Vehicle Sighting - '80s? Dodge van, 1-ton chassis?

[Kurtatron]

The rear overhang is a bit scary - with heavy people in the far back, the steering can be compromised

This is hilarious. What are you envisioning?

 

[eljefino]

^ The short wheelbase 15 passenger vans really are death traps. Insurance companies hate them. The rear bench is also a vomit inducing ride on the highway in any kind of crosswind.

 

[Number_35]

This is hilarious. What are you envisioning?

View attachment 232222

That's quite the photo!

The case I was thinking of was quite tragic - it was in one of Canada's Maritime provinces perhaps 10 or 12 years ago.

A high school basketball team was returning from a road game in iffy road conditions. The coach was driving. I think the van was one of those extended full-size Fords, perhaps a 15-passenger. Anyway, three of the largest and heaviest players were sitting in the rear seat, well behind the rear axle. (Ford grafted on a long extension, without increasing the wheelbase.) The leverage of these three heavy boys combined with a long lever, is thought to have taken enough weight off the front wheels that the driver lost control on the sleety road surface. All aboard were killed.

In the wake of this, various school districts moved away from such vans.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Bathurst_Boys_in_Red_accident

Edit: Here's a link to Wiki's summary. At the time, the factors I mentioned above were talked about, but Wiki doesn't mention the disproportionate weight in the back, so now I'm not sure.

 

[Braapdaddy]

The church busses in my area got converted to dual rear wheels with an afterthought fender flsre ......seen lots of GM G series and Ford E series with the conversion but have yet to see it on a Dodge

 

[walterjay]

Had one of those vans for a work truck. Very reliable and trouble free.

 

[skyactiv]

They were popular with carpet installers back in the day.