Author Topic: Anyone driving a Ford Transit Connect or Ram Promaster City?  (Read 9385 times)

Clemdog

  • Malibu Status
  • **
  • Posts: 54
    • View Profile
Anyone driving a Ford Transit Connect or Ram Promaster City?
« on: December 01, 2018, 08:36:01 PM »
I'm considering looking for one of these small vans as a surf/light camper vehicle.

Would love to see some pics for ideas.

Clem
Clem
San Diego
Naish 8'8 X32
Starboard 8'10 Wide Point
Starboard 9'5 Wide Point

exiled

  • Peahi Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 533
    • View Profile
Re: Anyone driving a Ford Transit Connect or Ram Promaster City?
« Reply #1 on: December 01, 2018, 09:44:24 PM »
How long are your boards? Anything long than about 8 feet would need to be run up the center between the front seats.

Dwight (DW)

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 4780
    • View Profile
    • supSURFmachines
Re: Anyone driving a Ford Transit Connect or Ram Promaster City?
« Reply #2 on: December 02, 2018, 03:07:35 AM »
FYI, the regular promaster LOW roof is 5’6” inside height. That is the same inside height as a tall basic Sprinter. It’s the best kept secret on the road.

It is the FWD allowing all that hidden walking around head room.  It gets 19-20 mpg too.


Badger

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 2662
  • Seacoast NH
    • View Profile
Re: Anyone driving a Ford Transit Connect or Ram Promaster City?
« Reply #3 on: December 02, 2018, 04:50:37 AM »
How long are your boards? Anything long than about 8 feet would need to be run up the center between the front seats.

Not necessarily between the seats. You should be able to lean the back of the passenger seat all the way forward and have the boards sit flat on top of it.

That's how I do it with my Saab 93 sedan. I've carried boards up to 9'4" that way, so a van with an 8 foot bed should have no problem carrying an 11 footer.

.


« Last Edit: December 02, 2018, 04:56:42 AM by Badger »
Kalama E3 6'1 x 23" 105L
Axis HPS 980 / PNG 1300
Sunova Flow  8'10 X 31"  119L
Me - 6'0" - 165lbs - 66yo

jrandy

  • Sunset Status
  • ****
  • Posts: 489
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Anyone driving a Ford Transit Connect or Ram Promaster City?
« Reply #4 on: December 02, 2018, 05:28:20 AM »
I would look into Paul Jensen's work in converting vans and Jeeps, he also makes boards too:

http://pauljensencustom.blogspot.com/2012/02/my-ride.html
http://pushheretosavealife.com/
Be safe, have fun. -J

surfcowboy

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 4929
    • View Profile
Re: Anyone driving a Ford Transit Connect or Ram Promaster City?
« Reply #5 on: December 02, 2018, 08:31:52 AM »
I think Daily (from Maui) on here has one too.

Wetstuff

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 2318
    • View Profile
    • Wetstuff
Re: Anyone driving a Ford Transit Connect or Ram Promaster City?
« Reply #6 on: December 02, 2018, 09:10:32 AM »
CD,  Having monitored a couple of RV forums for the last 8mos, I noted much schadenfreude directed towards people who were dazzled by 'The Star'.  The others are considered to have facha bruta, but more useable cube and even room beneath to carry stuff because of FWD.   One local here gets Oooos-and-Ahhhhhs for his 4WD Nissan NV.   It will be a fun quest.  Good luck.


Jim
Atlantis Mistress .. Blue Planet MultiTasker ..   Atlantis Venom

TallDude

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 5714
  • Capistrano Beach
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Anyone driving a Ford Transit Connect or Ram Promaster City?
« Reply #7 on: December 02, 2018, 11:31:05 AM »
I know a plumber who drives one. He hates the seats and steering wheel angle. Said his back gets sore after about 15 minutes. It's a company van so he's stuck with it.

https://www.truecar.com/ram/promaster-cargo-van/reviews/

It's not overhead to me!
8'8" L-41 ST and a whole pile of boards I rarely use.

Dwight (DW)

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 4780
    • View Profile
    • supSURFmachines
Re: Anyone driving a Ford Transit Connect or Ram Promaster City?
« Reply #8 on: December 02, 2018, 12:31:33 PM »
I know a plumber who drives one. He hates the seats and steering wheel angle. Said his back gets sore after about 15 minutes. It's a company van so he's stuck with it.

https://www.truecar.com/ram/promaster-cargo-van/reviews/

Many company vans come with the bulkhead behind the seat. Those are horrible. Seat can’t be slid back all the way or reclined any. A bit like being stuck in an airline seat. Without the bulkhead, they are nice and roomy.

Among the kitesurf, windsurf, and surf crew in this area, the count is
3 Sprinters
6 Promasters
1 Transit
3 Econolines
« Last Edit: December 02, 2018, 12:39:06 PM by Dwight (DW) »

daswusup

  • Rincon Status
  • ***
  • Posts: 249
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Anyone driving a Ford Transit Connect or Ram Promaster City?
« Reply #9 on: December 02, 2018, 02:22:47 PM »
I am building one of these pictured below. Its a Mercedes Metris "midi" van with a pop top penthouse. I am putting a Westfalia style, plug n play camping package in it which will be removable for easy conversion back to passenger or cargo. This vehicle is a garage-able camper which can be used as a daily driver(22-26mpg). I believe that these have a lot more real world appeal, to most people, than a full size van. It drives like a Mercedes.
Happy van hunting!!

juandoe

  • Peahi Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 771
    • View Profile
Re: Anyone driving a Ford Transit Connect or Ram Promaster City?
« Reply #10 on: December 02, 2018, 02:57:31 PM »
FYI, the regular promaster LOW roof is 5’6” inside height. That is the same inside height as a tall basic Sprinter. It’s the best kept secret on the road.

It is the FWD allowing all that hidden walking around head room.  It gets 19-20 mpg too.

Basic Tall Sprinter is actually 6' 4".  Low roof is 5'5". 

TallDude

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 5714
  • Capistrano Beach
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Anyone driving a Ford Transit Connect or Ram Promaster City?
« Reply #11 on: December 02, 2018, 04:04:59 PM »
It drives like a Mercedes.
I've never driven a Mercedes. I wonder if they drive as nice as my F250 crew cab with a V10. I can hear my watch tick when I doing 80mph. At 80 mph it's running about 1600 rpm. 13 MPG too. As long as there is some weight in the back, it drives like a Rolls Royce ;D Actually, I've never driven a Rolls Royce either.
It's not overhead to me!
8'8" L-41 ST and a whole pile of boards I rarely use.

Dwight (DW)

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 4780
    • View Profile
    • supSURFmachines
Re: Anyone driving a Ford Transit Connect or Ram Promaster City?
« Reply #12 on: December 02, 2018, 05:30:53 PM »
FYI, the regular promaster LOW roof is 5’6” inside height. That is the same inside height as a tall basic Sprinter. It’s the best kept secret on the road.

It is the FWD allowing all that hidden walking around head room.  It gets 19-20 mpg too.

Basic Tall Sprinter is actually 6' 4".  Low roof is 5'5".

Yeah, I’m calling the basic sprinter tall. It is very tall compared to the low roof promaster. Not comparing high roof to high roof versions.

It’s sad to see the low roof transits with 4’ something inside, just like the econlines, being used by every tourist shuttle service (running to the cruise ships here). Tourists packed in like sardines. When the same van in the Promaster, has walking around height at 5’6. Same exterior heights, econlines, transit low, Promaster low. Sprinters are too high for the parking garages.

It’s just a function of Ford doing a better job grabbing the fleet sales.

eastbound

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 2995
    • View Profile
Re: Anyone driving a Ford Transit Connect or Ram Promaster City?
« Reply #13 on: December 03, 2018, 03:02:39 AM »
daswu--if possible pls link source of westy plug and play camper setup

thx
Portal Barra 8'4"
Sunova Creek 8'7"
Starboard Pro Blue Carbon  8'10"
KeNalu Mana 82, xTuf, ergoT

supthecreek

  • Guest
Re: Anyone driving a Ford Transit Connect or Ram Promaster City?
« Reply #14 on: December 06, 2018, 05:11:15 AM »
I would look into Paul Jensen's work in converting vans and Jeeps, he also makes boards too:

http://pauljensencustom.blogspot.com/2012/02/my-ride.html

Jensen does nice work... but I hope no one ever follows his plans for board storage....

I rarely post anything negative, but the plan he chose to share is just plain deadly

His plan has 3 boards, stored behind the drivers seat.... at head level.
Tied down with 2 bungee cords  :o
NO cargo wall to stop the boards in even a minor fender bender.
I am sure they would bounce and take out the passenger as well.

Pic of Jensen's board storage plan (#1)

My van rack (#2 & 3)
Planned understanding the consequences of even a minor accident.
Boards nested into the back of a bolted steel cargo wall..... padded on the back, with boards snug to it, so they won't hit the wall with speed.

My van is so long, that a rear end accident will have little chance to reach my boards and push them into me.
I put my longest board in the top position, so a rear ender will probably not reach that high.

Good design is no accident.

 


* Recent Posts

post Re: GPT 5, Sam Altman, What's coming
[Random]
PonoBill
March 17, 2024, 05:30:44 PM
post Re: 2024 North Mode Pro wings:
[Classifieds]
cnski
March 17, 2024, 05:09:04 PM
post Re: HOT Chicks on Stand Up Paddle Boards!
[SUP General]
burchas
March 17, 2024, 08:50:00 AM
post Re: HOT Chicks on Stand Up Paddle Boards!
[SUP General]
Night Wing
March 16, 2024, 07:02:05 PM
post Re: HOT Chicks on Stand Up Paddle Boards!
[SUP General]
blueplanetsurf
March 16, 2024, 03:28:57 PM
post Re: GPT 5, Sam Altman, What's coming
[Random]
LaPerouseBay
March 14, 2024, 12:38:42 PM
post Re: GPT 5, Sam Altman, What's coming
[Random]
LaPerouseBay
March 13, 2024, 07:59:28 PM
post Re: FS - Ocean Rodeo Glide A-Series Wings (3m/ 4m / 5m), USA
[Classifieds]
StellaBlu
March 12, 2024, 07:27:21 AM
post FS - Kalama Barracuda
[Classifieds]
VB_Foil
March 11, 2024, 05:43:58 PM
post Re: Vision Pro
[Random]
Bean
March 11, 2024, 03:46:42 PM
post Re: Vision Pro
[Random]
PonoBill
March 09, 2024, 11:06:32 AM
post Happy International Women's Day, lady zoners!
[General Discussion]
LaPerouseBay
March 08, 2024, 07:28:47 PM
post Re: Vision Pro
[Random]
Admin
March 08, 2024, 04:45:53 AM
post Re: Vision Pro
[Random]
PonoBill
March 06, 2024, 11:00:24 PM
post Re: Vision Pro
[Random]
Admin
March 06, 2024, 10:15:55 AM
SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2024, SimplePortal