America’s RV buyers have been getting out of giant Class A buses and into smaller, more maneuverable vans. Yet, so many of these camper vans pair the price of a house with a lackluster interior. But there’s still hope, because you can buy a camper van based on the venerable Chevrolet Express, the backbone of American tradespeople for over two decades. This Express camper rocks four-wheel-drive, running water, and an electrical system for an affordable price. What more do you need?
A number of our readers are huge proponents of camper vans, but not exactly the new big flashy ones by names like Airstream and Winnebago. Sure, you can buy a new camper van with a warranty from one of these brands and get something based on the popular Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, but it’ll cost you an arm, a leg, and your firstborn. As I’ve witnessed in camper shows, these vans also might not even have interiors befitting their hefty price tags.
Getting a camper van based on something like a Ford E-Series, a Chevy Express, or a GMC Savana can be an alluring alternative. Sure, this van isn’t a high roof model like a Sprinter might be, but I think it might even be better for many RV buyers. There’s a lot to like and I’m not just talking about what you can see in the photos.
The Chevy Express is one of those vans that just blend into the landscape like the Ford E-Series. You’ve probably seen multiple of these vans today without even thinking about them. If you’ve driven a smaller U-Haul box truck in the past several years you’ve even driven one. Much of blue-collar America drives these vans every day, including many of our readers.
Sadly, these vans as we know them do have an expiration date. These workhorses are expected to end production after the 2025 model year. When that happens, the Express and its GMC Savana sibling will bow out after nearly 30 years of continuous production. The fascinating thing is that this is a van platform that has survived nearly three decades while still being in its first generation. Sure, auto journalists and car enthusiasts would mock a dinosaur like this for being so old, but I think this is a good thing.
Dependable Workhorses
As Motor Trend writes, the Express and Savana were introduced during a time when large American families were expected to sell their minivans and buy a full-size van. Projections had the full-size market growing by 30 percent by 2002.
GM had a full-size van, the G-platform, but it was time to refresh the whole thing. Enter the Express and the Savana. These vans weren’t just a new body on an aging frame, but built from the ground up and riding on an all-new welded ladder frame. In making these new vans, GM focused on giving its full-size vans more car-like driving dynamics that families would like while retaining the truck-like qualities that are great for the trades.
As such, a passenger version of an Express could carry as many as 15 people while, depending on configuration, a Chevy Express 3500 could tow a 10,000-pound conventional trailer. That puts the Express right there in competition with Ford’s E-Series, which entered its fourth (and current) generation in 1992 and had gotten a major update in 1997.
Like that van, the Express/Savana was designed for the era. GM placed a focus on aerodynamics, a contemporary look, and clever touches like doors that swing out 180 degrees so the vehicle can swallow large loads unimpeded. In May 1996, Motor Trend had this to say:
From the first time you climb up behind the wheel of the Express (you don’t “slide-in” behind the wheel of a big van), the feeling is reassuringly solid. The dual-airbag dash and instrument panel are hung on a massive magnesium beam that spans the entire front width of the new G-van, and the 1996 Express also sports a molded headliner featuring optional overhead climate controls and vents.
The Express rates high marks for ride and handling. That long, wide stance establishes an exceptionally stable platform—a virtue you’ll appreciate next time you encounter a direct crosswind. However, as you might expect, tight-confines maneuverability isn’t a strong suit of the Express. The standard-wheelbase G1500 has a 45.2-foot turning circle. That number grows to 47.4 feet for the G2500 and a curb-hopping 53.4 feet for Extended models.
[…]
Experiencing their first major redesign since 1971, the all-new GM full-size vans appear to be well worth the wait.
Power under the hood was good, too. If you prioritized fuel economy over power, you could have gotten a Vortec 4300 V6, which sent 195 HP and 250 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels. Meanwhile, the big boy gas engine was the Vortec 7400 V8, which delivered 290 HP and 410 lb-ft of torque. Apparently, that bulky van was powerful enough to do burnouts when the van was empty.
Diesel freaks like me also had access to the GM 6.5-liter V8 turbodiesel, which was good for 190 HP and 385 lb-ft of torque at launch. Like Ford, GM may not have given this van any subsequent generations, but they did get updates. Express and Savana interiors got upgrades, as did the powertrains.
The big block V8 was discontinued and the 5.7-liter V8 was replaced by a 6.0-liter small block V8. On the diesel side of things, the old Detroit V8 was replaced by Duramax V8s. So, if you’re a fan of GM, there’s an Express van in a flavor you’ll likely enjoy.
These vans have proven themselves over nearly three decades of service hauling families, tools, and supporting America’s crucial trades. Parts are easy to find and there’s a ton of knowledge out there to keep them on the road.
This 2009 Chevy Express 3500 Camper Van
That brings us to the van before us today.
It’s an Express 3500 1-ton van sporting a 6.0-liter small block V8. That powerplant is producing 319 HP and 367 lb-ft of torque. That’s not the most power you’ll find, but the 6.0 is a popular engine for swaps and tunes. It seems a lot of folks seem to like these for reliability, too. They’re not perfect, as some complain of issues like oil burn and oil leaks, but it seems better than a lot of the engines we’ve written about.
This particular drivetrain is special because the owner says the base rear-wheel-drive setup has been tossed out for a 4×4 conversion featuring an NP205 transfer case and a limited-slip rear axle. This conversion was handled by Cold Smoke Industries and is said to work great today. The off-road portion of the van was capped off with a 6-inch lift, Bilstein shocks, and 35-inch tires.
The conversion looks solid enough, but should you choose to go your own way with one of these vans, the world-famous Quigley also offers awesome conversions for these GM vans.
The seller continues with the features of the camper build:
– Max Air Vent
– Interior done by: Flippin Vans
– Dometic Fridge
– Solar Panels
– Sink
– Fully enclosable awning
– Upgraded sound system
– Aluminus Rear Bumper
– Aluminus Storage box & ladder
– Outdoor Shower set up (hot or cold)
– Tankless water heater
– Power hookup
– 15 gal water tank
New parts include a Battle Born house battery and a new bed platform built earlier this year.
While this van may not look super pretty, it has basically everything you need for a fun getaway from home. The van appears to be plenty capable enough and there’s still plenty enough of a blank canvas to modify the van to your liking. Perhaps most important is the fact that the seller says he’s actually used the van to go camping. So it’s not something that was just built and never tested.
With that said, I’m not a fan of everything here. For example, look at the shot of one of the front tires. If you do any real off-roading, or just hit a hard bump on the highway, it looks like you’re going to rub this tire on the trimmed fender or the running board. I bet going down to a smaller or narrower tire would fix this problem.
As of writing, the seller is asking for $47,000 for this 76,200-mile rig ($49,000 on this specific Facebook ad). That’s significantly cheaper than any new 4×4 camper van on the market by a margin that’s not even close. It also looks pretty clean underneath and not riddled with the horrible rust you get in the rust belt. Heck, a brand-new Ford Transit costs $47,165 before you add the roughly $12,000 Transit Trail package and before you spend even more on building it out. But, it’s also been for sale since July, so maybe this price is still too much.
Of course, the downside is not having a warranty and dealing with someone else’s handiwork. But for the right person, those downsides might be okay. Maybe the van for you might not be this one. But the next time you’re looking for a camper van, maybe you might want to consider one of these workhorses over something spiffy and new. I just love the fact that there are people out there converting work vans into 4×4 beasts.
(Images: Facebook Seller, unless otherwise noted.)
4×4 vans do a lot for me despite not really wanting to ever camp again. The money they go for is totally bananas, though.
The Express was offered in AWD with a 5.3, and you can find those for reasonable money. Build-outs aren’t bad, and you wouldn’t have this semi-ridiculous lift.
If you
truly needwant 4×4 rather than AWD it isn’t that arduous to make happen:http://forum.expeditionportal.com/threads/chevrolet-express-van-awd-to-4×4-conversion.52911/
I’m surprised that you didn’t mention the current 6.6L gas engine at 401hp, probably the most powerful engine ever offered in any van. There was a 2.8L Duramax for a few years as well which was the only 4-cylinder in a full size domestic van until the Sprinter came along.
GM has dropped the gross combined weight rating on their express vans to the point that they are only 16,000 lbs for current models. That’s a substantial 4,000 lbs less than the E-350 was and is just 750 lbs more than a Sprinter.
Yep, the little 4-cylinder Duramax was a neat addition to these. Also, they didn’t quit making big block vans after they discontinued the 454. They simply swapped it for the new 8.1/496, although, sadly it only lasted for a few years. So these probably came with the largest, the smallest, the most powerful, and the most fuel efficient engines ever offered in full-size vans – although mostly no 2 at the same time.
Am I the only one that looked at these and immediately thought of the Rumpo 4×4 in GTA V/Online?
47k?? It’s a nice van but not 47k nice.
47 grand?? lolll It’s always amusing when people customize their vehicles and think that automatically translates 1:1 when it comes time for selling.
Going out on a limb here to say that this thing is definitely an acquired taste.
Great. Now I have ‘Express Yourself’ running through my head. THANKS PETER.
There’s nothing stealthy about either of these, but yes, they make good enough campers. If you go anywhere out West, you will see just as many of these as Sprinters.
Better than a new van? Yes.
Stealthy? Maybe to the blind..
I looked up “Flippin Vans”… They do some nice work on these vans. What’s in the pictures of this one doesn’t look like it… Or it was done by them a long time ago and then the owner took stuff out and didn’t put it back together. It looks half-finished in these pictures.
Agreed. Where’d all of the moulding go? I wonder if the bed is full-sized (by that I mean, is it long enough for an adult human)?
I’m not quite certain that “stealthy” accurately describes what appears to be Immortan Joe’s overlander.
That was my thought too. The express can fly under the radar sure, but this one certainly won’t.
That was my error. I originally chose an actual stealth build, but got into the details and realized that it was really just a motorcycle hauler calling itself a camper for way too much money. I changed the van and part of the headline but accidentally left the “stealthy” part in. The downside of working while feeling very ill yesterday, sorry about that!
Oh gosh – no apologies for this, I was just trying to be a little cheeky. Though, I do think this actually would qualify as under the radar for pretty much anyone in Mad Max world. I do wonder about that center of gravity in this thing though – tall and skinny profile seems like it has a learning curve to avoid an inversion event.
Hope you feel much better, very, very soon. Love your writing, your adventures in international first class were really awesome!
I just got rid of a express 3500 this spring. We had it for just our dogs. the back was filled with dog kennels and stuff for long distance travel to dog events. The 6.0 is fantastic and reliable. The van was SO comfortable on long highway trips. We now use a minivan for better fuel economy and as a daily driver. I was glad to get the big van out of our driveway.
This one is a decent price for what you are getting. General maintenance and it would last a long time. new 4×4 full sized vans hit 6 figures easy.
Of course it’s cheaper than a new van, it’s…used. And 15 years old with 15 years of wear, tear, perhaps rust, and I didn’t see how many miles on it. And modified by someone that, just like when buying a more normal but modified car, you’re relying on that dude and whatever vendors they chose.
It also looks like it would be terrifying to drive on the freeway to the trailhead, a crosswind with that lift would be pucker inducing, and those 35s can’t do much of anything to help it’s acceleration or economy. What do you figure, about 7mpg with that engine, that lift, and those tires?
I fear this guy missed his timing, three years ago maybe $47k, now nowhere near that. People across the country seemed to indicate the other day that they have concerns about money, those that don’t will buy new or just roll their own instead of buying an old van.
What’s interesting is that people say they are concerned about money and perhaps vote that way, but their buying habits don’t match. The economy is doing quite well and that includes things considered discretionary… so it seems like there is still a market for stuff like this.
Maybe not at this price exactly. Also, not with those 35s. Those are definitely for show and rubbing has got to be a major issue.
Yes, I can certainly see some people expressing concern about their financial situation and then running out to buy this thing “for the weekends”, it can probably tow the boat as well. And two weeks later complaining about the price of gasoline. At least I suppose they can just move their whole family into it when that time comes.
yes, this is squarely in the same bucket as “oh look a boat”.
Speaking of, I haven’t shopped boats on craigslist in a couple months.
You’d be surprised how many people ask for nearly new van money for a used van just because they had it converted into a 4×4 camper. I generally avoid writing about those ones unless I think the build is interesting enough.
.
Personally, I’d delete the lift and give it more reasonable tires. I don’t need to tower that high and I don’t love being married to a gas pump.
True but as you astutely inferred, “asking” is not nearly the same as “getting”. And just because a given van disappears from an ad listing or a driveway doesn’t mean the asking price was achieved. But of course it is every buyer’s own decision whether or not to part with their money and how much of it.
Agreed on the lift and fuel. Both seem very limiting, first in just general drivability and which then causes constant stops for more fuel.
Yeah, that’s part of why I rarely bother with those vans. You’ll send in an offer, get told no, and see the van still for sale months later. I try to feature vehicles you might be able to purchase, or at least if they’re super expensive they’ll be cool just to see what the high end of the market looks like.
The dishonest flipper selling my VW Phaeton deleted their ad. I wonder if someone bought it or if they just gave up?
They’ve decided to turn it into a camper and relist it for $47k. After all, it also has a V8 and four wheel drive…