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Van Conversion: What Does That Mean?

A conversion pickup is a product of third-party companies that outfit a new full-size bare cargo pickup with various luxuries.

They are perfect for families, especially for road trips.

Ask current van owners about their van and they will tell you they “LOVE IT.” Many would say that it is the best kept secret in the automobile business. It keeps a large family in comfort and they are just great cars.

First, they are the same length as a suburban with the same engine and transmission block with an extra ton of interior space. They have infinitely more features than an Escalade, Navigator or Denali and cost less … but they hold their resale better than any of the other three.

Seriously, a conversion truck is the way to go off-road. Full-size pull-out convertible sofa, sink, gas hob, fridge, storage space, and a good sound system are just a few of the basic features.

A big draw for a conversion van is the plush seats, which provide the opportunity to lie down or recline on long trips, which really helps when you have family members with arthritis or fibromyalgia, or children.

Conversion vans became all the rage during the 1970s and 1980s. Unlike the VW buses that the hippies made popular in the 1960s, most were used for basic daily transportation.

After the mid-1980s, luxurious interiors with thick padded seats, wood trim, and fancy lighting began to appear on conversion vans as families and retirees began using them for road trips and camping.

Conversion vans also began to include things like sleeping places, kitchen services, televisions, and other items.

Today, conversion trucks can be equipped with almost any electronic device and include endless luxuries.

Conversion types

Several different types of vehicles are classified as conversion trucks.

Travel van– These are the standard conversion trucks and the only type offered with a low roof and high roof. A typical travel van will accommodate seven passengers on a rear bench and four captain’s chairs. Often times, the rear bench is electronically folded into a bed. These vans typically have large louvered windows, storage cabinets, and flat-screen monitors that have eliminated the need for special cabinets to hold the television. High-end stereo systems and other electronic devices are typical, including various gaming systems.

Vans for the disabled– The van has any or all of the following structural modifications that allow a person in a wheelchair to use the van: raised roof to allow adequate space through the door, or lowered or sloped floor to allow adequate head room . In all cases, a tail lift is added to the rear doors or passenger side doors to allow the person in a wheelchair to enter / exit the van. A lowered floor modification can be done in the cargo area only to save money, while a fully lowered floor is one in which both the cargo area and the driver / passenger area are lowered. Standard lowered floor conversions are 6 “and 9”.

Office vans– These vans are built so that the rear is a small office with a desk and chair bolted to the floor, an electrical outlet, docking stations for your electronic devices, flat screen monitors, and maybe a seat or two in the rear for passengers. They are extremely popular with street vendors and television camera crews.

Motorhomes Vans “Class B”– Sometimes referred to as motorhomes, Class B pickups are built into a full-size cargo van and sometimes lengthen a couple of feet. Lengths vary from 17 to 20 feet. These trucks have more travel-friendly features such as a toilet, refrigerator, microwave, sink, side sofa, pop-up canvas roof that allows for stand-up, and stove.

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