2006 Ford E-250: Ex-GRM Van's New Life

Tom Suddard wrote: Pop the driver's knee panel off (it just unclips) and you'll be able to reach the side of the radio.

Not on mine.... Too much old emergency vehicle wiring back there, Its zip tied in place and stuffed full behind it.

Oh. In that case I don't have a good answer for you.

Tom Suddard wrote: Oh. In that case I don't have a good answer for you.

No worries! I appreciate all the info so far. I need to find a repair cable for the antenna wire too.... Mine decided to stay in the stock HU.

I'm enjoying this thread way more than I should be. Nice work, especially with the stereo and "generator" stuff!

I'm installing my backup camera right now, any issues with the license plate light messing with the camera?

Ok, I guess my license plate light wasn't working anyway.

More importantly, where did you tap in to the dash for the reverse signal wire to tell the head unit to display the camera view automatically? I'd hate to run a wire all the way from the reverse lights to the head unit for the signal.

I've wanted a van for a while now.

This isn't helping .

Petrolburner wrote: I'm installing my backup camera right now, any issues with the license plate light messing with the camera?

Nope, it works perfectly there. I'd highly recommend that location.

Petrolburner wrote: Ok, I guess my license plate light wasn't working anyway. More importantly, where did you tap in to the dash for the reverse signal wire to tell the head unit to display the camera view automatically? I'd hate to run a wire all the way from the reverse lights to the head unit for the signal.

I was planning to tap into the reverse light wire–it runs next to the hood release in that big bundle. Then, that seemed too hard, and I came up with a better plan. Grab a standard stereo RCA cable, then just use one side of it to carry your reverse trigger signal, and the other for your video feed. That way you don't have to get too deep into the stock harness, and it stays simple and easily reversible. Once you cut the end off and strip it, it's just like a normal wire.

Brilliant, but too late for me. I don't like having the camera off center. It makes backing into spaces a challenge to get centered from an uncentered view.

How far off center is yours? Mine is next to the rear door handle, and it doesn't really bother me.

Tom,

Are the radio & all associated components still working? Happy with the results?

Yeah, everything is still working like a charm. I put the Benz on my Hagerty policy and have been using the van as a daily driver, too. It's just too easy to have all this space with me wherever I go, especially with my life. Roughly 50% of my days involve carting around something large and/or a trailer.

I guess I should mention insurance, too. For those wondering, yes, vans seem to be a tad on the expensive side to insure. Probably because they're mostly driven a ton of miles by employees who don't care about the car they're driving, and they're usually driven during work hours (when the roads are busiest). They're clearly considered a liability. This thing costs about $70/month, but keep in mind that's the "You're 22 years old" price, and I have full coverage with really high limits.

So, time for an update!

The van played pickup truck on a lake house trip. Initial impressions on forest roads: Clearance isn't my issue. Traction definitely is. I neeeeeeed a limited slip in the back. I didn't get stuck, but got darn close. Maintaining forward progress took much more careful driving than I'd like it to.

Then I went to SEMA, and got some bad ideas.

Of course, I'm not insane. Or rich. Back to reality, which found me cruising the local junkyard for Nissan Sentra parts. I stumbled across a 5.3 LS-series V8 in a totaled truck. Better still, somebody had already taken the radiator, transmission, and exhaust. The thing was just begging to be purchased! Normally, I wouldn't have been able to just casually buy an LS. But with a van, Anything Is Possible. I called Shane, told him I needed a hand, and a few minutes later we were putting it into the van.

Once we had the engine loaded, we realized that Simply Clean was going on a few miles away, and we were missing it! So, with a V8 in the back and grease literally all over us, we headed over to the show. Parking costs something like $20, and it's a ways away from the actual show field. Of course, when you're in a white van with logos on the side, you can get away with almost anything. We smiled and waved as we cruised through the gate, then parked right in the middle of everything for free.

Hey - it's a magazine/webzine project vehicle. That makes it show-worthy.

Here's a question, internet:

Are 12 volt carbon monoxide detectors a thing? My google-fu is failing me, but I'd love to have one for the van.

Ooops, duh. Just realized a battery-operated one would work perfectly.

In reply to Tom Suddard:

Put it down low at the floor level. And carry extra batteries. They make A LOT of noise when they go low.

Yep, definitely.

And to those wondering–why would I bother installing one of these?

They're cheap ($20), they're small, they're easy to install, and they could save your life if you're camping. Camping has about 1,000 different things that make CO, so this should be cheap insurance against suffocating. It's not like I plan to sleep with the engine running or use a propane heater overnight, but with bad enough luck all it takes to kill you is to wake up on a cold morning, start the engine to warm the van up, then fall back asleep for a few hours. That coupled with a missing grommet in the wrong place could be trouble. This thing is a good safety net for stuff like that.

I have a never-been-used RV Carbon Monoxide and Propane Gas Alarm...

...that I might be willing to trade for something like this:

https://store.grassrootsmotorsports.com/products/black-long-sleeve-t-shirt-1?variant=23832910599

Thanks, Woody, but I already ordered a battery-powered model. Next time!

Tom Suddard wrote: Then I went to SEMA, and got some bad ideas.

Do it! U-joint sells the kit to convert to 4wd U-joint goodness

In reply to Tom Suddard:

Does Powertrax make a locker install for your truck?

I've had a couple 2wd trucks in the past, the difference between the locker vs non locker was a world of difference.

Needs more Vemco V-drive.