Talk me into a ramp truck(van)

This is the one you need. https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1947593178725177/?ref=search&referral_code=marketplace_search

In reply to Toyman01 (Moderately Supportive Dude) :

"Only selling to buy a smaller ramp truck" 

Hahaha, I do like the look of that one, but that's A LOT O TRUCK

In reply to accordionfolder :

Think about the space for Murals!

In reply to accordionfolder :

What is the inherited Ford car?  I assume it wasn't the Beetle or Buick.

Two pages. No delivery date. No build thread 

Come on, slacker!!!

Seems like a solid plan, in all honesty. Especially if its as advertised,  has straps and a winch and additional lighting. 

And i like the idea of tent on ramp. Only thing would be to make a level surface, or level sleeping arrangement like a cot with legs longer on one end. 

I'm excited for you. 

For anyone here (like myself) who desperately wants to create their own Ramp-Van: did you know Uhaul sells surplus extended wheelbase cab-chassis Econolines?

We are going to need an update here.  We are enabling like as Hard as we can.  We can't buy it for you.  You gotta do your part here man.  

Dozens on the internet are depending on you.

I think a ramp van is what I really wanted before I knew about them. I bought a c50 (snub nose chevy) thinking that's what I wanted but I must've been wrong. This is definitely right.

lol - alright boys. I went and looked at it. She's got no rust problems - just the regular frame surface rust. The 351 felt a bit like a dog, but the carb needs desperate help (from sitting they say - it has an aftermarket carb, I don't know carbs and forgot to write down the name on it, but it was a brandname I recognized) - that the seller said he will try to get cleaned up to drive it again. It stumbled and was generally unhappy, but got up to speed in a fashion that you'd expect an 80's ramp van to. Shifts felt fine up and down, again - like an 80's ramp van would be expected.

I tried to load the LOW miata on it and the ramps are a bit short and the exhaust dug in so I didn't get to see what the break over angle is over the center hump. I need to go back with my 2x12 extenders that I use for my scissor lift to check that still. I'm a bit on the fence, I knew the 351 would be marginal as a stock rebuild type motor for anything bigger than the miata.... I've looked at making the 351 spicier and the buy in is about the same as finding a big block ramp truck.... HMMMMMM

In reply to akylekoz :

The car is a Ford Galaxy w/ a 390! Part of my ramp truck/van dreams is being able to get those moved with little drama so I don't think that 351 is going to be happy doing so.....

I've found several less cool Chevy 454 ramp trucks that are a lot more modern for around the same money.

John Welsh said:

Thats a pretty small sleeper cab. Better than sleeping sitting up like at a rest stop but pretty small for race weekend camping. 

However,  I see that the ramp truck has a hitch.  On real weekends,  bring a camper too!

My Ramp truck had a hitch too. I used it to pull a trailer with a second race car  and provide me with a income source.  

What do these use for springs?  It seems like airbags in the back and extra lift airbags in the front could simplify loading as well as having the spring rates correct for changing loads.

Here's some encouragement this setup is at the Bristol dirt nationals

My 7200lb E250 Camper Van has a 351 that belts out 210 hp & 315 ft/lbs:  On the steepest of grades, towing Datsun (2452lbs trailer & car), I end up going as slow as 45 mph (hold 2nd in E4OD trans). 

I'd see how it drives with the carb working properly.

A few years back I did the math on my longest tow and the difference of being able to climb hills (4-6% grade) at 55/65 mph versus 40/45 mph. The difference was  12 to 18 minutes on a 300 mile tow.

No clue how fast you wish to go but I keep it to 65 mph on flat ground.

In reply to Tom1200 :

I'm never in a hurry towing/hauling, but I don't love the idea of not being able to get out of my own way and I live in the hilly country even on the interstates 'round these parts.

Some of the vehicles I need to drag home/clear off property are about 3-4k lbs I would estimate. I probably will give it another try with the carb issues straightened out, but I think it really needs a big block to be happy - from what I'm seeing online the e350 came with a 460 usually? But I'm not sure what years, etc. 

The rest of the van/truck was beefy! 

In reply to accordionfolder :

A 460 would absolutely be better. I understand the hilly part (I deal with that around these aprts as well) as I routinely burst on to the interstate going 57mph & it takes the camper van another 100 yards or so to get up to 65.

Full Enabler On: you could probably do some mild mods to the 351 to get it livable (cam, heads, exhaust etc.), that would be less work than swapping in the 460. I seem to recall there is 30-40hp gain on these with bolt on stuff.

I'm a big fan of Econlines and have spent many a content hour sitting a captain's chair while piloting one down the highway.  By modern standards the stock 351 is pretty anemic but there's plenty of hot rod parts available for them and as others have said a 460 will bolt in.

In reply to APEowner :

I was watching engine masters last night and with stock style rebuilt blocks they managed to get impressive numbers with pretty simple parts (in the chevy 350 vs ford 351 shootout), but the heads they used were eye-wateringly expensive. Still neat that you could get so much power out of them with "bolt-ons" or near enough. 

https://www.jegs.com/i/Edelbrock/350/2092/10002/-1

Jegs and friends sell lots of "hp in a can." I wonder how close you'd get IF this is really a decent stock rebuilt crate....

pinchvalve (Forum Supporter) said:

I'd buy a tent that fits on the bed and call it a day.

Very much this.  You'll get more room than the sleeper and can pitch the tent on a flat, smooth surface. Use the Sleeper for lockable storage. 

In the build thread that you're gonna start, should us how you rebuilt the carb. After that, try out the 351 again, and then you can write about how you traded your other van, the 351, and some cash for a stroker 5xx CI 460 and 4R100.  Then show us the new HF 12,000 lb winch.  Then you can show us how much better it looks with Alcoas. And then the new captain's chairs, sound insulation, audio, and camera system. 

In reply to Uncle David (Forum Supporter) :

It's like it's my own words ... but from another brain-box from somewhere else in the world..... 

I've been up and down this train of thought - I fear I might be banned if I don't have a three wolf moon, 460 powered, retro ramp van!

Another contender enters the room - why yes ... that is a purple 7.3 powered van truck.....

APEowner said:

I'm a big fan of Econlines and have spent many a content hour sitting a captain's chair while piloting one down the highway.  By modern standards the stock 351 is pretty anemic but there's plenty of hot rod parts available for them and as others have said a 460 will bolt in.

The 460 would needs it's trans also.  It won't bolt to the same trans of the 351w.

In reply to accordionfolder :

Know nothing about 7.3s but I love the color. You could tow a small camp/travel trailer behind that or camp on the bed as mentioned.