Motovan Build

Bressler11
Posts
383
Joined
9/7/2014
Location
Lock Haven, PA US
Edited Date/Time 7/30/2015 6:48pm


Here is my 1997 E150 that I picked up The previous owner said he replaced the motor and Transmission they both seem to be okay, I got the baby to pass inspection using aluminum flashing and some sheet metal screws to cover up the rust holes.

Ironically on my way to the landfill to get rid of the shelves and shit out of the back that this van came with the shelving on the drivers side flopped over. My what a mess that was...


After getting rid of the shelves and all of the electrical shit, I pressure washed it it came out okay.

Here is a picture from the first trip, the van did fine from Statecollege, PA down to snake creek mx in Harrington, DE
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Bressler11
Posts
383
Joined
9/7/2014
Location
Lock Haven, PA US
5/27/2015 5:24am
I have been working on cosmetics slowly


I painted the Bumpers, Grill, And headlight trim Matte Black, and the Patch job with Ford white Spraypaint from the auto parts store, also I removed the ladder rack




Markopolo400
Posts
1377
Joined
7/24/2012
Location
St. Paul-ish, MN US
5/27/2015 5:46am
Looks good! I had a 98 E150 that I daily drove for 4 years. The front looked exactly like yours with the blacked out accents.

The Shop

Bressler11
Posts
383
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9/7/2014
Location
Lock Haven, PA US
5/27/2015 6:54am
Justin345 wrote:
Were you at speed citi 2 weeks ago?
No I was at Miles Mountain in Elkland, Pa I broke a rib Sick

Bressler11
Posts
383
Joined
9/7/2014
Location
Lock Haven, PA US
6/3/2015 8:57am










I have to cut angles off of the top corners of the bed to get it to fold down, but its coming along not really sure how i am going to do the legs on the back rest part when it folds down. And I have a flat tire by the way on my 450 haha

Bressler11
Posts
383
Joined
9/7/2014
Location
Lock Haven, PA US
6/3/2015 8:59am
I am up to about $1300 total invested including the inspection and the purchase of the van
jeffro503
Posts
27442
Joined
7/22/2007
Location
St Helens, OR US
6/3/2015 9:03am
I've owned many , many ford vans. Words of advice , pay attention to the water , fuel and electrical things. Ford vans have a tendency to run warm , mostly from the heat coming off the tranny. You can get an oversized tranny pan which helps. Also keep an eye on water pump , fuel pump , fuel filters ( can NOT stress this enough! ) , alternators and the plugs and wires. I throw on the HD plug wires from an RV on mine because of the extra heat shielding. The extra heat in the motor dept bakes stock wires. Good luck bud!
Bressler11
Posts
383
Joined
9/7/2014
Location
Lock Haven, PA US
6/3/2015 9:11am
Thanks jeffro the dash lights go in and out as they please but I don't really know if I want to dick with it
6/3/2015 11:32am
I would of just walled the van. And put a conversion van seat in it that rolls outs. Wall. Insulate. No smell of gas on the way home.....
6/3/2015 11:34am Edited Date/Time 6/3/2015 11:36am


Put some subs and an amp underneath and you're set.


And also in the event of an accident your tools won't crush your skull...
cwtoyota
Posts
1932
Joined
3/11/2013
Location
Tacoma, WA US
6/3/2015 12:29pm Edited Date/Time 6/3/2015 12:35pm
Seems like with your bed situation you could get a few of those transparent plastic-tote storage boxes and slide them under the bed to keep all of your spares organized.

You can use a few bolts to attach a floor-mount style door stop to that steel framing on the side-walls of the van. If you put them at the correct height, the bed will fold down and sit right on the rubber part of the door stops.
The other way is to use a small piece of rope or steel cable at each corner of the bed, similar to the way a truck tail-gate works.


I have a cheap air-bed and a cheap pump that lives in my van... It leaks down about 10% overnight and kills my back.
Get a piece of good quality foam or a few layers of different density foam. If you have to go with the air-bed, spend a few bucks to get a good quality one and test it at home before you use it at the track.




mark_swart
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2409
Joined
11/2/2011
Location
Chapin, SC US
6/3/2015 4:25pm
Maybe ditch the torn up rubber floor mat and use spray bedliner on the floor?
BAMX
Posts
2841
Joined
1/22/2012
Location
Fallbrook, CA US
6/3/2015 4:48pm
Bressler11 wrote:
Thanks jeffro the dash lights go in and out as they please but I don't really know if I want to dick with it
There are usually pretty good videos on youtube bout dash removal. I hesitated for year on mine but the reality is that once I knew the steps, it took about 5 minutes to get it apart.
Ebs
Posts
838
Joined
6/1/2014
Location
MI US
6/3/2015 4:53pm Edited Date/Time 6/3/2015 4:58pm
Dude, plywood church pew bench seat?

You can find a conversion van bench seats on craigslist for less than you have in materials building that thing. Not knockin' it, just a heads up. Keep on truckin'.

r.sal923
Posts
564
Joined
1/25/2014
Location
CA
6/3/2015 5:00pm Edited Date/Time 6/3/2015 5:04pm
Bressler11 wrote:
[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2015/06/03/93502/s1200_IMG_0661.jpg[/img] [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2015/06/03/93503/s1200_IMG_0662.jpg[/img] [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2015/06/03/93504/s1200_IMG_0663.jpg[/img] [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2015/06/03/93505/s1200_IMG_0664.jpg[/img] [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2015/06/03/93506/s1200_IMG_0665.jpg[/img] I have to cut angles off of the top corners of the bed to get it to fold down, but its...










I have to cut angles off of the top corners of the bed to get it to fold down, but its coming along not really sure how i am going to do the legs on the back rest part when it folds down. And I have a flat tire by the way on my 450 haha



Angle your front wheel and you will get more room. And also make your bed fold forward so you can sleep with your bike in the van.
Olson
Posts
4607
Joined
4/14/2012
Location
SE
6/3/2015 5:05pm
Your seat cover is straight from a porno!
6/3/2015 7:02pm
Paid $45 for my electric van seat. Rigged up a button that pulls from battery to make it go up and down. ....and it's comfy. Works great! Rip that bench seat out....
Jack mehoff
Posts
808
Joined
8/28/2012
Location
Westminster, MD US
6/3/2015 7:10pm
Bressler11 wrote:
[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2015/05/27/92527/s1200_IMG_0389.jpg[/img] Here is my 1997 E150 that I picked up The previous owner said he replaced the motor and Transmission they both seem to be okay...


Here is my 1997 E150 that I picked up The previous owner said he replaced the motor and Transmission they both seem to be okay, I got the baby to pass inspection using aluminum flashing and some sheet metal screws to cover up the rust holes.

Ironically on my way to the landfill to get rid of the shelves and shit out of the back that this van came with the shelving on the drivers side flopped over. My what a mess that was...


After getting rid of the shelves and all of the electrical shit, I pressure washed it it came out okay.

Here is a picture from the first trip, the van did fine from Statecollege, PA down to snake creek mx in Harrington, DE
I don't know how far you are from westminster md , but if you want to drive down I can get you pretty nice build out in a 10 hr day you can pm me if your interested
Jack mehoff
Posts
808
Joined
8/28/2012
Location
Westminster, MD US
6/3/2015 7:16pm
If it is a 5.4 motor you will get 350,000 miles out off it , easy . If it's a 4.6 about 240 k they bolth will loose the oil pump , the over drive switch will go on they 20 $ and pretty easy to change and you need to get a ambulance alternator for it they go about every 100 k miles , also when you do the front end get mooge ball joints etc they have Greece fittings on them
Bressler11
Posts
383
Joined
9/7/2014
Location
Lock Haven, PA US
6/3/2015 8:37pm
Thanks guys, I'm hesitant about taking the rubber mats out because of so many holes in the floor haha. Also the fold down bench has a 6" futon mattress on it
Jack mehoff
Posts
808
Joined
8/28/2012
Location
Westminster, MD US
6/3/2015 8:54pm
Bressler11 wrote:
Thanks guys, I'm hesitant about taking the rubber mats out because of so many holes in the floor haha. Also the fold down bench has a...
Thanks guys, I'm hesitant about taking the rubber mats out because of so many holes in the floor haha. Also the fold down bench has a 6" futon mattress on it
Get a sheet off luan screw it to the floor then get under the van with a tube off RTV silicone caulk all the holes up after that get a couple off cans off rustoleiom black undercoating spray the heck out off it where you filled in and any thing that's starting to rust after you get the luan down get the roll in Berliner kit from Walmart and roll that floor out so it protects the plywood
Vet57
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1794
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12/13/2010
Location
White House, DC US
6/4/2015 3:36am
Wait till you need spark plugs. That's a whole day's adventure....
Bressler11
Posts
383
Joined
9/7/2014
Location
Lock Haven, PA US
6/4/2015 8:53am
Vet57 wrote:
Wait till you need spark plugs. That's a whole day's adventure....
My dad was a service manager for 20 years, he can fuck with it, it they ever need changed
Bressler11
Posts
383
Joined
9/7/2014
Location
Lock Haven, PA US
6/4/2015 8:54am
Ebs wrote:
Dude, plywood church pew bench seat? You can find a conversion van bench seats on craigslist for less than you have in materials building that thing...
Dude, plywood church pew bench seat?

You can find a conversion van bench seats on craigslist for less than you have in materials building that thing. Not knockin' it, just a heads up. Keep on truckin'.

Yeah but i was bored and had the lumber and plywood laying around
Sidecar
Posts
1725
Joined
1/29/2015
Location
GB
6/4/2015 9:54am




Got running water and the gas hob working in my 2008 LWB VW Crafter a couple of weeks ago.
Love working on my van nearly as much as the bikes!!!
Markee
Posts
3544
Joined
4/15/2013
Location
Suffolk, VA US
Fantasy
1941st
6/4/2015 6:00pm
If it is a 5.4 motor you will get 350,000 miles out off it , easy . If it's a 4.6 about 240 k they bolth...
If it is a 5.4 motor you will get 350,000 miles out off it , easy . If it's a 4.6 about 240 k they bolth will loose the oil pump , the over drive switch will go on they 20 $ and pretty easy to change and you need to get a ambulance alternator for it they go about every 100 k miles , also when you do the front end get mooge ball joints etc they have Greece fittings on them
Any idea why a Ford 2003 e 250 brakes would surge and at about 40 MPH would vibrate almost like it had mud terrains? Van I looked at last week was in awesome shape with 170k.
CarlinoJoeVideo
Posts
7358
Joined
11/30/2013
Location
Portland/Los Angeles, CA US
Fantasy
2361st
6/4/2015 6:56pm
If it is a 5.4 motor you will get 350,000 miles out off it , easy . If it's a 4.6 about 240 k they bolth...
If it is a 5.4 motor you will get 350,000 miles out off it , easy . If it's a 4.6 about 240 k they bolth will loose the oil pump , the over drive switch will go on they 20 $ and pretty easy to change and you need to get a ambulance alternator for it they go about every 100 k miles , also when you do the front end get mooge ball joints etc they have Greece fittings on them
Markee wrote:
Any idea why a Ford 2003 e 250 brakes would surge and at about 40 MPH would vibrate almost like it had mud terrains? Van I...
Any idea why a Ford 2003 e 250 brakes would surge and at about 40 MPH would vibrate almost like it had mud terrains? Van I looked at last week was in awesome shape with 170k.
Sounds like your rotors are warped? You can have them cut at an auto shop like Napa or maybe Auto Zone? But sometimes after they are cut they warp back faster. Replacing the rotors might be a better option if that's the problem.
Highsider
Posts
7680
Joined
8/15/2006
Location
Way Toasty, IA US
6/4/2015 7:30pm
Sidecar wrote:
[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2015/06/04/93592/s1200_image.jpg[/img] [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2015/06/04/93593/s1200_image.jpg[/img] Got running water and the gas hob working in my 2008 LWB VW Crafter a couple of weeks ago. Love working on my van...




Got running water and the gas hob working in my 2008 LWB VW Crafter a couple of weeks ago.
Love working on my van nearly as much as the bikes!!!
Looks sweet, but WTF is "gas hob"? Heater? That would be nice!

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