Pics of your VAN! Post up!

[89s rule]

Are you using an eraser wheel to get them off? I used about 4 on my van and still need about 2 more. They work but the good ones wear through semi fast. Make sure you get 3m or the like not some made in china mess. I made 2 orders on ebay and one was from china but the ad looked the same until I went back and read the fine print. China ones left goo on and wanted to burn through paint easier.

 

[Jb1rd]

Yes I am using the 3M wheel, the residue that is left is not gooey or sticky at all, it's literally like a baked on impression of the stripe. Its almost like it needs some type of wet sanding or something of that nature, a heavy duty buffing???

 

[Raul]

Any interior pictures? Sounds like a good flexible build.

Rear seat from a Tahoe, mounted on the original seat legs so I can use the same mounting brackets. It seats a little bit tall. between the seat and the door there is a multipurpose chest and the little door under reveal the inverter.

In Bed arrangement. We put a 2" memory foam mattress.

From the back. The cabinet where the roll of paper is, is the clothes closet. The other compartment, that connects to the bottom is the size of a portable AC. The idea was to cut a hole on the side and vent the AC out. Wife says that if it is too hot to need AC, we are not sleeping in the van so I didn't cut the hole. This is Houston after all.

Detail of the resting points for the trays. Attached behind the trim panels, there are just a 1x2 vertical board. I wasn't sure they will work, but 9 years so far and still carriing our weight when sleeping and all kinds of cargo.

 

[HammsBear]

Do you have a build on your rack or more details? Looks nice and simple.

I will put some more photos of it up on the thread that I build thread that I have going.

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/132887-my-1979-Quadravan

Thanks!

 

[Cole]

 

[java]

Yes I am using the 3M wheel, the residue that is left is not gooey or sticky at all, it's literally like a baked on impression of the stripe. Its almost like it needs some type of wet sanding or something of that nature, a heavy duty buffing???

Have you tried carb cleaner?

 

[Jb1rd]

I have not, but I am taking it to have the fiberglass top/gel coat refurbished so will ask them if they can tackle the residue also.

Have you tried carb cleaner?

 

[BajaSportsmobile]

I had to wet sand and then buff with cutting compound and then polish when we did a customers GRTV. At the correct angle and with the correct light you could still see the design.

 

[Mr_Henrietta]

Looks like an awesome trip dcguillory! I hope to have some trips like that when my daughter grows up. Thanks for Sharing!

 

[Pinnacle Campers]

Found my unicorn van!

Recently found this 2006 Ford E350 Chateau v10 on Craigslist in Philadelphia.
Flew out last Thursday with a friend to pick it up and drive across country.
Van has 7 passenger leather, 5 speed auto, new dual batteries, tow/haul, tow package, power everything, front/rear AC, privacy glass, 3.73 limited slip, 95,000 miles when I got it.
Got “stuck” the second day I had it! 4x4 conversion is at the top of the list!
Since we had driven from Boise to the Oregon Coast in July we decided that we HAD to make the short drive to the Jersey shore in order to say we had crossed the county in just a couple months time.

Gettysburg! Learned more about it in couple hours than I had my whole life prior, amazing!

Second time getting stuck, Iowa mud.
We couldn't have picked a better time of year or weekend to travel across country. Most nights were in a tent (van is full of seats for now) one night in a KOA cabin, worst night was the only night in a hotel in Rawlins, Wyoming.

The interior. This is the third vehicle I have sought out not wanting tan interior and ended up with it. After over six months search compromises had to be made.
Plans call for a cargo/camping friendly interior behind the second row seats.

 

[draaronr]

I have been searching for this exact vehicle. How did you find it? What did you pay? How was the mileage across \he us?

Recently found this 2006 Ford E350 Chateau v10 on Craigslist in Philadelphia.
Flew out last Thursday with a friend to pick it up and drive across country.
Van has 7 passenger leather, 5 speed auto, new dual batteries, tow/haul, tow package, power everything, front/rear AC, privacy glass, 3.73 limited slip, 95,000 miles when I got it.
Got “stuck” the second day I had it! 4x4 conversion is at the top of the list!
Since we had driven from Boise to the Oregon Coast in July we decided that we HAD to make the short drive to the Jersey shore in order to say we had crossed the county in just a couple months time.

Gettysburg! Learned more about it in couple hours than I had my whole life prior, amazing!

Second time getting stuck, Iowa mud.
We couldn't have picked a better time of year or weekend to travel across country. Most nights were in a tent (van is full of seats for now) one night in a KOA cabin, worst night was the only night in a hotel in Rawlins, Wyoming.

The interior. This is the third vehicle I have sought out not wanting tan interior and ended up with it. After over six months search compromises had to be made.
Plans call for a cargo/camping friendly interior behind the second row seats.

 

[Pinnacle Campers]

I have been searching for this exact vehicle. How did you find it? What did you pay? How was the mileage across \he us?

Yeah, there are a lot of ford vans out there but when you start getting specific as to what options you want the supply can drop significantly.
I realized early on that not only are you looking for the right vehicle you are looking for the right seller. This played a big role in my purchase. The seller was clear about known issues, sent (tons of) pics and service records promptly. Most dealers I contact regarding vehicles didn't have as good of a response. Some (2) said the price was a typo right off the bat.
I used feeds from craigslist (using search tempest is how I found this one), and the popular e trader sites, with specific key words. If I didn't want to overwhelm my inbox I had to keep up with reviewing them. In the end it took less time per day than surfing those sites.
Fact is, I waited 3 days before responding to this one dismissing it because it was tan interior, higher miles than I wanted, and 2500 miles away.
I came to my senses and compromised as this was the second 05-06 chateau v10 I had seen in six months the other being green/tan with 104k and a sliding side door for around the same price.
I have less than $13.5k into it with transportation and local sales tax.

I got 12-12.5 mpg dropping to 11 in windy and steep Wyoming doing 80+
I don't expect the mileage to be much worse than the 2000 tundra 4.7 I'm coming from, at the same time there is really no shortage of power with the v10.
Considering a 5 star tune for mpg alone as this will be my daily driver.

 

[Ernvil]

*no clever Van name yet*

Hello all! My name is Ernie, and I just picked this up a few weeks ago. It's an '87 E350 with the gas sipping 460. The previous, previous owner installed the roof rack and matching steps and ladder. He also installed that tank up there, and ran propane lines to the heater and fridge he also installed. I need to finish the interior with a stove, microwave and figure out what I want to do for a sink and water supply.

This will be a slow work in progress over the next few years with hopes of hitting the road after I retire. I've been pretty stoked seeing what all of y'all are doing with your rigs, and hoping to pick up a lot of pointers. Cheers!




vvv hopefully the attachments uploaded vvv

 

[draaronr]

I do tempest etc. I have e350 passenger as my search and I never saw this. Finding a v10 is rough. There was one in jersey 2012 and it was snatched up. What were your search words.

Yeah, there are a lot of ford vans out there but when you start getting specific as to what options you want the supply can drop significantly.
I realized early on that not only are you looking for the right vehicle you are looking for the right seller. This played a big role in my purchase. The seller was clear about known issues, sent (tons of) pics and service records promptly. Most dealers I contact regarding vehicles didn't have as good of a response. Some (2) said the price was a typo right off the bat.
I used feeds from craigslist (using search tempest is how I found this one), and the popular e trader sites, with specific key words. If I didn't want to overwhelm my inbox I had to keep up with reviewing them. In the end it took less time per day than surfing those sites.
Fact is, I waited 3 days before responding to this one dismissing it because it was tan interior, higher miles than I wanted, and 2500 miles away.
I came to my senses and compromised as this was the second 05-06 chateau v10 I had seen in six months the other being green/tan with 104k and a sliding side door for around the same price.
I have less than $13.5k into it with transportation and local sales tax.

I got 12-12.5 mpg dropping to 11 in windy and steep Wyoming doing 80+
I don't expect the mileage to be much worse than the 2000 tundra 4.7 I'm coming from, at the same time there is really no shortage of power with the v10.
Considering a 5 star tune for mpg alone as this will be my daily driver.

 

[Pinnacle Campers]

I used "ford e350 V10"
Took just over a month to find what I wanted after I started the feed....fwiw
V10 was the only way for me as well. Also mandatory to have 5 speed so that limited search to 2005 and newer. I still kept my search open to 2004 as I understood the 5 speed was a option with the v10 that year although I have never seen one.
I would have taken a later 2009 and up passenger if it met all other criteria.

This is the 3rd vehicle I have traveled to buy (all have been good experiences). You have to be ready to go anywhere and figure it into the cost. I was willing to pay up to $15K for the right van so I'm money ahead and had a great trip experience. :ylsmoke: