I am looking to purchase an extended model 6.0 Express or GMC. The model that I want, GM does not make. I want basically a cargo van with one rear bench seat directly behind the front seats and then a completely open floor plan behind that. I plan on using it for towing my boat and short overnight camping trips. I like the Privacy that the cargo van has but I also want windows in the rear doors, a window in the side door would be optional for me. So is my best option to buy a cargo van and try to install some type of bench seat or buy a passenger van and remove most of the rear bench seats. I know with a passenger van I would get windows all the way around which might not be ideal for my use. Is it possible to completely black out the passenger van windows in the rear? I might also get rear heat and AC which I don't think I would really need. I guess the passenger style would also give me the finished ceiling and finished sidewalls in the rear area which would not be the case with a cargo van. The enclosed pic is a 2016 Express cargo van

with a Ford Transit bench seat installed Any ideas and thoughts are greatly appreciated

 

A couple things I've noticed about living with a cargo van:

*They're loud inside with zero insulation or sound deadening. Every bump or road irregularity resonates through the van like you're inside a drum. It's hard to have a normal conversation with the front passenger let alone anyone who would be in the second row where it's even louder. In the rain they're very loud as the unfinished rear wheel wells and floor get hit by water from the tires and the unfinished roof gets pounded. Most of the time I struggle to talk on the phone even in good conditions. Tap on the side or back roof of a cargo and you'll hear what I mean.

*With no insulation the cargo can get very hot inside. I'm in Florida where we struggle to stay cool more than keeping warm. With the divider the AC works fine up front but it can struggle to keep the entire van cool without it. A friend of mine bought a cargo for a camper project and said once he removed the divider his AC couldn't keep up. It got better once he put in the insulation and walls. I imagine keeping it warm would be the same. Getting stuck in a bad traffic jam in extreme temps could get uncomfortable. If you have the rear AC and decide you don't want it it's not too hard to cap off and remove. You might even be able to sell it.

*It's very easy to dent the walls of the cargo and have convex dings on the outside that are enough to split the paint. If you have people getting in and out with luggage and gear someone is going to bump into the walls and dent them out. The wide flat panels are easier to dent than a car door which has curves and support behind it.

I use my cargo for work but I don't have any shelving or other furniture installed other than the divider. It's usually mostly empty unless I'm going to a job where I fill it with tools, ladders and sometimes materials. I've been trying to make it more comfortable since I sometimes travel long distances for work. I've added sound deadening and insulation and it's helped a lot but I still have more to do. I've added the foil covered sound deadening to the metal walls and inside the doors, insulated and paneled the roof and some of the walls (more to do) and a few other things. I've learned a good bit about how unfinished these cargos are and how each improvement makes them better.

In my opinion you'd be much better served by the passenger van if you're traveling with more than just yourself. Covering the windows would be way easier than making a cargo comfortable for passengers.