JuneBug wrote:However, I'd cut it off at the firewall, so you have storage space where the front seats were.
Actually, that would also keep things sealed and intact structurally, as well. Losing the engine/transmission/front suspension would drop a lot of the weight of the vehicle. Since you didn't mess with the body structure, you could mount your tongue bars where the front "cradle" (that supported engine/transmission) mounted to the body.....leave one of the front seats in (or both if you camp with a significant other) and you have a great spot to watch the world on rainy days when you're stuck in the camper.
You could probably even use the van's rear brakes as surge brakes if you leave them intact and keep them adjusted properly, bonus if it had rear disks and you don't have to worry so much about adjustment....
The more I think about this, the more I like it......Wonder how heavy one is.....and how much weight you'd lose getting rid of everything in front of the firewall....