Van conversation

[J-mobzz]

So some of you may remember on my old account I built a bed in my car for road trips. It’s been pretty amazing. This isn’t replacing that but more to supplement it. This is a project I’m doing with my two boys. The first think was finding an inexpensive van. Easier said than done. This hole Van life craze has vans going for way to much money. It took about 6 weeks of looking but I snagged a 1994 Dodge B350 with a 360 and OD transmission. The outside is rough but it runs amazing and the interior was actually pretty decent. Has about 120k on the clock.

Anyways some pictures of progress so far. Not going crazy on this. Just a fun vehicle to to some trips with the kids.

 

[Tonkaman]

Hell yeah, I’m digging it!

I’ve been wanting to build a motovan for a while. Prices on this stuff is getting crazy

 

[4x4_Welder]

I wish I could have finished my E350 diesel, I had gathered all the parts for a 4x4 conversion but moving meant it had to go. It went in a few days at $2500, if I had finished the conversion it would have been $10k easily.

 

[Jesser04]

I have a 94 250 with the same engine and trans I picked it up about 6 weeks ago they’re awesome vans. It just turned over 125,000 I put about 110 miles a day on it getting almost 500 miles per tank. Did the sound deading stuff help? I put carpet down in mine because I haul clothes in it and didn’t want anything getting dirty it helped to quite it down but it’s still a van. The day I picked it up I turned the radio to 103.5 haven’t changed it once something about rock and roll and a van just feels right.

 

[J-mobzz]

Did the sound deading stuff help?

I haven’t driven it yet since it’s probably a week or two away from any highway trips but I’ll let you know. Yours looks super clean!!

 

[rholbrook]

I have a 94 250 with the same engine and trans I picked it up about 6 weeks ago they’re awesome vans. It just turned over 125,000 I put about 110 miles a day on it getting almost 500 miles per tank. Did the sound deading stuff help? I put carpet down in mine because I haul clothes in it and didn’t want anything getting dirty it helped to quite it down but it’s still a van. The day I picked it up I turned the radio to 103.5 haven’t changed it once something about rock and roll and a van just feels right.View attachment 119948

And started growing a mustache

 

[Jesser04]

And started growing a mustache

I’m trying.

 

[Gravy]

Ha. I drove a 1998 Dodge B2500 for work for years. 381,000 miles when sold, and the 360 would still melt the tires. 4.10's
I literally only had to do ball joints twice. plugs and wires and rotor cap once or twice and brakes 2 times. We had the trans rebuilt at 180k and it was solid as a rock after that. Diff fluid every few years.
I sold it as a motovan to my friend. Here's how the test drive went: I drove him to an empty parking lot, did a fat one wheel peel, he gave me the money.
Mine had 3500 front end stuff. So when I went to do balljoints and brakes they were the same as the B3500 and 2wd Ram truck 3500.
But think it was still a 9.75 Chrysler semi float 8 lug rear. I went up a couple tires sizes on the rear to help with gas mileage.
If you pull the door pins you can open the back barn doors 180*

 

[J-mobzz]

Should be plenty of power

 

[bryson]

Wow.

 

[Gravy]

View attachment 119964
Should be plenty of power

I'd say! That's enough power for a back to the future Deloreon!

 

[Noahfecks]

I'd say! That's enough power for a back to the future Deloreon!

that's only 400 watts, still 1,209,999,600 watts short of time travel

and that van might struggle to make it to 88 MPH

cool project, even if it is bound by the traditional constraints of the time/space continuum

 

[J-mobzz]

that's only 400 watts,

Hahaha might wanna look at ohms law again. Definitely capable of way more than 400 watts. But you’re right 88mph might be a stretch

 

[Jesser04]

88 is not a stretch. mines not even breaking a sweat at 88. Filled up last night 15.47 hand calculated.

 

[J-mobzz]

88 is not a stretch. mines not even breaking a sweat at 88. Filled up last night 15.47 hand calculated.

For sure. I was just playing along with the jokes. I’m actually surprised at how easy the van drives. Setting cruse control at 80mph it doesn’t even flinch.

It’s funny I knew my boys would be super into this project but it doesn’t stop how good it feels to see them excited. As soon as they get home from school. “Dad can we work on the van?”

This is a short clip of my son giving a demonstration of the bed. “I’m just chilling on the couch but I’m kinda tired”

IMG_2849.MOV | Powered by Box

jacobn.box.com

 

[KevinM]

We picked up an E350 4x4 van 7 years ago. I had it walled off to haul dirt bikes. The thing has been a workhorse. This thread is getting me motivated to finish off the inside and make it more of a camper.

 

[Hickey]

You need a mural and a porthole window on the side.

Are you gonna mount solar panels to the roof?

 

[Jesser04]

If you’re feeling frisky the series 40 flowmaster sound pretty bitchin on the 360. I don’t know that the neighbors care for it at 4:30 AM Mon-Sat though.

 

[J-mobzz]

You need a mural and a porthole window on the side.

Are you gonna mount solar panels to the roof?

I don’t think I want to invest the money on solar. The batteries were free and offer over 400 amp/hr of juice. I have wired them now to a battery isolator to charge while the Van in running.

But a porthole window! Probably worth pulling an existing window and welding the hole shut just to cut one of those in!

 

[J-mobzz]

If you’re feeling frisky the series 40 flowmaster sound pretty bitchin on the 360. I don’t know that the neighbors care for it at 4:30 AM Mon-Sat though.

My next door neighbor has a hard starting straight piped 12 valve and leaves for work at 5am. Kinda feel like he would just high 5 me