My insurance for the step van is $880 a year with commercial insurance. My E-150 is $504 a year but has a bit less coverage. Neither have full coverage. You can always get an insurance quote before buying. That saved me from buying a Hyundai for the wife once because they wanted as much as the car payment.
I keep the pipe on the inside on top of the left wheel well. It keeps it clean dry and warm. The wheel wells are square 10” tall 2’ in from wall and maybe 3’ across. I am still working on making more shelves and I have plans for short and deep storage bins below this rack for rolls of flex, sealtight, fish tapes, etc... Below this I have some tool boxes and plastic storage totes. Above this I have 2 shelves 11’’ and 13’’ x 12’ filled with cardboard and plastic bins of parts. Above that is an aluminum shelf that came with the truck. It’s 2’x12’ and stores all the cases of cans, trims, boxes, mud rings, etc... I also have a kitchen garbage can on that side. It really helps keep it clean.
The right side is a 4’ long greenlee gang box for the power tools. I also have a number of storage crates pilled up, blankets, benders, and a kerosene/diesel heater. I installed a rear heater I found on ebay. I have lots of room left there for shelves and storage lockers (for tool belts) I plan on building. Above that is an aluminum shelf I lay a 10’, 8’, 6’, & 4’ step ladder. It has room for 1 or 2 more ladders there too. Also on that shelf I store my low voltage phone, TV cable, and stuff. In the back sides I have over 40 spools of # 12 & # 14, and # 10. A few # 6 & #8 spools.
The back door is a roll up we don’t use much in the cold. We take small amounts of pipe thru the front passenger door. It has a 3’ clear path front to back to walk thru. The passenger seat I had to buy separate on the internet. It flips up when you don’t sit on it to make a clear path out the side door.
We don’t put anything on the top. It has a fiberglass roof to keep the weight down and is transparent in the center to let in some light. I have to watch for low tree branches on the small back roads. It is maybe 11’ tall. I saw some of these trucks with a steel platform over the whole roof and a ladder up the side. I don’t want this because it may make me too tall to fit under some small 12’ 6” bridges. I also saw the ladders on the side. I don’t know where to get these side racks I just planned on making some out of angle steel. There is some room above the side doors to hang ladders so the openings are not blocked. For now I put the 24’ extension ladder on the back floor when I need it. If it was a few inches shorter it would fit on the shelf with my other ladders. That is one reason I would like one with a 14’ cargo area next time. The 16’ step ladder for now we can just fit it in with the top touching the front cap roof but it’s really in the way of everything. It did not fit well on the E-150 because it’s so big.
It also has an aluminum bulkhead from front to back and sliding door. All the doors slide open making it easier to get in and out in tight areas. The whole front end flips open and the cab floor comes out to make repairs easier. The big double side mirrors and all glass side door give better visibility than a van with no windows. I found some of the special parts are cheaper. Like a blower knob Grumman $4 where ford is $12. The rear step bumper is a metal grid you’ll never slip on. I don’t know how many times I slipped and fell on the different ford ones. It looks to be spring loaded for backing into loading docks.
They told me this truck came in a 9000 and a 12000 GVR version. The 12k has rear disk brakes 19.5” tires and front leaf springs. The 9K has rear drum brakes front coil springs and smaller tires. They said the 9k rides a bit smoother. I got the 12K because that’s all I could find. It has a stiff ride. It was worst empty. It’s not so bad loaded. It loves weight and I don’t think I’ll ever over load it unlike the E-150 was always ridding low. A shop told me they can put in lighter front springs for $1200 but it’s not that bad. It drives like a big truck. It is slower than an Econoline. It is noisier to drive because of the diesel, no insulation, and metal rattling. It makes it more difficult to talk on the phone. One reason why I have been insulating the back with 1 ½” foam and 1/2” plywood (it’s helping). With 160,000 miles on it the steering is tight. I seen 14,000 GVR ones listed but I notice now some streets that limit trucks to 12K GVW rating.
They also told me the Isuzu one would only go 55 mph. I look at one that had 4 wheel drum brakes. I could not get it to stop.
It will make an Econoline feel like a Cadillac. The vans are built softer and quieter more for families where step vans are built sturdier for the delivery industry. The problem with the econoline is there is not enough room for all the material and ladders. Material was getting damaged and lost. It would take too long to find something. I would end up being the gofer because no one could find things. Always climbing in and over things to get something. The van would always look messy because we tried to carry too much. If you did not have something then time is waited just getting one thing.
I had to look hard to find step vans. I found a few dealers and trucks on the internet. I had the best luck with local truck trader magizeens. Even if you want new they had a lot of deals in the ads.
Sorry no pictures yet.
Tom
For parts
www.walkinvan.com good company for parts
http://workhorsecc.com/ http://www.buyastepvan.com/ http://www.step-vans.com/ http://www.walkinvan.com/grumman_stepvan_p1.htm parts
http://www.stepvans.com/thoughts.html Nice inventory but after talking to them I wonder if some trucks are and pieced together with older used parts
http://www.grummanolson.com http://www.bright.net/~ucbc2/
http://www.utilimaster.com/