Author Topic: The new Funmobile  (Read 3637 times)

PonoBill

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The new Funmobile
« on: February 01, 2020, 11:33:41 PM »
It's a bit on the unremarkable side--totally incognito for now. A 2017 Dodge Grand Caravan with 35K miles on it. Bought it from the Hertz sales folks. A reasonable deal. There's no point in getting something more interesting in Maui since everything rots away here. I don't need big, I don't need cool, I don't need towing power. I just need to haul foil boards and wings. The lady said, "The other minivans are nicer looking and drive better, but all the surfers buy this one." I could see why as soon as I started folding down seats. Everything disappears into the flat floor. Both rows drop into holes in the floor, all that's left is rug and two front seats.

So here's a shot that going to make all my surfing buddies fall off their chairs. This rig will never be this neat or this organized again. I made a rack to hold the boards by cutting up an old exercise machine and welding it into this masterpiece. My cheesy MIG welder feeder tip got sticky and I couldn't find a replacement in my shop, so it's not done to design, but it works. I dug a wooden box I made for RC models out of the storage loft, and voila:





Enjoy it while you can. It will probably never again look this organized or smell this clean.
« Last Edit: February 01, 2020, 11:37:20 PM by PonoBill »
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

daswusup

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Re: The new Funmobile
« Reply #1 on: February 02, 2020, 06:32:46 AM »
Funhog!

maxsonic

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Re: The new Funmobile
« Reply #2 on: February 02, 2020, 07:30:45 AM »
Love my 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan! Looks like this model has stayed essentially the same over the past few years. In my 2013, the front passenger seat folds back below flat, allowing me to put one or two 10' SUP Boards fully inside and below the passenger airbag.   The Stow 'n' Go seating for middle and back row is excellent, as is the OEM stowable roof rack.  Perfect surfing van and a great step up from my 2002 Town and Country, which I retired after 273K miles.

MAX

PonoBill

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Re: The new Funmobile
« Reply #3 on: February 02, 2020, 08:08:22 AM »
You're right, all the reviews say don't buy it because it hasn't been updated since they changed the name to "Grand Caravan" but it's perfect for my use, and who cares about driving dynamics on Maui.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

SUP Leave

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Re: The new Funmobile
« Reply #4 on: February 05, 2020, 08:44:25 AM »
Every time I am on Maui (see you in June) my wife rents a mini van and I am always like "This piece of shit is so functional, easy to drive and really easy to park!"

I think for that island it is the perfect vehicle for most people. Can get around the Kahului Costco parking lot, parallel park in Paia and hold all your gear inside. Plus sliding doors let you open them up and take a nap at any roadside park with a nice breeze.
Make paddleboarding great again!

supmmmm

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Re: The new Funmobile
« Reply #5 on: February 05, 2020, 11:00:15 AM »
I wanted to get a Toyota Sienna but my girl won’t go for it - she says it’s got too much of that mom mobile thing going on for her

eastbound

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Re: The new Funmobile
« Reply #6 on: February 05, 2020, 12:44:18 PM »
fooling around with concept of a ford transit express--xlt or platinum

tho many say that minvans are best designed/equipped/value   vs these or the metris'

nice on the ford is it has all the new safety bells and whistles

looks good, PB--i set my subaru up similarly, tho with the front passenger seat flat, boards bagged on rails (same as your foil boards--this leaves room for the rear 40% seat to accommodate a passenger)-- not friendly, with front and back seating for two, but i hate roof rax---bad for my shoulders and bad for gas mileage and noisy
Portal Barra 8'4"
Sunova Creek 8'7"
Starboard Pro Blue Carbon  8'10"
KeNalu Mana 82, xTuf, ergoT

eastbound

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Re: The new Funmobile
« Reply #7 on: February 06, 2020, 01:52:44 PM »
sienna redesign, said to be coming this spring, shd be very nice

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

surfsupla

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Re: The new Funmobile
« Reply #8 on: February 07, 2020, 06:17:17 AM »
Just bought my wife a new odyssey. Still got the old one in the driveway. Daughter will be turning 16 soon and its paid off. Lol. The seats dont fold flat like the dodge. But is okay. Ill live. Lol. Minivans are seriously the best cars if you get over the coolness factor.

digger71

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Re: The new Funmobile
« Reply #9 on: February 07, 2020, 09:36:24 AM »
Doesn't even look like it smells funky...yet  ;D

PonoBill

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Re: The new Funmobile
« Reply #10 on: February 07, 2020, 09:49:21 AM »
Doesn't even look like it smells funky...yet  ;D

Looks can be deceiving. My wet spring suit got accidentally buried under the stack of wing bags and left in the rig for two days.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

surfsupla

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Re: The new Funmobile
« Reply #11 on: February 07, 2020, 02:44:43 PM »
Hope you own a can a febreeze, lol

Weasels wake

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Re: The new Funmobile
« Reply #12 on: February 11, 2020, 05:08:03 PM »
I'm on my 5th full size van in a row, going back to 1975, all Fords with one Dodge thrown in there as an experiment, went back to Ford a couple of Fords ago.  My current one, the last year for the 'E' type body.
It takes a quiver to do that.

 


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