I have extensive experience with both cargo vans and mini vans moving
collections objects, having owned and used quite a number of each. Right
now, I have one of each. The choice depends on a number of factors.
I'm not sure if this will be your personal vehicle used for other purposes as
well, or will be used only for museum business.
Some of the factors in the decision are number of objects hauled at one
time; distance moving objects; size/weight of objects; the need to tow a
trailer; and whether you are purchasing new or used.
I have used mini vans to haul furniture, including chests of drawers,
wardrobes, chairs, high poster beds, etc. They can haul less than a cargo
van. But they are safer, easier to drive, less expensive to maintain, and
probably cost less, at least used. They have a rear door that is over 48"
wide and can generally accommodate objects up to 44" or so in height.
There is actually a bit more height inside, but the door is the
limitation. Certain models also have 8' of length with the rear door
closed (and seats removed), so plywood and other 4x8 sheet goods can be
hauled. I have pulled a 6x12 trailer in excess of 2,000 miles quite
successfully with a mini van, so the capacity can be expanded. However,
the maximum trailer weight will be 5,000 lbs. or less. If maximum cargo
volume and ceiling height is desired, DO NOT get rear heat/air.
I purchased my current mini van a bit over a year ago, and did a
considerable amount of research on cargo capacity. I definitely wanted a
van that could accommodate a 4x8 sheet of plywood, and also wanted to purchase
used for under $10,000. The vehicles that met my criteria were the GM
product, all long body - Chevy Venture, Olds Silhouette, Plymouth Montana,
etc. which are essentially the same vehicle. I have gotten up to 30 mpg on
the highway, and more generally get 25-28 mpg. The Ford Freestyle and
Chrysler/Dodge products did not meet my needs, primarily due to the plywood
requirement.
A full size van (regular body, not extended) has about 6" more door width,
6" more height, and 2' more cargo length than a mini van. It
definitely can hold a lot more, at least 1 1/2 times in volume, and up to 3
times more in weight. It can tow a trailer up to 10,000+ lbs. properly
equipped. I have a Ford E350 1-ton with a diesel engine. Empty on
the highway, I can get up to 20 mpg. Gas engines with reasonable torque
(V-8 or larger) generally will get up to 15-17 mpg empty on the highway (more
like 15 mpg for the V-10). It you get a really high gear ratio rear
end (lower number), you may improve this a small amount, but will give up the
ability to tow heavier weights. You can get an extended body, which adds
about 2' in length, but is on the same chassis, so the rear hangs over quite a
bit. If you will tow, you DO NOT want an extended body, as this creates
more leverage for sway, making pulling a trailer very uncomfortable. Cargo
vans can be a pain to drive, and in emergency situations are prone to
roll-over. But their capacity and ability to pull a large trailer can't be
beat(en). If you go the cargo van route, I would suggest a 3/4 or 1 ton,
so you have additional weight and towing capacity over the 1/2 ton. You
may also want to consider the diesel (more expensive) if you drive many miles a
year or tow a trailer a lot. If you will be using the van for a few
thousand miles a year, the additional cost may not be worth it.
I generally prefer the Ford full size van products over the GM products
(I've owned both), but they are probably generally equivalent. An
interesting alternative is the Mercedes/Chrysler van with higher ceiling height
and generally a bit larger vehicle. It has available a 5-cyl diesel I
beleive, so would be good for general use with reasonable economy, but I'm not
sure what effect it would have on trailering - probably reduces the maximum
weight. Since it is a rather new model, prices used could be much
higher than the other manufacturers.
Feel free to let me know if I can provide additional information.
Marc
American Conservation Consortium, Ltd.
4 Rockville Road
Broad Brook, CT
06016
www.conservator.com
860-386-6058
*Collections Preservation Consultation
*Conservation Assessments &
Surveys
*Low-Tech Environmental Control
*Moisture Management
Solutions
*Collections in Historic Structures
*Conservation Treatment
of:
Furniture
Painted
Wood
Horse-Drawn
Vehicles
Architectural Interiors
Marc A. Williams, President
MS in Art
Conservation, Winterthur Museum Program
Former Chief
Wooden Object Conservator, Smithsonian Institution
Fellow, American Institute for Conservation (AIC)
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, April 11, 2007 3:37
PM
Subject: [MUSEUM-L] Cargo Van versus
mini-van
Dear
Colleagues,
I work at a historic house site,
and I will need to replace my existing cargo van soon. Due to budget
considerations (price and potential gas mileage), I may have to replace the
van with a mini-van. The types of large artifacts that I
will be transporting would include furniture (tables, chairs, beds, dressers,
etc.), paintings, plus other smaller materials. I have been given a very
short deadline to research this topic, and so I would like to seek some input
from the list. I would prefer to lobby for a cargo van, but may have to
settle for a mini-van. Have any of you dealt with the pros and cons of
using a minivan as an artifact transport vehicle. Feel free to contact
me off the list.
Sincerely,
Historic Washington State
Park
This electronic message
transmission contains information from the Arkansas Department of Parks and
Tourism and is confidential or privileged. The information is intended
to be for the use of the individual or entity named above. If you are
not the intended recipient, be aware that any disclosure, copying,
distribution or use of the contents of this information is prohibited.
If you have received this electronic transmission in error, please notify us
by telephone (870-983-2684)
immediately.
=========================================================
Important Subscriber Information:
The Museum-L FAQ file is located at
http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed
information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message
to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help"
(without the quotes).
If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to
[log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff
Museum-L" (without the quotes).
=========================================================
Important Subscriber Information:
The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes).
If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).