New van

[Golfdogs]

You don't need a camera for the rear. Just make sure you have convex mirrors so you can see your blindspots. A camera is nice, but it's much better to rely on your eyes and your driving skills to make sure you know where you are and where other vehicles are. If you begin to rely on a camera too much, your eyes will be on a screen in your vehicle instead of on your mirrors. One thing I can say I learned when driving my 14' Isuzus is that I became a much safer driver. I always I had to plan several car distances or even a block ahead so I wasn't making any last second lane changes. I also learned that braking distance is very important as was the willingness to go past my turn and go around the block or turn around and come back. Think safety and drive defensively and you will protect your investment.

Exactly. Expect that every driver is going to cut you off...leave more distance for stopping.

[TKK]

Tomorrow im starting w shelving. How thick are the walls on the box? Can I secure.some beams onto the side walls or would I damage it and risk the screws poking through?

[AZVendor]

Your wall siding should already be secured by screws.  You can check one edge to see how thick it is.  You can also contact the box manufacturer and ask them or maybe their website has that kind of information.

[Golfdogs]

Mine has rails on the inside that I attached the shelves directly with Simpson nut drive structural screws. That way, I can back the screws out and remove the shelves as a whole unit.

In your case, I might consider having rails professionally installed...it will look much better than having a buch of screws sticking through the FRP.

[TKK]

Yeah mine has no rails at all its just like a type of wood, or should.I just drill like a small ammount

[AZVendor]

If you have no rails inside the walls to screw into, then build a frame that spans the width and depth of the box to lock the frame into the box.  This should work well for you since you have double doors that leave a back wall around the doors.  So basically you would build your shelving up against the walls, then brace it side to side and front to back against the four walls of the box to secure it in place.  You will want to do this top and bottom (where feasible) so there is no movement of the shelves at all.

[TKK]

So me and my cousin added shelves. Took us like 12 freaken hours. I sat in each shelve.so they r sturdy as hell. They were secured to floor and roof ceiling, and they wedged under beautifully they will not.move at all. Way more sturdier than the metal ones. Used 2 1/2 and 3" screws. I used like 12 per shelve a total of maybe 250 so very sturdy, feels like its framed in.heres some pics, still not finished need the lips. I made them 8 feet long so.I still have a empty 4x6 rear. Shelves were.made to fit exactly my biggest products, stacked on crates, 32 packs etc.

Total spent $130

[moondog]

Pretty good - used the exact same design for my garage shelves but I used plywood rather than the OSB strand board.  You may need to add some plywood under the sodas but OSB should work for the chips etc.

[Golfdogs]

You need to add support at the front and rear of the shelves or else that OSB is going to sag.

[AZVendor]

You need to add support at the front and rear of the shelves or else that OSB is going to sag.

That is why I used regular 3/4" plywood on my shelving.  I see you didn't add any angle to the shelves?

[Golfdogs]

That is why I used regular 3/4" plywood on my shelving. I see you didn't add any angle to the shelves?

I'd rather have them overbuilt! I used 1/2", but they are supported all the way around. I was able to get 3 shelves on each side...and I use every square inch! TKK said he is going to add the lip on the front.

[TKK]

Yes the lips are 1x3s. I added the bottom supports and with the lips the will not sag, I loaded it well yesterday. I forgot to angle them lol. The bottoms do angle. This is crazily sturdy, reason is its all 2x4s. I am changing the cross beams to sideways as it takes off 4"s of the bottom shelve. And adds 4“s of bottom support. I guess I could do one.in rear and.one in front since im left with like 14 8x4x2s.

[TKK]

Im looking at buying the bigger safe for my office and the smaller one for the box truck I hate putting cash in a 12 pack lol

I did buy some awesome bungee chords at sams ill try its a kit that has 3 ways, extensions etc

[andyinchville]

HI,

 

I like how you constructed the shelves,  especially the center bracing 2x4 for the shelf boards.

 

I often wondered how to secure the shelves if you didn't have rails to screw to.....the building of shelves to brace against all the walls of the box was a good solution.

 

Shelves do take a long time to build....Mine literally took me about a week to do (not full time but it took quite awhile).

 

Q: How do you keep your sodas from falling over if you stack them so high with no incline? (I have a slight incline on my soda shelves and even driving slow around corners sometimes my drinks on the 4th level up may slide off....admittedly I guess they have only fallen once or twice of me in a long while BUT I hate to thin about a can or cans busting and making a mess (it has happened before).

 

I'll try to post a few pics of the shelves I built.

 

Andrew

 

PS - Sorry about the smallish pics....before they were way too big to upload now they are small....Actually if you click on the pics they will grow a little........

[CajunCandy]

HI,

 

I like how you constructed the shelves,  especially the center bracing 2x4 for the shelf boards.

 

I often wondered how to secure the shelves if you didn't have rails to screw to.....the building of shelves to brace against all the walls of the box was a good solution.

 

Shelves do take a long time to build....Mine literally took me about a week to do (not full time but it took quite awhile).

 

Q: How do you keep your sodas from falling over if you stack them so high with no incline? (I have a slight incline on my soda shelves and even driving slow around corners sometimes my drinks on the 4th level up may slide off....admittedly I guess they have only fallen once or twice of me in a long while BUT I hate to thin about a can or cans busting and making a mess (it has happened before).

 

I'll try to post a few pics of the shelves I built.

 

Andrew

 

PS - Sorry about the smallish pics....before they were way too big to upload now they are small....Actually if you click on the pics they will grow a little........

Shelves look nice.

Do you run some type of AC in van to keep it cool?

 

Down south where I live (Louisiana) everything will cook in heat of the day. Just like TKK, except it is hotter where he lives.

How about you TKK did you put extra AC on van?

 

mike

[andyinchville]

HI CajunCandy,

 

Thanks, the shelves turned out pretty good this time around, only thing I would have changed if I had it to do again (this is my second truck I had to build shelves in so I made some improvements from my first set) would the to add a little more tilt on the bottom shelves where I keep the drinks....Also,  I would have made the shelves a little narrower width wise (from front to back not side to side) so I could end up with at least a 48" width in the aisle between the left and right side shelving units....that way I could move pallets and or 4x8 sheets of plywood if needed (my helper helps me do some remodeling work on the side)....I only missed the full 48" width by an inch or so !  (I never even thought about that until after everything was built and mounted since  my other truck  is not a wide body model so it wasn't even thinkable to lay a full sheet of plywood on the floor after being shelved......If I really wanted to I suppose I could unmount some of the shelving units and cut an inch or so from all the back sides to get me the space but that would be a ot to do at this point....Oh well, live and learn I guess (maybe my oversight can help the next person building shelves to think about leaving 48+" between the shelving units).

 

As far as AC, I  don't have AC in my step van....In the summer,  it does get pretty warm inside BUT I run the truck with the rear roll up door partially open (I have a lift gate on the back of the truck with an inside master cutoff switch so I can  keep the rear roll up door chained to allow it to stay open about 4 feet without worries that somebody will break in.....Makes a world of difference as far as heat inside the truck....Of course while I am driving or inside the truck boxing food I will leave the slider door open as well....for the most part the truck only stays at ambient temp or a few degrees more at worse (yes that can still be warm tho). 

 

After getting my current truck, I did look at a Snap On Truck that a guy here in town was selling...it had AC but according to the owner even running the factory AC unit all day the truck would only stay semi cool (his truck was even insulated on the side walls, roof and floor)....

 

To solve that problem,  the owner of the truck added a bigger AC unit (it is still run off the engine but has added fins and parts under the drivers side of the truck....he claimed that the extra stuff cost him $3500!)....he said THAT made a world of difference when parked (he said the factory system was OK when moving and air flowed across the ac unit but when parked for long periods he said that is where the factory unit did not do so well....the new system makes up for the factory shortcoming).

 

I know diesels can be run all day long but truthfully I would feel weird leaving my truck run all day long...I have no idea how much extra fuel that would be (not to mention potential wear and tear issues,  theft issues , and it would really suck leave the engine running and have a belt or hose break...imagine an over heated engine / damaged engine when coming back out UGH ...any of that would make me too nervous to leave the truck on unattened for long periods of time....I always shut off between stops but I admit the AC / coolness was nice!

 

My truck has 1 roof vent but truthfully that probably only helps a when the truck is locked up for the night.

 

For chocolate candies I use the large Sams cooler....I have 2 (one to hold the actual temp sensitive items (I freeze water in a 2 gallon gas cans) and the other to hold cardboard trash to keep it from cluttering up the truck....the 2 coolers also make good platforms to keep my box off the ground as I build orders to take inside to the snack machine.

 

Oh, As far as interesting AC setups, there is a step van I have seen a few times in town (I'll try to get a pic of it if / when I see it again) where the owner took a regular house hold AC unit (window unit)  and mounted it through the wall above the driver's head....I guess they have to run a power inverter and keep the engine running throughout the day so as not to kill the battery (batteries).....The truck is unmarked so I am not sure what he/she does out of it.

 

Andrew

[jerry1973]

instead of dealing with a household residential ac window unit, I would rather install an ac from a camper or motorhome. You would still have to have the inverter and good batteries I would think but it just seems like a better idea to me. Something like this  http://www.americanrvcompany.com/Dometic-640315-Duo-Therm-13500-BTU-Penguin-Low-Profile-Air-Conditioner-Upper-Unit-Controls-Required-Trailer-Camper-RV?gclid=CNzh75rj5LoCFdJZ7AodcmIAqw

[andyinchville]

HI,

 

Yes, I've seen those types before and would think that would be the way to go but I guess the other fella just had an old AC unit sitting at the house....I'll have to admit that was definitely different....(Actually probably considerably cheaper too)!

 

Andrew

[TKK]

Hey guys well the sodas dont slide only the top shelve did which should be fixed with the lip and bungees. It does get to like 110+ here.in the summer. I guess I could tey a type of ac but I dont want to cut some of the truck up. Yesterday as I was driving something popped and the bottom was on fire. I quickly threw ozarka at it lol and it calmed it down. Fireman came and said there was nothing wrong w it but something in the driveshaft was broken. Luckily I have warranty w the lot and they picked it up. Said a rubber clamp thing must have snapped and with the friction of driveshaft must have caused it to ignite. Said itd take 2 days to fix.

[Golfdogs]

Hey guys well the sodas dont slide only the top shelve did which should be fixed with the lip and bungees. It does get to like 110+ here.in the summer. I guess I could tey a type of ac but I dont want to cut some of the truck up. Yesterday as I was driving something popped and the bottom was on fire. I quickly threw ozarka at it lol and it calmed it down. Fireman came and said there was nothing wrong w it but something in the driveshaft was broken. Luckily I have warranty w the lot and they picked it up. Said a rubber clamp thing must have snapped and with the friction of driveshaft must have caused it to ignite. Said itd take 2 days to fix.

That sucks!

[TKK]

I just found this one is it really worth me paying half of what I did for the 09?

http://elpaso.en.craigslist.org/ctd/4183103456.html

[AZVendor]

I just found this one is it really worth me paying half of what I did for the 09?

http://elpaso.en.craigslist.org/ctd/4183103456.html

I'm not going to lie to you, I love Isuzu NPR's.  When taken care of, the diesels run forever and with the cab forward design it has a shorter turning radius of any other truck - so good that you can easily get it into a parking place.  I can't tell if this is a diesel though - it has the same air filter as a diesel but I can't see the barrel fuel tank.  It looks like it has a gasoline tank on the driver's side view which would mean it has a Chevy V8 in it. 

 

The photos of this one look like this truck was very well-taken care of.  There is no body or box damage, the seats aren't worn and it has new tires, to boot.  No indication of mileage, though.  When it comes to mileage, the diesel has to have the top end rebuilt at 100K and the entire engine at 200 - 250K.   Don't let the diesel run low on oil or you will fry the turbo.  If it's gas, the engine will run well over 150K without problems - my 2001 8.1L gas is at 180K and only burns two quarts every oil change interval.  You can do as I did and insulate the box and install an aftermarket refrigeration unit on it that runs off the engine - if it is a diesel.  If not a diesel you will probably have to have a normal un-cooled box.  If it is a diesel, you can install an aftermarket refer that runs off the engine and let the engine run all day to keep the box cool.  Insulate the box with sprayed in foam under the plywood sides, under the plywood roof and under the bottom of the box.

 

Is this at the same place you got your current truck and will they trade it for you?

[mission vending]

I love the Isuzu npr as well, got 2 and will get a third when the Chevy wears out. Diesels cost more to repair when they breakdown but if you take care of them properly the breakdowns are few and far between.

[TKK]

Ah ill just keep the Chevy I love it, the Isuzu looks too big and more expensive in repairs. I could fix the Chevy with any mechanic and the Isuzu who knows where...although keeping an extra 5 k wouldnt be bad

[QualitySelectionsJ]

Im looking at buying the bigger safe for my office and the smaller one for the box truck I hate putting cash in a 12 pack lol

I did buy some awesome bungee chords at sams ill try its a kit that has 3 ways, extensions etc

Tkk, not sure if your in a theft-free area, but I'd hide money in a money bag or other in a snack box or somewhere inconspicuous. I think a thief won't risk searching the entire truck for money, due to time. At home a kitchen cabinet may be safer and cheaper. It can be an extra task to vending but may be safer, lol..

"Don't put all your eggs in one basket".

Nice looking safes though.