windguy

good to know, thanks. I kind of thought newer cars don't have turn signals anymore. Rarely see anyone using them around here in LA

@Colby C - great job on your mini camper build. Thanks for sharing. You're a true craftsman. Looking forward to seeing more improvements. Keep up the good work!

@Tiller - job well done on adding this useful amenity to your TC. Thanks for sharing with some cool videos. Did you consider using a pistol grip type sprayer instead? You mentioned the pump is rated at 3g/min. If you were to use a gentle spray level, what would you guess is the water usage rate? I've had thoughts of adding something like this to my TC since I rinse off at the beach after every surf session. I now fill an old 1gal apple juice bottle that has a nice handle with hot water at home. I like the warm water rinse in the winter months. I've also considered getting a portable shower unit so water can be heated. Something like the link below: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B011TRLVP0/ref=asc_df_B011TRLVP05168442/?tag=hyprod-20&creative=394997&creativeASIN=B011TRLVP0&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198093463189&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=8903817247903966003&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9031174&hvtargid=pla-350596519425 I like the simplicity of your system but my van is currently stuffed with gear so I'd have to figure out where to mount this pump system if I were to go this route. Could you please share some info on the pump you selected? Is it the one in the link below? (I turned the pic around to see the label easier) https://www.amazon.com/SHURflo-4008-101-E65-Revolution-Water-Pump/dp/B002XM5G70 Did you do any special wiring to power this with a fuse or just tap a 12VDC line available? I like the panel switch you mounted. Very slick. What model is that and what else does it control? Many thanks!

Welcome to the forum! Great to see a TC owner from a far away continent.

I agree. It's hard to hear the signal when it's on. I often don't notice it's still on when making a lane change that's not enough turn to go off by itself.

great post ,thanks. When you open a door, do any interior lights come on or are all ext and int lights off/dark? Do you know if the setting option is all or nothing or if the on duration can be changed?

I like that a lot. Nice job! Not quite sure why Ford didn't make these out of black plastic for a more finished look instead of crappy masonite. Mine get splashed with water all the time. Starting to look stained. I should do something before they get ruined.

I like the seats. I'm 6-2 and it conforms nicely. Good lumbar support. I have the cloth seats option available with an XLT Cargo Van. All manual adjustments. For driving comfort, the center console armrest is too far back for me, but still not bad. Road noise in a cargo van, meh. The less you have in the van the more noise and creaking you get. That's without any added insulation on the sides or ceiling other than a sheet of plywood and carpet on the cargo area floor. You get used to the road noise and adjust the radio volume accordingly. Engine seems very quiet. OEM tires too.

cool color. have fun with your new van!

Sweet looking ride. Thanks for sharing. That's a nice looking home. Hope you didn't have any problems from Irma.

That's an interesting idea. Thanks for sharing. I guess if you have a specific spot with a local setup like that then it might work out okay. For me, I like to be self sufficient and not hassle with someone else to take responsibility for my keys. Especially if I'm going back and forth to the van multiple times during my beach visit. Plus, I surf and windsurf in different locations and there aren't businesses nearby to let me do that. Having the keypad is a low cost no-brainer for me. I also keep a spare key fob stashed inside the van so if my fob goes missing, I can easily get into the van and drive away.

Hiding the keys under the van isn't such a good idea. With my previous surf mobile, Volvo wagon, I used a combination key lock box from Home Depot attached to the roof rail. That worked out okay but the TC key fob wasn't going to fit in that thing. I've heard too many stories of thieves watching cars at the beach to see where you stash your keys or just searching around the car in the usual spots: on top of the tires, inside the bumpers, inside the gas filler, wiper/dash area. Too risky. The keypad is a sure thing for me.

Thanks. I thought mine had low mileage but 340 miles on yours? How long have you had your van?

Thanks! 31K per year. That's crazy. You must be at the gas station every few days. How's your gas mileage?

Another accessory you might find beneficial is adding a keypad. Having a Ford vehicle gives you the advantage to their keypad option. See pic below. I put mine on the back door because it's most convenient when you get back to the van with your board under your arm. Not having to stash the key fob, which is always a sketchy thing to do, is really helpful. It's been documented that the crackhead thieves will watch you stash your key and then break in later stealing wallet and electronics. There is another thread regarding what to get and how to program it. Very easy to do. You'll love having it and being keyless at the beach. http://fordtransitconnectforum.com/topic/2991-keyless-entry-keypad/?tab=comments#comment-8793

thanks. I love my van. For the racks, I used all Yakima parts - tracks, risers, crossbars. I'll do a write-up with part numbers, pics and what I learned. The wooden stick across the barn doors in that first pic was my first prototype, that failed miserable. So did version 2. But version 3 has been working very well and I never modified the prototype version since it's working. My main reason for needing this is to keep the doors open when it's windy, which is why I'm at the beach most of the time to go windsurfing. Having the doors close on both my gear and me is a bummer so I really needed to have this. The version uses the existing locks to stay in place with enough flexibility to move with the doors back and forth a bit, but not too much. You release the holder using the door handles. Very easy to use. You could use this to hang wetsuits from but I might use a thicker piece of wood for that. Having this is a lifesaver for me.

Welcome to the forum and congrats on your new van. Very nice! Thanks for sharing pics. I like the plastic wheel covers - kind of dresses up the van a bit but then again my color is silver so it matches nicely. No wheel covers means one less thing to lose when you hit a pot hole. I use my van primarily as a beach cruiser and it's very cool. See pic below. The door holder has been upgraded. Need to post about that too. I have cloth seats so I added seat covers made of some semi water resistant material. I often will get into the van to move it when I still have my wetsuit on not to mention all the food that ends up on my seat. You might be interested in adding some roof racks if you're carrying long boards or want to store the boards up top if you're camping in the back. I did so a few months ago, pic below, and plan to do a write-up about that, but there are a few threads already on the forum regarding racks. Lots of options. Looking forward to seeing how you customize your ride. Enjoy!

That's funny. Dang, 56K miles is insane considering how little I drive my TC. Love it! You're about to exceed your warranty on miles vs time, which is much better in my opinion. To all - thanks for the greeting and updates regarding 'The Poster Formally Known As Toaster'. My curiosity has been put to rest though I have a sneaking suspicion he is still lurking this forum under a new alias.

Welcome aboard Darin and congrats on your new to you TC. We're going to hold you to showing us some pics of your ride. The penalty for not doing so if very high. A round of beers for the forum is a big tab

Just want to say HI to my fellow forumites. I'm slowly easing back into the forum after being absent for a long time. I got too busy with other things to visit the forum but now I'm desperate for a distraction from CNN and all the BS going on these days. I need to be in a happy place and the TC Forum is the perfect outlet. I'm glad to be catching up what all the TC lovers have been doing with their vans. I see lots of upgrades and custom conversions going on, which is very cool and interesting to see. There is some real talent and creativity going on. Just to catch up on things, what happened to the toaster? I only see remnants of burnt toast here and there. Was it a short circuit again? Reincarnation possible? Not important to know but always curious. Happy to report that my TC is chugging along just fine with just over 12,000 miles. I put on Yakima roof racks this summer and I'll share that info with a write-up. Also had to have the AC condenser replaced under warranty due to a leak and no cold air. The dealer finally solved the heater problem with the center console getting smoking hot. I better get to work and make some posts on these things. Peace!

great job. thanks for sharing.

check out this older thread http://fordtransitconnectforum.com/topic/3191-rear-license-plate-mounting/

no, I didn't. I didn't like the soft spongy feeling of the mat so I added a sheet of 1/2" or so ext grade plywood and then adding carpet from Home Depot. Same carpet I used for my hanging rack. I primed and painted the plywood first and then used Weldon's adhesive to hold the carpet to the plywood. On the sides, I wrapped the carpet around the edges and under a few inches so it has a nice finished look. In the back, I let the carpet run a little longer to create a flap. It's held up pretty well the last two years but I do add a tarp in the back half because of sand and water splashing.

I would have liked to have surfed back in the 60's when the waves were empty, so I've heard. below is a close-up of the hanging rack, used to store my windsurfing sails and masts up and out of the way. perfect storage solution for me. windsurfing boards and surfboards below for easy access. The TC is the perfect surf mobile for my needs. couldn't be happier with the utility of the van.

thanks for sharing your build. so far looks good.