DIY campervan project vs 2001 Ford E350 7.3 diesel V8??

[evy]

Ok so I'm getting close, my plans are getting clearer but I need a vehicle to get the ball rolling, I was thinking something recent like a 2011 model or maybe 2009 at worst but I just came across this thing and I wanted to get your expert's opinion on the subject.

For sale is a 2001 Ford E-350 V8 7.3L power stroke turbo diesel with 130 000miles on it + raised roof is already installed + crew cab + rear A/C + little bit of rust starting to show on bottom side panels + seams to run ok (I'm no expert).

I'm getting it inspected very soon and probably carfaxed.

Is this a good base vehicle for my project??
I did do some research and found a lot of good things about the 7.3L vs the 6.0, very reliable and lots of torque. also heard about a 16mpg average (city+hwy).

The seller is asking 4500$ but I think we have room for negotiations.

[jjrai]

I think the diesel gives this van real promise. It is not a lot of miles for that engine, but get the CarFax. Even if you have to fix some things, it will be way less than any other diesel B. let us know how it turns out.

[eric1514]

I would be looking for a low mileage 5 cyl MB Sprinter. MPG is top on my list when I go RV shopping.

[J_R2]

We have a 03 7.3 diesel chatue club wagon. It has 138,00 on it. Ordered and took delivery oct 2002. Not problem 1. Great engine. I do question the V8 emblem over the front tire. Not on the 03 powerstroke. Also second battery under side door, mounted on frame.

[stan909]

If rust isn't too bad that looks like a good deal. You will save a lot of money and hassle with the top already on it.Be sure to lay underneath to inspect it and maybe take someone with to temper your excitement. Good luck.

[Arizona_Kid]

Something to consider. It's going to be REAL noisy in the cab, with that Diesel engine right next to you under the dog house, hot too.

[Golden_HVAC]

I think that $4,500 is a reasonable price for a 7.3L equipped E-350. The high roof helps your conversion plans too. If you spend $150 to have someone inspect it, I would not bother trying to tell the owner it is not worth 4,500 but only 4,000 or so. You might as well just give him the asking price.

I have been watching a 7.3L equipped E-450 shuttle van for sale on Craigslist. I guess that most people do not want a 2003 van, or it should have sold sooner. Or the asking price is to high.

There is a member of Rv.net who said his 7.3L E-350 engine failed at around 550,000 miles, so I don't think that anything under 200,000 miles is subject to failure at this point.

Have fun with your project.

Also check out this site. Tank-Depot.com

Do you plan on installing a extra battery? In the 7.3L trucks, there are already two batteries under the hood required to warm up the glow plugs then start the high compression engine. If you want to store the extra battery inside the van, then you can buy a sealed AGM battery - because it will not give off hydrogen. Then use a relay to run a charge line to it while the engine is running.

In my motorhome I used a 12 volt power source to run my battery relay from the "Radio" circuit, it is only on when the key is on ACC or run position. A 30 amp "Fog light relay" would be strong enough, even though you might have more than 30 amps going through it sometime, when you turn it off, usually less than 10 amps will be going through it, and it will last for years. #8 wire is rated at about 40 amps and will have much less voltage loss than a #10 wire. Smaller wire might not handled all the loads and still charge the battery correctly.

I would also suggest that you "Splurge" on a Fantastic fan. They will provide a lot of fresh air, and with a Maxx air cover, you can leave it open in the rain too.

Fred.