By Karl Beck

These Ford Windstar and Chrysler conversions by Associated Handicapable Vans include lowered floors, power doors and ramps, electronic kneeling and customized adaptive equipment. Many other options are available.

It's a heartbreaking sight to see the ravaged carcass of the poor little minivan. Ripped-out guts lie strewn about and a shroud covers the windows. But the coverall-clad figures next to the skeletal remains aren't performing an autopsy, they're creating a new vehicle-lowering its floor and doorway, rebuilding the interior, and installing a ramp and wheelchair tie-downs. The resulting vehicle is ideal for transporting most wheelchair users.

In less than 10 years, lowered-floor minivans have become very popular, and for good reasons. They come in a wide variety of configurations: Ramps can be rear-door, side-door, under-the-floor or even driver-side, either manual or powered; suspensions can be kneeling or non-kneeling, electric or air; roofs can be raised or standard. On most minivans, the floor is lowered in the driver and passenger areas for wheelchair access or to allow a quick-disconnect seat to be snapped into place. Unlike full-sized vans, there's room for a wheelchair user to sit next to the driver. And minivans drink less gas than large vans, provide better visibility, and are easier to maintain and clean.

Robert Owens, a paraplegic from Tarpon Springs, Fla., traded his full-sized van for a lowered-floor minivan. He likes the better handling of the minivan in an urban environment, the ease of driving from the wheelchair, and the convenience of zipping up and down a ramp. His wife, he says, no longer has to wait as he gets in and out of the vehicle.

With all these advantages, one would think that a lowered-floor minivan would be for everyone, but that's not the case. Ken Tillotson, a paraplegic from Lutz, Fla., owned a minivan for several years, but moved back to a full-sized van as his family grew. He values having the space for his wheelchair, wife and two children.

For people who live in rural environments, lowered-floor minivans may not be the best choice. They're not good performers on rough roads, and some disabled motorists find them too small for camping or for carrying cargo, passengers and a wheelchair. Many choose full-sized vans for the same reasons their nondisabled counterparts choose sport-utility vehicles.

For some wheelers, the ramp on a minivan is too steep. For others, the doorway is too narrow and the interior too confining. In rare cases, there is not enough headroom, and the only solution-lowering the floor 8 or 10 inches-makes it hard to see out the windows.

Cost can also be a factor. Lowered-floor minivans are more expensive than a full-sized van modified with only a lift, although the price gap does close if a raised top or lowered floor is added to the larger van. Especially if a third-party payer is involved, the cost differential can be a purchasing deterrent.

How do you know what is right for you? There is no substitute for looking at the actual model and the conversion you're considering buying. Try out the ramp, the turning room inside, and the access to the steering wheel if you intend to drive from your wheelchair. Then drive the van, or be driven in it, to get the feel of the vehicle and check for air leaks, exhaust noise and rattles. Examine the construction. You don't have to be a mechanic to spot obvious quality defects like rust, torn carpet, loose interior panels and rough-looking welds. For what they cost, these minivans should be very clean.

Talk to people who have vehicles like the one you want. Ask about equipment options, driving characteristics, parking difficulties and problems with the van manufacturer. Choices between ramp and suspension styles can be made easier by comparing your needs to those of another disabled driver.

Re-certifying these vehicles after conversion to meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards requires documented crash-testing by an independent testing laboratory, and many manufacturers will provide a summary of the test results to their customers. Look also for a written warranty and designated service facilities in your area, or work through a local distributor who can provide service.

Lowered-floor minivan manufacturers are constantly changing their products to keep abreast of current automotive technology and the demands of the consumer, so it is wise to become as informed as possible. Any of the following manufacturers can help you make the right choices.

Manufacturers of Lowered-Floor Minivan Conversions

Access Wheels Inc., formerly Wheelers Accessible Van Rentals, 7101 N. 55th Ave., Glendale, AZ 85301; 800/456-1371 or 602/435-9500. Its Challenger model is built on the Chrysler minivan and does not kneel. It carries a three-year, 36,000-mile warranty and is sold through dealers or directly to the customer. Associated Handicapable Vans, 12117 Riverwood Drive, Burnsville, MN 55337; 800/956-6668 or 612/890-7851. Its Rollx conversions are built on either Ford Windstar or Chrysler minivans and have an electric kneeling system. Three-year, 6,000-mile warranty, sold directly to the customer. The Braun Corp., P.O. Box 310, Winamac, IN 46996; 800/843-5438 or 219/946-6153. Its Entervan models (automatic, passenger-only and paratransit) are built on Chrysler vans, and a rear-entry model is built on the Ford Windstar. Kneeling is electric and the conversion carries a three-year, 36,000-mile warranty. Sold through a dealer network. Care Concepts, 3145 Lewis Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85009; 800/322-1432 or 602/274-1432. Modifying Chrysler and Ford Windstar minivans, its Transporter and Care-Taxi models are made for commercial applications and their Executive Commuter, Commuter and Mini-Commuter for consumer use. All versions are side-entry and kneeling is electric. Three-year, 36,000-mile warranty. Sold through direct sales and a dealer network. Independent Mobility Systems, 4100 W. Piedras St., Farmington, NM 87401; 800/467-8267 or 505/326-4538. Built on Chrysler and Ford Windstar minivans, the Rampvan PT is an ADA paratransit conversion and the standard Rampvan is made for consumers. Both models have side-door entry, electric kneeling and a three-year, 36,000-mile warranty. Sold through a dealer network. Freedom One, a division of Supreme Corp., 28936 Phillips St., Elkhart, IN 46514; 800/373-3661. The Freedom One is manufactured with and without kneeling, with a choice of in-floor, swing-out or stowable ramp, using Chrysler or Ford Windstar minivans. Three-year, 36,000-mile warranty. Sold through dealers or direct. Mednet Inc., 525 N. 24th Street, Battle Creek, MI 49015; 800/367-6567 or 616/962-3800. The rear-entry KneelKar is built on Chrysler, Ford Windstar and GM minivans and uses hydraulic kneeling. Three-year, 36,000-mile warranty. Sold direct to customer. National Mobility Corp., a subsidiary of Starcraft, 2940 Dexter Drive, Elkhart, IN 46514; 800/528-3769 or 219/262-1005. The Equalizer, a non-kneeling model, is built on Chrysler and Ford Windstar minivans. One-year, 12,000-mile warranty. Sold direct or through a distributor network. Ricon Corp., 12450 Montague St., Pacoima, CA 91331; 800/322-2884 or 818/899-7588. The side-door Activan is built on Chrysler and Ford Windstar minivans, with an air kneeling system, in commercial and consumer models. Three-year, 36,000-mile warranty. Sold through a dealer network. Vantage Mini Vans, 5214 S. 30th St., Phoenix, AZ 85040; 800/348-8267 or 602/243-2700. The Trekker, ADA Citivan, Summit and Northstar conversions are built on Chrysler or Ford Windstar minivans and are side-entry with an air kneeling suspension. Northstar offers an under-the-floor ramp and an optional driver-side emergency ramp. Three-year, 36,000-mile warranty. Sold through a dealer network.

The following auto manufacturers offer rebates on adaptive equipment needed to modify new vehicles.

Chrysler Corporation: Physically Challenged Assistance Program, 800/255-9877 (up to $750)

Ford Motor Corporation: Ford Mobility Motoring Program, 800/952-2249; TDD 800/TDD-0312 (up to $750)

General Motors Corporation: GM Mobility Assistance Center, 800/323-9935 (up to $1,000)

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