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Thread: 4x4 Vans

  1. #1
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    Default 4x4 Vans

    I don't own one of these but I've thought a lot about it. Lots of pictures here

    Also, I live in Austin, Tx where the first sportsmobile factory is. Lots of kewl trucks in their parking lot.

    A few cool ones:









    Rubicon Express 4.5 inch superflex lift, Amrican Racing Victor series 367 teflon coated wheels, 285/70/17 Goodyear MTR, ARB bumper, XD9000 winch, Rancho shocks (RS99239, RS99256), ARB Safari Snorkel, Advanced Adapters NP231 fixed yoke kit, rear drive shaft SYE, 4.56 gears front and rear, tru-trac limited slip rear, Bushwacker cut out flares, 2 Hella 500 ARB mounted driving lights, rear swing away bumper with tire and hi-lift

  2. #2
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    Nice! I would not hesitate to recommend the Sportsmobile to anyone. They are a first class operation with a high quality product.
    Scott Brady
    Overland Journal
    D1 | LJ78 | LR4 | MKIII | J8 | G-Wagen |

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by expeditionswest
    Nice! I would not hesitate to recommend the Sportsmobile to anyone. They are a first class operation with a high quality product.
    Interestingly, when I first happened across your web page I was reading the analysis of fuel/mileage/payload that you put together. If you put a sportsmobile in that analysis, it blows all the others away from a payload/range perspective. Some of them have 3000lb payloads

    On the other hand, probably not nearly as bulletproof (OEM) as a yota...
    Rubicon Express 4.5 inch superflex lift, Amrican Racing Victor series 367 teflon coated wheels, 285/70/17 Goodyear MTR, ARB bumper, XD9000 winch, Rancho shocks (RS99239, RS99256), ARB Safari Snorkel, Advanced Adapters NP231 fixed yoke kit, rear drive shaft SYE, 4.56 gears front and rear, tru-trac limited slip rear, Bushwacker cut out flares, 2 Hella 500 ARB mounted driving lights, rear swing away bumper with tire and hi-lift

  4. #4
    kcowyo's Avatar
    kcowyo is offline Expedition Portal Moderator ExPo Original
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    Wow, I thought I was a picture pack rat! Great galleries of the Sportsmobile and Tacomas.

    As much as it pains me to say it, and it pains me A LOT, a Sportsmobile with the Powerstoke diesel (preferably the 7.3, not the new 6.0) is probably one of the smartest buys for a person looking to take multi-week/month trips. The 7.3 is a 600K motor, before being due for a rebuild and it's designed to haul a large load for long periods, while a Toyota motor hauls a lot for a long time, well.

    The question maybe should be, whether having the comforts of the Sportsmobile at the end of the day are worth the stress of piloting that boat down narrow trails all day vs. having an easily manueverable Toyota 4x4 on the trail all day, but sleeping wedged in the back of a pick up or SUV at night?

    I don't know, but I hope fate has a Sportsmobile for me in my future!
    '97 Toyota T100 - some stuff and some stories....
    '85 Toyota FJ6O - fractal cruising

    currently listening to - Jamey Johnson "The Guitar Song"
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  5. #5
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    Djeck, I'm in San Antonio. We ought to get together and go wheeling sometime. We have some decent places down here.

    Nice looking vans too!
    Peace and Mud,
    Patrick, Cyndi, Genavieve, & Rhyse
    www.nissanoffroad.net

  6. #6
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    Wow! Nice find. I know this is bad but growing up in WI, all the 4x4 Vans I saw were pretty trashy and all rusted out, so I allways asociated 4x4 vans with the sterotypical white trash.

    These help me think otherwise!
    Wil Kuhns KF7CDH
    Sierra Expeditions *Forum Sponsor* 866.507.4254
    The only regrets in life are the risks you didn't take.
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  7. #7
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    Sweet Excusion!
    Peace and Mud,
    Patrick, Cyndi, Genavieve, & Rhyse
    www.nissanoffroad.net

  8. #8
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    I love Icelandic wheelers! They are sweet rigs! I setup a web page dedicated to just Iceland rigs! Check it out here: Icelandic Rigs

    This one is a buddy of mine over in Iceland that will help with Next years Expedition!:

    Ron Douglas

  9. #9
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    Hey All

    I'm glad this thread was started...I know I could check manufacturers but it's easier and less time consuming to ask here (no doubt somebody knows): Are there any stock 4x4 vans (who makes them?) or are all vans 2x4 and then converted?

    I usually go to the annual RV show here in southern Cal and Sportsmobile is always well represented there...this year I think they had 4 or 5 of their models there. If you get ALL the offroad options plus bells and whistles, you're looking at about $90K!!!!!
    '98 Taco 4x4, Flippac, cargo bed seats/cabinets, Deavers, Donahoes, Stubbs Sliders, discos, ARB Bullbar/Warn M8000 winch, Hella 550's, custom rack, swingout gas can carriers, CB & 2M radios, Coolmatic 50L frig/freeze...too many $$$
    Kawasaki KLR 250
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    http://www.bajataco.com/vikingvince/...pPac/index.htm

  10. #10
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    Vince,

    There are All Wheel Drive vans available from the factory (remember the one we pulled out on the Mojave trip. However, there are no solid axle vans with low range gearing. That is a Quigly conversion, which retains all of the factory warranties.
    Scott Brady
    Overland Journal
    D1 | LJ78 | LR4 | MKIII | J8 | G-Wagen |

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