Real talk

"AestheticsInMotion" (aestheticsinmotion) 11/10/2019 at 20:57 • Filed to: None

7

24

Everytime I see a rig like this, I start reevaluating my life. My goals.

I WILL build a van, and I’ll take it all over the US. Maybe Canada too. Definitely within ten years. Hopefully within five. Me, and the girlfriend. Or just a friend. Maybe even solo, with a nice doggo for company.

I wish I could have chatted with the owners, and maybe been given a tour.

Oh and the full-size shovel tells me these folk are legit. Sure you can buy a mini collapsible carbon fiber tactical shovel with a knife and compass build in, but nothing beats a well-made, full-sizer. A good shovel is like a s turdy pair of boots. Skip the flashy shit and s pend as much as you can afford. 

dumpsterfire! > AestheticsInMotion 11/10/2019 at 21:03

1

Between the rock climbing and mountain biking in my corner of the world, I see multiples of similar daily. The Mercedes are popular too.  

LastFirstMI is my name > AestheticsInMotion 11/10/2019 at 21:03

4

Me too! When the kids graduate (5 years and counting)  I’m giving myself a road trip. Those people that send their kids backpacking through Europe? Screw that, I’m the one that needs a vacation! They can get a job and pay for their own trip.

gmctavish needs more space > AestheticsInMotion 11/10/2019 at 21:05

1

Solo vanning all over Canada is something I need to do before I die. Maybe not solo. Or maybe a solo trip and a not solo trip. Kinda wanna do it in a skoolie, but a van makes more sense. 

My X-type is too a real Jaguar > AestheticsInMotion 11/10/2019 at 21:06

2

I ran across this today

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/2554350358011458/

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > AestheticsInMotion 11/10/2019 at 21:07

1

No you need a high top Miata shooting brake with a bike rake on the back.

The high top would actually be the sleeping area. The back would have a fold out kitchen on the side. 

facw > AestheticsInMotion 11/10/2019 at 21:09

0

Of course in 5-10 you may be looking at an AWD Transit or something, for better adventure van traction.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > AestheticsInMotion 11/10/2019 at 21:09

2

I like that the MaxTrax match the bike

nermal > AestheticsInMotion 11/10/2019 at 21:14

2

Pros: Cheap to buy.

Cons: No bathroom. Can’t stand up inside. You’re a target for getting all that shit stolen that’s strapped to the outside.

I’d do a truck & camper instead. 

AestheticsInMotion > nermal 11/10/2019 at 21:16

0

I go back and forth, but I like the extra space and slight security upgrade a van offers. 

AestheticsInMotion > dumpsterfire! 11/10/2019 at 21:16

0

Yep, definitely see a lot of sprinter vans. On Craigslist too, generally with 6 figure price tags. Noooo thanks

AestheticsInMotion > My X-type is too a real Jaguar 11/10/2019 at 21:18

0

That is pretty cool. I like seeing the curtain rods, but I'm curious what the storage situation is like. Didn't really see anything other than the cupboard 

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > AestheticsInMotion 11/10/2019 at 21:35

1

I hate his tone and voice, but CycleCruza on youtube built a sick awesome bug out van that holds a motorcycle and I have massive envy

AestheticsInMotion > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 11/10/2019 at 22:03

1

11 minutes in and I already love it. Having everything be stealth is so great

BRB, looking at clean vans on Craigslist. 

VincentMalamute-Kim > AestheticsInMotion 11/10/2019 at 22:20

5

This is my rig.

I’m still building out the interior because I’m not sure what direction it’s going to go. But utility and stealthy are two goals . I can stand up inside. Enough room to store everything that guy has to keep outside. Especially that mtn bike.

I see 2015's are as low as $ 15K. No AWD until 2020MY but I figure LSD and tires will get me as far as something this size should go.

AestheticsInMotion > VincentMalamute-Kim 11/10/2019 at 22:30

0

Please share more when you start doing stuff inside! I’m hoping to catch up to you. I’ve been eyeing trucks for awhile, but a van would work just as well for my needs....

Yeah I can't imagine keeping an expensive mountain bike outside like that. 

VincentMalamute-Kim > AestheticsInMotion 11/10/2019 at 22:47

2

Plus the bike and gear kills stealth if you’re trying to do that. I’ve got a bed and insulation. Roof vent you can see. Floor vents for a portable dual hose AC - the hoses are taking up huge room which I didn’t anticipate.

I’d like to keep any cabinets, etc removable so I can use the interior as a utility van if needed. Not quite sure how I’m going to manage that. And I’m trying to figure out how to do the interior finish covering.

yeah, I’ll post if I get further. It didn’t even occur to me to post that stuff here.

oh yeah, re:  Truck vs Van:  my buddy has a completely tricked out overlanding Jeep Rubicon. That obviously can go so many more places than I’m willing to. And h e’s jealous about the space in my van and thinking about getting an Nissan NV and aftermarket 4WD. Although Quigley and Quadvan will do 4WD to Transits for about $14K.

AestheticsInMotion > VincentMalamute-Kim 11/10/2019 at 22:59

1

I think solar is the one concession I’d make in terms of anti-stealth. But even that’s fairly well hidden as long as you’re not parked at a low spot.

As you said, some good tires should be able to get you anywhere something that size can go. And feet/bike can get you further. I’d take that over being able to rock crawl any day.

You could go full instagram and install metal tracks, installing some ceder shiplap over them . Themanwiththesauce linked a pretty fantastic video, check it out if you've got the time

CobraJoe > nermal 11/11/2019 at 09:26

0

Cons: No bathroom. Can’t stand up inside. You’re a target for getting all that shit stolen that’s strapped to the outside.

You gotta look at a newer tall van instead. I can stand up fully in a Transit Connect, and I’m 6'2". The full size vans are even roomier.

Not as cheap, but I’d trade the “toughness” of the older vans for a better driving, more roomy modern van any day.  

VincentMalamute-Kim > AestheticsInMotion 11/11/2019 at 12:39

1

I agree with solar. I’m going to put roof rails up for several cameras since I can’t see anything from the inside once I have the cab closed off. You can attach solar panels between the rails and on a high roof, people can’t see what’s up there so I think it’ll maintain stealth . People also don’t look up.

I’m thinking more modern/industrial materials on the inside - white plastic ceiling panels. Maybe carpet covered walls. I don’t like the vans that are 100% wood inside. I’m thinking wood cabinets and trim is enough for a good mix of materials.

I’ll check out the video. I’m thinking E-track but can’t decide how and where and how much to add - I’m bad at decision making.

BeaterGT > AestheticsInMotion 11/12/2019 at 00:14

0

Only problem with a van is when you get to roads you really want to drive  on. Other than that, I wish I had a van too instead of a car with no rear folding seats.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > AestheticsInMotion 11/12/2019 at 16:22

0

Those Chevy/GMC vans run forever with miniscule maintenance . My folks had a Safari family van that hit 315k and was still running when it got shipped to Guatemala, in that time it just had normal maintenance and one minior transmission wiring issue early on that was covered under warranty. My dad also had another Safari cargo   van for his business that he eventually gave to me with 200k on the clock (it got hit and totaled 2 months later) .

After the Safari he had upgraded to a 2001 Savanna 2 500 that hit 298k. It spent the last 10k on 7 cylinders, and one morning we were driving it and got about 3 miles from the house when 2 more cylinders decided to give their notice, so we turned around and somehow it still managed to claw its way (slowly) up the big hill on the road to my folks house to get us back home on 5 . In that 298k all it got were regular oil changes, a couple sets of shocks, a couple serpentine belts, the occasional transmission service (never, ever flush, tho), and one major tune up at about 160k which I seem to recall consisting of intake manifold gaskets, thermostat, spark plugs, and timing chain.

He’s currently on a 2013 (I think) Savanna 1500 with the 4.8L V8 and 6 speed auto.  It’s pushing 200k and again has had no issues and just basic routine maintenance.  

AestheticsInMotion > Snuze: Needs another Swede 11/12/2019 at 16:39

0

That simplicity and cost/ease of repairing is what really appeals to me.

Any thoughts on the V8 vs the 6? Also, is there any real difference between the Chevy and GMC version?

Saracen > AestheticsInMotion 11/12/2019 at 16:55

0

I’ve had a bit of experience with a couple of RV-ish vehicles recently. I’ve definitely caught the bug.

My brother had a Quigley E350 6 liter. Huge, beastly van. Kinda scary to drive due to ridiculous body roll...I think the suspension needed attention. But it was great to use for a weekend of camping. He had a full electrical system installed in it, it had a pop top, but no bathroom of course, and it didn’t have a kitchen (but Mrs. Saracen loved that we could bring the Keurig). He since sold it and is looking at something like a Sprinter from Outside Van.

My mother in law has a 2016 Winnebago Travato that we borrowed for a weekend. The biggest downside of it was that the sleeping quarters were rather tight for two people. And it’s only FWD. But high marks for everything else. Really easy to drive, full kitchen, wet bath, tons of storage. I could go on. She will be moving back to Hawaii soon and wants us to be caretakers for it 8 months out of the year, during which time we can use it as we please ...then she and her husband will come pick it up, road trip the mainland for a few months, and then drop it back off. Oh, darn, I *suppose* I can use your $100k RV for camping if I must...

Snuze: Needs another Swede > AestheticsInMotion 11/12/2019 at 17:42

0

There is basically no difference between the GMC and Chevy versions as far as a I know, other than the grills, trim bits, badges, and maybe some interior trim.

The minivans (Safari/Astro) only came with the 4.3L V6 which is a stout little engine. It’s a 90 degree V6 with a split pin crank, makes about 180 HP and I want to say about 240 ft-lbs. It’s basically an old school (Gen I) 350 cubic inch small block V8 with 2 cylinders cut off, which means lots of parts overlap, which in turns mean parts are plentiful and cheap. You could also get these vans with AWD which was AWESOME. It’s a fully mechanical viscous coupling unit with limited slip rears - none of this modern fancy electronic stuff that uses open diffs and brakes the opposite wheel to shuttle power or whatever. They are awesome little vans but probably on the small side for what you’re looking for.

The older Express/Savanna (full size) vans could be had with the 4.3L V6, 5.7L V8, or a 6.5L diesel (not sure if it was the turbo or non-turbo variant) . The 5.7L makes 250HP and 330 ft-lbs and the vans need it. They are fairly heavy and about as aerodynamic as a brick. The engine doesn’t struggle, it’s just more of a torque engine and not a “power” engine, so it drives exactly like you would expect a truck to (i.e. not fast ) . The diesel made about 200HP and 440 ft-lbs of torque and felt probably a lot quicker than it is. I don’t know/remember how GM broke out engine options, I think the 1500 (1/2 ton) got the 4.3L standard and 5.7L was an option, and the 2500/3500 got the 5.7L standard and the diesel was an option. But the diesel was available in 1500 trucks, so it may have been an option in the 1500 vans as well, but I’m not sure.

As an aside, m y folks owned a 6.5L diesel crewcab 2500 truck and unless you’re very mechanically inclined and know the previous history of it, I’d shy away. We bought it brand new and it was used as both a family “car” and horse trailer tow rig on weekends . We had astoundingly good luck with ours, and by that I mean we “ only” had to put in 3 PMDs (Pump Mount Drivers, basically ECMs), 2 lower pressure fuel pumps, and only 1 high pressure fuel pump, in about 225 k miles of ownership. It was somehow still on the original injectors and glow plugs. These engines are normally known to eat injectors and glow plugs every 60 to 75k and high pressure fuel pumps every 100k. None of which are particularly cheap/easy to replace, especially in the van.

One thing that’s key , the minivans and 1500 vans come with the 4L60E automatic transmission, which is a wide ratio automatic, and they had a corresponding taller (numerically lower) rear gear ratio. The 2500/3500 vans used the 4L80E-HD heavy duty automatic which is also a closer ratio box, and had a shorter rear. I believe they also came stock with a limited slip rear differential, and I’m fairly certain the 1500s didn’t have that, or it was an option . Anyways, the 4L60 is a fine transmission if you don’t work it too hard, but the 4L80 is an absolute battleaxe and is way more robust. I think the ratios work out in the 1500 vans to give you a little bit lower highway cruising RPMs for a bit better gas mileage, but none of these vans are great. My vote for best earlier fullsize van is 2500/3500 with the 5.7L. You give up a little in terms of fuel economy, but get the most simple, easy to work on/get parts for, and robust drivetrain, and the limited slip rear for traction in light offroad shenanigans.

I don’t know as much about the newer vans. Sometime around 2004 they started using the Gen III/IV LS derived engines. They are all iron block/aluminum heads and are all generally much more efficient than the old Gen I small blocks. I think the 1500 vans only got the 5.3L engine, and the 2500/3500 got the 4.8L as a base engine and the 6.0L engine as an upgrade, and a detuned Duramax diesel as an option .

Now that I think about it, my dad’s old vans were 3500 series and his new one is a 2500 because it has the 4.8L. He made the “downgrade” because the 2500's GVW is within a few hundred pounds of the old 3500 vans. The newer vans use variations of the GM 6L8 0/6L90 but I don’t know which transmissions were used in which vans. I also think, unlike the old 4L60/80, there’s no ratio difference between the two, just strength differences.

The oddball is the Duramax - in trucks they have been rated from 300 to 400 HP and 660 to like 900 ft-lbs, and came with an Allison 1000 6 speed ultra heavy duty automatic transmission. In the vans they were rated at something like 250 HP/525 ft-lbs and came with a 4L85 E-HD transmission (even beefier version of the 4L80 mentioned above ) . I think the issue was that the Allison 1000 was to big to fit under the van floor pan (it’s flat after all, no trans tunnel) but the 4L80 style would fit, so they made it as strong as possible and then de-tuned the Duramax so it wouldn’t kill it. My folks now have a Duramax powered truck to replace the old 6.5L diesel I mentioned before and it’s a beast. But I’d do my homework before considering a Duramax van - I think they only offered them for a few years and then stopped due to a low take rate, and the early Duramax engines had some serious head warping or cracking problems.

Beyond that, my dad has a 2500 van currently with the 4.8L and 6 speed auto and he’s generally been very happy with it. It’s pushing around 20 0k miles , I believe, and has had no major problems and only required routine maintenance. The 4.8L makes around   285 HP and 315 ft-lbs, so 35 HP more and only 15 ft-lbs less than the old 5.7L, and returns much better fuel mileage - I want to say his old van returned around 13 MPG average and the new van is like 16~17 average, a significant improvement.

I just remembered they also offered the newer full size vans with AWD, at least for a time. I don’t know much about the system, if it was purely mechanical like the older minivan system or if it’s electronic, and also not sure what model(s) it was offered on. I seem to recall it was only available on the base 1500, but I could be wrong. But it’s something to look into.

The only bad things I can say about the vans are the following. T he seats are not the most comfortable and will not last the 200-300 k+ miles these vans are capable of. And the seat was a carry over from the previous gen to the current gen. On the older vans the door hinges on the side cargo doors also break from heavy use. On the newer vans its the window tracks on the drivers power window seem to break . Again, this is all based on a sample size of 1, and A LOT of usage - my dad drives these things 5 days a week, often 50 to 100 miles a day, or more, and he’s in and out of the van many, many times a day loading and unloading materials and tools. So something like the seat blowing out or door hinge breaking are probably a non-issue for a casual user.