2006 E350 Van Terra Build

[diamondheaded]

Hah thanks, I'm definitely not a pro, just a lot of YouTube and forum browsing!

For the door, always check Craigslist or rv salvage yards. The guy I'm meeting in Sterling, CO has a few 2018 campers and several doors with screens, locks, and keys...all for $150 a door! The deals are out there.

$150 is a great deal. Unfortunately none in my area so tack on another $200 for shipping so no dice. I McGivered a couple of hook eye latches for $5. I'm learning from you guys! lol

You're too humble. I can watch utube a zillion times and no way I could do what you do.

 

[cherokee1989]

Well it's been a bit slow going. Taking some time to get some skiing in with friends and family during the government shutdown. We hit up Copper several times and Steamboat for an overnight trip! I'm pretty new to skiing, but took the plunge and bought a pair of Blizzard Rustler 10 Skis 180cm, boots, helmet, poles, and any other gear I'll need for the trips I'll be taking this winter in the van. I was able to give the skis they're first run up in Steamboat. This was basically my 6th day skiing in my life and my friend decided to push me to do some black runs in the trees . I reluctantly agreed and fell about 10 times before getting to the bottom of the run haha. After a few more runs I was able to get my balance and experience what fresh powder was like! So glad she pushed me! We ran these tree runs the rest of the day. I like to think I went from looking like a newborn giraffe to a 2 day old giraffe.



Anyways, onto some van updates:

I've basically gotten the bed area, window covers, and dinette seating finished. At this point I'll be able to live in this and start being a ski bum for the winter.

I've struggled to figure out how to build the overhead area with the rear AC/heater. I was thinking of building an open storage shelf. After going back and forth I just decide to avoid the hassle of building something. So I grabbed an old blanket that matched the interior pretty well and hung it up from the ceiling and walls, then tucked it under the bed in the back. Honestly I think it looks pretty darn cool and it was free!

BEFORE:



AFTER:



Then I put up some custom made insulated window covers. I went to Joann Fabric and picked up different "woodsy" fabrics, then my awesome mom sewed them together so that I could slide insulation in them. It took a while to find material for the insulation, but after a cruise to Wal-Mart I found $8 sleeping bags that fit perfectly in the window openings. So I folded the bags in half, inserted hem into the window covers, and tucked them behind the wood trim on the windows. Plus, now I have a bunch of extra sleeping bags for guests this summer!

 

[cherokee1989]

The front is still somewhat incomplete for now. I made 2 benches in front of the bed that will seat 2 people on each side. Now I just need to make a table for the middle. The tops of the benches are hinged so I can access storage underneath. Under the driver side bench will be the batteries and electronics, then under the passenger side will be the fresh water tank and pump. In front of the drivers side bench is the Engel Combi 60 Fridge/Freezer. This thing is pretty big, but for now I think this spot will do. I still need to finish the ceiling in the front, lots of weird angles and slopes, so it's at the end of the list of things I want to deal with.





For now it's good enough to live in. Plus I'm still waiting on other parts to come in (heater, batteries, inverter, lights, charger, etc.). Then come end of February or March the leaf springs should arrive from Chris at Ujoint!

 

[cherokee1989]

I was able to get the door replaced. It was A LOT easier than I thought it would be. Knocked it out in a few hours. Just a 2x4 on each side and 2x10 on top and bottom. Cut them to fit, screwed them into the vans metal frame, and done! I set the door as high as possible because I plan to remove the lower body molding and cut out the first step. Basically it sits at the same height as the second step right now. Still have to clean up the butyl tape and caulking, but hey it works for now! Heading up to Winter Park tonight for some skiing tomorrow!











Also received my leaf springs from Chris at Ujoint. Plan to get the install going in March!

 

[diamondheaded]

Wow great work cherokee1989! That door is amazing along with everything else you've done.

 

[cherokee1989]

Wow apparently I'm the worst at updates...A LOT has happened in 6 months

Long story short its 4x4 and a beast!







Everything has been somewhat smooth. I had the lift and front axle installed by Justin at Baker Garage here in Denver. He was awesome to work with and HIGHLY recommend him to anyone looking to install a 4x4 van kit from UJOINT Offroad. He has his own econoline that he installed the lift on plus a few more including mine, so he knows what he's doing. Hit him up on IG if you need work done

Justin Chenoweth (@justin_chenoweth) • Instagram photos and videos

13 Followers, 5 Following, 0 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Justin Chenoweth (@justin_chenoweth)

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I also contemplated leaving it a dually or single for the rear, and finally decided on a single. Overall I think it looks great and handles great too. To compensate for the load range of the duallies, I decided on Goodyear Duratrac 285/75r18 (35.1") tires all around. They are rated for over 4000 lbs at 80 psi so I have no concerns about them handling the weight in the rear.



For the front bumper I ended up going with an ARB Sahara. They're made for the Ford Super Duty trucks but MG Metalworks makes brackets that enable this bumper to fit the Econoline front end. Just a few hours of trimming and rewelding a brace in the corner and you're good to go. I shopped around and didn't like the style (or the price) of most aftermarket Econoline bumpers, and I love the looks of this ARB! Unfortunately I dont know how to weld so I had help from Ian. He came recommended from Justin and man did he do a great job. Feel free to check out the pics of the bumper work he posted on his Instagram and be sure to hit him up for any fab work if you're in the Denver area!




Also installed a hitch since the one in the bumper is definitely NOT made to tow. Tried pulling my Jeep Wrangler behind it to Moab and nearly ripped the entire hitch and bumper out of the frame of the van. So I picked up a hitch made for RVs, drilled a few holes and mounted it on. No way this thing is going anywhere. Also installed 7 pin and 4 pin wiring just to have it.







Now it's back to the storage unit to get all my ski stuff to prepare for the season. Already reached the 30s in the mountains and snow in spots. Now I really need to get on purchasing the ducting for that Webasto heater!

 

[5spd97]

Wow apparently I'm the worst at updates...A LOT has happened in 6 months

Long story short its 4x4 and a beast!
View attachment 541188

View attachment 541189

View attachment 541190


Everything has been somewhat smooth. I had the lift and front axle installed by Justin at Baker Garage here in Denver. He was awesome to work with and HIGHLY recommend him to anyone looking to install a 4x4 van kit from UJOINT Offroad. He has his own econoline that he installed the lift on plus a few more including mine, so he knows what he's doing. Hit him up on IG if you need work done

Justin Chenoweth (@justin_chenoweth) • Instagram photos and videos

13 Followers, 5 Following, 0 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Justin Chenoweth (@justin_chenoweth)

instagram.com

I also contemplated leaving it a dually or single for the rear, and finally decided on a single. Overall I think it looks great and handles great too. To compensate for the load range of the duallies, I decided on Goodyear Duratrac 285/75r18 (35.1") tires all around. They are rated for over 4000 lbs at 80 psi so I have no concerns about them handling the weight in the rear.

View attachment 541197

For the front bumper I ended up going with an ARB Sahara. They're made for the Ford Super Duty trucks but MG Metalworks makes brackets that enable this bumper to fit the Econoline front end. Just a few hours of trimming and rewelding a brace in the corner and you're good to go. I shopped around and didn't like the style (or the price) of most aftermarket Econoline bumpers, and I love the looks of this ARB! Unfortunately I dont know how to weld so I had help from Ian. He came recommended from Justin and man did he do a great job. Feel free to check out the pics of the bumper work he posted on his Instagram and be sure to hit him up for any fab work if you're in the Denver area!


View attachment 541226

Also installed a hitch since the one in the bumper is definitely NOT made to tow. Tried pulling my Jeep Wrangler behind it to Moab and nearly ripped the entire hitch and bumper out of the frame of the van. So I picked up a hitch made for RVs, drilled a few holes and mounted it on. No way this thing is going anywhere. Also installed 7 pin and 4 pin wiring just to have it.

View attachment 541228

View attachment 541229

View attachment 541230

Now it's back to the storage unit to get all my ski stuff to prepare for the season. Already reached the 30s in the mountains and snow in spots. Now I really need to get on purchasing the ducting for that Webasto heater!

Have you weighed it loaded?

 

[wonderingsol]

Cherokee, any more build pics? Just bought a 2003 turtle top in really good condition and will be camperizing it and putting the 6” Weldtech lift on it. Would be psyched to check out the rest of your build and pick up good ideas. Has anyone deleted the bottom step on these rigs with good results? The ujjoint looks sweet, but the conversions seems a bit expensive.

 

[cherokee1989]

Have you weighed it loaded?

Yep came in at 9800 lbs on the CAT scale last week. That's including all my gear, full tank of gas, myself, and the new cabinets with butcher block countertops

Cherokee, any more build pics? Just bought a 2003 turtle top in really good condition and will be camperizing it and putting the 6” Weldtech lift on it. Would be psyched to check out the rest of your build and pick up good ideas. Has anyone deleted the bottom step on these rigs with good results? The ujjoint looks sweet, but the conversions seems a bit expensive.

No problem, I'll post up some more pics after work today...anything specific you're looking for? As far as the lower step, I installed the rv door in anticipation that I'll cut the bottom part even with the rest of the fiberglass. I already trimmed about 4 inches off the fiberglass sides.

I highly recommend the UJoint lift. I know it's a bit expensive but it's totally worth it! All in, including lift kit, axle, tcase, driveshafts, wheels, and tires...basically EVERYTHING needed to convert to 4WD, my total is $9875. I know it's a lot, but its improved my steering quality, I'm able to access places I couldn't before, safer in the snow, and it just looks COOL!

 

[wonderingsol]

Yep came in at 9800 lbs on the CAT scale last week. That's including all my gear, full tank of gas, myself, and the new cabinets with butcher block countertops

Mostly interested your trim job and bottom step delete. Doesn’t look like it’ll be to hard to do but my skill set lies more in the mechanical and electrical so I’m looking for folks who have already done it to leArn what I can before i hack my trim up. I’ve spent a lot of time considering the interior layout and the solar/electrical system. So I’ve got that under control.

just pulled the trigger on the WeldTec lift so I’m going to be keeping it 2wd for now but with better clearance for tougher roads. I may consider putting a posi in the rear dending on how it does in snow. I plan on keeping it DRW which is new to me so we’ll see how it feels.

just finished gutting it yesterday and so far I’m pretty impressed with the quality of the fiberglass/steel frame It seems pretty stout. I did find some leakage around the windows and kind of a lot of leaking around the fiberglass top to body seal. upon further inspection you can clearly see on the outside where the mated surfaces are joined that the sealant/caulking has deteriorated and cracked, shouldn’t be too hard to run a bead of 5200 sealant around the whole thing and keep the water out.



No problem, I'll post up some more pics after work today...anything specific you're looking for? As far as the lower step, I installed the rv door in anticipation that I'll cut the bottom part even with the rest of the fiberglass. I already trimmed about 4 inches off the fiberglass sides.

I highly recommend the UJoint lift. I know it's a bit expensive but it's totally worth it! All in, including lift kit, axle, tcase, driveshafts, wheels, and tires...basically EVERYTHING needed to convert to 4WD, my total is $9875. I know it's a lot, but its improved my steering quality, I'm able to access places I couldn't before, safer in the snow, and it just looks COOL!

 

[mybigwarwagon]

Never before have I looked at one of those Mini busses and thought, "That would make a great off road camper". Awesome work.

 

[cherokee1989]

Nice, always happy to see more of the these van terra being converted! I'm uber jealous of the side wheelchair doors you have. If you plan to put the bed in the back like I did, then you'll be extremely grateful for the easy storage access under the bed. Honestly that's the only gripe I have about my under bed access. I just have the single rear door to get stiff out or I have to grab it from the inside.

Never before have I looked at one of those Mini busses and thought, "That would make a great off road camper". Awesome work.

I'm honestly surprised more people haven't converted these! Cheaper than a high top conversion E350, the width for a queen bed in the back, and surprisingly stable off road.

 

[cherokee1989]

Well it's been a sad year for the van...totaled back in December 2019 and undriveable since. I made a new thread asking for help appraising it's value, check it out!
https://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/4x4-shuttle-bus-totaled-what-would-you-pay.214320/

If anyone has questions or needs help converting theirs let me know...more than happy to give you advice converting one of these Van Terras!

 

[cherokee1989]

...and now it's up on Copart, a lot of good parts for swapping to another rig! https://www.copart.com/lot/35450890

 

[WV Jeeper]

...and now it's up on Copart, a lot of good parts for swapping to another rig! https://www.copart.com/lot/35450890

Man that sucks. I was just reading your build as we just purchased one of these. I'm curious what did state farm end up giving you for it? Doesn't really look like it has much damage to total it from the pics. We are also insured with state farm and wondered how they value these things since they dont really have a NADA value. Anyway, sorry to see your not enjoying it anymore but enjoyed your build. We are also planning on a 4x4 conversion soon.