Hi Everyone...New pics.

Left door with automatic door opener installed. You can see the re-located gas filler, and painted flooring.



Right door and auto opener



Ricon Split lift in it's crate



Still have about a month to go

 

This is so facinating to me. I didn't know they did this. Please send me the highres pics to wwwdotebay@yahoo.com (yes thats my email address). And anyone else with this knoweldge, experience or pics please post up. I did this to my suburban, well kind of. i cut out the floor and put a 1/4" alum skid plate under the frame rails and a flat hinged subfloor about an inch above where the old floor used to sit. Now I effectively have a toolbox that is about 6x6x1'. anyways yall prob don't care about that so back to this van. Is that exterior pic above with the lift? It doesn't look to akward at all. It almost looks like they removed the floor at the seems, do you know if this is true or did they cut it out? What kind of structural integrity measures do they have to take? I'm curious if the itemized just the price of cutting out and installing the new floor? How does your chair secure to the floor when your driving? Thanks

 

Hi, big brother plucked your email address out...try PMing it to me.

That pic was December 2003, about ten minutes after I brought it home from the dealership, so it was a year before these mods were started.

All I have in terms of itemized lists of the drop are from the initial estimate:

Full 6" Dropped Floor
includes aft-of-axle fuel
tank & flooring (carpet over
plywood OR RCA Rubber/Plywood) ---------------$7,995

That lift was $4,095!

 

An added bennifit of the floor drop, as opposed to a raised roof, is that your van will still fit in parking decks and go through standard garrage doors.

Gene

 

Hey Crab Nice pics, was wondering if you knew what they did to raise up body? Replace brake lines, steering gear? I am also in a chair and use the old hydraulic drop floor pan. I am considering this type of set up one a newer van and any tips would be helpful, thanks K-11

 

kevin-11,

Could you describe that hydraluic drop floor pan. I'm not familliar with it.

Thanks,

Gene

 

Hey Gene, Just checked the mail. The floor pan was something they used to do before lowering the whole van floor. It is a section of floor removed from the drivers side, then a electric powered pan that is welded in place. It is for the driver to drive from his wheelchair. It is about 40"Lx28"W and drops the floor with the driver about 4" deep, there by giving the driver a better sight line out the windshield. It has an electric motor connected to a worm gear drive to lower and raise the driver, the EZ lock is bolted to it to lock the driver in place. I took it out of my "89 E-150 and am going to put it in a "91 E-150. It is easier to do than drop the whole floor. The dropped floor needs the body to be seperated from the frame then spacers put in frame connecters to get the proper amount of room in order to cut and lower the floor. therefor I was wondering besides cutting out the floor and spacing the body, what else they do i.e. extend fuel pipe, brake lines, Steering column and such. I hope some one knows the facts. I,mnew to the site and it rocks! If you would like some pictures of the floor pan let me know since it stillout of the truck, still to cold and am waiting for my buddies to help, take care. Kevin-11

 

Fuel tank must be relocated since the filler runs between the floor and frame at the point being dropped, no way around it. Tanks used to be found here: http://www.aerotanks.com/ford.html I've been looking into doing this myself but can't, don't have the sources and can't afford to have it done. They charge $2500 to do the 4" floor drop, and $1500 for the rear tank and installation. I wish I could get the tank stuff and do that ourselves, and try to get up the cash to have the floor done soon after. I'm not looking to do the drivers area, I'm just looking at the mid space, all of it just cost's too much.

How can you get a 4" drop without lift or frame cutting, I don't think there's enough room?

 

New Photos:

 

Well, I drove up there yesterday and saw it for the first time. I'm kind of in shock. Its so different from the van I bought. I took some pics, then dropped my camera, so I had to cut that short. Sorry

You can see the nasty looking 3" gap above the bumpers from the body lift. Also, the re-located fuel filler and the re-routed exhaust underneath.

My column is torn up. The key cylinder is removed, and won't be reinstalled, as that is controlled entirely by touchpad. The shifter will be left, but is non-functional...I wanted to keep the overdrive lockout.

I think that's it. Should be finished by the end of the month.

 

http://umbrella.xomar.com/crab453/van/van21.jpg

http://umbrella.xomar.com/crab453/van/van22.jpg

 

crab453,

Will the touchpad serve as the shifter as well as the ignition switch?

They should be able to relocate the OD lockout to a new location or leave it where it is for that matter. The older vans that had the early E4OD transmissions had the OD button on the dash.

Disconnecting it would be a deal breaker for me. That's always been my favorite feature on my van.

Will the fuel filler on the right work out ok for you? With your exit on the right side as well, I can see problems at the pump.

Gene

 

kevin11,

Thanks for the discription that you posted. I wasn't aware there was such a system available.

Gene

 

Hi, Gene.

The touchpad can do everything in that van but control the radio and mirrors.

Ignition
Shifting
HVAC
Wipers
All lighting
E-brake
Windows
Locks
Horn

Heres the manual

I realize repositioning that button would be simple, in fact I could do it myself, but then I have a gaping hole in the column. It looks better in there honestly.

The fuel filler really isn't a big deal for me...as I live in New Jersey where its illegal to pump our own gas. Plus, I really don't have the physical capability to do so anyhow.

-Cory

 

Anyone near me have or know where I can find a fairly cheap chrome step bumper? I have some dents in mine from a jacknknifed boat...It looks like crap.

-Cory