FOUND Vans For Sale!

EWizard

New member
The only thing I don't like about that site is that they don't show the mileage. I'm assuming though (since they mostly appear to be fleet vehicles) that they're around 100k.
Pretty sure I'll be looking for a 2wd E350 EB for a base to do a UJoint 4wd conversion.
 

9672

slideways
00z0z_hyJICjhGQHg_600x450.jpg


http://jacksonville.craigslist.org/cto/5670929811.html

2001 7.3, solid axle swap, no transfer case or driveshaft. Seems like a third of the way to a UJ swap
 

tgreening

Expedition Leader
That one has been FS for awhile or off and on if I remember correctly.


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"Leave as is and drive just fine"? Are you kidding me? There's no possible way on this earth that thing drives "just fine" the way it is. Has the owner actually stepped back and taken a look at that front end steering geometry?


Gut the drivetrain and call Chris. About the only way to save the poor beast. :)
 

teehee

Adventurer
"Leave as is and drive just fine"? Are you kidding me? There's no possible way on this earth that thing drives "just fine" the way it is. Has the owner actually stepped back and taken a look at that front end steering geometry?


Gut the drivetrain and call Chris. About the only way to save the poor beast. :)

What's wrong with his steering geometry? The drag link angle isn't that steep and is pretty close with the track bar???
 

DocWhiskey

Observer
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-E-Seri...55230&pid=100010&rk=13&rkt=21&sd=222196306535

Anyone have any words of advice on this find? I would really prefer to grab something with the UJoint kit on it already or buy a van for Chris to convert (or heck buy a van from him after he's done with it at the shop!), but this is a pretty hard price point to run away from. I suppose it would always be possible to snatch it up and throw UJoint leaves under it down the road; all the hard stuff is already done.

I'm new to this world, hunting down my first van so any words of wisdom are much appreciated!
 

philos

Explorer
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-E-Seri...55230&pid=100010&rk=13&rkt=21&sd=222196306535

Anyone have any words of advice on this find? I would really prefer to grab something with the UJoint kit on it already or buy a van for Chris to convert (or heck buy a van from him after he's done with it at the shop!), but this is a pretty hard price point to run away from. I suppose it would always be possible to snatch it up and throw UJoint leaves under it down the road; all the hard stuff is already done.

I'm new to this world, hunting down my first van so any words of wisdom are much appreciated!

"Everything new" but they only list a replaced transmission and the associated 4x4 stuff. So, engine, axle, brakes, hoses, etc. aren't "new" at all are they?

Looks cool enough, but if a Ujoint van is your goal you'd be doing yourself a disservice by not doing that particular conversion to begin with. You'd be pulling the existing components off to add Chris's stuff. Better to just buy a Ujoint van or get a 2wd van and convert that.
 

tgreening

Expedition Leader
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-E-Seri...55230&pid=100010&rk=13&rkt=21&sd=222196306535

Anyone have any words of advice on this find? I would really prefer to grab something with the UJoint kit on it already or buy a van for Chris to convert (or heck buy a van from him after he's done with it at the shop!), but this is a pretty hard price point to run away from. I suppose it would always be possible to snatch it up and throw UJoint leaves under it down the road; all the hard stuff is already done.

I'm new to this world, hunting down my first van so any words of wisdom are much appreciated!


I'm not a super huge fan of short arm 4-links, but for the most part that conversion doesn't look too awful bad to me. The coil bucket setup is a little funky but it at least looks like it might have been done well, if that makes any sense. Sometimes hard to tell from pictures. I'd have to lose the tall lift blocks out back. Don't like. I'd at least want enough spring to get them down to 2" max.
Not sure you'd be able to cut the coils out and reuse that axle with Chris's leaf system. He's the best person to ask.

The van itself looks to be in very good shape, for any age really. I thought I did read in there somewhere that the brakes and what-not had been gone through, at least up front.

If it were me I'd run some numbers on the cost of 2WD version of that van, plus what it would take to do a Ujoint conversion, and see how they compare. I'm willing to bet the one you're looking at comes out cheaper. If I thought the Colorado van might be the way to go then I'd consider if it was worth the potential loss of a round trip ticket to go check it out and drive it. No way I'd buy it sight unseen, pretty pictures or no. Drivability is the key issue here I think.

I did my own ujoint and even then it isn't cheap. I'm not sure what Chris charges to do a complete conversion but I seriously doubt it will be comparable to what you're looking at, but...the guy does world class work and it shows.

Let us know how you go.
 

DocWhiskey

Observer
"Everything new" but they only list a replaced transmission and the associated 4x4 stuff. So, engine, axle, brakes, hoses, etc. aren't "new" at all are they?

Looks cool enough, but if a Ujoint van is your goal you'd be doing yourself a disservice by not doing that particular conversion to begin with. You'd be pulling the existing components off to add Chris's stuff. Better to just buy a Ujoint van or get a 2wd van and convert that.

The listing reports that the brakes and associated lines have been gone through, although the axle may not have been rebuilt completely but was taken from a relatively low mileage F250. I don't have a problem performing regular maintenance on the van once it's in my hands but the major fab work associated with the conversion is currently out of my reach due to a recent move. One of the reasons this particular van is an attractive option is the low price point and the fact that the hard parts are already there. It has the shafts, the transfer case, the axle, and the gas tank is shortened. I do agree that it would be ideal to find a good van and have U Joint handle the conversion but money becomes a factor for sure, as well as time.
 

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