Conversion Van: What Does That Mean?
RelationshipA conversion van is a product of third party companies that outfit a new full size bare cargo van 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 seats a big family in comfort and they are just great cars.
First, they’re the same length as a Suburban with the same engine block and transmission with a lot more room inside. They have infinitely more features than an Escalade, Navigator or Denali and cost less…but hold their resale better than any of the other three.
Seriously, a conversion van is the way to go on cross-country trips. Pull out full size convertible sofa, sink, gas cooker, fridge, storage space and a good sound system are just some of the basic features.
A big draw to a conversion van is the plush seats, which provide the opportunity to lie down or recline on long drives, 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 popularized by hippies in the 1960s, most were used for basic daily transportation.
After the mid-’80s, luxurious interiors with thick padded seats, wood trim, and fancy lighting began to appear in conversion vans as families and retirees began using them for road trips and camping.
Conversion vans also began to include things like sleeping accommodations, cookware, televisions, and other items.
Today conversion vans can be outfitted with almost any electronic device and include endless luxuries.
type conversion
Several different types of vehicles are classified as conversion vans.
travel van– These are the standard conversion vans and the only type offered with low roofs and high roofs. A typical travel van seats seven passengers on a rear bench and four captain’s chairs. Often the rear bench folds down electronically to become a bed. These vans typically have large windows with blinds, storage cabinets, and flat screen monitors that have eliminated the need for special cabinets to hold the television. High-end stereo systems and other electronics are typical, including multi-game systems.
Disabled Vans– 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 clearance through the door, or lower or lower floor to allow adequate clearance for the head. In all cases, a lift platform is added to the rear doors or passenger side doors to allow the person in a wheelchair to enter or exit the van. A lower floor modification can be done only in the cargo area to save money, while a full lower floor is one where both the cargo area and driver/passenger area are lowered. Standard lowered floor conversions are 6″ and 9″.
office vans– These vans are built so that the back is a small office with a desk and chair bolted to the floor, an electrical outlet, docking stations for your electronics, flat screen monitors, and maybe a seat or two in the back. rear for passengers These are extremely popular with street vendors and television camera crews.
Vans “Class B” Motorhomes– Sometimes referred to as camper vans, Class B vans are built on top of a full-size cargo van, and are sometimes extended by a couple of feet. Lengths range from 17 to 20 feet. These vans have more travel-friendly features like a toilet, refrigerator, microwave, sink, side sofa, stand-up pop-up canvas roof, and stove.