Howdy of us because the title says I’m taking a ogle for some enter on building an adventure depart van.
I’m a raft ebook on the Center Fork of the Salmon in Idaho and accumulate 6-7 months off a year to depart and adventure around. After lots of thinking and heaps of learn I’ve decided a van is the most convenient platform. Especially if I prefer to carry out some city camping. Plus I elevate lots of apparatus with me (skis, mountaineering equipment, kayaking equipment, etc) so the room would be good.
I idea on covering A LOT of miles, and might perchance be the utilization of this van essentially for a Central/South The United States time out over the next couple years. :sombrero:
I’m planning on an outfitted finances of $5000-7500. I without a doubt are living on a tight finances so please form no longer suggest a Sprinter or Sportsmobile 
So here’s what I’m hoping for…
17+ MPG loaded
Identical old reliability
Ample room to designate a mattress, storage, and eating living for two. Moreover no longer so big its tense to park and maneuver.
Availability of parts south of the border
I deem 2wd will likely be gorgeous, but something with decent clearance and/or ready to examine over-sized tires
decent vitality
No longer a large initial investment
To this point I’ve been admiring ford e-150’s, Astro/Safari, and the older Toyota Autos (tense to search out). At this level I’m largely leaning against the Ford e-150 after a protracted discussion with a couple that owned one. They’d 2001 V6 and beloved it, but if truth be told helpful the V8 if I ever desired to tow. I currently accumulate an 86′ Toyota pickup, so I’m very former to being the slowest guy on the boulevard. I obtained’t lie though it’d be good so that you just can switch 75 on event.
Smartly I ogle ahead to any guidelines you all can piece with me and perchance hyperlinks to other of us initiatives which are the same to mine.
Thanks,
Scott
To elaborate, $5-7.5 for the vehicle and outfitting? If that is so, your expectations will can accumulate to peaceful be adjusted accordingly. To bag a solid boulevard price van you’re taking a ogle at that on the low side especially brooding about ambitions of going South. To now not speak they are no longer available within the market, its merely going to take time. Most productive wager is to take a ogle at and bag a conversion kind van, or stare if a buddy, family member, or acquaintance that is selling something. Loads to mull over. Want I will likely be of more abet. Preserve us posted.
More learn will blow their own horns you how to adjust some of your expectations.
$5k-$7k fully outfitted capacity you’re into “older” equipment, for particular. You are talking about perchance a couple of thousand greenbacks for the imperfect vehicle buy.
17+ MPG is never always going to be easy on the rest too big, or too former.
These two criteria alone effect you into a tight express.
I’m sorry to be the fellow who says this, on the other hand it’s entirely imaginable to carry out what you wanna carry out under 8 astronomical. My newest van is a 2001 E350 7.3 diesel sold it with handiest 112k miles,17.5 to 19.2 mpg loaded heavy- at posted velocity limits.
I’m no longer going to sigh you how miniature I sold it for but I was ready to hit the boulevard for only eight astronomical. Or no longer it’s fully carpeted, insulated but no longer excellent, tiny sink with drain in-built to the higher cupboard, 2nd cupboard, 26 creep TV, hammock for drowsing, Coleman camping oven- propane, propane heater, dwelling battery, three sets of internal lighting, tiny miniature alcohol stoves, 15 gallons of contemporary water, photograph voltaic shower, because I also elevate my 02 blackbird for the duration of the van I former Rubbermaid cases to retailer my dresses and other equipment because I want the flexibility to designate room for loading/un. My kayak on the roof. Or no longer it’s removed from excellent but very functional and functional internal.
test out my thread I know stare some photography of the van.
which you can accumulate to peaceful be engaging to soar on a aircraft and depart to switch bag the van. The chance of one doping up in a quick distance from you is slim to none. This one popped up on Craigslist and I was on a aircraft within the morning 900 miles away. Its been tedious legitimate and I have not even changed the oil but! no longer one single ingredient wants to be changed changed modified to drive his van. Clear title orderly physique no accidents no rust no problems. Launch taking a ogle Craigslist and I guarantee you are going to bag one.
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I’ve performed several a couple of week long journeys living within the attend of an Astro. Mountainous trucks with a excellent sturdy drive narrate. Cheap to designate and retain. All variations are low price to rob. The AWD trucks are excellent dang capable in stock bag and will likely be converted to correct 4 wheel drive with low vary without too noteworthy bother.
That you simply might perchance no longer depart snide with a Dodge Immense Caravan, particular it doesn’t accumulate the most convenient clearance or 4wd but they are more cost effective, parts are all over the place, MPG is waayyy better than a full-dimension and if you happen to bag one with stow and depart seats (and take away all of them) it’s doubtless you’ll perchance accumulate hundreds living to retailer for equipment. Form a tiny platform in your mattress and there’s peaceful a crap load of living left over. Fwd can peaceful bag you down grime bag admission to roads and whatnot….will you REALLY want 4wd??
Could perchance test this out:
http://astrosafarivans.org/bb2/index.php
You in actuality prefer to envision out Herbie’s threads here. Must envision out T. Low’s threads, he has a undoubtedly good pickle up.
I’d ogle to a utility Astro or Safari, 98 and up, can not consider why LOL, but I looked a couple years ago.
My Safari AWD got 17+ and it was large, I traded off for a Jeep, no longer a upright switch on my piece.
I moved on to a Forrester with limo tint dwelling windows, can not stare internal at all with a entrance curtain pulled within the attend of the motive force’s seat.
I agree too, the finances is great slim, I wouldn’t head down there with a drive-off the lot 7K vehicle of any kind, but I’m older than you’re, I’m particular.
Fingers down, my selection might perchance be the Astro route, if I was tiny to a cheap van. You are going to be taking a ogle at 120K+ vehicles, merely be distinct the timing belts were changed out and the head gasket doesn’t whistle and it’s doubtless you’ll perchance depart one other 150K. Mine was merely undoubtedly real. I sigh you’re planning on a drowsing imperfect, camp stove, ice chest and porta-pottie.
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Win a ford 7.3 vitality stroke diesel cargo van. Within the event you ogle tense and long ample you bag one in your finances.
Despatched from my iPhone the utilization of Tapatalk
I form no longer deem it’s doubtless you’ll perchance bag the MPG you’re hoping for within the gas econoline, presumably with the diesel, but finding one in your finances will likely be tense, and all will likely accumulate over 220K miles. The diesel also will presumably require some work, and work on a diesel will get expensive. I’d ogle tense at the astro trucks, I undoubtedly accumulate considered some good ones on here, but admittedly form no longer know noteworthy about them. But any other choice, would be a accepted cab acquire with a low price depart in camper, without a doubt no longer as frigid as van, but which you can if truth be told accumulate a mattress, stove, and fridge.
BTW I use to ebook up in Stanley, accumulate a relaxing summer!
I took my Astro from California, by means of Mexico, Central Am, down into Colombia. I didn’t help music of MPG but it’s doubtless you’ll perchance ignore the rest upright, you are going to in all probability be loaded down and there are some nargley mountains with excessive elevations, at cases she’s going to likely be sucking wind….but its a large van for the job and has ample vitality. There was one other couple who took their Astro by means of South The United States on a temporary time out as properly, “anywherethatswild”.
Ingredients are made cheaply, so stuff breaks your complete time, but its tiny traumatic stuff fancy AC hoses deteriorating, and parts are quite low price to interchange as compared with other vehicles. They are quite easy to work on, I had minimal wrenching experience earlier than purchasing the van, now I carry out all my beget work. The engines are solid and legitimate. Part availability is quite upright attributable to piece sharing, and the size of the Astro can no longer be beat, it was the suitable dimension for merely about all over the place, and a miniature of low key.
I wont overload with indispensable parts unless you to mediate on a vehicle, but it’s doubtless you’ll perchance rob these cheaply to position on higher tires, I undoubtedly accumulate an AWD and that was ample, 2wd would be gorgeous as properly, it merely limits you….I carry out deem I will convert to 4×4 now, but attributable to your finances going against the time out I’d try to bag an AWD and merely add a rob.
I was thinking of purchasing a brand new Transit and making a surf rig, but after a couple of let downs from Ford I undoubtedly accumulate decided to help the Astro for future journeys south, it wants some fixing up, but was the suitable vehicle for my time out.
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Peruse an older van. They are more cost-effective and parts are more accessible world large.
Bask in this for instance (no longer Mine). All it’s doubtless you’ll perchance want is a couple of new tires. All the pieces else is ready!
Appropriate bag! The 318 is a undoubtedly legitimate engine too, explore the oil closely, this can rupture your day. I had the RAM 250 and did revel in it with teens. You obtained’t be getting shut to 17 mpg, loaded up hills will likely be more fancy 10-12, rather then that the other location is dimension, it be no sports vehicle.
Easy, test out the Astros, they are more cost-effective to characteristic and retain. Mine was no longer lifted, but a 2″ would designate a large rig. Within the event it’s doubtless you’ll perchance pack a raft for a couple of days I’m particular the Astro might perchance perchance perchance carry out it for you. Specialize in things fancy stealth camping, turning radius, I might perchance perchance perchance depart noteworthy further in my Safari into the woods than I might perchance perchance perchance with my Ram 250, I got a upright 17+ within the Ozark mtns within the Safari.
Nevertheless, if mpg is never always indispensable and you are no longer undoubtedly getting off the overwhelmed route, the RAM title and keys are there, about $600 for some tires and you’re going……perchance, merely take some extra cash with you.
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Thanks in your complete large info! Im def leaning against the astro/safari. Im very former to driving low price rigs and wrenching on them. I undoubtedly favor a finances rig. Heading to position in on the river for six days. Taking a ogle ahead to reading more when i bag attend.
I fully accept as true with Bbasso, you are ready to fulfill your objectives, our van a 1998 GMC Sanvana 2500 with a 5.7 forged-iron block with the most convenient replace on the motor being a Okay&M Air Consumption filter will get a solid 16.2 mpg, being authorities surplus, low miles equiped with engine oil cooler, transmission cooler and 16,000# heavy accountability brakes it makes a large roadie. Our finances being merely $7,500 we,re coming in at about $5,700, it’ll depart merely about anyplace, no longer as excellent as some but orderly and tough running. First stop I did was 3 mechanical wizards with noteworthy knowledge (first time at a van). I came for the duration of that I will be capable to accumulate to peaceful handiest ogle for two forms of vehicles; full dimension Ford’s or GM’s; stronger than lots of the tiny one’s and parts, parts, parts regardless of where ya depart and the milage
regarding the identical as a smaller one. Now we accumulate performed a miniature of over 6,500 miles 17 nights and feel that is the upright selection, easy to park and large on the toll road’s with no added price for tolls. 7 sheets of plywood. some 1×2’s heaps of screws, a fan, bottle of wine a mattress and good day revel in!
Howdy dar395, how about some photography of your internal? I’m in what of us are doing on a finances. Did you drink the wine earlier than building the mattress or after you were performed?