# New Van for you EC's!



## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

Thanks but I still prefer the straight lines on the body of my ford.


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## MF Dagger (Dec 24, 2007)

Too small. Bigger is better.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Fiat = Fix it again, Tony!


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## captkirk (Nov 21, 2007)

Frasbee said:


> http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2011/09/09/ram-bringing-funky-fiat-doblo-van-to-us/
> 
> From Fiat!


 way to small... maybe better suited for a guy that just does trouble shooting..


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

I will keep that in mind if I ever move to England.. :thumbsup:


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Can you imagine a couple bundles of 2" EMT in that?


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

MechanicalDVR said:


> Can you imagine a couple bundles of 2" EMT in that?


No problem.. just throw it on the ladder racks..


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## gold (Feb 15, 2008)

I'll continue to buy american even if it isn't the best value available.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

B4T said:


> No problem.. just throw it on the ladder racks..


 
The ladder racks that would self destruct on the first NYC pot hole? Those ladder racks? :jester:


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## MF Dagger (Dec 24, 2007)

captkirk said:


> way to small... maybe better suited for a guy that just does trouble shooting..


I beg to differ. Being good and efficient at troubleshooting and repair involves an insane amount of parts.


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

Frasbee said:


> http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2011/09/09/ram-bringing-funky-fiat-doblo-van-to-us/
> 
> From Fiat!



Frasbee this is a good fit for you......:laughing:


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

MechanicalDVR said:


> The ladder racks that would self destruct on the first NYC pot hole? Those ladder racks? :jester:


Yes.. :laughing::laughing:


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

B4T said:


> Yes.. :laughing::laughing:


 
I can just see one now, rolled on the LIE.:thumbsup:


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## Frasbee (Apr 7, 2008)

HARRY304E said:


> Frasbee this is a good fit for you......:laughing:


I'd hate to admit it, but I've been eyeing some trucks lately.

I must be having a 1/4 life crisis.


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

MechanicalDVR said:


> Can you imagine a couple bundles of 2" EMT in that?


It'd be easy, you just band saw the bundles in half at the supply house when you pick them up.


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## amptech (Sep 21, 2007)

Looks like what the EC in Whoville would drive.


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

Frasbee said:


> I'd hate to admit it, but I've been eyeing some trucks lately.
> 
> I must be having a 1/4 life crisis.


Here is a nice one...:thumbup::thumbup:


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## captkirk (Nov 21, 2007)

HARRY304E said:


> Here is a nice one...:thumbup::thumbup:


 I like the one Electricscott had.. It had a covered back... I wonder why he got rid of it..?


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## Frasbee (Apr 7, 2008)

Yeah, extended cab. Definitely want the extra space.


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

HARRY304E said:


> Here is a nice one...:thumbup::thumbup:


Pickup trucks are for red necks.. vans are for electricians.. :whistling2:


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## walkerj (May 13, 2007)

B4T said:


> Pickup trucks are for red necks.. vans are for electricians.. :whistling2:


What about ******* electricians?

Sent from your mom's iPhone. She says hi.


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

B4T said:


> Pickup trucks are for red necks.. vans are for electricians.. :whistling2:


I hate vans my truck is the way to go..:thumbup::thumbup:


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## Wireman191 (Aug 28, 2011)

HARRY304E said:


> I hate vans my truck is the way to go..:thumbup::thumbup:


 We use trucks also. Better for the snow in the winter, Hauling benders, tuggers, threaders.. you get the point.


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## Marcus (Mar 30, 2010)

Look at the size of the bloody thing - how are you expected to park that ugly big thing at someone's house?

Not to mention the fuel it would guzzle.


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

captkirk said:


> I like the one Electricscott had.. It had a covered back... I wonder why he got rid of it..?


I think it was a 1997 or maybe even older.


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

Marcus said:


> Look at the size of the bloody thing - how are you expected to park that ugly big thing at someone's house?
> 
> Not to mention the fuel it would guzzle.


We have no problem parking them.


You guys have to make due with small toy trucks that would not last 40,000 miles because real trucks that are very useful are not allowed in your country.


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## Chris1971 (Dec 27, 2010)

Frasbee said:


> http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2011/09/09/ram-bringing-funky-fiat-doblo-van-to-us/
> 
> From Fiat!


FIAT (Fix It Again Tony). :laughing:


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## chewy (May 9, 2010)

HARRY304E said:


> We have no problem parking them.
> 
> 
> You guys have to make due with small toy trucks that would not last 40,000 miles because real trucks that are very useful are not allowed in your country.


They arent called Trucks... theyre called road trains over there :whistling2:


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

I've never understood the logic of trucks for electricians.

Can't leave stuff in the back without fear of theft or rain.

Solution?: Truck service body.

Lots of little doors that leak within a year or two. Rusty tools follow soon. No real storage space except for a minimal set of tools.

Trucks are fine for the shop guy to deliver material and tools to the job site, but not for someone doing service work.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

chewy said:


> They arent called Trucks... theyre called road trains over there :whistling2:


You drive _tankers_ to work? :laughing:


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## chewy (May 9, 2010)

480sparky said:


> You drive _tankers_ to work? :laughing:


Its important to stay hydrated :laughing:


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

I see it a lot like 480.

Our construction guys mostly use pick ups, they make good sense for that use.

But for electrical service guys I think vans make more sense I wish for service we had Sprinters (if they were reliable) or something like 220/221 uses.


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

chewy said:


> They arent called Trucks... theyre called road trains over there :whistling2:


_If it's all the same to you... I'll drive that tanker. _


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

480sparky said:


> I've never understood the logic of trucks for electricians.
> 
> Can't leave stuff in the back without fear of theft or rain.
> 
> ...


My service body does not leak and it has the cover on it with more then 130,000 miles on it and there is plenty of room for all the tools and stock..

Vans are great if you like driving around in a freezer in the winter and getting stuck at the first sign of mud:laughing:


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

HARRY304E said:


> .........Vans are great if you like driving around in a freezer in the winter and getting stuck at the first sign of mud:laughing:


Freezer? I just turn on the heater.... problem solved.

Mud? I don't worry about getting stuck in the mud because I just don't drive in it. :whistling2:


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

HARRY304E said:


> My service body does not leak and it has the cover on it with more then 130,000 miles on it and there is plenty of room for all the tools and stock..


As long as it works for you great.



> Vans are great if you like driving around in a freezer in the winter


Yeah, they take longer to warm (the cage wall helps), the noise of the stock sucks and they are ugly but it is a work truck not a pleasure vehicle. I will accept that to have an enclosed truck.



> and getting stuck at the first sign of mud:laughing:


Learn to drive. :thumbsup:


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

480sparky said:


> Freezer? I just turn on the heater.... problem solved.
> 
> Mud? I don't worry about getting stuck in the mud because I just don't drive in it. :whistling2:


And when it is snowing out then what ? 

You will get stuck just as fast in snow.

All a van does is allow you to fill it up with crap that might get used some day.


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## chewy (May 9, 2010)

BBQ said:


> _If it's all the same to you... I'll drive that tanker. _


Only if you can reverse parallel park it 



I like working out of a station wagon with roof racks for my ladders, have the back seats folded down so I have a good amount of space. I work mostly new construction (data guys over here run all their own cables, conduit and tray, not just fitting off at the end) and most things get delivered to site by the supply house. I would like a commodore ute (released in the states as the new El Camino if memory serves me) with a back canopy that incorparates roof racks.


These type are the most popular kind of vans over here in NZ but I dont like the idea of losing my legs in a head on collison and having been in a vehicle that has shot a con rod out the hood I dont like the idea of sitting on the engine much at all.


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## Marcus (Mar 30, 2010)

HARRY304E said:


> We have no problem parking them.
> 
> 
> You guys have to make due with small toy trucks that would not last 40,000 miles because real trucks that are very useful are not allowed in your country.


Your 'real' trucks are so damn big, we couldn't park them on the side of a city street without taking up 2 spaces.


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## Marcus (Mar 30, 2010)

chewy said:


> These type are the most popular kind of vans over here in NZ but I dont like the idea of losing my legs in a head on collison and having been in a vehicle that has shot a con rod out the hood I dont like the idea of sitting on the engine much at all.


Those new Hiace vans are pretty roomy in the back but not nice to ride up front in. I like the Mercedes Vito or Fiat Ducato, pity I can't afford one


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## A Little Short (Nov 11, 2010)

Marcus said:


> Those new Hiace vans are pretty roomy in the back but not nice to ride up front in. I like the Mercedes Vito or Fiat Ducato, pity I can't afford one



Do you know Marcus Ambrose the Nascar driver? He's from Tasmania too.


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

Marcus said:


> Your 'real' trucks are so damn big, we couldn't park them on the side of a city street without taking up 2 spaces.


Make the spaces bigger....:laughing:


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

HARRY304E said:


> And when it is snowing out then what ?
> 
> You will get stuck just as fast in snow.


Harry, for the past 15 years I have been in service departments with 6 to 20 vans running all over New England, in all types of weather. I can't remeber anyone getting stuck in snow. 

No, they are not as good as 4 x 4s but if you use your head there is no reason to be stuck.

We did have a guy have to get towed out down on the cape, he drove into soft beach sand but that to me was a mistake on his part. 



> All a van does is allow you to fill it up with crap that might get used some day.


Ah, yeah ....... that is kind of the point and all that stuff stays dry and secure till we need it. :laughing::laughing:


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## electricmanscott (Feb 11, 2010)

captkirk said:


> I like the one Electricscott had.. It had a covered back... I wonder why he got rid of it..?













Long story short, got "real job" (everybody knows that one man shows aren't real contractors) Sold truck. It was starting to cost money in repairs and I intended to be part time. It was way more truck than I needed. Higher insurance, registration, medical card etc to keep it on the road. 

Job didin't work out. Do you know that if you work somewhere chances are you have to work with other people?? 

Back in the rat race.
Bought van. Hate van every single day. Although it is really nice, it SUCKS to work out of. Especially after having a utility body. The work I do requires carrying a lot of material. It is awful having to climb over stuff to get to other stuff. 














HARRY304E said:


> I think it was a 1997 or maybe even older.


 It was a 2006

I see one of these in my future....


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

electricmanscott said:


> Bought van. Hate van every single day. Although it is really nice, it SUCKS to work out of. Especially after having a utility body. The work I do requires carrying a lot of material.


But you had the sense to have a enclosed body not an open body.


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

I like a mix of open service bodies (hard to put generator/welders or cranes on much else, besides flat beds), closed service bodies and pick ups. If I have my way I'll never own a van :no:


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## hardworkingstiff (Jan 22, 2007)

The problem with the enclosed body trucks y'all are talking about is the "payload" rating. The payload on that vehicle is about 30% (guessing) less than a standard 1-ton van. The weight is also considerably more thereby requiring more fuel to move it down the road.

I worked out of a 1-ton extended body van and loved it. I had long drawers I had made up that I could pull open and expose all kinds of storage space. Back and side doors had drawers. Shelving was installed high on each side, and on the back of the cab divider behind the front seats.

I pulled a trailer when I needed a lot of conduit, but I had a place in the van that would accept about 1500' of 1/2" emt.

I rarely had to crawl into the van. The bad thing was I had the drawers and shelves all made out of wood (I was kind of a cheapo when I built them). I used them from 97 until this year when I left the business (3 vans). It really worked well for me, and people always seemed impressed by the setup.


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## electricmanscott (Feb 11, 2010)

hardworkingstiff said:


> The problem with the enclosed body trucks y'all are talking about is the "payload" rating. The payload on that vehicle is about 30% (guessing) less than a standard 1-ton van. The weight is also considerably more thereby requiring more fuel to move it down the road.


Very true. I got 8-10 mpg with that pig. It has a 5.4L engine and was severely underpowered. That body weighs a s*load.

The white utility body I posted is on a 1 ton single wheel E350 chasis. The body is aluminum.


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## electricmanscott (Feb 11, 2010)

Jlarson said:


> I like a mix of open service bodies (hard to put generator/welders or cranes on much else, besides flat beds), closed service bodies and pick ups. If I have my way I'll never own a van :no:


Having worked out of a utility body of some sort for many years I find the van almost unbearable to work out of.


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

electricmanscott said:


> Long story short, got "real job" (everybody knows that one man shows aren't real contractors) Sold truck. It was starting to cost money in repairs and I intended to be part time. It was way more truck than I needed. Higher insurance, registration, medical card etc to keep it on the road.
> 
> Job didin't work out. Do you know that if you work somewhere chances are you have to work with other people??
> 
> ...



Ya those look good and there about $10,000 cheaper then the pick up:thumbsup:




> Do you know that if you work somewhere chances are you have to work with other people??


:laughing::laughing:That does suck..




> medical card etc to keep it on the road.


That is the biggest BS law anything 10,000lbs or more and they have a crew of state cops driving around enforcing that stupid law:no:


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