[USMC Vet]

It has been over 2 1/2 years since I have been able to venture out of my house and go someplace on my own.

Today I picked up my fully accessible Transit from the mobility up fitter down In Phoenix. Had fun on the long drive home, that EB really makes it move, even going uphill.

Lift, docking system, hand controls, air head composting toilet (vented through floor), monkey bars, Battery combiner, isolator and monitoring system with 3rd battery, push button electronic brake, transfer seat & controls, single piece aluminum flooring, various control switches to operate everything. There's more, but I can't remember it all right now.

edit: Power Bright 1000 Watt Pure Sine Inverter

Semper Fi

 

[Montanatransit]

That's great congrats on this huge milestone. I think you will love your new van.

 

[jonsobi]

USMC Vet, sounds like you're stoked, that's a lot of power in your hands!
Wouldn't mind some pics of your setup when you get a chance.

 

[yelnam]

Congrats. Enjoy! Hope you still stay on the forum with lots of your helpful posts!

 

[MoFoCo]

Right on, man. This sounds like an awesome rig. Need pics!

 

[Jmgasior]

Congrats, enjoy your upcoming adventures

 

[USMC Vet]

Adding some pic's, hope they show ok.

# 1- Wheelchair lift, in the stored position so any passengers can get by.
# 2- Back of Transit with the relocated batteries and an additional one. Also show always on, rear facing camera and the relocated last row of seats (waiting for power couch/bed to arrive) and some of the monkey bars.
# 3- composting toilet, inverter and chair docking system. Chair backs up to inverter area.
# 4- 3 Camera monitoring system. (in-line with passenger side mirror)
# 5-Note hand grips on both "A" pillars.
# 6- Passenger side camera.

Dash cam and GPS to be mounted to underside of overhead shelf, dc behind mirror and GPS under lights.

Semper Fi

 

[JP4]

Congratulations, long time coming! Enjoy your new ride!
JP

 

[PeterR]

Outstanding news! Congratulations -- it must be truly amazing to be On The Road Again . . . .

 

[katmat]

Congrats!! Got to feel good to have a little freedom.

 

[bobojay]

Good deal! I know how I feel to be cooped up at home just for a couple days, so I'm very happy for you.

Enjoy....

 

[Zymurgy]

Very nice set up, very happy for you and your independence once again. You must be on cloud 9.

Holy crap I just noticed it has been nearly a year since you first ordered your van, you deserve some kind of award for patience. I thought my uncle's simple conversion for his cart, in a mini van, at 6 weeks was bad and he bought the van off the lot.

 

[jonsobi]

That's a lot of custom work. Moving the batteries alone is a big job. I assume they had to be removed for a custom driver seat.

Back in the day before power steering was ubiquitous, every other car had one of those steering wheel toggle handles... brings back memories.

Once you live with the conversion for a while will you get the opportunity to bring it back for the inevitable fine tuning and tweaking? Hard to get everything perfect the first time.

Let us know the ups and downs.

 

[USMC Vet]

All,

Yes it has been a long wait, over 5 months just for the modifications after finally having Ford deliver it. I got it back 1 week short of a year after ordering it.

A lot of the time on modifications was because it hadn't been done before. Thankfully, my up fitter is a multi-disciplined engineer, who is also a para. He takes a lot of pride in his ability to help others. Now that he has done a few Transits (he did the 1st U.S. modification, mine was the 2nd but ended up being the 3rd finished due to more necessary modifications on mine) , he has other upfitter companies asking him for help. The# 1 major issue was the moving of the batteries to allow a transfer seat, otherwise a lot of us would only be allowed to be passengers.

I can finally be independent again, and go out whenever I want and be able to get around on my own in my power chair. It was rougher on my wife for the past 2 1/2 years, in order for me to leave the house she had to load up a backup manual chair and then push me everywhere. I'm not exactly a small person, while she is.

I'll be taking it back after the New Year's, for hopefully, a short list of minor tweaks. I've already got a couple of things that need to be moved for better functionality and the pictures of the switches that robertl, posted, have given me an idea to have some 12v plugs controlled by same, up on the shelf. That way I won't have plug in power cords from GPS , dash cam and whatever else I want to add, hanging down to the center console plugs.

I have a Christmas road trip planned to see family, so I will get a good feel for how everything is working. I'll keep you posted. Thanks for the support.

I got my Christmas present ( late for last year, early for this one)

Semper Fi

 

[Budsky]

Great! Glad you finally got it.
Grew up in a Marine family, was born at Lejeune, dad did 21 years and will be 86 this month.
Thank you for your service, Sir!

 

[USMC Vet]

Great! Glad you finally got it.
Grew up in a Marine family, was born at Lejeune, dad did 21 years and will be 86 this month.
Thank you for your service, Sir!

Budsky,
Thanks.
4th generation, both parents were in, son was 5th. Was stationed up the coast at Cherry Point growing up.

You probably are already aware of this, but in case you aren't (I'll hi-jack my Thread for this ) The Camp Lejeune water contamination settlement for Marines and/or their families that were stationed there between 8/53 - 12/87 ?

Semper Fi

 

[Budsky]

Yes I am aware- I figure Dad for sure drank some of that water- I lived there twice during those years. From what I can tell the area where base housing was wasn't on the list for the bad water- but I do need to dig into it farther...thanks for the reminder!

BTW when I was 5 a friend and I wandered off and got lost- they had a whole bunch of Marines looking for us- they were afraid we'd drowned in the river- they found us sitting on a log in the woods crying

I probably should tell about the time when I was 12 and I drug home an unexploded mortar shell I found in the woods at Quantico.

 

[Big Kill]

Looks like your upfitter did a nice, nice job with your ride and it sounds like you're going to get lots of use out of it!

One question for ya': Do you have any idea what kind of running boards those are? They're not factory, right? Are they on both sides?

Thanks,

Tim

 

[USMC Vet]

Looks like your upfitter did a nice, nice job with your ride and it sounds like you're going to get lots of use out of it!

One question for ya': Do you have any idea what kind of running boards those are? They're not factory, right? Are they on both sides?

Thanks,

Tim

Tim

Not factory, Ionic, $268.00 for the drivers and passengers.

Semper Fi

http://autocustoms.com/p-737-ionic-factory-style-running-boards.aspx

 

[Dcarrington]

Great

Congratulations