I am the new owner of a 1990 Ford E450 7.3L power stroke diesel. Now she is or was a Shuttle bus for my city but all the seats are out and ready to turn this old girl into an RV. Before I do this I am trying to do some research on a few things.

What size is the fuel tank?
What kinda mileage can I except to get? From what I have googled looking like 150 miles.
Where can I down load a free owner manual?
Have any one hear done any thing like this and go camping?
If you have any picture please fee free to share or any ideas by all means I am open to any idea.
I was thinking about going to California with the Rv but, today someone told me oh boy look out! They don't like older vehicles and they will nail you for fines for emissions BIG fines!!!
I guess that's my next questions where is the web page to find what the emissions are in each state?
Any thing any one could off for an idea would be awesome and greatly appreciated Thanks

 

In Cal, you can bring any type of vehicle. that is if the OEM smog stuff is in place. There is no concern if you retain you out of state reg. If you hope to migrate to California, you will have to pass smog test. With your vehicle, I do not see a problem unless it smokes. Currently for smog test, they check for codes and smoke as far as I know. No smoke no codes no problem. If you do not reg. in Cal, no test so no problem.

 

The tank is very likely a steel tank, where the pickups and excursion came with a poly tank. If so, the steel tank is very likely to delaminate, and cause issues with clogged fuel screens - it will likely need to be replaced at some point.

The short pickups came with a 29-gallon tank (I think), where the longer vehicles can have the 38-gallon tank. The Excursion has a rear-mounted 44-gallon tank, but I am unsure where the spare tire goes with this arrangement. If one had the frame of a long pickup and was willing to move the spare, they could get both the 44-gallon and 38-gallon poly tanks mounted - at the cost of cargo capacity (weight limits).

A pickup weighing in at 8,000 pounds gross with 3.73 gearing can eke out over 19 MPG with the engine and rolling hardware at 100%. Add a bunch of weight, the height of a camper (windage), and reduced gearing to handle all of that, and 10 MPG would not be unheard of.

 

We have a thing or two that need to be clarified here...She has indicated that the vehicle is a 1990 E model, former transport bus. That would make it a van chassis truck from a different era than our vehicles. If that year is a typo and you are in the '99 and up era we can be of assistance to the extent that 1) the vehicles are similar 2) one or more of us has tinkered with one of them. Otherwise I would suggest that you post in the area that is more specific for your vehicle. Not that the crew here won't help but our knowledge and experience are not so much in that area as in the '99 and up era.

Mistyblue101, up under 'tools' above is a VIN decoder. If you plug in your VIN there you should be able to get some information on your truck, fuel tank size could be in there as well. If it's a 1990 though, you may be out of the age that is covered.

 

As far as smog goes I believe that a diesel built prior to '98 is exempt. I had a '98 Benz that missed by one year. Don't know if trucks were treated the same.

 

Since your questions are mainly about your rig, and not engine tech related, I'm moving this over to the van forum for you.

Well they are wrong.

Since you were very non-specific in your statement, I'll address both ways that I thought it could be taken:

1) The state doesn't stop or fine anyone visiting California just because they are in an older vehicle.

2) The state doesn't stop or fine anyone moving to California with an out of state, older vehicle. All the DMV looks for when registering an out of state vehicle is for OEM emissions equipment that the vehicle came with.

Not for a 1990 MY rig. That 1990 E450 is smog exempt.

Stewart

 

Another thought might be ,since you said you bought it from your city, is to go to the city and ask about paperwork. If the city has owned it since new, perhaps the maintenance department has the original paperwork along with maintenance records. They may not have all but surely would have some records. if they cant give you originals then perhaps copies. I would love to have one of those buses to make into a camper!

One thing when building a camper is how will it be used? How much traveling will you be doing? Where will you most likely be staying? Will you be having it converted or doing the work yourself? Commercial or handmade cabinets, bed, ect.?
I have a a standard 88 conversion van and have been looking at ideas for some time now. hopefully in the next year I will be able to start working on converting mine and will probably spend a few weeks at a time traveling and camping in mine so I would want it to be self contained with solar. Camping in good weather I would want my kitchen to be outside so I am looking at ideas for using a camp type propane stove that can fit in a cabinet for cooking inside when needed. You have much more space then I do but even then you have to think "small" to get the most out of your space. I have seen bathrooms in extended vans so you should be able to add a shower to yours without loosing too much space.. Mine on the other hand, I can easily fit a chemical toilet but indoor shower is somewhat a problem.

Solar, 120volt or both? How much you need is directly related to what you personally require and how you will be using your camper.
if you will be spending allot of time in the camper you will probably want to build a comfortable bed to sleep in.
Insulation, heating, cooling, and ventilation is is another issue and will be dependent in great part how much and where you plan on going.
Will you need plumbing or can you use something like water jugs?
So you are on the right track giving it thought and planning before your build. When I look at campers and other ideas I always see if there are variations I could build to fit my needs. Each build is custom fit your specific needs.

There are several build threads here in the forum. Here is one I started with a few ideas I thought I might be able to work into my project. You are more then welcome to post anything you come across on it too...

 

Thank you, I hope to go about mid July but I have alot of work to do you it yet. If not I'll take my car and tent it not a big deal.

 

Thanks for your help the bus called a shuttle bus that is about as much information I got off the net so far the bus. The year is wrong sorry she a 1990, I will run the vin #

 

I was wrong om the year she is a 1990 shuttle bus. I will check out the VIN decoder I am new to this group & am on a learn curve. So far lots of cool stuff on this group. But how do you message people privately? Also I am from Canada.

 

You'll need at least 10 posts before you can PM anyone on this board.

Your almost there.........

Keep in mind that what "type" of E-series van you have is also called a "cut-away" so for parts, you'll sometimes need that info.

I read that one post, and was going to comment, then I seen you posted in the wrong section, and were moved to the real section 'Full Size Vans'

Just a quick reply to your OP, the fuel tank should be about 40 gals, give or take a few gallons, Ford used several different size tanks on the cut-aways.

As far as MPG, don't expect much over 10. If your empty and going down hill, maybe 12 mpg's.

Van conversions to RV's, unless you can't get Youtube in cananda, there are ton's of videos on there, and many boards for the "Van-Life-Style" *which I'm not one of* and I'm sure you will fit in to CA very fine with this.