Conversion Van as a TV

Thanks for the great info and pictures! A van "upfitter" said GM would have to drop-ship the 3500 chassis to them, and then I could customize it any way I wanted. It also turns out I would have the option of a 135" or 155" wheelbase. The standard full-size van is plenty big and the 135" wheelbase is relatively long. Anyone have a longer wheelbase? Would you recommend the extended wheelbase?
(Assume a 32', 7000 lb dry TT)

I see at Halfbackvans.com,, they still live in elkhart.
bumpy

I have a 05 Ford 6.0 Super Duty E350 with a VERY mild conversion pkg. Done to my request by Tuscany. Before anybody says anything bad about the 6.0, yes, I had lots of problems with it but it is now bullet proofed to everything Ford did wrong. It also has the SCT Livewire programmer in it. Before the mods I towed 9,000 plus lbs. of trailer, 38 foot. Last trip was from San Antonio to Ohio and then up to Wisconsin and back. No problem towing the weight or length. Have not towed with it since the repairs and modifications but expect it to do even better. Supposedly you can still get the E350 with the V10, but the van is the only thing you can get it in.

Depends on what platform is used for the conversion, and how heavy the van is when done. A lot of conversions are built on 1/2 ton vans and some are overloaded before you start towing, while others are no heavier than the 12-seat passenger package with dual A/C installed.

An E-350 with V-10 and 4.10 gearing has a GCWR of 18500 pounds. The bare van is close to 6000 pounds (GVWR usually 8800 to 9600 depending on weight options) so that leaves about 2500 for conversion package, passengers, cargo, tongue weight, until you start cutting into the 10,000 pound maximum tow rating, which is basically limited by the frame and hitch.

V-10 with standard gearing cuts you back to 15,000 GVWR, will still leaves you with 9000 maximum tow rating, but now every pound you put into the van cuts into that 9000, starting from empty.

5.4 V-8 puts you at 13,000 GCWR, so that you can tow 7000 pounds with an empty van, or carry something in the neighborhood of 3000 pounds (2800-3600) but not do both at the same time.

Wish you good luck finding a V-10 van, particularly with the 4.10 axle. They were pretty rare, and I don't know that they are making them any more. My dealer told me he couldn't get me one, but I was happy to find the V-8 at a good price.

This is assuming you are looking to find a used cargo van of the right capacity and have a conversion done. Finding a used 1-ton conversion van set up for heavy towing? Chances are slim to none. Most conversions are done on 1/2 ton vans, unless they were built as chair lift vans, then they would use a 3/4 ton or 1-ton to handle the loads from the lift equipment.

Mine has the molded bed liner in the back the runs up under the center sofa bed allowing for full sheets of 4 by 8 plywood to be loaded with the rear doors closed made by Glaval … it is also a 1995 but I do think they stopped building them for a while… they are very hard to find but still out there and still being made new…
Perfect for camping with the divided areas for gear and center sleeping area while away from the destination area, and while towing the trailer and gear to the destination…

I am surprised they didn’t sell more of them, the most common question I am asked is, you wouldn’t want to sell it would you??? I actually have people that want to give a deposit now, for a guaranteed first right of refusal for whenever I decide to sell it (never)…
Selling would be hard to explain to 2 of my 3 sons that want it… the third has one of his own, but he has the 4WD in his…

I went to the Glaval factory in Elkhart to get some information, think it was about towing rating, etc. mine is a 95, the daughter is cleaning it up now to drive. I assumed they shut down?
a great concept. the previous year they had a molded fiberglass floor/sides in the rear. mine is more like a pickup bedliner.
bumpy

Bumpyroad wrote:


gosh, looks familiar, I have one just like it. didn't know they still made them.
bumpy

I was wondering the same thing. My uncle had one many years ago. I love that concept.

JJBIRISH wrote:
I have always used them, love them, tried a Excursion V10 for a season then decided to reactivated the tried and true…

You might look into the Halfback Conversion utility van like I have…







http://halfbackvans.com/

I love this concept. I'm a minivan van guy and can appreciate this design.

Thanks for sharing!

Jeremiah

For comfort, room and economy, At work or play nothing beats my G20 ¾ ton halfback van for camping for over 200,000 miles now and still going strong… the only thing that could be better would be a 1 ton…
Trailer around 7500 empty and just shy of 10,000 loaded for camping… 5.8L 373 rears… heavy duty cooling system, external engine oil cooler, external tranny oil cooler…
















They make great TV…

Most conversion vans are on half-ton chassis because they are people carriers and grocery getters. Because of that MOST conversion vans cannot tow a trailer that size. There may be a few conversion vans built on heavier chassis but they will be hard to find.