I am looking at several vans now. My intent is to make them into a camper.. I have seen conversions but they only add 6-9" more height to the interior - I want to be able to stand up. I am leaning to the Ford because Chevy does not seem to have an extended van. Also, I like seeing the blue oval on my vehicles. The 3 Fords: 1 1990, 1 1995 and 1 1997. Price is about the same across the board. All have less than 120K miles on them. Seems that some people don't consider the cost of gas and mpg when they buy one of these! My questions:
1. I would like the extra space that the extended version offers, but how does it affect driving?
2. I like to camp off the beaten path - BLM lands, forest service roads, etc. This does not require 4x4 - the roads are often dirt and usually well maintained, though sometimes rutted in places. Will the extra length be an issue?
3. Because of the issues in #2 above, I would like to add a 2-4" lift kit to give me more ground clearance. A couple of the vans have a raised top - camper top?? Will the suspension lift be an issue? Will I need to compensate (potentially a little top heavy) by adjusting some other part of the suspension?

I will appreciate any wisdom and knowledge that you share.