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Old 06-27-2019, 10:40 AM   #1
Pntyrmvr
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Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: GTA
Posts: 152
Default 1979 Dodge MB400 cube van conversion

Hi,

Long time Dodge Sportsmobile 4x4 owner wanting more space and permanent headroom.

Found this one, my 7th Dodge van, on eBay for $2500 in California. 2800 miles from home in Ontario.

7500 original miles. Grandson of original purchaser. Flew out. Drove it home. No issues except a chugging miss on hills. Not fuel pump, coil, or ballast resistor. I'll find it. Reluctor air gap in distributor is next. GVWR is 10,500 lbs. Empty is listed at 5500 lbs. Lots of cargo/interior capacity.

Burns 2 quarts of 10w30 on the way back. Motor fine by me. 8.3 mpg. Needs an air dam for sure. Maybe overdrive too.

440 cu in. 4.10 Dana 70 rear. 14' long box almost 8' wide with 7' headroom.

Prefer solo, remote camping, but also enjoy camping at festivals and races.

Wife is 6' and I'm 6'-4". Combined gross weight of 460 lbs so Sportsmobile upstairs at 42" ide ain't gonna cut it. Cheap foam mattress- no more.

Folding Murphy bed. Queen size. Real mattress.

Already own-

propane frame rail tank
propane chest freezer
propane bar size fridge
RV toilet and tank
RV sink, taps, pump, and tanks
RV 2 burner propane stove
new CO-propane detector
adjustable alternator voltage regulator
12V battery isolator

Bought from AZ RV Salvage in PHX in January-

replacement taillights

5 white frame tinted windows with screens from an old toy hauler 5th wheel trailer- 1 is emergency egress hinge style unit

full size RV entrance door with screen door from burnt unit- crawled around in it and found the door key!

From other salvage yards-

2 drivers seats from extended cab Dodge pickup. Integral seat belts as cube van has only lap belts and no structure for shoulder belt attachment. Wife wants shoulder belts. Nuff said. 2 drivers seats because I can't buy new seat foam buns for passenger side seats.

Replacement outside rear view mirror.

Jammed it all in a minivan and drove home.

Stored it at the Ranch for the winter and spring never came.

Finally gets here and I pull the doors off.

The box door frame is rotten in places. The rear floor is as well. I cut material out and find very narrow tunnels into the wood frame and sawdust. Lots of melted styrofoam too.Click image for larger version

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