Chevrolet Express Diesel, Adventure Van. 150 Gallon WVO system too!

1997 Chevrolet Express LS Description

Click here for the Youtube video description
No reserveNo nonsense
This is a superbly versatile adventure traveling machine. This is a 1997 Chevy Express long wheelbase, 15 passenger van with the factory 6.5 turbo diesel and 4L80E overdrive transmission. This van has been such an excellent vehicle and it really gets attention everywhere its been. It has 197,000 miles and runs excellent, plenty of power and can easily cruise across the country at 85 mph with the cruise set, ac blowing and tunes pumping. There is so much to say about this beast that you really need to see the video thats uploaded to Youtube. So, lets begin.
6.5" fabtech Lift kit and it sits on 265/70R17 32" tires mounted on American Racing wheels. With the long wheelbase this one ton van rides like a Caddy! It really has a fantastic ride.
Factory 6.5 Turbo Diesel motor built by Detroit Diesel. These motors are quiet and reliable. Ok, so they're not the most powerful diesels out there, you won't be smoking the tires or turning it up to 1000 HP, but these things are dead reliable. Every military Hummer ever has this same motor and they simply last. It has plenty of power even with the huge rack on the roof and easily cruises the interstate at 85+ mph with the 4L80E overdrive transmission.
It has 2 conversion van bucket seats in the front with no rips, tears or stains. They are supremely comfortable and make cross country trips a luxury. Between the front seats is a built in thermoelectric cooler for cold drinks and the control valves for the waste vegetable oil system, (more about that later) In the middle of the van is one matching bench seat that folds into a bed. Between the front and rear seats is a large open area that makes a Mercedes Maybach feel cramped. This passenger compartment is quiet, plush and comfortable.
In the back is a fantastically versatile area. There is a Bedslide system that is a huge drawer that comes out of the back of the van. This platform has a 900 pound capacity and locks in both the closed and open position so that it doesn't come flying out the back of the van if you park on a hill. This platform currently has a bike mount and can easily accommodate your road bike, crosstour bike and mountain bike with all accessories. This area of the van can also be covered with a solid platform on which a full double bed is placed. This mattress extends from the back of the rear seat to the rear of the van and provides a fantastic place to sleep, even while traveling. With the mattress in place you still have access to the entire storage area underneath with the Bedslide. The van also has front and rear AC and heat, Cruise control, power windows and locks with available keyless entry.
Outside of the van is more goodies. The roof rack is fully decked and extends from the windshield to the rear doors. This platform rack is large enough for the double mattress to lay flat so a night under the stars is easily accomplished. This large steel rack is heavy duty and is currently set up to carry whitewater kayaks on the front cross bars, an inflated raft on the 2x6 rear crossbars and my Wildwater race boat in the cradles on the drivers side. The Cradles, front cross bars and all the emergency lights will be removed prior to the sale. Around the perimeter of the rack are led flood lights that can illuminate parking spots, campsites, fields, roads or football stadiums. The ladder leading up to the rack is solid, probably solid enough to be able to pick up the entire van. On the passenger side is a 10'X12' self supporting awning. This think makes instant shade and shelter easily simply by cranking the handle. This awning is super cool and adds tons of space to the already huge van.
The WVO (Waste Vegetable Oil System): This van is set up to run on 100% waste vegetable oil. It has a 150 gallon heated tank behind the bench seat, under the front of the bed in front of the Bedslide. This system uses the heat of the motor to heat the vegetable oil up before it is burned as fuel. YES, THIS VAN USES DEEP FRIER GREASE AS ITS FUEL AND IT RUNS EXTREMELY WELL ON IT! The system works by cranking up on regular diesel. Once the motor comes up to operation temperature there are 3 valves next to the drivers seat. The top valve changes the supply from the factory diesel tank to the 150 gallon vegetable oil tank. The middle valve changes between the diesel fuel filter and the dedicated vegetable oil filter. The bottom valve changes the return line from the motor from the diesel tank to the vegetable oil tank. I have built several different WVO systems and prefer the mechanical ball valves over electric solenoid valves. I have had the electric valves fail, I have never had a mechanical valve fail. This van has driven from Athens Tennessee, to Gulf shores Alabama, to Huntsville Alabama and back to Athens Tennessee, all while pulling a trailer and burned about 5 gallons of diesel fuel. That close to 100 MPG!!
INCLUDED IN THE SALE IS CLOSE TO 1000 GALLONS OF CLEANED, FILTERED AND READY TO BURN VEGETABLE OIL IN TOTES WITH ALL ASSOCIATED PUMPS AND FILTERS!! At the current cost of fuel thats over $2000 worth of fuel!
Now, the War Wagon is not perfect, It does have some issues and here is everything I can think of to list:
The drivers side window is worn out, the electric motor just won't move the window anymore.
The AC system has a very slow leak and over the course of the summer has to be recharged once or twice.
There is rust under both the drivers and passenger doors in the rocker panels and some rust bubbles starting in the bottoms of some of the doors, but the frame, suspension and major body panels are in good shape.
The headliner is falling down.
The Vegetable Oil tank has a crack in it and will need to be welded. This tank was originally built for a pickup truck and has been used for well over 150,000 miles and has held up well, but this crack has developed and will need to be fixed. The tank is aluminum and was originally TIG welded so if you want to be able to use that tank you will need to be able to weld aluminum.
I think that about covers it. This van really has to be seen to be believed. It is the ultimate road trip machine and has carted me all over this continent, from Canada, to California by way of Maine! Once the video is produced I will post a link to it below. If you check out my Youtube channel there are several videos that feature this van, so go to Youtube and search for username:
Kayak2112
Youtube.com/user/kayak2112
Youtube.com.user/windgypsies