Chevy explorer conversion van walkthrough

[Art454]

First time I seen this. You know the price? With transfer base and hand controls? and Lift?

[Art454]

You have no choice there that I know of. B and D is the lowest you can get to the floor of a chevy van thanks them for putting the fuse box under the stock seat that can,t be moved. Or puter box...all I know it can.t be moved.

[Art454]

The height of the glass from the floor is all the same on the transit...on all three heights as far as I can find on the ford site.

[Art454]

I hear you...they don't seem to give a dam about you....you go look at one they give you a price you say I will think about it you never hear gain from them. Go to a dealer lot and look at something they call you back for weeks lowering the price. I don't no how some of these mobility folks stay in business. I guess they think they own you and you have no choice. I look at some mobility dealers and they have the same van for almost a year.

[fuentejps]

sweet. no problem. I'm sure your guy can see from pic, that seat foam profile was lowered and flattened out a bit.
glad you didn't go mini van. still transferring too? I thought you were going to drive from your chair this time around?

Just talked to my buddy and he's picking the van up Monday or Tuesday to do the seat. I much prefer the smaller box with all three toggle switches straight up and 1 1/2" apart. So much easier to work. I am going to find an old box like that and switch these switched over.

Thanks for your help brother!

[fuentejps]

art, we bought van then did the mobility stuff separate. they did negotiate a bit on pricing since we were a cash buyer I suppose.

First time I seen this. You know the price? With transfer base and hand controls? and Lift?

[fuentejps]

thx killer. been a real game changer. so much easier.

Such a nice unit, Fuente!

[DeadEye]

Yes John, you were right on both accounts.

1- I WAS going to start driving from my chair. I bought a Ford E150 back in July, lowered floor, the whole deal ready to drive. And I hated the feel. I kept it a month and then put it up for sale. Sold it 2 months later and made a grand and then started my search over again.

2- Yes, still transfering and having no issues. I'm sure one day they'll give out but fo now I'm still doing it the way I always have.

[Art454]

The quadfather is correct, the mobility dealers have little or no interest in modifying full sized vans - the minivans are a gold mine. In 1973 my girlfriend and I converted a Ford Econoline with a Maxon rotary lift, a friend built us a foldup bed for the back and a fold down table. We added a wooden box with a bucket lined with a garbage bag inside which stowed under the bed while not in use. We added our dog, our cat, his litterbox and camped from New York State to Canada, down through the midwest down to Louisiana, then hugged the coast through Texas all the way to California then back through the southwest. We stopped about every 3rd day at motels for showers and room service, otherwise we camped with a propane stove and water we stowed in the van. Try that in a minivan. Now with modern campgrounds with accessible showers and restrooms this trip would have been much easier. I was a newly injured para at the time, for me doing the trip was like an AB walking the Appalachian Trail it instilled in me a sense of confidence and created a more positive outlook about life in a chair. I have had at least one full sized van ever since, usually two. I am very pissed at the lack of interest on the part of mobility dealers.

No I was not saying this to you I just agreed with ancientgimp. Sorry to forgot to hit reply with quote.

[Art454]

If your mobility dealer is like mine, all they are interested in selling are the pre-converted mini-vans (VMI, EnterVan, etc.). I get that. They are easy and profitable to sell. And they are probably fine for elderly or less active crips.

But if you want the best durability and reliability; if you have a family, job obligations or active (for us) lifestyle; if you want as little structural changes to the factory engineered vehicle as possible... I think custom converted full size vans are still the best option.

And the Transit is already being converted for personal use...

http://www.nor-calvans.com/ford-transit/mobility

First time I seen this. You know the price? With transfer base and hand controls? and Lift? I messed up with this post to. Back hurts hard to think good sometimes. I looked online and did not see one you can drive yet.

[fuentejps]

ya, its gotta be a bitch driving from a chair. I use a board and gravity in my van lol. send me pics of your ride.

Yes John, you were right on both accounts.

1- I WAS going to start driving from my chair. I bought a Ford E150 back in July, lowered floor, the whole deal ready to drive. And I hated the feel. I kept it a month and then put it up for sale. Sold it 2 months later and made a grand and then started my search over again.

2- Yes, still transfering and having no issues. I'm sure one day they'll give out but fo now I'm still doing it the way I always have.

[GinoL]

all, regarding how the b/d transfer base adds 1 inch or so to the seat height in chevy explorer conv vans. I took ours to an upholstery shop and he got the profile back down to stock height, still very comfortable. my wife is short so when she would drive the van her leg was always flexed to reach gas peddle rather than resting with heal on floor. now she is in a normal position and I'm in a more comfortable driving position. surprising how an inch or 2 makes such a big difference. charged me $150.

Glad to hear you got the seat situation resolved! I don't understand why the mobility dealer didn't remove the stock seat base and mount the seat directly on the BD base. They relocated the airbag electronics box on my Explorers directly on the BD base, very easy to do.

[fuentejps]

Gino,
I hear you. no one including b/d said that was possible(doing anything with that box) these days. the stock base is gone, but the GM power unit is still there to be able to use all oem power. I could do without but they would not remove it. I even called a gentleman that is very "old school" he couldn't even do it.

Glad to hear you got the seat situation resolved! I don't understand why the mobility dealer didn't remove the stock seat base and mount the seat directly on the BD base. They relocated the airbag electronics box on my Explorers directly on the BD base, very easy to do.

[titanium4motion]

Remote Starter?

fuentejps,

Did you get a remote starter installed on your van?

After going to -14 degrees F in 1995, I was able to get in my van but my battery didn't have enough energy to turn over the engine.

If I would had a remote stater there would have been enough energy to turn my van over first then get in and drive off to work. After this experience I got a remote starter installed.

Living in northeast Ohio last year it dropped to -14 degree F last year and two years ago -24 degree F during the January winters.

Something to think about?

Enjoy the van!

Ti

[Rustyjames]

I agree, remote start is just about a necessity in a converted van, nothing like going through all the motions transferring in it and it not starting.