Thanks for the tips and techniques over the years. Good luck on the E-350 build: that was something high on my interest list before deciding on my Sprinter. So I’m excited to see how you maximize and multi-purpose the smaller interior, and then what special place it takes you! Cheers!
I agree with the other comments saying that ducking and crawling around in low-roof vehicles is no fun, compared to having the high roof van. Did low-roof options for years and I can't go back, and my spine is happy. For work, weather, comfort, travel, and security, I'm sticking with the high roof.
But they can’t make the doors taller, can they? Opening up the back barn doors on a high roof van and loading in full sheets of plywood or any other cargo without having to duck is amazing for my back.
E350 extended here. No lift or 4wd yet, but my stock 5.7 rwd is still quite capable. I get some crazy looks from the Tacoma people 15 miles back down the forest service roads I frequent. You know what I don't see back there? Sprinters, Transits, and Promasters.
Yea, that's pretty much the only reason I got a high-roof van at all. I'm 6'3" and it's incredible to have a vehicle I can fully stand up in for work, recreation, travel, etc. Makes me smile every time I stand up.
1. Great Tour. I love your channel. 2. I agree with your conclusions about the quality of the previous build. The previous owner was definitely thinking like an engineer on his build and did take really good care of your new van, which is very similar to my first van that I built out. 3. I suggest you consider a layout more similar to a square drop on this build, and mainly because you're tall, and the only way to comfortably sleep you in this van would be a north-south configuration. So, put the bed in front, behind the cockpit, using quilted curtains to divide the cockpit from the sleeping compartment. Include a wardrobe and cabinet with reading lights and charging ports over the head of the bed, which will orient to the south of the sleeping on a partition wall that will house all the plumbing and electrical. Include a passthrough to hand food and drinks from the galley to the sleeping compartment. The partition wall should rest over your rear axle. It will have your electrical system and battery storage directly behind the lower headboard, which will double as the cover panel to hide the electrical system. The upper head board will have a plexiglass, sliding passthrough window to pass things from the sleeping compartment to the galley. Behind the electrical compartment, using a plexiglass divider, which could be lit with an LED strip for nice lighting for maintenance, you'll have the water tank, pump, water heating system, putting the bulk of your carry weight over the axle, and low to the frame for stability. In the back, you divide the space for a galley, garage, and shower. You won't have more than a couple feet to run any cables or plumbing lines, it will be ideal weight distribution, and with a bit of minimalist sensibility, like you have, it can be epic. The hard reality is that your bed will need to sit on a minimal work on the floor of the van for you to have enough headroom, but it is a built akin to the features in a teardrop trailer, without the inconvenience of having to tow a trailer, essentially. Also, if you use a projector, having the screen cover your curtain dividing the driving compartment from the sleeping compartment really works well. If I ever do another van build on anything other than a hightop, I would still use this configuration. You camp differently, when you have to go outside to stand up straight. I know you know this, being in the nomad community for as many years as you have, thus far.
Welcome to the E-series life, my friend! I'm excited for you and to watch this next build. We converted a 19ft V10 Ford Starflyte using so many of your choices, 8020 framing, all electric, identical plumbing haha. We did a DIY 4x4 conversion from a donor F350 and you can't beat having a solid front axle with the weight of a van. You won't regret it!
Having camper converted a 1973 Ford Econoline, long ago...a very similar sized van to what you have there...there is no way that I would "VanLife" in a low roof...hunching over all the time is so exhausting that camping is just not feasible for an extended time. While this vehicle is very suitable for 4 x 4 conversion...you've got to decide whether you are "off roading" or camping in your vehicle...they are not compatible unless you bring a tent. I've now got a medium roof Ford Transit with AWD and it covers nearly all of the "off road" forestry road situations I encounter in accessing the back country. But, having said that, I look forward to what you do with this new rig!
The AC not working is likely due to a worn out coupler in the vacuum tubing in a hard to reach location towards the bottom of the engine on the passenger side. They make bypass kits that mount under the passenger dash for a convenient fix.
The bed beside the counter means you can sit down to cook, and not have headroom issues. The channel Foresty Forest has him driving his 4WD Chevy van into the mountains to camp, and it does what you envision.
It looks like you do excellent van build outs. That said I see you live on and in a very nice home. So you're geared to camping and RVing not to folks that have few options but to live in a van. For you van life is different than for those with far less money.
I just started building out the smallest size U-Haul 10' Box truck. It is 19' long overall inside dimensions of the box are 9'11" x 6'3" x 6'1" (LxWxH) and I plan to make an aero shaped cargo box over the cab for more storeage and hopefully help with mpg, and wind noise. I've not fully decided yet if I'm just going to make a foamcore fibreglass shell for it or modify the existing box for more departure angle. Add 4x4 drive and lift etc. Also on one of my son's box truck camper builds we used RV lower storage doors to cover 12" x 24" RV slider windows, which keep stealth when wanted and when in a proper campsite serve as awnings over the windows.
Just finishing up a conversion on a super solid 1993 E250. Cut the roof off at the first roof crossmember just above the driver and passenger seat Found an 8 foot camper shell and molded it on top giving the van 6 foot 1 inch of head room. The camper shell has long windows that open and offer great light and ventalation. Using another camper shell I cut panels and formed an aerodynamic front that also give tons of overhead storage. Finishing up the solar and a complete engine rebuild and it should be ready to go. Oh, I didn't mention, it has 4 less cylinders than your van, but the 4.9 engine is what I was searching for. It's not only economical, but perhaps one of the toughest engines ever built. Good luck on the build. I'm certain it'll be great.
The guy that owned it before used Dicor for sealing the holes in the roof, which is prexactly what RV manufacturers use. Definitely a strong build. That V-10 is an extremely strong engine for a SWB van. I think your plan is awesome and I know you do good work. It's a bit hard to envision how off road you'll be going, but your MB seems quite capable, and would be even more capable off road without the side steps. Regardless, why not build another van? --- you obviously enjoy it and so do we.
Completed the U-Joint Offroad DIY conversion a year ago on my 03 E450. Kit was very complete and pretty straight forward; I was most blown away by how much better it drove post conversion than stock. Highly recommend their kit for the 4x4 swap! Looking forward to watching the progress.
@@seven_o_savageit will serve you Well to look in to TTB-based conversions for The MOST off-road capable E-series. The folks that advocate TTB are the ones using the van on Very challenging off-road. Watch some Chris Ridgeway ….
I'm not sure if this is something you've already considered, but you could get a fiberglass topper to make more vertical space. There are a few companies that make them now, Fiberine is the first one that comes to mind but I know more have been popping up lately as converting these vans has become more popular. Super excited to see this build
I like the new hair cut! The V10 is a 500K motor and almost never has any issues at all. I put 170K on my V10 E350 and it had a lot of life left in it. Good choice! Not great MPG though.
Sweet van and thats a really nice interior for a basic build for the reasons you described. People will mock the owner but I've done builds like this before and they make alot of sense. For a few hundred $ you can be on the road in 2 weeks instead of a build of months costing tens of thousands of $.
Cargo trailers are NOT insulated. They are typically not well made. Some of the more expensive ones are VERY nice. Look for CarMate or similar higher end brand. Also, look for one piece aluminum roof (no fasteners visible)
Excited to watch this one! I’m in a similar sized Chevy express. The low roof can be frustrating , but having 4WD and a lift is just cool as all hell 😁
For a low roof van I wouldn't bother making it a "live in" van; I would make it a "live out" van and put the kitchen and other features in a way that moves outside the van when camped. Just use the van to sleep in. A kitchen that slides out of the back on a shelf would be an idea.
I am absolutely stoked to see these videos, no joke I just bought a V10 e350 extended am currently stripping it right now and getting it ready for the sub floor. Can't wait to see how you use the space
Exciting to see where this builds goes. I purchased a used 130” Transit Quigley, it’s a mid height. The short wheelbase and 4x4 gets me to where I want to be in the back country. Went with the 3.7 v6. Less than $50k. Good luck!!
First, I’d like to say thank you for your Channel. I learned a ton! Thank you! I think your vision is an understandably romantic (and potentially expensive) one: Go deep, Rambo! Disappear! Cool! And I cut my teeth off-roading and camping in a used 2004 Nissan Xterra with 230,000 miles. Loved it! And I also strongly considered doing what you’re doing. But when I finally pulled the trigger on a new MB 144 WB, 4 X 4 high-roof, Sprinter; I was ecstatic! I can actually STAND in my van! (that was a WOW moment!) I can take a crude shower, I can go #1 in my van, and #2! Privately! I can put in a nice fridge, bring toys, create some heat and cooling. Power systems. I can make a cup of coffee, INSIDE! So the question I think becomes, what do you really wanna do? Do you want it to be the the journey and bounce off the granite rocks by employing fully articulated kamikaze-style offroading? Or do you want it to be deploying some good engineering and also have some fun while getting to the cool destination-and also be comfortable when you get there? And so, being in in both new world and old world vehicles, I must most politely disagree with your proposal that your project is the future of Van life. And except for those who have upgraded to van compass 4.3 or better, I found this Sprinter to be incredibly intelligent and agile, floating over deep ruts and such, especially compared to my 20 year-old 4 x 4 Xterra technology that would kick and buck like an angry mule over the same, with me and my pax getting bounced and whipped over every rut or rock while also repeatedly finding the stops of the suspension. And YOU have the benefit of being able to do a lot of work yourself, but most would have to spend a lot of money to replicate 20 years of technological improvements into an older vehicle, narrowing the value gap. The reason the-high roof 4 x 4 Sprinters are so popular, IMHO is that, they are SO capable, and comfy…and it kind of…sucks to camp in a truck, unless that’s what you really wanna do. And that’s not for me anymore. Won’t go back. And I think the same for most, at the end of the day, romantic visions aside. Well, you’re going to build the coolest and most capable beast, that’s for sure. And it’s going to be fun to watch! And thank you again for sharing all of your knowledge. That continues to be very helpful in my continuing journey to my destination.
I can’t help thinking how someone else might have bought that van to actually live in or travel in and would have loved the beautiful build. And you are like a house flipper. Vans are so hard to come by because of people like you. But have fun with your build.
I am in the middle of a E350 conversion myself. I looked for damn near 9 years before I found mine 2009 shorty diesel low milage van. Found a unicorn with only 35K miles. My van is having the pop top done as we speak I took it to Colorado Camper Vans make sure you check out their tops if you decide to go that route. adds only 12 inches to stock height but when stopped will pop up 42".
You should have considered a 21' Chinook RV or any of the E350 van based Born Free, Coachman. These little tanks are compact enough to travel out back and offer a little more space over the van footprint. UJoint off road and Weldtech have done quite a few. Check online. The V10 has some ignition and injector issues be sure you do a full service before you start spending At your milage plugs, coils, Fuel injectors PCV setup need to have been replaced. Check for oil leaks around the motor. They are great workhorses but pricey if they have an issue on the road. Have a blast with your build. Great platform
Congratulations. This looks exactly like a build. I did in a Ford camper van, but it was only an E150 or I would’ve kept it. But I’m gonna have to go with the tall roof at least pop up. That’s why I sold it and I’ve been in my RV for five years.🎉
4 and 9 might be related on the van problems, a vacuum leak, if it has a vacuum tank, its usually plastic, my old volvo had a white plastic one and i had to change the hose going to it
Looking forward to seeing your build on this. Something you might want to consider, seeing that you’re already planning on radical chassis mods. I have a 2004 E250 Regent handicap conversion originally. The cargo floor in front of the rear wheel wells was dropped 6” from the conversion factory. This required a 2” body lift. The extra 6” headroom makes a huge difference compared to my standard height E350 Good luck on the build👍Tony B
I can't wait to see what you do with this van. We have a 1992 version of this. The down side of these vans is you can't stand up in them so it can be a little hard on a 53 year old back.
Chevy Express/Savanna are also excellent vans from that era (~2005 gen)! I have a V8/6.0l that I'm converting at the moment. Besides the horrible paint issue, it's a fantastic van that runs flawlessly.
I look forward to this. Loss of AC issue, check that the air plenum vacuum reservoir is working correctly. It may be switching from vents to the floor or defrost for vacuum loss … if it is all electronic … you may need to do other tests. I use to be Ford master certified but vehicles change and I am retired. Your approach sounds nice, game plan. I like luxury but it is out of my reach.
Just an FYI from someone with an Econoline van with a Triton engine. 140K miles is nothing for those engines. My van is at 220K and going very strong. I had a friend that used these vans in his delivery business (all with Triton engines) and he routinely drove them to 350K with no big issues (same transmission, same engine). My van had to be towed once and the truck that towed me home had the same V10 engine in it - original - with 460K miles on it. And that was hard working miles. I've also found those engines to be very affordable for parts, and pretty darn easy to work on. When you remove the dog house you have pretty great access compared to something like a truck.
New Jersey Outdoors adventure has a sweet Ford E-series 4x4 camper van with the higher room....his is sick! Not everyone needs a van that can get so far off road, I'm a traveling nurse and spend 95% of my time on the pavement with my Ram ProMaster.
You’re going to want to R&R the drip rail (aka Gutter) sealant. I can see signs that will Def reveal rust underneath. Third brake light also Highly likely to have rust in ‘pocket’. These are Completely NORMAL issues.
I assume you will be having U-Joint Offroad do the 4x4 conversion OR at least buy their DIY complete kit/s. North Carolina for DIY or Colorado for closer install. That's the plan for my custom E350 after years of research.
Goodluck! The V10 is a great motor. Had a Jayco with it. Your triad makes alot of sense. We just lived for a month in France in a van. You should try it. Incredible! Overnight parking, literally everywhere (well within reason) is no problem!
Seems very true that the camping scene has become very saturated. I have never even tried it with an RV or car camping with a tent. The idea appeals to me as a suitable way to visit Yukon and Alaska, and suits my hobby of RC drone and airplane flying I'd rather do in wilderness with no one around. But everywhere I look here in southern BC is jammed up with vans and RVs. Getting official campsites seems to be a pita. Maybe I remain an AirBNB traveller, but I am considering a Tune pop up camper for my pickup. I totally respect folks choosing to camp this way and make their adventures happen though. Your builds look GREAT
i know high roof vans are ridiculously expensive (especially now that vanlife has become so popular) but low roof vans unfortunately just have a kidnapper vibe that's hard to overcome
I like it! Are you doing a Quigley conversion? I’d definitely do some sort of pop top or fiberglass hardtop. It would drive me nuts to never be able to stand up in it. Can’t wait to see you take this off road some day
As badass as some of those old Ford quigley builds are I think they give up way too much for “best off road capability”. You see what guys like Chad at LTVL are doing on RUclips in a high roof sprinter build and he’s getting way out there into the backcountry with great success and no sacrifices in comforts. Still looking forward to the build series even tho I’d never leave the new sprinter platform 🤙🏽
Wahooo! A new seven o savage video. I own an e150 swb van that is a conyinous work in orogress. I'm looking forward to seeinh what you do with this van.
Really excited for your new build! Just curious, what do you think are the biggest limiting factors for doing more serious off-roading in your Sprinter compared to what you have planned for the E-Series? Do you feel like your current Sprinter is maxed out for offroad before very drastic changes needing to be made to it? Was it the long wheelbase/size? Livingthevanlife's build is nuts, I know something like a built Jeep would be more capable, but I can't imagine going harder in a van than he does. Looking forward to following along your build!
If you just want to get into van life cheap E series vans are a great place to start. If you don't have the money or need for expensive builds I believe E150s and 250s are great. Most have the 4.6 engine which are pretty much bullet proof. I have two vans both with over 200,000 miles.
alright for weekend get aways for young people but any longer u gotta be able to stand up... done it in the past and will never go back... I have the same chev van but built a custom hightop that suit my needs. I don't know about V10 engines but people in these parts like diesel engines for the torque they offer.
Nice! I’d get rid of the propane. With a bit of lithium there’s no need for it these days. If it’s well insulated, you can probably get away with electric heating especially if you have a heat pump (ie not resistive heating which is very wasteful in terms of energy)
Take your van to portland - northwest quadvan. Bomber 4wd. Get true-trac lockers. BTW we have this setup - swing by if you want to see it we live in Meyers.
I had the preview of this video on my YT, and literally said "who is this guy and why is YT recommending me him" And it was Seven O Savage.... without hair, and with another van..
Nice dude. Been watching your content before but it wasnt very relevant for me - I chose a 2009 E350 Ford. I'm stoked to see what you do, I'm 3 weeks in to full time van life and I need ideas how to finish my build. I took off without much build. Ford never put the troublesome 3 valve engines in their e models. Praise the sun
Congrats on finding the E-350 unicorn! It will make one special build. But I want to ask, as far as your “vision” is concerned, how is this going to be different from what Sportsmobile builds? They’re a great company that has been around for a while. And in fairness they do make great off-road vans on this platform. I wish you well on your upcoming build just be careful not to sound like you are making something that hasn’t been made before. Peace!✌️
I assume Mitsubishi Delica's are rare there? Because that's the go to here in Australia if you want a proper 4x4 van. Basically don't have to do anything other then maybe a bash plate and a small lift.
Pop top Ala Sportsmobile? I’ll be interested to se how you do the 4x4 conversion. Quigley told me they don’t convert vans over a a few years old. Looking forward to the videos. Agree with everything you mentioned on camping. What are we going to do when everyone has what you describe though? Too many people everywhere. I guess there’s always Mexico and Canada.
Propane tank looks dangerous. It should be in a sealed box with a vent that goes downward and outside the vehicle so all fumes exit only to the outside. Ideally it should be mounted outside the vehicle.
Ha that is more in your head. Millions of people tent camp in bear country every year in US/Can.Tent camping is absolutely normal in bear country. Van camping is just a heckuva lot more comfortable.
The flagship for where you are headed is Sportsmobile. Watch a lot of their videos because they’ve been turnkeying these for 20+ years. I had three FORD e vans , a 2000ish E250 cargo 460V8, an E150 window straight 6 three speed on the floor, and my favorite, an E250 extended body window van which I thing was a 351v8 automatic. All were very good trucks, nothing like a sprinter or transit in terms of space. So are you selling the sprinter?
Thanks for the tips and techniques over the years. Good luck on the E-350 build: that was something high on my interest list before deciding on my Sprinter. So I’m excited to see how you maximize and multi-purpose the smaller interior, and then what special place it takes you! Cheers!
WOW. thank you SO MUCH!!! Woke up after a long travel day to this and am immediately so stoked. Really appreciate it!!
Classy 👍
I agree with the other comments saying that ducking and crawling around in low-roof vehicles is no fun, compared to having the high roof van. Did low-roof options for years and I can't go back, and my spine is happy. For work, weather, comfort, travel, and security, I'm sticking with the high roof.
A company in Utah will put a high roof on them for about $6,000ish.
But they can’t make the doors taller, can they? Opening up the back barn doors on a high roof van and loading in full sheets of plywood or any other cargo without having to duck is amazing for my back.
@@jonmustang good question. I have seen vans for the disabled that go all the way up BUT probably not at the $6,000 price.
E350 extended here. No lift or 4wd yet, but my stock 5.7 rwd is still quite capable. I get some crazy looks from the Tacoma people 15 miles back down the forest service roads I frequent. You know what I don't see back there? Sprinters, Transits, and Promasters.
There are many low-profile / pop-top options to consider. I've had many van configs, and I Love being able to stand up once I'm parked.
Yea, that's pretty much the only reason I got a high-roof van at all. I'm 6'3" and it's incredible to have a vehicle I can fully stand up in for work, recreation, travel, etc. Makes me smile every time I stand up.
1. Great Tour. I love your channel.
2. I agree with your conclusions about the quality of the previous build. The previous owner was definitely thinking like an engineer on his build and did take really good care of your new van, which is very similar to my first van that I built out.
3. I suggest you consider a layout more similar to a square drop on this build, and mainly because you're tall, and the only way to comfortably sleep you in this van would be a north-south configuration. So, put the bed in front, behind the cockpit, using quilted curtains to divide the cockpit from the sleeping compartment. Include a wardrobe and cabinet with reading lights and charging ports over the head of the bed, which will orient to the south of the sleeping on a partition wall that will house all the plumbing and electrical. Include a passthrough to hand food and drinks from the galley to the sleeping compartment.
The partition wall should rest over your rear axle. It will have your electrical system and battery storage directly behind the lower headboard, which will double as the cover panel to hide the electrical system. The upper head board will have a plexiglass, sliding passthrough window to pass things from the sleeping compartment to the galley. Behind the electrical compartment, using a plexiglass divider, which could be lit with an LED strip for nice lighting for maintenance, you'll have the water tank, pump, water heating system, putting the bulk of your carry weight over the axle, and low to the frame for stability.
In the back, you divide the space for a galley, garage, and shower. You won't have more than a couple feet to run any cables or plumbing lines, it will be ideal weight distribution, and with a bit of minimalist sensibility, like you have, it can be epic. The hard reality is that your bed will need to sit on a minimal work on the floor of the van for you to have enough headroom, but it is a built akin to the features in a teardrop trailer, without the inconvenience of having to tow a trailer, essentially. Also, if you use a projector, having the screen cover your curtain dividing the driving compartment from the sleeping compartment really works well. If I ever do another van build on anything other than a hightop, I would still use this configuration. You camp differently, when you have to go outside to stand up straight. I know you know this, being in the nomad community for as many years as you have, thus far.
Welcome to the E-series life, my friend! I'm excited for you and to watch this next build. We converted a 19ft V10 Ford Starflyte using so many of your choices, 8020 framing, all electric, identical plumbing haha. We did a DIY 4x4 conversion from a donor F350 and you can't beat having a solid front axle with the weight of a van. You won't regret it!
Nice! I’m currently building out a completely gutted Airstream B190 (1993 E30 chassis)
Having camper converted a 1973 Ford Econoline, long ago...a very similar sized van to what you have there...there is no way that I would "VanLife" in a low roof...hunching over all the time is so exhausting that camping is just not feasible for an extended time. While this vehicle is very suitable for 4 x 4 conversion...you've got to decide whether you are "off roading" or camping in your vehicle...they are not compatible unless you bring a tent. I've now got a medium roof Ford Transit with AWD and it covers nearly all of the "off road" forestry road situations I encounter in accessing the back country. But, having said that, I look forward to what you do with this new rig!
The AC not working is likely due to a worn out coupler in the vacuum tubing in a hard to reach location towards the bottom of the engine on the passenger side. They make bypass kits that mount under the passenger dash for a convenient fix.
The bed beside the counter means you can sit down to cook, and not have headroom issues. The channel Foresty Forest has him driving his 4WD Chevy van into the mountains to camp, and it does what you envision.
FJB van! 😂 Smart guy. No wonder the van was so well done on the engineering. 👍
Looking Forward to seeing your build. Build it the way you need it, not what we want to see.
It looks like you do excellent van build outs. That said I see you live on and in a very nice home. So you're geared to camping and RVing not to folks that have few options but to live in a van. For you van life is different than for those with far less money.
I just started building out the smallest size U-Haul 10' Box truck. It is 19' long overall inside dimensions of the box are 9'11" x 6'3" x 6'1" (LxWxH) and I plan to make an aero shaped cargo box over the cab for more storeage and hopefully help with mpg, and wind noise. I've not fully decided yet if I'm just going to make a foamcore fibreglass shell for it or modify the existing box for more departure angle. Add 4x4 drive and lift etc. Also on one of my son's box truck camper builds we used RV lower storage doors to cover 12" x 24" RV slider windows, which keep stealth when wanted and when in a proper campsite serve as awnings over the windows.
I’m a OG “Vanlifer”, doing the dirty, since the late 80’s . Low tops are Very uncomfortable for full timers…
Just finishing up a conversion on a super solid 1993 E250. Cut the roof off at the first roof crossmember just above the driver and passenger seat Found an 8 foot camper shell and molded it on top giving the van 6 foot 1 inch of head room. The camper shell has long windows that open and offer great light and ventalation. Using another camper shell I cut panels and formed an aerodynamic front that also give tons of overhead storage. Finishing up the solar and a complete engine rebuild and it should be ready to go. Oh, I didn't mention, it has 4 less cylinders than your van, but the 4.9 engine is what I was searching for. It's not only economical, but perhaps one of the toughest engines ever built. Good luck on the build. I'm certain it'll be great.
Would love to see the pictures of how you raise the roof✅✅✅✅
Tried to send photos again, but it wants a valid email to send them.
The guy that owned it before used Dicor for sealing the holes in the roof, which is prexactly what RV manufacturers use. Definitely a strong build. That V-10 is an extremely strong engine for a SWB van. I think your plan is awesome and I know you do good work. It's a bit hard to envision how off road you'll be going, but your MB seems quite capable, and would be even more capable off road without the side steps. Regardless, why not build another van? --- you obviously enjoy it and so do we.
Completed the U-Joint Offroad DIY conversion a year ago on my 03 E450. Kit was very complete and pretty straight forward; I was most blown away by how much better it drove post conversion than stock. Highly recommend their kit for the 4x4 swap! Looking forward to watching the progress.
Great to hear!
@@seven_o_savageit will serve you Well to look in to TTB-based conversions for The MOST off-road capable E-series. The folks that advocate TTB are the ones using the van on Very challenging off-road. Watch some Chris Ridgeway ….
I'm not sure if this is something you've already considered, but you could get a fiberglass topper to make more vertical space. There are a few companies that make them now, Fiberine is the first one that comes to mind but I know more have been popping up lately as converting these vans has become more popular. Super excited to see this build
What a great van build. I'm looking forward to seeing the process from start to finish. Blessings on your efforts!
I like the new hair cut! The V10 is a 500K motor and almost never has any issues at all. I put 170K on my V10 E350 and it had a lot of life left in it. Good choice! Not great MPG though.
Did Vanlife full time for 3 years and the only way I'd ever get back into is with something like what you bought. Good luck!
Looking forward to seeing how this build turns out since I have a 2009 Ford Econoline van as well!
Sweet van and thats a really nice interior for a basic build for the reasons you described.
People will mock the owner but I've done builds like this before and they make alot of sense.
For a few hundred $ you can be on the road in 2 weeks instead of a build of months costing tens of thousands of $.
This will be a fun journey. Looking forward to it. We've been driving the Ford Econoline and Chevy Express vans for years. Great vans.
New to the channel, I’m so excited for this and can’t wait what you are going to do with this van. Your ideas sound amazing. Glad I found this channel
Love my U-Joint van! I could not believe how much better it handles than a stock Econoline.
I completely agree, I spent the last 6 months working on my 3500 Promaster conversion. I realized my next Van build would be a mini me
Vanlife eventually evolves into conversion cargo trailer life since they are bigger, cheaper, and more insulated.
Cargo trailers are NOT insulated. They are typically not well made. Some of the more expensive ones are VERY nice. Look for CarMate or similar higher end brand. Also, look for one piece aluminum roof (no fasteners visible)
Excited to watch this one! I’m in a similar sized Chevy express. The low roof can be frustrating , but having 4WD and a lift is just cool as all hell 😁
I'm excited to see what cool ideas you implement in this build.
For a low roof van I wouldn't bother making it a "live in" van; I would make it a "live out" van and put the kitchen and other features in a way that moves outside the van when camped. Just use the van to sleep in. A kitchen that slides out of the back on a shelf would be an idea.
I am absolutely stoked to see these videos, no joke I just bought a V10 e350 extended am currently stripping it right now and getting it ready for the sub floor. Can't wait to see how you use the space
Exciting to see where this builds goes. I purchased a used 130” Transit Quigley, it’s a mid height. The short wheelbase and 4x4 gets me to where I want to be in the back country. Went with the 3.7 v6. Less than $50k. Good luck!!
Awesome, I can't wait to see what you do with this. I have a 98 e350 with the v10 and quigley 4x4 conversion.
First, I’d like to say thank you for your Channel. I learned a ton! Thank you!
I think your vision is an understandably romantic (and potentially expensive) one: Go deep, Rambo! Disappear! Cool!
And I cut my teeth off-roading and camping in a used 2004 Nissan Xterra with 230,000 miles. Loved it! And I also strongly considered doing what you’re doing. But when I finally pulled the trigger on a new MB 144 WB, 4 X 4 high-roof, Sprinter; I was ecstatic! I can actually STAND in my van! (that was a WOW moment!) I can take a crude shower, I can go #1 in my van, and #2! Privately! I can put in a nice fridge, bring toys, create some heat and cooling. Power systems. I can make a cup of coffee, INSIDE!
So the question I think becomes, what do you really wanna do? Do you want it to be the the journey and bounce off the granite rocks by employing fully articulated kamikaze-style offroading? Or do you want it to be deploying some good engineering and also have some fun while getting to the cool destination-and also be comfortable when you get there?
And so, being in in both new world and old world vehicles, I must most politely disagree with your proposal that your project is the future of Van life. And except for those who have upgraded to van compass 4.3 or better, I found this Sprinter to be incredibly intelligent and agile, floating over deep ruts and such, especially compared to my 20 year-old 4 x 4 Xterra technology that would kick and buck like an angry mule over the same, with me and my pax getting bounced and whipped over every rut or rock while also repeatedly finding the stops of the suspension. And YOU have the benefit of being able to do a lot of work yourself, but most would have to spend a lot of money to replicate 20 years of technological improvements into an older vehicle, narrowing the value gap.
The reason the-high roof 4 x 4 Sprinters are so popular, IMHO is that, they are SO capable, and comfy…and it kind of…sucks to camp in a truck, unless that’s what you really wanna do. And that’s not for me anymore. Won’t go back. And I think the same for most, at the end of the day, romantic visions aside.
Well, you’re going to build the coolest and most capable beast, that’s for sure. And it’s going to be fun to watch!
And thank you again for sharing all of your knowledge. That continues to be very helpful in my continuing journey to my destination.
I can’t help thinking how someone else might have bought that van to actually live in or travel in and would have loved the beautiful build. And you are like a house flipper. Vans are so hard to come by because of people like you. But have fun with your build.
I am in the middle of a E350 conversion myself. I looked for damn near 9 years before I found mine 2009 shorty diesel low milage van. Found a unicorn with only 35K miles. My van is having the pop top done as we speak I took it to Colorado Camper Vans make sure you check out their tops if you decide to go that route. adds only 12 inches to stock height but when stopped will pop up 42".
You should have considered a 21' Chinook RV or any of the E350 van based Born Free, Coachman.
These little tanks are compact enough to travel out back and offer a little more space over the van footprint.
UJoint off road and Weldtech have done quite a few. Check online.
The V10 has some ignition and injector issues be sure you do a full service before you start spending
At your milage plugs, coils, Fuel injectors PCV setup need to have been replaced.
Check for oil leaks around the motor. They are great workhorses but pricey if they have an issue on the road. Have a blast with your build. Great platform
Just found your channel and it’s really good 👍🏼
Ok, you need to come out to the east coast. 🌻 There are a lot of vehicles out here that are much less expensive.
Congratulations. This looks exactly like a build. I did in a Ford camper van, but it was only an E150 or I would’ve kept it.
But I’m gonna have to go with the tall roof at least pop up.
That’s why I sold it and I’ve been in my RV for five years.🎉
4 and 9 might be related on the van problems, a vacuum leak, if it has a vacuum tank, its usually plastic, my old volvo had a white plastic one and i had to change the hose going to it
This is great. Looking forward to your analysis of pop-top-or-not later in the series. You're so tall! :-)
Gotta do the Ujoint Kit...they have it all figured out..!!😉👍
Looking forward to seeing your build on this. Something you might want to consider, seeing that you’re already planning on radical chassis mods. I have a 2004 E250 Regent handicap conversion originally.
The cargo floor in front of the rear wheel wells was dropped 6” from the conversion factory. This required a 2” body lift. The extra 6” headroom makes a huge difference compared to my standard height E350
Good luck on the build👍Tony B
I can't wait to see what you do with this van. We have a 1992 version of this. The down side of these vans is you can't stand up in them so it can be a little hard on a 53 year old back.
This will be fun to watch…🎉
You gotta convince me it's really you. Last video I saw, you looked ten years older... Glad you are doing a new build.
Chevy Express/Savanna are also excellent vans from that era (~2005 gen)! I have a V8/6.0l that I'm converting at the moment. Besides the horrible paint issue, it's a fantastic van that runs flawlessly.
That’s awesome!
Excited to see this happen. It's gonna be brilliant I'm sure.
I look forward to this. Loss of AC issue, check that the air plenum vacuum reservoir is working correctly. It may be switching from vents to the floor or defrost for vacuum loss … if it is all electronic … you may need to do other tests. I use to be Ford master certified but vehicles change and I am retired. Your approach sounds nice, game plan. I like luxury but it is out of my reach.
Just an FYI from someone with an Econoline van with a Triton engine. 140K miles is nothing for those engines. My van is at 220K and going very strong. I had a friend that used these vans in his delivery business (all with Triton engines) and he routinely drove them to 350K with no big issues (same transmission, same engine). My van had to be towed once and the truck that towed me home had the same V10 engine in it - original - with 460K miles on it. And that was hard working miles. I've also found those engines to be very affordable for parts, and pretty darn easy to work on. When you remove the dog house you have pretty great access compared to something like a truck.
Unless you need to get the heads off...gotta pull the engine.
This guy doesn't live in any type of van. Lives full-time in a house.
New Jersey Outdoors adventure has a sweet Ford E-series 4x4 camper van with the higher room....his is sick! Not everyone needs a van that can get so far off road, I'm a traveling nurse and spend 95% of my time on the pavement with my Ram ProMaster.
You’re going to want to R&R the drip rail (aka Gutter) sealant. I can see signs that will Def reveal rust underneath. Third brake light also Highly likely to have rust in ‘pocket’. These are Completely NORMAL issues.
I assume you will be having U-Joint Offroad do the 4x4 conversion OR at least buy their DIY complete kit/s. North Carolina for DIY or Colorado for closer install.
That's the plan for my custom E350 after years of research.
Goodluck! The V10 is a great motor. Had a Jayco with it. Your triad makes alot of sense. We just lived for a month in France in a van. You should try it. Incredible! Overnight parking, literally everywhere (well within reason) is no problem!
Wow that sounds very cool
Hi, can I ask you what van model you lived in France?
@@luigi3880 From Roadsurfer. Converted Fiat Ducato. It was beautiful!
The fridge might just need a new fuse.
I'll be looking forward to what you do on the build.
I'll be tapping my finger nails until the next video. Thanks for sharing.
Great to see ya back with a new project. 👍✌️Sorry about the hair🤣🤣🤣
Good luck, can’t wait to follow this series.
Great video! I want to see you do an engine upgrade/tuning. All the best,
Seems very true that the camping scene has become very saturated. I have never even tried it with an RV or car camping with a tent. The idea appeals to me as a suitable way to visit Yukon and Alaska, and suits my hobby of RC drone and airplane flying I'd rather do in wilderness with no one around. But everywhere I look here in southern BC is jammed up with vans and RVs. Getting official campsites seems to be a pita. Maybe I remain an AirBNB traveller, but I am considering a Tune pop up camper for my pickup. I totally respect folks choosing to camp this way and make their adventures happen though. Your builds look GREAT
The starting floor layout is cool.
It’s really nice to see more videos from you!
i know high roof vans are ridiculously expensive (especially now that vanlife has become so popular) but low roof vans unfortunately just have a kidnapper vibe that's hard to overcome
I like it! Are you doing a Quigley conversion? I’d definitely do some sort of pop top or fiberglass hardtop. It would drive me nuts to never be able to stand up in it. Can’t wait to see you take this off road some day
I'm building a stealth trailer camper/tiny home. No campground no problem in a pinch. Might get it lifted someday
As badass as some of those old Ford quigley builds are I think they give up way too much for “best off road capability”. You see what guys like Chad at LTVL are doing on RUclips in a high roof sprinter build and he’s getting way out there into the backcountry with great success and no sacrifices in comforts. Still looking forward to the build series even tho I’d never leave the new sprinter platform 🤙🏽
❤ I do agree a hundred percent. But I still love my big Van.
Same!
Wahooo! A new seven o savage video. I own an e150 swb van that is a conyinous work in orogress. I'm looking forward to seeinh what you do with this van.
Interesting and look forward to your Mobile Conversion Magic Touch😎👍
Really excited for your new build!
Just curious, what do you think are the biggest limiting factors for doing more serious off-roading in your Sprinter compared to what you have planned for the E-Series? Do you feel like your current Sprinter is maxed out for offroad before very drastic changes needing to be made to it? Was it the long wheelbase/size? Livingthevanlife's build is nuts, I know something like a built Jeep would be more capable, but I can't imagine going harder in a van than he does.
Looking forward to following along your build!
This build is going to be fun to watch👍😊
If you just want to get into van life cheap E series vans are a great place to start. If you don't have the money or need for expensive builds I believe E150s and 250s are great. Most have the 4.6 engine which are pretty much bullet proof. I have two vans both with over 200,000 miles.
Love it, and strongly agree. Considering doing a budget build on one of these after this project
alright for weekend get aways for young people but any longer u gotta be able to stand up... done it in the past and will never go back... I have the same chev van but built a custom hightop that suit my needs. I don't know about V10 engines but people in these parts like diesel engines for the torque they offer.
Hey check out the hardtop power pop up canvas side tops for those vans .they are really cool and you’re really tall
Nice! I’d get rid of the propane. With a bit of lithium there’s no need for it these days. If it’s well insulated, you can probably get away with electric heating especially if you have a heat pump (ie not resistive heating which is very wasteful in terms of energy)
Sold my 07 E-350 RB Sportsmobile 4x4 pop top to build a 2024 Sprinter 170 AWD
Another build! Let’s gooo! 👍🚐
Do a pop up roor, that can be a second bed on top
I have an e250 that I am building out. What are your roof racks??? I need to replace my ladder rack.
Take your van to portland - northwest quadvan. Bomber 4wd. Get true-trac lockers. BTW we have this setup - swing by if you want to see it we live in Meyers.
I had the preview of this video on my YT, and literally said "who is this guy and why is YT recommending me him" And it was Seven O Savage.... without hair, and with another van..
Nice dude. Been watching your content before but it wasnt very relevant for me - I chose a 2009 E350 Ford. I'm stoked to see what you do, I'm 3 weeks in to full time van life and I need ideas how to finish my build. I took off without much build.
Ford never put the troublesome 3 valve engines in their e models. Praise the sun
Congrats on finding the E-350 unicorn! It will make one special build. But I want to ask, as far as your “vision” is concerned, how is this going to be different from what Sportsmobile builds? They’re a great company that has been around for a while. And in fairness they do make great off-road vans on this platform. I wish you well on your upcoming build just be careful not to sound like you are making something that hasn’t been made before. Peace!✌️
There's a company, I think in Fresno that does hi roof mods, it may be worth doing!
I assume Mitsubishi Delica's are rare there? Because that's the go to here in Australia if you want a proper 4x4 van. Basically don't have to do anything other then maybe a bash plate and a small lift.
Seven you should watch Primal Outdoors. Jason drives a converted Ford van.
Yes, another 4x4 van build.🎉
Hope you’re doing a tour with Chad from LivingTheVanlife and his Sprinter 😂
Pop top Ala Sportsmobile?
I’ll be interested to se how you do the 4x4 conversion. Quigley told me they don’t convert vans over a a few years old.
Looking forward to the videos.
Agree with everything you mentioned on camping.
What are we going to do when everyone has what you describe though? Too many people everywhere.
I guess there’s always Mexico and Canada.
One of the 1st Comments indicated Canada has the Same overcrowding problem🤔⁉️
U-Joint Off road specializes in doing new 4x4 conversions to used E350s. Highly rated.
your new to you van reminds me of my olde chevy express which i did van-life out of for two years while trying to move out west from the midwest
Excited for this one!
Ahhh that camping triangle is totally true!! 😅
Cool project,,,, cant wait to see your attention to detail go into this van..... Pop Top !!!
Propane tank looks dangerous. It should be in a sealed box with a vent that goes downward and outside the vehicle so all fumes exit only to the outside. Ideally it should be mounted outside the vehicle.
So looking forward to this❣️
Tent camping isn't realistic in bear country. 4x4 offroad van with a winch is something I plan for the future. The 4x4 conversion is a big job though.
Ha that is more in your head. Millions of people tent camp in bear country every year in US/Can.Tent camping is absolutely normal in bear country. Van camping is just a heckuva lot more comfortable.
The flagship for where you are headed is Sportsmobile. Watch a lot of their videos because they’ve been turnkeying these for 20+ years. I had three FORD e vans , a 2000ish E250 cargo 460V8, an E150 window straight 6 three speed on the floor, and my favorite, an E250 extended body window van which I thing was a 351v8 automatic. All were very good trucks, nothing like a sprinter or transit in terms of space. So are you selling the sprinter?