Vans as overlander vehicles

[Ron Schmidt]

Hi! I have been looking in OB for other owners of large vans like my Sprinter 4x4 or those beautiful Sportsmobile rigs. Have been having an absolute BLAST with mine. Know they are not Jeeps or Tacomas but they can get one into the uncrowded wilderness. 3 boxes they say: how about one really big box that is always ready to go? I would love to hear about yours.

 

[Nomadic Mechanic]

It's not yet an official overland vehicle per se, but my 2015 Sprinter gets me overland for work lol. I have it set up to power a mobile repair shop. I'd love to take it on a long haul trip. So far all I have planned is a trip from florida to virginia to pick up an engine.

Got pics of yours?

 

[Truck mechanic]

Well have not had mine out, I have spent the last few months waking the old girl from a 17 year sleep. She is about ready to hit the road

 

[budder]

Well have not had mine out, I have spent the last few months waking the old girl from a 17 year sleep. She is about ready to hit the roadView attachment 28842

your econoline looks mint and theyre decent off road. i would love to have something like that

 

[ChuckB]

I'm becoming increasingly interested in vans both for their capability/features and my expanding family (now 5).

I'm following over on ExPo, but would love to see more of what people are doing with vans!

 

[Masheen365]

I've looked at 4x4 conversions for vans once. The price drove me away, I could do a diesel swap in a Jeep for about the same price. The only way to do it that would work for me would be to find a factory 4wd. I feel like a van makes a perfect stealth camper tho. That's really how I would set it up.

 

[Veritablehatter]

There's a van Mitsubishi makes that's a bit tough to find in the states that makes a good camping/adventure vehicle. The Delica I think?

It's a 4x4 diesel.

Used to see clones of them all over the mountains in southern China. Someday I want to find an old one and fix it up.

Here's one kitted out for off road:

 

[Veritablehatter]

I've heard it called a few different things. I think it's got different names in ifferent countries

 

[Masheen365]

Yea we used to have one of those in Kuwait to run our personnel around. It wasn't diesel, it was a decent vehicle from what I could tell. Probably pretty easy to work on anyways, not a lot of electronics.

 

[budder]

I've heard it called a few different things. I think it's got different names in ifferent countries

See those things every where In the uk they are cheap as well and you can get kits to put a 5l ford v8 in them as well they are always in real bad condition though

Regards kyle

 

[Veritablehatter]

Yeah, they seem to be pretty common workhorses everywhere that's not the US.

Weirdly there doesn't seem to be a developed market for smaller 4x4 vans here.

 

[budder]

Yeah, they seem to be pretty common workhorses everywhere that's not the US.

Weirdly there doesn't seem to be a developed market for smaller 4x4 vans here.

Has the Volkswagen t5 made it to the US there the grandson of the old vw vans really reliable i had one with 1.5 million miles on the clock factory engine and transmission I replaced turbo had two turbos factory one went at 450,000 miles exhaust went at 250,000 but then got a stainless one exhaust manifold went at 300,000 replaced injectors at 320,000 because there was a notorious clumcking coming from the air box then sold it a couple of weeks ago for equal to $5000 with over 1.5 million miles on the clock the t5s go for $3000 scrap really good vans. Also they are very good off road the 4x4 ones they use them to make amphibious motor homes

 

[Veritablehatter]

Has the Volkswagen t5 made it to the US there the grandson of the old vw vans really reliable i had one with 1.5 million miles on the clock factory engine and transmission I replaced turbo had two turbos factory one went at 450,000 miles exhaust went at 250,000 but then got a stainless one exhaust manifold went at 300,000 replaced injectors at 320,000 because there was a notorious clumcking coming from the air box then sold it a couple of weeks ago for equal to $5000 with over 1.5 million miles on the clock the t5s go for $3000 scrap really good vans. Also they are very good off road the 4x4 ones they use them to make amphibious motor homes

Looks like they do sell them here. Ive heard a bit about VWs newer electronics being a bit dodgy but it sounds like you've had good experiences with them.

I've liked their stuff any time I've had a chance to drive them.