What type of vehicle, is your choice, to drive, during your working hours?.
Would it be a van,ute,vanette,truck.
What make/model is it?.
Your input please-

we have 2 vans, 1 half-ton pickup, 2 three quarter ton pickups, a small size pickup (s-10), a 1-ton stake bed, and a 1 1/2 ton bucket truck. i usually get stuck with the s-10, since the rest of them have tool boxes or ladder racks on them, and they are usually out on jobs. the s-10 serves its purpose for me, because i am usually busy looking at jobs for bidding purposes, or running down parts/materials and delivering to job sites. we also have a couple of trailers for hauling large amounts of material, wire, trencher, etc., and a lockable box trailer that we leave on the jobsite, for equipment storage.

I have a 2000 GMC 3500 series pickup with a Knapheide tool body on it, it has 94000 miles in it in 2.5 years, looks like another payment come June or so.

In a nutshell, it's 4X4 here, or explore the towing strength of whatever wire you've on board.....

I've an 88' F-250 HD 4X4 w/ utility body & rack for those large reels of 350kcmil & pipe

And a 00' GMC AWD astro van, outfitted via American Van....i like those 'rat packs' for all the kibbles & bits...

it's hard to assume an all-round vehicle for all aspects of the trade.....

[This message has been edited by sparky (edited 12-17-2002).]

If I had any computer skills I would post a picture of my truck here. Since I don't here is a link to a generic picture of my truck. It is a Ford E350 super duty cab with a knapheide body. More contractors here are moving away from the standard van and into box trucks or utility truck. Having had all three this one is my favorite. www.knapheide.com/news.asp



[This message has been edited by Electricmanscott (edited 12-17-2002).]

Like you Trumpy, I had some pole-line and substation duties so they assigned me a 1-ton 4-wheel drive GMC pickup with a utility body [before retirement.]

I'd love a "Ute" (Small 4x4 vehicle, more utility, little sport)

I am planning to get either a MAX VAN from GRUMMAN OLSON COMPANY or a box van from SUPERIOR COMPANY.
These are the big box van that one can stand inside the box section and it has side compartments as well.
The body i think is made of reinforced plywood with fibreglass.

Any comments on these?

Would you guys recommend CHEVY or FORD and GAS or DIESEL?

Thanks
Edward

A box van I think would be the best vehicle for us sparky's, thing is it is just to big and expensive to maintain. I prefer a Ford E250 for every day work with all the "American Van stuff" in the back. Pvc tubes on top with a good ladder rack. No windows either, would rather people be guessing what's in the back than knowing!

Im still using my first vehicle I owned for my service truck.. A 1977 FORD F150 xlt . I bought from original owner . Its very dependable. rebuilt 400 w 20k miles. 12 cu. ft.tool box on back, a side mount tool box, and soon a ladder/pipe rack on top!
In future I would like a 18 passenger van to gut out and outfit with tools/parts. A plumber freind of mine uses these long vans, It fits a tremendous amount of material .

Chevy trucks, two 1500's and one 2500. All gas burners (the 2500 is a gas guzzler), all two wheel drive. Not much snow on the GA coast!

Edward, We are going to get a Work Max with a GMC cutaway van. We may end up with the Superior version, who knows.

Curently we use GMC 2500 cargo vans. I drive an Isuzu Trooper around all day chasing parts, money, bids, etc. I think I'm going to have to get a pick-up truck though, today I drove around with 2 temp poles in there all day. I'm going to ruin the interior if I don't get a truck for the company.

Weuse an87 toyota flatbed with large sideboxes,4wd. Also have a95 dodge ram pickup 4wd. Four wheel scratch is a must here in the ga. mtns.

I'm in a new Chevy 2500 (3000 mi) with a Royal bed & rack. The bed's got the sliding cover, so it's pretty secure.
No nasty weather here, so it's alot easier to get into the bins than the "Rolling Napalm" van I just retired (after 287K miles).

this is interesting E-Scott.....

Scott,
No nasty weather here? Where have you been the last couple of days?

Well, we have three (3) Ford Vans; E350 Diesel, E350 gas, & E250 Gas, all are "maxi"
(long wheelbase). Fitted with racks/shelving/bins, and a medium Knack box for the $$ tools. Next is the F700 utility with the 55' TECO, thats diesel thank god. Me personally, I drive a Chevy Tahoe...used to be a "true blue" Ford guy, but the $$$ Expedition and $$$$$$$Excursion made me switch. Tahoe has 44K in 18 months. '95 diesel van is 128K, 95 E250 is 90K, and the '00 E350 is 38K. Next one "may" be a box or utility van body.
John

We used to be loyal GM people but we were not impressed with the current generation vans (we had a 87, and 2 1990 full size GM vans, but switched to Ford. We now have in our fleet, 97 E-150, a 2001 E-150, and a 2001 E-250. All full size cargo vans, with gas guzzling V8s, the 2003 E-250 is coming soon.....

Boy do the oil companies love us.

Who was it that posted this link before?
http://www.thesitecommander.com/gallery.asp

I'm the guilty party.

Me> '89 Nissan Hardbody (laugh) Pickup...

The pinstripe on the bed is 2" lower than the pinstripe on the cab... Not good.

Nick,
Yes, I've been standing up to my boot-tops in water lately (really not trying to support the "never rains" myth), but we're a spoiled lot here. At least it's not snow or mud up to our necks like some of these guys!
Virgil,
Having read long ago a post of what you've got in your P/U, and given your weight (in the cab), I'm surprised that the bed isn't dragging on the ground with an 18" misalignment on the stripe! ...S

Scott (Electure)


I was at home Monday completing another set of "E" sheets, when the rain came through.
The Flood Control Drainage Ditch near me was Three Feet + deep within an hour of the first downpour!
I saw some kids in an inflatable raft attempting to navigate it like the Mississippi River!!!
Very funny to see!

Yesterday (Tuesday Afternoon), I dropped off a Vellum Plot Hard Copy set of E sheets with the EC, so He can take to Building Dept.
This EC is located in Chatsworth.
Driving through Downtown LA was it's normal comedy of rain phobic clowns driving the freeways (excuse me, parking lots!).

"Oh No!!! It's Moist Outside!!! Slam On The Brakes...No Wait, Slam On The Accelerator...No Wait, Slam On Both Pedals And Change Lanes!!!"

Anyhow, when I got on Hwy 118 the semi heavy downpour turned to Hurricane Intensity!
Everyone had to slow down and nearly came to a full stop!
This continued all the way from the 5 / 118 Junction, to the De Soto st. offramp.
Rain immediately stopped once I hit the exit ramp!

Returning to Anaheim, I saw at least 20 separate accidents, 6 cars being towed or pushed by other cars, and 4 flipped Autos in 4 separate areas.

P.S. I saw all this in my '99 Chevy 1 Ton Fullsize Van - in possession since Jan. 2000.
Parked it next to my '86 GMC Safari Van (in possession since apx. Jun. 1988) when I returned back to Home / Office / Laboratory / Music Studio / Food Lair / Sleeping Zone / Mail Stop / Buck Stop / Stray Animal Attracting Device / yadda, yadda, yadda...

Scott s.e.t.

Here's Electricmanscott's work truck:



Schweet!!

My God,
If you took the ladders off the roof and placed a couple of red lights on that truck,
you could almost call it an Ambulance.

[This message has been edited by Trumpy (edited 12-21-2002).]

Trumpy, funny you mention the ambulance... I was driving home from a job the other day and actually saw an old ambulance converted into a very nice "work truck". they replaced the red lights with amber, and added a custom yellow/green paint job. dont remember the name of the bus., but it was something like "Emergeny Electrical Services"

Thanks Virgil. This truck is great. All the benefits of a utility truck (outside conpartments) but on a small scale. Fits nicely into driveways. Single rear wheels and under 10,000 gvw means no special DOT regulations either.

hmm,
really like your ride there Scott, is this a utility body that's dropped on, or an all inclusive body??

Utility body mounted on a Ford 350 van cab and chasis. www.knapheide.com

Scott, nice truck! Is that a diesel?

That style of truck is becoming more and more popular around here too, lately.

Hey, where's your ECN bumper sticker???

Bumper sticker? Hey Bill you listening? Not a diesel. Didn't want to annoy the neighbors with the roar of the mighty diesel engine.

Maybe add a hardhat decal too, for more "captive" tradesmen...

[I smell a logo contest.]

E-Scott, how much did it cost? (Roughly) If you don't mind the Q...

Virgil, I can't speak for Scott but I know a plumber with a similar truck, except his is more heavy duty with a F-350 front end (like the pickups, not a van), powerstroke diesel, dual rear wheels and a Reading body.

$36,000, 0% financing.

Wow... That's five bills a month. (Assuming 72 months)

Plus insurance...

Sticker price was just over 31K. My price was just over 26K. Depending on your negotiatin skills not a whole lot more than a regular E350 van.

Another popular worl truck. http://www.supremeind.com/service/spartan/chevycutaway/chevycutaway_gallery.html