Driving Line VOLUME V ISSUE 1 | WINTER 2019 | Page 47

L
ong before the overland trend took hold, Ujoint Off-Road was building 4x4
vans capable of conquering on- and off-highway adventures. With more than 10 years
of builds under his belt, Ujoint owner Chris Steuber has created hundreds of Ford
E-series vans to fit each customer’s specific needs. This was one of the reasons we
were so excited when we heard about Chad Christy’s Alpha Van build.
Having owned modified E-series vans in the past, Christy knew going into this
build exactly what he wanted and needed. The purpose of the van would be to serve
as his home on wheels as he takes the roads less traveled from Colorado to Baja
California. Seeing how reliability was the number-one goal, he also wanted the highly-
sought-after 7.3L diesel engine. Working with Steuber at Ujoint, he was finally able to
locate a stock ’03 E-350 fit with the legendary Power Stroke engine.
From there, the crew at Ujoint proceeded to tear the van apart. This would include
stripping the frame and body completely. Over the next 18 months, the van would
undergo the most thorough transformation of nearly any build to roll out of the Ujoint
shop. With thousands of proven miles already under its belt, the Alpha Van made
a pit stop in North Carolina. While you can learn more in our video breakdown at
drivingline.com, we’re highlighting the details for you here.
DRIVINGLINE.COM
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