What did you do to/with your van today?

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BREAK
I am smitten with my van
Posts: 47
Joined: Wed Oct 14, 2009 5:46 pm

Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by BREAK »

Drove 200 miles round trip to buy a set of factory aluminum rims for the 95.
$72 for the rims and gas to get up there and back. I've been looking for a set for a long time and that's the best deal i could find...
Image Image

1995 2WD Astro 165K+
2000 AWD Astro 142K+, fully loaded

1995 Dodge 2500HD V10 4X4 reg cab 75K+, BFG all terrains (nice truck, everything is perfect on it)
1994 Honda Magna 4K+
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d3athm3talh3ad
I finally get the smurf thing
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Joined: Sat Jan 26, 2008 3:49 pm
Location: Kentucky

Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by d3athm3talh3ad »

Roy-thank you for the offer, I will keep it in mind...I am still arguing with myself whether I want no-window barn doors or dutch doors and fill the hatch window in...the barns would be easy, but filled in dutchies would be so trick...

got the rest of the vacuum lines I needed today, going to install them, the hoses and radiator sunday...
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Topic author
ihatemybike
I plan to be buried in my van
Posts: 2224
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2008 6:57 pm
Location: Elgin, IL

Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by ihatemybike »

Green: Took it for a drive to see if the water pump gaskets are holding. After running around for a while, I pulled into my drive and killed the engine. Soon after I see white smoke, pop the hood and jump out real quick. Turns out the source of the smoke was the passenger side wheel bearings. In my earnest to figure out what's wrong and hopefully not have my van catch fire, I touched something hot and got a second degree burn on my left forearm.

Looks like I get to tear apart the brakes and hubs next.
Aaron

2005 Astro (Gandalf) - AWD, 4.3L, 3.42, 130k+ miles
1997 Astro (Grumpy - $250 Rally Van) - AWD, 4.3L, 3.42, LSD, 2" lift, 31" tires, 335k+ orig engine, $30 eBay fuel pump
Prev Astros:99,97,00,94,87,86

rlsllc
I sleep in my van
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Joined: Thu Sep 21, 2006 6:35 pm

Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by rlsllc »

d3athm3talh3ad wrote:Roy-thank you for the offer, I will keep it in mind...I am still arguing with myself whether I want no-window barn doors or dutch doors and fill the hatch window in...the barns would be easy, but filled in dutchies would be so trick...

got the rest of the vacuum lines I needed today, going to install them, the hoses and radiator sunday...
No prob, ironically, I've thought about the filled hatch several times myself. I guess you'd have to roll a steel section to fit or use the window to mold fiberglass, cause I don't think it's flat. Weird that you thought of it also. I've also got a van with dutch doors I'm gonna part with soon.... :whistle: Gotta clear out the yard, lol.

On topic: Used my van to pick up my little boy from head start. Weak, but on topic.
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Drooler
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Location: West Central FL

Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by Drooler »

Went to Advance Auto Parts and bought orange lamps for the front turn signals - went home removed the old faded orange lenses and put on the clear ones I got from someone here a year ago. Not real exciting but something. Just a thought maybe I should hit the You-Pull-It yards and see if I can find rear gaskets for the barn doors,
Drooler
aka
HarryB
1988 Astro CL 172K miles Factory F&R Sway bars stock except
for 15x7 GM Alloys with 225x70 tires.
RIP 1994-2010 driven 140K. Time, wear, and my health sent it
to the trade in block 9/10/10.
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9dawgs
I sleep in my van
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Location: Tampa, FL on the beautiful Gulf of Mexico
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Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by 9dawgs »

Loaded up my wife and 4 of my kids in my wife's van and headed down to the beach for a sunset wedding...it was awesome. The sky was crystal clear and the temps were in the 70's...I love living in Florida!
Jim<><

'99 Astro 4X2, (RIP) 4" Overland Lift, 31X10.50/15 BF Goodrich AT T/A KO,
Rancho RS5000 shocks, Rockford Fosgate RFX9000, Red Top Optima, K&N Filter
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'98 Astro 4X2 (SOLD)

Topic author
ihatemybike
I plan to be buried in my van
Posts: 2224
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2008 6:57 pm
Location: Elgin, IL

Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by ihatemybike »

Green: Tore into the the brakes/hubs to see what caused the overheating last night. Calipers froze on their pins. Pads are now shot. Now to decide how much I want to upgrade during the repair.
Aaron

2005 Astro (Gandalf) - AWD, 4.3L, 3.42, 130k+ miles
1997 Astro (Grumpy - $250 Rally Van) - AWD, 4.3L, 3.42, LSD, 2" lift, 31" tires, 335k+ orig engine, $30 eBay fuel pump
Prev Astros:99,97,00,94,87,86
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57BUDDii
I am merely driving my van
I am merely driving my van
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Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by 57BUDDii »

Fired up mama's 01 Astro AWD and headed up to Denver this afternoon. Ran into a little snow; more will come tonight and on Sunday. So, we decided to take the car trailer up in the sleet..... I towed my 57 Chevy 4dr HT home in march and hit icy roads. Kept it straight and we made it home safe. Car and trailer were covered in ice. So as you can see, living on the front range of the rockies, ice and snow are a common event. Therefore, no peaceful sunset wedding in our part of the woods today! :yawinkle:
BUDDii

01 Astro -White 185K (Momma's)
01 Yukon XL SKT Autoride - Green 112K
97 Chrysler LHS White 211K (For Sale)
97 Astro 132K (Ran out of oil once!) FOR SALE
93 Toyota Camry
68 Dodge Charger -Yellow (2nd Owner, 110K miles. 383 AT on flr) Not for sale!
57Chevrolet 2dr HT BelAir
57 Chevrolet 4dr HT 210 (Not a Bel Air; one of 26K made in 57)
57 Chevrolet 4dr Sedan 150 (Undocumented 4dr Utility; No back seat)
57 Chevrolet 4dr Sedan 210 (Donor for 150)

phr1$k37
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Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by phr1$k37 »


Drove to Bellingham Airport to drop off my sister for a flight and back. Got hail, rain and heavy rain ... good old Princess still holds 160kph+ clean :)
(We were late leaving Vancouver, BC).
97' Safari AWD SLT - Nicknamed "Princess" cause of all the TLC she begs from me!
Location: West Coast, B.C., Canada eh?
Photos and Specs of "Princess"
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Drooler
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Location: West Central FL

Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by Drooler »

Loaded up my wife and 4 of my kids in my wife's van and headed down to the beach for a sunset wedding...it was awesome. The sky was crystal clear and the temps were in the 70's...I love living in Florida!

LOL - the last "Sunset Wedding" I went to was at Ft Desoto - getting ready for a storm - windy - on & off rain - pretty nasty - typical FL storm season
Drooler
aka
HarryB
1988 Astro CL 172K miles Factory F&R Sway bars stock except
for 15x7 GM Alloys with 225x70 tires.
RIP 1994-2010 driven 140K. Time, wear, and my health sent it
to the trade in block 9/10/10.
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d3athm3talh3ad
I finally get the smurf thing
Posts: 214
Joined: Sat Jan 26, 2008 3:49 pm
Location: Kentucky

Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by d3athm3talh3ad »

installed the fan, fan clutch, radiator, condenser, plug wires, filler panel, started cutting up the grille and headlamp doors for the phantom grille, i'm getting all new grille and headlight doors, so i'll make all my mistakes on these broken ones now...then cleaned out all the packaging/old parts/bags out of the back, the pile of parts to be reinstalled is getting small now!!

teaser pic:
Image
Image
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astronut74
I sleep in my van
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Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2007 11:37 pm
Location: Melbourne, FL

Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by astronut74 »

^^^ What a coincidence!! I installed my fan and fan clutch today as well!!
Steve O

94 2WD Astro EXT
179,000 miles and counting
Going from an 8 seater to a 4 seater

batmo
I sleep in my van
Posts: 264
Joined: Tue Apr 21, 2009 1:11 pm

Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by batmo »

d3athm3talh3ad wrote:
teaser pic:
Image
this one has potential.

I put another 1500watt inverter in mine today

Topic author
ihatemybike
I plan to be buried in my van
Posts: 2224
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2008 6:57 pm
Location: Elgin, IL

Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by ihatemybike »

In-law's Mustang: Installed new brake pads.

Green: Looked over the calipers, appears that the caliper hardware and not the pistons was the reason for the brakes dragging. Bought new Wagner pads, brake caliper hardware, and grease to repack the hubs at Advance Auto. Removed and cleaned the drivers side wheel bearings.
Aaron

2005 Astro (Gandalf) - AWD, 4.3L, 3.42, 130k+ miles
1997 Astro (Grumpy - $250 Rally Van) - AWD, 4.3L, 3.42, LSD, 2" lift, 31" tires, 335k+ orig engine, $30 eBay fuel pump
Prev Astros:99,97,00,94,87,86
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BREAK
I am smitten with my van
Posts: 47
Joined: Wed Oct 14, 2009 5:46 pm

Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by BREAK »

Replaced my old tires and steel rims with new tires and aluminum rims on the 95.

Also finally installed and set up an FTP program so i can link pictures again.
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Last edited by BREAK on Tue Nov 17, 2009 5:12 am, edited 1 time in total.
Image Image

1995 2WD Astro 165K+
2000 AWD Astro 142K+, fully loaded

1995 Dodge 2500HD V10 4X4 reg cab 75K+, BFG all terrains (nice truck, everything is perfect on it)
1994 Honda Magna 4K+
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