Weirdest idi van ever?

[Cubey]

Step aside Centurian Econolines with a dually truck bed... I found something weirder.

A pop top camper van with a tag axle. And yes it's an IDI. $8600 in SLC on Facebook.

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Actually, I saw an 86 IDI Centurian too, for $7k

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[XOLATEM]

Do you guys have any idea how tough it is to lift something like that on an electric-over-hydraulic asymetrical lift without whacking the running boards...??

Takes forever setting up the arms and pads to not damage anything and for it to be safe enough to work underneath it for anything you might have to tug on or shake...

And...if you have to get in or out of the thing...at least you can open a side door and use a ladder...and try to keep oil-dry offa the carpet...ya gotta lay down a lot of paper or cardboard...

Got to the point that the time spent putting it up on the lift had to generate its own labor charge...it was THAT much of a hassle...

Trucks with a fairly straight frame are more warm-and-fuzzy...and the heavier the frame, the better...

It was either a dodge or chevy van...I can't remember...if I saw the underneath of it I could tell you...but I had to stack 4x4 wood to make it level enough to lift...and I was sweating it..!!!

I hate running boards with a passion...useless as tiches on a boar hog...

One other thing...back in the 80's I worked in a shop that the lifts had nylon bushings instead of bearings...cheap manufacture...

....and every time I would lift a C-10 chevy truck...without fail and no matter how I set up the arms...one leg would kick out and leave the thing on three posts...

I was just waiting for the disaster...

Did I say that I hate running boards...??

 

[WrenchWhore]

10/10 I would love to have that 86 Centurion. Not sure how I'd feel about working on it BUT that's beside the point. Dually for the win! All that payload!

 

[Cubey]

I posted it on a FB Econolines group, and besides the typical "you're dumb" replies for me saying it's weird, a few other examples were posted.

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[Cubey]

Do you guys have any idea how tough it is to lift something like that on an electric-over-hydraulic asymetrical lift without whacking the running boards...??

Did I say that I hate running boards...??

Mine has aluminum running boards.

I actually do use it as a step, so it's actually functional for me. Saves having to set out a little folding plastic step stool.

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[XOLATEM]

It is funny you would post a picture and have an off-road VW in the background...

I was just telling The Girl about people hot-rodding VW's in the 80's and how the suspension could be cranked up to put big tires on it...

'Goin' 4-Wheeling' was the fad where I lived back then. Jeeps and V-Dubs reigned supreme...big, honking lifted trucks were goin' Trail Riding and every Monday a story was heard about breaking something and it usually cost you about 100 bucks to fix it and be ready for the next week-end.

There was always a story about a Jeep or Bronco or Blazer that pulled someone out of the muck and saved the day...

V-Dubs had an advantage because the belly pan/frame could float over a mud bog...the driving wheels threw up a good rooster tail...

Life was good in the Reagan Era..

 

[The_Josh_Bear]

Ok so I think that van LOOKS very cool and I like that. But what's the point of the tag axle on a camper van? Towing capacity? It's not like you're driving around with a pallet of landscaping blocks in the back. Of course the hassle of a second axle is much more than having a dually but it's still neat. Would be totally BOSS if it was a driven axle...

 

[Cubey]

Ok so I think that van LOOKS very cool and I like that. But what's the point of the tag axle on a camper van? Towing capacity? It's not like you're driving around with a pallet of landscaping blocks in the back. Of course the hassle of a second axle is much more than having a dually but it's still neat. Would be totally BOSS if it was a driven axle...

Water bed?

 

[Cant Write]

But what's the point of the tag axle on a camper van?

It’s all about “the look” here in America. 95% of people here seem to judge and make sure you or they or everyone HAS ...... “the look”

Young kid at work just bought a 92k, that’s NINETY-TWO THOUSAND dollar GMC 3500 SWR CCLB AT4. I sat him down pulled up a simple investment calculator at 8% putting in half what his payments are and he could have something like 3 million in 30 years, vs a depreciating pickup.

Cant fix stupid and we were all young once!!! (Meaning we were all stupid at one time or another)

Back to the tag axle, I find it interesting from a custom standpoint, but also unnecessary unless you have that water bed!!

Oh, I hate running boards too, but with young kids and old parents, I see them get their use. So I keep them

 

[Cubey]

It’s all about “the look” here in America. 95% of people here seem to judge and make sure you or they or everyone HAS ...... “the look”

15 or so years ago, someone i knew, around 22 years old, said to me that he'd rather live in a single wide trailer and have a $50k car, vs buying a modest house (which at that time, was possible around that area for $50k) and a modest car/truck.

Mind you, he was driving a white, early 2000s Chevy Malibu he was given, and still lived in his childhood bedroom. I'm not judging him for that, he had valid enough reasons IMO, but his future priorities were pretty out of wack.

But maybe I'm no one to judge at all; I choose to live in a 35 year old van that I can't stand upright in.

 

[Jesus Freak]

Do you guys have any idea how tough it is to lift something like that on an electric-over-hydraulic asymetrical lift without whacking the running boards...??

Takes forever setting up the arms and pads to not damage anything and for it to be safe enough to work underneath it for anything you might have to tug on or shake...

And...if you have to get in or out of the thing...at least you can open a side door and use a ladder...and try to keep oil-dry offa the carpet...ya gotta lay down a lot of paper or cardboard...

Got to the point that the time spent putting it up on the lift had to generate its own labor charge...it was THAT much of a hassle...

Trucks with a fairly straight frame are more warm-and-fuzzy...and the heavier the frame, the better...

It was either a dodge or chevy van...I can't remember...if I saw the underneath of it I could tell you...but I had to stack 4x4 wood to make it level enough to lift...and I was sweating it..!!!

I hate running boards with a passion...useless as tiches on a boar hog...

One other thing...back in the 80's I worked in a shop that the lifts had nylon bushings instead of bearings...cheap manufacture...

....and every time I would lift a C-10 chevy truck...without fail and no matter how I set up the arms...one leg would kick out and leave the thing on three posts...

I was just waiting for the disaster...

Did I say that I hate running boards...??

He's right you know.....he's wrong about somethings, but not all things, so I heartily agree with @XOLATEM a good deal of the time....... except when he's wrong.....then I brow beat him under the bus. I'll try to get pictures of the running boards on my dually sometimes and prove beyond a shadow of doubt that running boards have their place, sometimes. But most of the time they're as useless as a tag axle on a E350.

Edit: actually if you look at my avatar you can see I cut the useless part of the trucks running boards off and left the part on the bed as a step to get in the bed and access the middle of the tool box...... you know that's brilliant like my center console!

 

[IDIBRONCO]

It’s all about “the look” here in America. 95% of people here seem to judge and make sure you or they or everyone HAS ...... “the look”

Young kid at work just bought a 92k, that’s NINETY-TWO THOUSAND dollar GMC 3500 SWR CCLB AT4. I sat him down pulled up a simple investment calculator at 8% putting in half what his payments are and he could have something like 3 million in 30 years, vs a depreciating pickup.

In response, refer back to my thread titled "Who's Smarter?".

But maybe I'm no one to judge at all; I choose to live in a 35 year old van that I can't stand upright in.

I'd rather have your lifestyle than to live being a slave to new vehicle payments.

I'll try to get pictures of the running boards on my dually sometimes and prove beyond a shadow of doubt that running boards have their place, sometimes. But most of the time they're as useless as a tag axle on a E350.

I was going to run some aluminum ones on my dually. Just for the looks. I even bought them. Then I found out that they were supposed to be for a crew cab dually, but really came off of an extended cab dually. I guess I won't be running them after all. Oh well.

 

[KansasIDI]

I like running boards. As high as my F Super Duty sits, having a step that few inches lower is definitely nice.

I really only like the old style running boards, the full length aluminum ones, with the plate in front that keeps mud and salt off of the running boards and the rocker panels and doors.

I have them on all my trucks.

My service truck is too heavy for a two post lift anyway, especially with the weight shifted to the rear of center. So while I understand how they could be frustrating on a lift, not necessarily applicable in the case of my service truck.

 

[The_Josh_Bear]

It’s all about “the look” here in America. 95% of people here seem to judge and make sure you or they or everyone HAS ...... “the look”

Young kid at work just bought a 92k, that’s NINETY-TWO THOUSAND dollar GMC 3500 SWR CCLB AT4. I sat him down pulled up a simple investment calculator at 8% putting in half what his payments are and he could have something like 3 million in 30 years, vs a depreciating pickup.

The fact that you took the time to sit him down and teach him that, no matter his response, is absolutely stellar! We need more people like that around for sure!