"One Piece At A Time" Build

[Mat Mobile]

I got these from another post on ExPo, so not my idea, but here is how they added photos (sadly, I copied the instructions into a Word document, but not the link I got them from ) - Ive tried it and it works, but it is tendious - not like photobucket

Instructions for Inserting Google photos into Forum Posts:


Go in your Google drive account and find the photo you want to share.
• Double-click the photo so that it appears full size in the middle of the screen.
• Click on the 3 dots at the top right to open the menu and choose "Share".
• Make sure the top right "Get shareable link" is on.
• Click "Copy link".
• Open another tab or webpage and go to the Google Drive Direct Link Generator.
• Paste the link from your google drive to the "Enter your sharing URL" field.
• Click on the "Create direct link" button.
• Click anywhere in the "Output link" field. It should be fully selected. If not, press Ctrl-A.
• Press Ctrl-C (or right click and click on "Copy").
• Come back to the Expedition Portal and click on the "Insert Image" button.
• In the pop-up, go in the "From URL" tab.
• Click in the field and press Ctrl-V (or right click and click on "Paste").
• Click "Ok"

Here's the link: https://sites.google.com/site/gdocs2direct/

 

[c.chevy]

Love the van. Hope mine turns out 1/2 as nice as yours!

 

[Corneilius]

How are these attached through the fiberglass top? With the conversion tops, are the rain gutters still accessible for mounting a rack?

They are drilled through the fiberglass with a big backing plate on the inside. They (the gutters) are useable but much narrower than a non-hightop because the trim strip takes up space.

Would I drill the roof again? Maybe. It was quick and easy and my roof is 1.5" honeycomb (strong) but I've chased a couple leaks and Ive got a few design changes that are hard to implement now.

Ive been chewing on removing the rack and filling the holes with epoxy and starting over from the gutters....but thats a lot of work and the rack works really well as is.

 

[Corneilius]

Love the van. Hope mine turns out 1/2 as nice as yours!

Thanks dude, its a work in progress.

 

[mothgils]

They are drilled through the fiberglass with a big backing plate on the inside. They (the gutters) are useable but much narrower than a non-hightop because the trim strip takes up space.

Would I drill the roof again? Maybe. It was quick and easy and my roof is 1.5" honeycomb (strong) but I've chased a couple leaks and Ive got a few design changes that are hard to implement now.

Ive been chewing on removing the rack and filling the holes with epoxy and starting over from the gutters....but thats a lot of work and the rack works really well as is.

Got ya. I am hoping to work a deal on a E350 with a conversion top similar to yours. I haven't seen it in person so I wasn't sure on how much room there was for brackets. Keep me posted if you go that route. That will be the direction I go...luckily I have lasers and press brakes at my disposal:sombrero:

 

[Corneilius]

Got ya. I am hoping to work a deal on a E350 with a conversion top similar to yours. I haven't seen it in person so I wasn't sure on how much room there was for brackets. Keep me posted if you go that route. That will be the direction I go...luckily I have lasers and press brakes at my disposal:sombrero:

Cool, yeah we had a van here at the shop the other day, he used a universal gutter mount (smittybuilt, JCR etc) then 1/4" aluminum uprights and square alum crossbars. It worked and was reasonably stout, but not very sexy. Id probably incorporate a couple of bends to keep it tight to the top.

 

[mothgils]

Cool, yeah we had a van here at the shop the other day, he used a universal gutter mount (smittybuilt, JCR etc) then 1/4" aluminum uprights and square alum crossbars. It worked and was reasonably stout, but not very sexy. Id probably incorporate a couple of bends to keep it tight to the top.

Yeah, I think a clean bracket with small offset bends could keep it tight while still retaining it's strength.

 

[Corneilius]

Hey can someone let me know if the pictures on the last page showed up? Hopefully figured out google drive sharing. Thanks for the help

test

 

[tmo2460]

Hey can someone let me know if the pictures on the last page showed up? Hopefully figured out google drive sharing. Thanks for the help

test

Works for me!

 

[RVflyfish]

Yep, they work now. Hope you weren't in a fishing derby with your brother-in-law!

 

[ajmaudio]

Nice Trout!

 

[RVflyfish]

5.4 with 4.10 gears and 35s. Need 4.56s

Do you think 4.30s would be enough?

Also, does anyone know any cheap ways to add a little oomph to the 5.4?

 

[Corneilius]

2 years now Ive been running around with 4.10s, 215k miles on the motor. Im happy with them.

My axles were 4.10 already, and looking at the $$$ to go 4.56 vs Gas/Travel money, I'm not changing. I daily drive it at 7500ish pounds, loaded for bear is probably closer to 8500.

4.30 will be great, don't hyper focus on your gearing.

 

[KYC]

What's up with your rear bumper? Mine is a chrome one. Can I find that same bumper from a 250 or 350 and bolt it in?

 

[Corneilius]

What's up with your rear bumper? Mine is a chrome one. Can I find that same bumper from a 250 or 350 and bolt it in?

Yeah its a factory step bumper with a custom tire swing out. I wanted the grey so I saved one off base model van, they also came in chrome.