Members W. M. Hellinger Posted June 27, 2010 Members Share Posted June 27, 2010 transit connect as a tour vehicle? You have a seperate thread on that subject. I didn't comment because I have no personal first-hand knowledge of that vehicle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members blkmonday Posted June 27, 2010 Members Share Posted June 27, 2010 if an e350 cargo has to be reg and ins as a commercial in your area..im not sure because im from ct. then go with a conversion van and register it as a passenger vehicle. your looking to use it for shows as a part time vehicle. you would be doing nothing wrong that way. heres a few decent vans worth checking out. it sounds like you are over analyzing the situation..you just need a simple way to comfortably get your band back and forth to a few out of state shows..reliably. take a look at these... this is exactly what i have..same level of of conversion and very comfortablehttp://www.lemonfree.com/54119355.html-1 this is an e350...but thought it would work if you can get past the com reg. thought id throw it on here because this would work nice and low ass miles.http://autos.aol.com/used-detail-1858032693147335176-Ford-Econoline-2004/http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Dodge-Ram-Van-CONVERSION-1999-DODGE-RAM-1500-CONVERSION-VAN-SHOWROOM-NEW-65K-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem27b2c6db5cQQitemZ170503101276QQptZUSQ5fCarsQ5fTrucks im not a fan of buying vehicles from other areas than your own..also its not a bad idea to buy from a dealer that can give you some kind of warranty. its nice to go physically look and drive them before you buy them...might look good in the picture but drive like a yugo. the vans i listed here seem to be in your area or at least reasonably so. and the mileages are right. take a sunday drive and go check them out..never hurts to look good luck and let us know what you end up with Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mikoo69 Posted June 28, 2010 Author Members Share Posted June 28, 2010 http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2010/05/the-bigger-they-get-the-cheaper-they-are-to-insure.html apparently the E-350 is the cheapest vehicle to insure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members lifeloverwg Posted June 28, 2010 Members Share Posted June 28, 2010 why does it seem so complicated to get a van to take a band around to play some shows??? in brooklyn last night there was the northside fest, lots of bands from around town out of state, etc. everyone had an e-350. most of them looked beat up as hell, prob early 90s, covered in paint, cosmetically awful. how do they afford it or make it happen? i am perplexed. seems like most of their vehicles probably cost under $3000. but insurance? i cant imagine half of those bands affording commercial insurance and all that... It's so complicated because there's too many rats in the cage! That and everybody wants their little cut of the action.As was said, I'm sure most if not all of those bands are flying under the radar in one form or another. We still are despite my complaining about it.... You should be able to find out why and when which size or type of van needs a commercial plate with a couple of phone calls to your DOT, assuming you don't get lost in phone call option hell.Don't forget that your personal or auto insurance won't cover most of your bands gear should it be stolen or damaged in an accident. Start calling around and get an Inland Marine policy for that.Good luck, Winston. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members walkerci Posted June 29, 2010 Members Share Posted June 29, 2010 I gotta go with a Ford E-350 Club Wagon, which is what I have. 12 passenger, tows 6 tons without a hiccup. Mine is a 1998 that I bought used 4 years ago. It has 120K miles on it. I put probably 30K or so on it. Gas mileage isn't that horrible for a heavy truck. With a trailer, you can always lock that thing with heavy chains. Have a band member or a dog sleep in the van. If I were still up North and needed a compact hauler, I'd go with a used COE hi-cube van with a power lift gate. You can fit that it a city parking space and load in/out will be a breeze. Put some magnetic signs with "Medical Waste", "Bio Hazard" on it. Even the cops won't mess with you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mikoo69 Posted June 29, 2010 Author Members Share Posted June 29, 2010 should i go for 12 or 15 passenger? any difference with gas mileage, safety, etc? i think wed be better off with the space of a 15 just incase, though that depends on the pros/cons Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members W. M. Hellinger Posted June 30, 2010 Members Share Posted June 30, 2010 should i go for 12 or 15 passenger? any difference with gas mileage, safety, etc? In my experience they both get approx. the same mileage, if the only real difference is the passenger capacity. I'd suspect the safety aspects are also so similar that any differences are probably negligible. I suggest more significant differences in mileage and over-all operating costs would be a factor of how much you're hauling (the 15 passenger version of-course has more cubic feet capacity than the 12 passenger version), driving techniques, drive train and engine difference... that sort of stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author Craig Vecchione Posted June 30, 2010 CMS Author Share Posted June 30, 2010 Put some magnetic signs with "Medical Waste", "Bio Hazard" on it. Even the cops won't mess with you. Yep, nobody messes with medwaste, or the honey-wagon (septic systems)..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author Craig Vecchione Posted June 30, 2010 CMS Author Share Posted June 30, 2010 should i go for 12 or 15 passenger? any difference with gas mileage, safety, etc? i think wed be better off with the space of a 15 just incase, though that depends on the pros/cons I would avoid a 15-passenger van unless you absolutely need the space now. The extra length behind the rear axle makes these vans much less stable in general, and more prone to rollover accidents when loaded. Additionally, there's temptation to load these vans incorrectly, via the rear doors, with too much weight behind the axle (at 2AM nobody wants to think, let alone think about weight distribution in the van) again resulting in more rollover danger. The basic safety problem with vans used for hauling gear and the band is that there aren't a lot of safe loading options to protect passengers from the gear. From a safety standpoint, you'd be much better off with separate vehicles for the band and the gear. Hence, a trailer. BTW, along those lines, another option would be a small utility trailer towed by an older RV. Sleep in comfort, travel in relative safety. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mikoo69 Posted July 1, 2010 Author Members Share Posted July 1, 2010 just spoke to local ford dealer and said there are no safety differences, unless you are actually seating 15 people. with 15 people the car is not as safe, though he said with 3-4 people and our equipment, they will both be safe, and recommended that heavier equipment be put into the back first, followed by lighter bags, etc to best distribute the weight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mikoo69 Posted July 3, 2010 Author Members Share Posted July 3, 2010 found a 15 passenger E-350 XLT 2007 with 18,900 miles for $14,000. Think I'm going to do it. Seems like its a vehicle that will hold up and last us for whatever we encounter over the next few years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members W. M. Hellinger Posted July 3, 2010 Members Share Posted July 3, 2010 found a 15 passenger E-350 XLT 2007 with 18,900 miles for $1400. Think I'm going to do it. Seems like its a vehicle that will hold up and last us for whatever we encounter over the next few years.That sounds like a phenominal deal on a rig that could work out extremely well for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mikoo69 Posted July 3, 2010 Author Members Share Posted July 3, 2010 just went to look at it today. beautiful. car kept in near mint condition. front and rear ac working perectly, stereo sounds great, etc. going to have a mechanic check it out to make sure it looks good under the hood, but this is a great deal. now im wondering what will be the best way to secure our gear in the van. tint the windows? (legal?) put up curtains in the back? build a "loft" above the gear to hide it and provide another sleeping area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members monthlymixcd Posted July 6, 2010 Members Share Posted July 6, 2010 The loft idea makes a LOT of sense with a 15-passenger van. It'll FORCE you to keep the center of gravity of loaded gear lower and provided you DO load the heavier stuff in first over the rear axle as advised... should negate any drawbacks of the extra length on handling. I'd tint the windows regardless of whether you have a loft or not but I'd resist putting up any curtains at all as they would just impair the vision of the driver. Sleepers in the loft should get used to wearing sleeping masks instead. P.S. - Now that you seem to have settled on the E-350, I feel like I should post this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mikoo69 Posted July 7, 2010 Author Members Share Posted July 7, 2010 any pictures of a loft like this, or help on how to build one? what does mike watt mean by "And it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Felix_Unger Posted July 7, 2010 Members Share Posted July 7, 2010 Fascinating thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members monthlymixcd Posted July 7, 2010 Members Share Posted July 7, 2010 any pictures of a loft like this, or help on how to build one? what does mike watt mean by "And it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mikoo69 Posted July 7, 2010 Author Members Share Posted July 7, 2010 yes i'm sure. 19,000 miles, $14,000 . Looks in amazing condition and comes with hitch/trailer attachment, front/rear AC (working), CD player (sound system is good), nice seat covers, clean, good tires, an alarm system installed,etc. Drives well, AC works great, looks to be in top notch condition. Yeah it's a steal, I guess the guy is just looking to get rid of it quickly. Did a carfax report and everything checks out.Anymore help on building the loft would be great. Are you saying bring the last bench forward cause it's bigger?I was looking at the specs on the new 2010 vans and you should have more than enough room to pull this off with that 15-passenger van. Are you sure that it wasn't 119k miles?!? That price just seems to good to be true... I don't even need a van that often but I'd be tempted to buy that one just to turn it around for a few bucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author Craig Vecchione Posted July 7, 2010 CMS Author Share Posted July 7, 2010 I would build the loft with steel tube 1x2 or 2" square. Put extruded foam insulation between the joists, cover the top with 1/2" plywood, and the bottom with 5.2mm lauan ply. Cover the top with formica laminate to make the space easy to clean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members monthlymixcd Posted July 7, 2010 Members Share Posted July 7, 2010 I'd go aluminum tubing if you can afford it... also allows for extra bracing at the same weight. You're basically building a three-sided metal box with ply on top and bottom. You could even paint the top of the bottom lauan sheet with DuraTex to make the gear slide easier in and out. The important part, of course is to make sure you have enough clearance for your gear. Get a couple of straps to run crossways between the loft bracing at various point to strap in the gear and you're set.The laminate is a good idea and would probably work fine if you used a layer of rubber area rug underlayment on top to keep you from sliding around while sleeping. Put a stiff foam camping pad on top of that and you could maybe even get by with one of those memory foam mattress toppers AS a mattress on top of that. Total of only about 3" on top of the loft for the bed. You could also go air mattress at around 6" but you've only got so much vertical space in there so every inch will count.Are you saying bring the last bench forward cause it's bigger?Yes. The other benches are NOT bigger because you need to be able to move past them in the van... might as well use the bigger bench if you can. Although looking at this image it's doubtful that it'd be possible based on where the brackets line up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author Craig Vecchione Posted July 7, 2010 CMS Author Share Posted July 7, 2010 Aluminum is fine if you can source it at a good price. Around here it's ungodly expensive compared with steel. Weight shouldn't be an issue with this type of application. Height is, and you'll need more aluminum joists to get the same strength in the same build thickness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mikoo69 Posted July 7, 2010 Author Members Share Posted July 7, 2010 in the video, mike watt's loft looks to just be a flat wood bench that is connected to the side walls of the van, with a wall between the passenger seats and cargo area (granted he has a cargo version), but im wondering if thats possible or we need to make a "3 sided box".any other pictures of this being done? im not too handy, though my friend is, id like to show him pictures.also, he put up a curtain behind the drivers seat. is that worth it to hide stuff in the van/block out light from front windshield?wondering what else i can do to the windows to keep people from seeing the insides. seems like mike watt has those roll up curtains that might be cool. it seems the loft essentially hides the gear from windows (except for the bottom part of the window, which i imagine we can just cover with black cloth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rhat Posted July 7, 2010 Members Share Posted July 7, 2010 The biggest issue with a van is to have structure to keep you from getting killed by your own gear if you stuff the thing. Dont skimp on this ,, seek out a pro solution. your life may depend on it. I know we have all driven tons of death loads while playing in bands. But that doesnt mean you should not deal with this from the get go on this vehicle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members monthlymixcd Posted July 7, 2010 Members Share Posted July 7, 2010 ... which is why I recommend actually building the loft as a cage that can be bolted to the floor... likely enough to keep the gear in place even in a rollover. Hopefully the only thing flying around inside if that happened would just be you guys and a mattress... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RoadRanger Posted July 7, 2010 Members Share Posted July 7, 2010 ... which is why I recommend actually building the loft as a cage that can be bolted to the floor... likely enough to keep the gear in place even in a rollover. Hopefully the only thing flying around inside if that happened would just be you guys and a mattress...I'd be worried about being squashed between that cage and the collapsed roof ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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