Old vans, what gear can you fit?

Am looking around for a sh/tty old van for keeping my gear in. So far looking for old Urvans, Hiaces and L300's.

Anyone have any experience with fitting there gear in a L300? Am not sure my boards would fit length ways..... anyone have one and mitigate the problem?

Cheers advanced.

K

I had an L300 back in the 80's and fitted my 9" windaction slalom in it. They had bench seats in those days so I just sat it over the top of the seat and it went up towards the front windscreen. I don't know what they are like these days..
L300 turned out a rust bucket which I had to sell but I did sit it in at the beach a lot and never washed it..

Hey Kurt... why a van - considered a trailer ?

Same if less storage room needed for trailer as opposed to vehicle
Cheaper insurance / rego costs
Similar storage

?

I currently have a SWB Mitsubishi Delica which is a fraction too short for my boards which are about 245cms long. So they poke through the gap between the front seats a bit. Its not a very wide van either but I can fit two or three boards in there along with a lot of sails and booms and stuff.

The Ford Transits look good but any too cheap are probably completely stuffed. They have a bit of a reputation as being driven into the ground by organisations like Australia Post.

L300s are a very basic van. My work has one and I've driven it a couple of times. Compared to my Delica it feels completely different, so tinny and rough. Also feel quite dangerous with your legs being right where a car bonnet would crash through in a head on. I personally wouldn't want to buy one but if I could pick one one up for a couple of grand it would probably do the job. I'm amazed Mitsubishi can still sell them. The design seems to be about 30 years old.

What about the Kia Preggio (I think thats the name). They look very basic too and probably don't have good resale.

If I was in the market for a new van and had the money I'd probably go for a Transit.

The problem with the trailer is parking. I love the idea of it, but racing down to Rickets and trying to park... and in summer down Bonbeach.... problematic :/

A van I could drive to work, then race down to St Kilda in summer.... so goes the fantasy :/

Agree, the L300 just might not be big enough..... need to check my board lengths.... and masts........

I've got an old l300, 1984 I think.
I fit 2 boards, 6 sails, 2 booms and every other piece of crap we carry around.
I also left the seats in it, folded down, boards on top, sails under the seats.

L300s come in LWB and SWB. You'll need to measure any van you're thinking of buying.

I got a 25yrs old Hi-ace from my father inlaw it was gr8 but was worried about driving it too far so I bought a new one with all the modern stuff on it I am very happy with it I put a double bed in it I bought on eBay for camping its just the best van for windsurfing gear with plenty of lenth in the back for all my 4 boards & 6 sails ect.

I had a LWB E2000. It was good, but a bit gutless. Certainly long enough to fit any boards in.

Look for rust in the roof in and above the gutters. The Econovan (maxi) are the same van as the E2000.

I'm not a fan of the L300, I had one at one stage and it was not a vehicle I ever wanted to spend much time in. I had an old Ford/Mazda van at around the same time and it was 100% better. That would run up and down the east coast no worries, where as the L300 was a worry to drive across town.

I had no issue getting gear in either of the vans, Both vans on occasion carried a F2 Phoneix which was 340 long (the nose fit between the front seats on both vans). They easily carried 250 long wave boards without coming through the front, so in this day and age with the length of our boards you really don't need a long wheel base if all you want is something to store gear and run around in.

Agreeing with others, my first pref for an older van would be a Hiace, tough as and a good size. But availability is always going to be an issue.