Wynn's Transit Parking Delimma

[wyntrout]

I thought I would start a new thread for my future Ford Transit parking problem. I'll copy here what I've posted under the April Foolery, though some of posts ARE funny... especially the pictures. :D

April 11: "I check our new posts several times a day and like to contribute humorous stuff. My wife and I are doing fine.

Two months ago I ordered a 2023 Ford Transit 350 AWD Cargo Van with long wheelbase and high roof to get more space and height for travel. It won't be fancy, but hopefully more comfortable on our trips. It may take many more months, though, with the chip and other shortages, and transportation/pipeline, etc. :(

The vans are scarce and in great demand for RV builds and shipping. I'll be 77 in June and hope that I'm not biting off too much to chew. :p I'm lazy and a procrastinator to boot, so I do have worries. :D

It's a foot longer than my GMC Savana and about 2 feet taller, so it won't fit in my garage or under our roof overhangs. I'll need at least a carport, but would prefer an enclosed garage to keep ALL varmints and insects, etc. from nesting or infesting the van. I'm not sure we can get something like that permitted, though."

April 12:
I don't think that I could get that tall Transit van to the back yard due to the height of the soffits and the remaining width of my yard/easement. There's a retaining wall 6 feet from the house on the other side. I'll have to increase my pad width and maybe widen the driveway a few feet for turn around or even turn in to a possible garage. I don't want a mortgage, either, for building one. My pad is 10 feet wide and 20 long... the length of the garage.

Widening the pad will take some heavy equipment work due to the 6-ft+ stump and debris covering that where it was ground down and spread on top to keep a small hill there, covering my trashcan view from the road.
Here's the GoogleEarth photo from 2018 with the large oak tree and two large, towering and hanging over my house cedars to the right, in my neighbor's yard. I got a package deal for all three trees and my neighbor was able to pay me back over the course of the next year for the two cedars. Those were a BIG worry during storms, as the front one could be as it grew out towards the prevailing hurricane winds from the East and North East.

19857

[wyntrout]

Some photos after the tree "trimming".

19858 Two large overhanging cedars gone.

19859
10' by 20' pad to the left of garage, but soffits and gutter clearance only 94-96". I would have to widen the pad and add some width to my driveway for turning the 20-ft van. The garage would have to be at least 22 feet long. A steel carport might work, but not protect from critters and UV.

The van will be about 236" long and 109" tall, without A/C or rack on roof. Add a foot for that!

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fheavycherry.com%2Fimgs%2Fa%2Fc%2Fl %2Fm%2Fc%2Fford__transit_350_long_high_roof_vehicl e_storage_trend__2012_2_lgw.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=6790ac0effbb4abb090b50a5538cbaa9eb327b75e736b1 5581a94cb6be3d5d0e&ipo=images
Stock photo. I have a lot of options ordered, including black alloy tires. I didn't order the 28" longer one... the extended version. I was worried about turning and parking in the space I have, and I was afraid of the rear overhang that would bang every time I pulled down a modestly sloped driveway like most gas stations seem to have. The one I ordered is only about a foot longer than My GMC Savana, but about two feet taller. My Savana is 82" tall and about 18.6 feet long. It fits in my garage with just enough space in front to reach my power panel. The garage door is almost 84" tall.

[dao]

Wyn, will this be your only vehicle?

You could put up one of those metal-roofed carports beside your garage between the stump and it. I have one at my place that has two sides and the roof covered. You can order them in about any configuration you could come up with, and they're not so expensive that you'd need to take out a mortgage for it. If this is your only vehicle you could put one up that simply straddles your driveway just before the edge of your pad. And park the Transit under it there.

[wyntrout]

Here's a picture of the sizes and dimensions. Mine would be the center bottom one. LWB and high roof.

19860

My previous photo is the medium high roof. Mine will be the HIGH roof. :)

[wyntrout]

DAO, my neighbor across the street got a steel carport for his boat. It looks pretty sturdy and isn't facing the storm winds as mine will be.

I'm considering that, too. He only paid like $1,200 or so for his. I could add protection from the sun to the side.

It will eventually replace MY Savana for regular driving and trips. My wife has her 2018 Subaru Forester, a previous dream vehicle of mine... for a car. :)

[Bawanna]

Doesn't look to me like it would be that hard to grind that stump and excavate there beside the house. That would be the perfect spot for a real garage just for the van or a temporary metal deal for now. Plenty of room to back out and turn around in your existing driveway. And still have the old garage for the Subaru.
But I understand the money thing, I'd love to add another 6 or 8 feet to my man cave, would make it really nice. But the cost which I actually haven't researched but expect to be very high is a big deterrent.
How many miles you got on the Savanna?

[jeepster09]

A few years ago, I checked into adding 5 more feet of width to my garage and I was quoted 15-20 grand [supposedly because of slab needed].

[wyntrout]

They did a poor job grinding the stump and there's a massive root system, so that's problematic for extending the pad to the left about 4 feet. All of that organic stuff will eventually rot and cause the ground to sink.

A month or two after I get the new van, I'll sell the old one. I got it new in September 2004 and have over 130K miles, which isn't high mileage for the van's age. Most was highway miles and it really runs well. I've let it idle overnight for the A/C when warm and never had a problem. I use SeaFoam for the gas and engine often and the engine is great.

[Bawanna]

I'm thinking of the photo where the stump isn't ground, so it's beside your existing garage. Make it flush with the back and extend a few feet in the front. I'd even leave a breeze way between new garage and existing to store trash cans etc. Wish you weren't on opposite ends of the continent, I'd probably take a close look at that Savanna myself.

[yqtszhj]

Thinking outside the box here, tell the neighbor to sell his boat so you can park under his carport if it’s high enough. :amflag:

I had a next door neighbor one time I could have said that to and he would have said that would work as long as he could have the van anytime he wanted it and I paid for his gas to drive it. That guy has since passed away and I think about him often. He was a real character.

[getsome]

Thinking outside the box here, tell the neighbor to sell his boat so you can park under his carport if it’s high enough. :amflag:

I had a next door neighbor one time I could have said that to and he would have said that would work as long as he could have the van anytime he wanted it and I paid for his gas to drive it. That guy has since passed away and I think about him often. He was a real character.

Yep that is a great idea, just make him an offer he can’t refuse if you know what I’m saying…..Glad y’all are doing good and all is well with you!