Ian F (Forum Supporter) said:
bobzilla said:
ALSO stay away from hi-tops. They add extra weight the suspension wasn't made to handle. We had a 92 G20 that ate rear leafs. Sure, stand up headroom was nice but damn... with helper leafs and beefy shocks it still wallowed hard and got 13mpg.
Wrong. Just... wrong... at least with Fords. My E150 hi-top was fine. Even when I heavily over-loaded it with firewood.
I would never buy a low roof conversion van. Pretty much defeats the point of one.
My experience is in GM and Dodge vans. No Fords so YMMV. Even though the GM's were a "G20" they still had the 5 bolt wheels and G10 suspension bits. Adding another 400lbs o TOP of the other stuff they added (3 section rear couch that made a full bed, full wood interior, TV in the roof, super awesome seats though).
How easily do box trucks re-sell? My fear though would be that real repairs, if needed, would cost real money. Asking $5k
Bring real furniture or a couple of real air mattresses, etc.
Just so you can compare numbers; I recently scaled my E250 camper van, it was 7180 with me in it (10 gallons of gas) and all of my trackside gear less the portable generator. So add 220lbs for water, propane and full gas tanks = 7400lbs. 100-200lbs for a passenger, 7600lbs. The generator weighs 50lbs, so 7650 total with GVWR of 8100, this doesn't factor in the tongue weights of 150-250lbs depending on which car I'm towing. With max load I'm within 250lbs of the 8100 GVWR. The van has a 3.73 final drive, the GCWR for this final drive is 13,000lbs, meaning in theory I can tow 4900lbs.
With a 210hp motor (315 ft lbs) and an all up weight (van, trailer, race car) of 10,000lbs I'm down to 40-45mph on steep hills. On my longest tow I've got a combined total of 31 miles at 4-7% grades to negotiate........meaning I spend an extra 19 minutes climbing hills versus a big block van.
So back to your dilemma; I would expect a decent / acceptable van to be 4-7K. Given the number offers I get on my old van, I'd say you could probably turn it quickly. My thought (I'm a purchasing analyst) is if the van doesn't have any issues (it's an old used van) then yes you could sell it and get your money back. If it did have an issue due to deferred maintenance (it's an old used van) then you could very quickly be out $1000.
My advice is either rent something or take the seats out of the Odyssey. It seems like a lot of work for not a lot of reward if you're not keeping the van.
Box vans are great BUT at least here you have to stop at the weight scales , or at least some have to stop but it seems Uhaul box vans do not seem to stop.....ummmm
I remember Dad's 92 G20 hi-top weighed in at 7100lbs empty (truck scales) and it had a GVWR of 7600lbs IIRC. Carrying 3 adults put it over the GVWR and it felt like it.
In reply to bobzilla :
That's why I strongly recommend at least a 3/4 ton for this kind of thing. Imagine if your dad's van were a 1/2 ton. I would probably weigh 6800 with a GVWR of.... about 6800.
californiamilleghia said:
Box vans are great BUT at least here you have to stop at the weight scales , or at least some have to stop but it seems Uhaul box vans do not seem to stop.....ummmm
I'm assuming you're in CA? If so, with the new Federal DOT laws you don't if you're not commercial. Hence why you see "not for hire" on some trucks.
When I lived there I owned a 26' box truck that I used to move there. I got pulled over about 10 times for not stoppping at a weigh station. Finally, one of the guys shared with me that I needed to put "not for hire" on the truck so there was no confusion.
Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) said:
I wouldn't go as far as the big block unless his challenge car is an 82 Fleetwood. A well-sorted V6 or small block would be fine with a 14' trailer and a Miata.
I don’t know Curtis. The V6 in my ‘13 Jeep JK is about as stout as any NA V6 out there and I’d be miserable with a 14’ trailer plus Miata even if I did have the requisite brakes and suspension for towing. I don’t. But I do have 4.10 gears and I just think it’d be pretty awful by today’s standards.
My Dad has a nice 1994 Dodge 250 Primetime conversion with the 318 that my son has taken an interest in. I was looking to see if anyone offered headers for the thing. I couldn't find any. I assumed it's because only the stock manifolds will fit?
Based on what my 94 B250 looks like underneath, i would actually guess that every small block header known to man will fit it.
ShawnG
UltimaDork
9/4/20 12:01 a.m.
Vigo (Forum Supporter) said:
My Dad has a nice 1994 Dodge 250 Primetime conversion with the 318 that my son has taken an interest in. I was looking to see if anyone offered headers for the thing. I couldn't find any. I assumed it's because only the stock manifolds will fit?
Based on what my 94 B250 looks like underneath, i would actually guess that every small block header known to man will fit it.
This.
I pulled a SBC out of a van once which clearly had F-body headers installed. The exhaust shop just built a couple S-bend pipes off the collectors to drop the exhaust below the floor.
Vigo (Forum Supporter) said:
My Dad has a nice 1994 Dodge 250 Primetime conversion with the 318 that my son has taken an interest in. I was looking to see if anyone offered headers for the thing. I couldn't find any. I assumed it's because only the stock manifolds will fit?
Based on what my 94 B250 looks like underneath, i would actually guess that every small block header known to man will fit it.
Thanks! Good to know. I'm several states away from the vehicle and I've never been under it, but I found it strange that none of the usual header outlets (Jegs, Summit) listed that application.
A 401 CJ said:
Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) said:
I wouldn't go as far as the big block unless his challenge car is an 82 Fleetwood. A well-sorted V6 or small block would be fine with a 14' trailer and a Miata.
I don’t know Curtis. The V6 in my ‘13 Jeep JK is about as stout as any NA V6 out there and I’d be miserable with a 14’ trailer plus Miata even if I did have the requisite brakes and suspension for towing. I don’t. But I do have 4.10 gears and I just think it’d be pretty awful by today’s standards.
I'm not saying it will shine for towing, but it will do. The wheezy V6 in my 94 Branger is rated at 160hp/225tq. It's awful with a 3500 lb boat and 3.73s, but many of the later 4.3 V6 chevys were 215hp/300tq. I would think that should be plenty for a challenge car.
My total towed weight with that rampage flat towing was ~2500, but i had a ton of stuff in the van that might normally be on a trailer or in a towed car so i imagine the total payload was over 3k. It's all flat from here to Florida but my 3.9 v6 had no trouble at all. Again, hills, mountains, heavier load.. yeah just get a v8 van then?
A 401 CJ said:
Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) said:
I wouldn't go as far as the big block unless his challenge car is an 82 Fleetwood. A well-sorted V6 or small block would be fine with a 14' trailer and a Miata.
I don’t know Curtis. The V6 in my ‘13 Jeep JK is about as stout as any NA V6 out there and I’d be miserable with a 14’ trailer plus Miata even if I did have the requisite brakes and suspension for towing. I don’t. But I do have 4.10 gears and I just think it’d be pretty awful by today’s standards.
A Jeep Wrangler is not remotely built for towing. They can handle like 2000 lbs. most full frame American sedans and wagons could handle atleast 5000 libs.
In reply to MotorsportsGordon :
Can you even read?
A 401 CJ said:
In reply to MotorsportsGordon :
Can you even read?
Your basing v6 towing ability on driving a chassis that can't tow squat.
Good. You answered my question.
My van back in my motorcycle racing days. Much cheaper then renting a hotel at the track. Near the end it had a ZZ3 small block in it and the gas mileage improved over the old 305.
GPz11 (Forum Supporter) said:
My van back in my motorcycle racing days. Much cheaper then renting a hotel at the track. Near the end it had a ZZ3 small block in it and the gas mileage improved over the old 305.
YES! Love the wheels. I always thought I'd like one with the GM HT 383 crate. I'm sure the ZZ3 was fine though.
Edit: Oh yeah, and back date that son of a gun to a '73. Pretty sure it's stupid easy if you can still find the stuff. That's pretty much a bucket-list car for me. '73 or 4 van, black, American Torq Thrust -D's (unpolished) and a stroker small-block.
