the fan install:



Knocked out the flush mounts for the flexible solar panels today. Thanks RV with Tito for the inspiration. Coroplast under the panels to create an air gap to keep the panels from overheating as some say the can if adhered with no air gap. This is a tall van that will be receiving a very tall high top...So I am trying to do everything I can from letting it also become a very heavy/top heavy vehicle. Prefer to have as little weight on the roof as possible. Mounts are semi permanently adhered to the roof, but the panels can be removed by unscrewing a few nuts. Should we ever have to replace a panel, I will be thanking myself for the additional time spent on this project.



Cut up an aluminum transition piece meant for flooring to make these little brackets. Stainless hardware. VHB tape keeps the panels and brackets to the roof. Ill be adding a long strip of the aluminum transition to the front of the panels as a little wind fairing to keep the panels from lifting at the front. Will also add Eternabond tape at each bracket when it arrives.

Burning the midnight oil. Here's what it looks like with the panels:


Once I reinstall the upper brake light in the back of the high top and the solar pass through, it'll be time to cut the roof of and call in some favors to get some friends over to help raise the roof. Yea baaabbbaaayyyyy

 

[blackcatadvantures]

Hey @kins18q ! This is a great resource for anyone about to do the same thing on their build so thanks for sharing. I'm the one that reached out to you on FB recently and on the fence about either a rigid or a flexible solar system. I finally got my membership approved on this site so here I am and now I can see the beautiful pics. Been sick for the past week so there's not much I can do but plan when my body decides to give me some free time. Anyway, please keep sharing if you have time and the wherewithal. I might just do the same thing. I'd actually like to film it too. B c'in ya.