McZippie's 2009 Ford E350 Diesel Cutaway Limo Bus

[McZippie]

i wonder if the builder would build the same unit on a truck 3500/4500 4x4 chassis.?

thats why we went with the provan tiger as i did not want another van based build.

Don't know what Turtle Top will do in their custom build division???

http://www.turtletop.com/

My Brother-In Law's Provan Siberian Tiger is nearing completion.
.

.

 

[McZippie]

Thanks for posting all this up, I'll be poaching ideas as I work on the buildout of my rig. Some fantastic work here!

Thanks! Before our current Rig, seriously considered building an ambulance like you're doing, using components from a wrecked motorhome and raising the top.
To me it's a no brainer, to have all those parts and systems from both the ambulance and RV to work with.

 

[McZippie]

i also like your old out side the box rigs.

mine was always early 70's step van which i wish i had kept (fully converted as a motorhome)

Funny... must be in our DNA to want to convert trucks and vans into Motorhomes.
Even now when the UPS guy makes a delivery, I'm thinking... I could make a really cool Motor Home out of his Step-Van, they have great looking roof lines and front end.
.

 

[Overland Hadley]

Thank for posting the photos of your inspiration vehicles. Fun to see where you have come from.


As for the UPS trucks, I also often find myself doing a mental interior layout when I see an interesting delivery vehicle. There would be lots of room to work with....

 

[mhiscox]

What model was your Kent Coretz? Front wheel drive Olds powered?

Yep, a 1973 side door with the 455 Olds. We named it Elizabeth, though I don't know why, since we haven't named but three or four of 100+ vehicles. Just seemed like an "Elizabeth." I guess. It was a very high end motorhome in its day, and just 23 feet long.

Love the old classic motorhomes.

Yeah, me, too. I also had a 77 Revcon flatnose that was one of the last of the GM FWD-based motorhomes. Another coach with a brilliant interior layout, it was made mostly out of aluminum using aircraft construction techniques, so it didn't weigh much more than my EarthRoamer Jeep. (I even had an article about Bob Bondurant driving one around Laguna Seca.)



Plus, you got to dress like this to go motorhoming: :sombrero:



The first decade of motorhome popularity (from the first Travcos in '64 through the last GMCs in '78) produced some great designs. It was like the early days of personal computers, when everyone had a different idea of how to build one so you could find all different shapes and sizes; not like the uniformity we have today in both PCs and motorhomes. And you had big companies used to building other things--GMC, FMC (Food Machinery Corporation), Clark Forklift, Alco-Standard, etc.) deciding they'd put their engineers to work building motorhomes. The best thing, though, was that they worked hard to make top-of-the-line units that were only 22-26 feet long. Now most high-end units are 40-45 feet long and useless for adventuring. Sigh. (Oops; accidentally sounding like a geezer. Rant over.)

 

[lqhikers]

step van.

found a picture of our fully converted 1972 chevy step van,inline 6,4 speed.
and straight out of of the 60's a wood stove.
picture was taken on the way to Baja in the Borrego state park in Calif.during a freak snow storm (Yakia wells area)

enjoy Les,lqhikers

 

[McZippie]

found a picture of our fully converted 1972 chevy step van,inline 6,4 speed.
and straight out of of the 60's a wood stove.
picture was taken on the way to Baja in the Borrego state park in Calif.during a freak snow storm (Yakia wells area)

enjoy Les,lqhikers

You had the 'cool back then look' nailed... two tone paint and wide strips.
Imagine painting a rig with that color combination today.
Never saw a catamaran on the roof before. Nice purpose built Rig!

Thanks for posting the picture... anyone else have pictures of old Expo Rigs?

 

[lqhikers]

one more

McZippie;

one more of step van,picture is the far side of LA bay in Baja.
this was a time when i was able to spend big periods of time in Baja.
this trip we sat on the beach for 4 months.
the boats on top are sea kayaks,do look like cats!
we also carried a zodiac inflatable,20 hp outboard,yamaha 250 "dual"sport,dive gear,
had custom gas tanks built 150 gals gas!
man those were the days!

i'm still looking for a friends rig that was true hippie 5 ton truck,wood 2 story body,
just the lay out and colors inside would get you loaded! will post if found.

le,lqhikers

 

[McZippie]

McZippie;

one more of step van,picture is the far side of LA bay in Baja.
this was a time when i was able to spend big periods of time in Baja.
this trip we sat on the beach for 4 months.
the boats on top are sea kayaks,do look like cats!
we also carried a zodiac inflatable,20 hp outboard,yamaha 250 "dual"sport,dive gear,
had custom gas tanks built 150 gals gas!
man those were the days!

i'm still looking for a friends rig that was true hippie 5 ton truck,wood 2 story body,
just the lay out and colors inside would get you loaded! will post if found.

le,lqhikers

Wow man!... what a 'groovy' camp, I can feel the good-vibes! (smiley face with doobie)

Thanks for posting the picture. You're fortunate to even have a picture, considering how little we used cameras back then.

 

[offroadcruiser]

The 1957 aluminum delivery van we drove to South America in 1971.



Like you said we did not take many pictures and even less have been converted to digital.

Carl

 

[McZippie]

Thanks Carl, another great DIY expo van from the past. Nice rear bumper, window and roof rack.
What other mods were done?

 

[Steve Works]

Looking great man. Hope I'll purchase my own really soon.
________________________________________________
Steve Works
limo bus Vancouver

 

[Paddlevan]

till one of my absolute favorites any interior pictures???

found a picture of our fully converted 1972 chevy step van,inline 6,4 speed.
and straight out of of the 60's a wood stove.
picture was taken on the way to Baja in the Borrego state park in Calif.during a freak snow storm (Yakia wells area)

enjoy Les,lqhikers

 

[java]

McZippie,

How do you like the airbags? Do they help with the ride at all? Ie lighter weight spring with the bags is a softer ride?

And I have to ask, whats the "dump" button do?

 

[DzlToy]

bump for pictures, all the originals seem to be broken/missing.

Host them here or on a site like Picassa