A not so automated WELCOME, CAGE B8

[CAGE B8]

Hello all!

New guy to the forum (obviously) but no stranger to forum usage/banter!

I work in the motorcycle industry as a General Manager of ScootRichmond LLC and have been a "wrencher" for a little over 15 years now.

I was out and about one day after spying the "latest" generation of Transit Connect and figured I'd take a look at a local dealer. Needless to say after getting to take one home for the evening, I was SOLD. I am now the owner of a BN 2015 EcoBoost Transit Connect XL VAN (Dual slider/window) in the oh-so desirable "County employee" white/black commercial scheme. The temptation of possibilities to thoroughly MOLEST it to conform to my liking and day-to-day life were the main drive behind the purchase.

The first project I am taking on is to effectively sound deaden the vehicle to make it a little more "wagon" with the "van" capability of hauling small motorcycles/scooters.
I've also purchased an inexpensive motorcycle wheel chock from Harbor Freight to fabricate an "on the fly" motorcycle securing system that utilizes the factory floor d-hook mounting points that are just behind the driver/passenger seats.

I will make sure to start separate threads on each topic in their respective sections and I hope to see you all around the forum!

Thanks for having me!

Edited May 11, 2015 by CAGE B8

[windguy]

@CAGEB8 - welcome to the forum. nice first post.

looking forward to reading about your van customizations.

just so happens I was looking at insulation materials while at Home Depot this past weekend.

I was looking at the R-Tech 4x8 sheet insulation with foil on both sides. I like that it's moisture resistant and has some flexibility to it.

comes in different thicknesses and is inexpensive. R value isn't too high though.

I think another poster used this material for his work van. Could have been KeyWestLes. Applied with a spray adhesive.

Dynamat Dynaliner looks like a really nice option but it's very expensive.

[CAGE B8]

Oh yeah!

I think I stumbled upon the stuff you're referring to WIndGuy, but I went wit hthe stuff I already had experience with.

There are FOR SURE better products on the market, but for the cost and the fact there is next to NO sound deadening in the vehicle past the passenger cabin - the Frost King and Peel-n-Seal I grabbed should do the trick enough to kill most of the road vibration/etc.

Admittedly , I've been SUPER busy with work and haven't been able to make the time to get around to the stuff I'd like too... compounded by the fact it was the wifes birthday weekend. Hopefully this week is the week I at least start on the deadening and at least getting the rest of the parts for the motorcycle "rigging."

In the mean time, I'm trying to get some photos I've taken to upload but apparently my phone takes them in too large of a file to upload directly. I'll keep trying though.

Thanks for the warm welcome!

[windguy]

@cageb8 - the Frostking material looks like a good option. whatever works. anything added will help. keep us posted on that project.

regarding uploading pics, creating your own gallery (MY GALLERY) is really easy and doesn't have the same size limitations as uploading an attachment.

once a pic is in your gallery, you can attach it to your post by using the MY MEDIA option in the toolbar when you create a post. let us know if you have questions in setting that up.

[CAGE B8]

Hopefully these are uploaded and view-able. These were 3 days before I signed for MY TC xL. The dealer was kind enough to let me tool around in a 2.5 xL (NO side glass), run my normal errands, and test to see if any of MY cycles would fit -

def got my CB in there - which is going BYE BYE this Thursday to make way for some much needed upgrades to this puppy. I think with the wifes b-day out of the way, I may have some time to devote to the "Free Candy Van" here in the NEAR future.

[windguy]

great pics - can see them just fine. thanks for sharing.

not sure this would help you but I put a 1/2" sheet of plywood (primed and painted) inside the floor of my cargo van.

I couldn't stand the spongy floor mat that came with the van.

Covering the plywood with a low cost gray utility carpet from Home Depot that's sold by the foot in a 6ft width.

gives the van a nice finished looked.

Edited June 17, 2015 by windguy

[103west43rd]

Cage B8, with all the negative comments about dealers, it is nice to read your post including comments about a dealer that knows how to treat a customer.

[CAGE B8]

great pics - can see them just fine. thanks for sharing.

not sure this would help you but I put a 1/2" sheet of plywood (primed and painted) inside the floor of my cargo van.

I couldn't stand the spongy floor mat that came with the van.

Covering the plywood is a low cost gray utility carpet from Home Depot that's sold by the foot in a 6ft width.

gives the van a nice finished looked.

I've been contemplating doing something very similar but now that I've loaded 3 scoots - I've noticed that the spongey'ness of the floor actually allows me to "ghost steer" the bike forward when loading myself (keeps the front wheel relatively straight even though I have no hand on the controls. I'm torn but we'll see once I have a SOLID wheel chocking system in place. In the mean time... I'm working on aesthetics and SOUND SYSTEM!

PRIORITIES! LOL

Cage B8, with all the negative comments about dealers, it is nice to read your post including comments about a dealer that knows how to treat a customer.

Hey man, I work for a dealer so I know that feel... on both sides of the fence. Taking my experience as a SMALL dealer I am not at all envious of the big box automotive dealers (like FORD). There are so many people that could "screw up" the customer service process that there is ALWAYS someone on damage control.

Compound the fact that most customers walk through the DOOR with the assumption they are going to be taken advantage of, it's one of the most DIFFICULT industries to work in. Some people don't understand that - ANY retail space is there to not just provide you a product/service, but to make a profit while doing it. It's hard for people to understand that even that complimentary water they are sipping on costs money.

An explanation to "my" sales guy prompted a complete change in his sales tactics:

Me - " I WANT this and the sticker price is justified under that guise. Beating you up over the price JUST to save money will only make all of our lives harder. I pay for "convenience" everyday of my life, and I don't beat the guy at 7-11 up over the price of Gatorade all because I saw it cheaper at Walmart....." I said a lot of other things as well.... but it changed the ENTIRE dynamic of the sales transaction which resulted in them not only STOPPING their push to sell me current inventory that I really didn't want, but they found the van I wanted with extra options I hadn't considered (cost vs need/want) - BU camera/CD player, heated mirrors, and side glass and NO extra cost, at another dealer.

Although there were a lot of short comings in their service, I was still overall pleased. I'm actually a little disappointed that I havn't heard back from my sales guy - follow-ups are a BIG thing at my place and they mean a lot to the customer - " Wow. He actually gives a damn about how I and the vehicle are doing. "

Cage, I'm almost under the assumption that if one is going to be hauling motorcycles etc around.. it might be best to create or install a bike rack/tie down system.. Sort of like those mounted on the concrete side walk outside store fronts. Something that would secure the front or rear wheel between the two bars etc. The only other options would be those metal strips with tie down points (eTrack) otherwise GL with your ventures.. all we're hauling is our own butts.

(sorry I lost your comment in scrolling)

OH YEAH! I already have a cheapy locking wheel chock and various parts to mount to a "modular" idea I have - basically a .38" piece of aluminum flat stock with the chock mounted to it that will easily come in/out with threaded retainers that drop in to the d-ring tapped locations, it's just a matter of getting the flat stock and trying it.

Otherwise in regards to the SCOOTS - I've already hauled a few easily with out due to the fact they have center stands: Position bike, put on center stand, strap rear of bike to rear dings, strap front to front d-rings (putting the rear under tension), then one or two retaining straps to the "side" d-rings.

'79 P125X VESPA - took 89 miles one way with ZERO issues