Chicken!

 

pics to follow: Jack Orchard, Army Ret, YoGeorge, and of course that comely blond JW were right, of course, that's why Im here.......you know the Ford service guy could(read: would not not even tell me the size.
It is indeed a T-55. and a Torx plus at that. So now I have the bit and another problem:..........how come you guys didn't tell be about the nylon straps that if you pull them, the seat come out of the anchor system? Im getting the windows tinted and the guy walks to the back of the van , pulls the straps and moves the seat out of the way,,,,,,,,,how come you guys did not tell me that??????? And another thing, you know Im working here at a disadvantage, no owners manual, so where is the ashtray, theres a lighter but I don't see an ashtray. I only use the ashtray to put my loose change into, but apparently there isn't one in this model? Come on, cough it up, what about the nylon straps and the moveable seats?

thanks Leev

 

PLEASE NOTICE THE ROUND SHOULDERS ON THE STAR POINTS, THEY WOULD MATCH THE ROUNDED POINTS ON THE SCREW

 

PLEASE NOTICE TWO THINGS, THE WORDS(SOMEWHAT LEGIBLE) "TORX PLUS" AND THE COLOR OF THE BIT.........IT IS DARK GUNMETAL, INDICATING IT HAS BEEN HARDENED, ONE OF TWO POINTS THAT BLOND BOMBSHELL WAS MAKING A WHILE BACK......GET A" PLUS" FOR THE FIT AND HARDENED AGAINST THE STRIP

 

I think I posted a link to owner's manuals, didn't I?? Or was that another thread?

Get yer manual here:
http://www.fleet.ford.com/maintenance/owner-manuals/

My van is a conversion, not a Club Wagon, so I know nothing about straps on factory seats; the only factory bases in mine are the front seats which I've pulled with a regular T55. Everything behind them comes out but uses aftermarket parts unrelated to factory seating.

My van is an '02 and has an ashtray but also has change holders that hold stacks of quarters, nickels, and dimes which are REALLY good for parking meter change. As a bicyclist whose son used to race and who sometimes wears number bibs, I keep safety pins in my ashtray. My console is factory stuff and has an open cubby below the top (square box of Kleenex and half roll of paper towel) and an opening glove box below that (tire pressure gauge, cell phone chargers, and some CD's).

I think they did revise the consoles in later years.

The attractive blonde has cargo vans, so I wouldn't blame him for not knowing about rear rows of seats. Download the owner's manual and I bet there will be all kinds of cool info in it

George

 

ok, ok, that explains the seat thing.......Im just glad to know I can take and put back the seats easily......Ill keep the Torx bit to remove the anchors.(perhaps I can rent it out......well now the windows are tinted, Ill take a pic, Ive yet another question......I am considering putting my large Thule cargo rack on the roof, so Ill pursue how to's about that and a ladder to reach it. George thanks for the link, I ordered a manual from Helm, should be here any day. Does your conversion have an electric frig in it?

leev

 

No, it's a passenger conversion...but my very first van was a '73 Ford flatnose Turtle Top camper conversion with an electric fridge that ran on either 12V or 120V and that was kind of neat. Dual batteries but no isolator so they'd discharge each other when the van sat.

My 2nd van was an '86 GMC Turtle Top camper with a fridge that was just set up as a cooler with an ice bucket in it. I gave my bro-in law the fridge from the '73 and think he's still using it--it was made in Japan. He's got pickup campers and trailers and stuff.

Actually my current van has a little cooler tub in the side footwell behind the half side door with a drain but it's pretty small. I just take a cooler when we travel--we have an icemaker in our home fridge and I just dump it into a cooler and it's good for a day or two.

Assume you found the owner's manual at least. They are a free download and you could print it on your computer--did you want a paper one that you had to order from Helm?

George

 

George...yep, im old fashioned that way,,,,,need to hold the book in my hand.....make notes.....it'll answer a lot of my questions....found an ashtray on the second row behind the driver. Im thinking a deep cycle refrig or I have a portable that runs hot or cold but needs a 110 conversion......my Honda pilot has that, I use it to recharge my pads and phones and laptop....the challenge will be the bathroom(read restroom) oh and a shade thing on the side

 

anyway more will be revealed...........thanks for your help guys

leev

 

Wattage used by a fridge will probably far exceed what most inverters put out. I had some friends thinking they were gonna make some frozen margaritas at a tailgate party plugging a blender into a 110v outlet in a car...no frozen margaritas.

Laptop chargers use maybe 60 watts and cell phones take way less. We have a 100 watt inverter that plugs into a lighter socket. We use it for laptops, video camera battery chargers, etc. in the van or in one of our cars.

If you want a fridge, you'll probably want a 2nd deep cycle battery and an isolator switch, and probably a fridge designed for 12V use. Camper websites will have more info on what's out there now. I know there are those newfangled thermoelectric fridges that also heat.

Depends on how long you're gonna need the fridge--my preference is buying a bag of ice every day or two on the road and just using a cooler. We can pull it up near the front seat and grab a drink while driving, although when our son was an infant my wife was known for 80 mph diaper changes on the van floor, etc.

Good luck,
George

 

I assumed from the beginning that you were referring to the removal of the seat bases because they stick up so high. I just figured the straps were kind of a given. . .

That being said, look for a water damaged pop up camper with the 3 way fridge. you can often get the entire trailer for free or almost free. Steal any other parts you may want (12v converter, small sink with portable freshwater tank, even cabinets and some have the bathrooms as well.) I think it's more efficient to run a 3 way fridge off a 20 lb propane cylinder like your grill. You see the food trucks and ding dong carts running fridges and freezers off of a 20 lb propane tank.

You can find some info over in the towing chapter of these forums in regards to the fridges and any other systems.

 

Cougar, thanks for the info, I had not thought of propane,,,,, and George, u are correct re the watts......that does scrap the 110 deal. matter of fact when I bought the Honda and noticed the 110 outlet the sales guy said to not get too excited.......low watts