Advocate III
Switching Vinnie from a weekend wheeler to an overlander. Or really a rock lander as he’ll still wheel just fine. But now if I wanna sleep in comfort on top of red cone or any where I will with lots more room than the Jeep has to offer.
I’ve had Vinnie for a few years he started life a state vehicle for Arkansas. Then was retired at about 275K on the clock. My initial goal turn him in to a weekend wheeler. Vinnie now sits at 330,000 miles & the Ujoint 4x4 conversion was done at about 290k.
Vinnie’s current stats 2000 Ford E350 w 7.3L PSD
Dana 60 front axel 4.10 gears
Dana 60 rear axel full float 4.10 Yukon gears
Mile Marker locking hubs (recommended by Chris at Ujoint)
Detroit tru trac which will be moved to the front axel when I install the ox locker
Ujoint Off Road 6” lift
Ujoint Off Road nylon inserts (front hub needle bearing replacement)
Rebuilt 4r100 trans & Np271 transfer case.
35” Toyo RT tires, actually going to 37s but I had 5 new Toyos laying around the shop so that’s what is currently on the van.
Custom front & rear bumpers. Steel no aluminum
Aluminess rear tire carrier
Custom leather fold down rear bench seat (goal interior will be similar to a SMB RB50)
Rigid/truck lite LED head lights
Swapped out the stock windows with some vented windows out of a chateau
Chateau front seats
Homemade power lock window set up out of the same chateau done van.
Up graded tow mirrors
New IDM
New starter
New fuel pump
New red head steer gear
New high out put mean green 185 alternator
New vacuum pump
New batteries
New OEM Ford battery harness
New Alloy high performance radiator
New compressor
New sub floor & sound deadening throughout plus marine summit floor (water proof padded boat flooring)
New windshield wiper motor
UPOL raptor liner tintable - my base tint was Mercedes Gray for main body, UPOL raptor liner base black for the rockers
Front doors, front cab and all floors have dyno mate or similar sound deadening
All door planes redone with cappuccino tweed.
Bushwhacked fender flares.
Next on the agenda for Vinnie to go from beater wheeler van to Overlander. All parts are sitting in my shop waiting for install.
Add two more windows - one over galley for light & one behind barn doors so rear passengers can see out. Plus adding these windows (at least to me) make it less of a Chester the molester van. Plus brings in more interior light.
Diesel heater (Chinese knock off)
Insulation & extra sound deadening in the rear cabin walls. First layer is thinsulate & second layer is rock wool. This will give the walls R18 value which work great in my other van.
Wall panels with same tweed as door panels.
Water tank 10 gallon (which goes in side the van) under the storage box of closet. Better to have water in van for colder climates IMHO especially with a heater.
Maple kitchenette with sink
SMB RB 50 style rear closet & storage all made from maple.
Small galley box on inter Barn door.
Fiama F45 awning
Aluminess passenger side rear ladder
Carbon monoxide detector
210 amp hours of house batteries (scheduled 31 AGMs) lithium batteries don’t do well in cold climates. I’ll stick with tried & true battery system that will last 5-7 years at a fraction of the cost of lithium.
2 wall USB ports, 2 12 volt ports
4000 watt inverter with 3 110 ports (not that I needed this much but had it so gonna use it)
Last but not lease Colorado Camper Van pop top with custom cedar ceiling & tweed sides.
Here is where Vinnie is at now. Other pictures are what he looked like in different stages of his life. The paint booth shots show him in his final color or Mercedes Gray done with UPOL raptor liner.
I’ve had Vinnie for a few years he started life a state vehicle for Arkansas. Then was retired at about 275K on the clock. My initial goal turn him in to a weekend wheeler. Vinnie now sits at 330,000 miles & the Ujoint 4x4 conversion was done at about 290k.
Vinnie’s current stats 2000 Ford E350 w 7.3L PSD
Dana 60 front axel 4.10 gears
Dana 60 rear axel full float 4.10 Yukon gears
Mile Marker locking hubs (recommended by Chris at Ujoint)
Detroit tru trac which will be moved to the front axel when I install the ox locker
Ujoint Off Road 6” lift
Ujoint Off Road nylon inserts (front hub needle bearing replacement)
Rebuilt 4r100 trans & Np271 transfer case.
35” Toyo RT tires, actually going to 37s but I had 5 new Toyos laying around the shop so that’s what is currently on the van.
Custom front & rear bumpers. Steel no aluminum
Aluminess rear tire carrier
Custom leather fold down rear bench seat (goal interior will be similar to a SMB RB50)
Rigid/truck lite LED head lights
Swapped out the stock windows with some vented windows out of a chateau
Chateau front seats
Homemade power lock window set up out of the same chateau done van.
Up graded tow mirrors
New IDM
New starter
New fuel pump
New red head steer gear
New high out put mean green 185 alternator
New vacuum pump
New batteries
New OEM Ford battery harness
New Alloy high performance radiator
New compressor
New sub floor & sound deadening throughout plus marine summit floor (water proof padded boat flooring)
New windshield wiper motor
UPOL raptor liner tintable - my base tint was Mercedes Gray for main body, UPOL raptor liner base black for the rockers
Front doors, front cab and all floors have dyno mate or similar sound deadening
All door planes redone with cappuccino tweed.
Bushwhacked fender flares.
Next on the agenda for Vinnie to go from beater wheeler van to Overlander. All parts are sitting in my shop waiting for install.
Add two more windows - one over galley for light & one behind barn doors so rear passengers can see out. Plus adding these windows (at least to me) make it less of a Chester the molester van. Plus brings in more interior light.
Diesel heater (Chinese knock off)
Insulation & extra sound deadening in the rear cabin walls. First layer is thinsulate & second layer is rock wool. This will give the walls R18 value which work great in my other van.
Wall panels with same tweed as door panels.
Water tank 10 gallon (which goes in side the van) under the storage box of closet. Better to have water in van for colder climates IMHO especially with a heater.
Maple kitchenette with sink
SMB RB 50 style rear closet & storage all made from maple.
Small galley box on inter Barn door.
Fiama F45 awning
Aluminess passenger side rear ladder
Carbon monoxide detector
210 amp hours of house batteries (scheduled 31 AGMs) lithium batteries don’t do well in cold climates. I’ll stick with tried & true battery system that will last 5-7 years at a fraction of the cost of lithium.
2 wall USB ports, 2 12 volt ports
4000 watt inverter with 3 110 ports (not that I needed this much but had it so gonna use it)
Last but not lease Colorado Camper Van pop top with custom cedar ceiling & tweed sides.
Here is where Vinnie is at now. Other pictures are what he looked like in different stages of his life. The paint booth shots show him in his final color or Mercedes Gray done with UPOL raptor liner.
