What did you do to/with your van today?

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justice
I sleep in my van
Posts: 875
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 4:00 pm
Location: Keeping a good eye on all you yahoos

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

Post by justice »

sold the racks and shelves out of the new cargo van and replaced the burnt out rear marker lights.
I have a ban hammer and I ain't fraid to use it!


Current - 2004 Astro Cargo


Former
95 Safari (money pit - sold)
93 Astro Cargo (totaled)
85 Astro - (Bought for parts and scrapped)
92 Astro Conversion (sold)
87 Safari Shorty (sold)

safari kev
I finally get the smurf thing
Posts: 237
Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2011 9:13 pm
Location: St. Louis, Missouri, USA

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

Post by safari kev »

got one of the silverado seats mounted in the van (not fun because van seat frames are a bolts width too narrow and aren't forgiving). tomorrow I will install the drivers seat. they're a bit firmer and not as plush as the well worn original seats (still softer than most new car seats I've sat in). only downside is I'll have beautiful red seats in a ratty gray van.
00 safari high top explorer conversion. "shagfari" 235xxx miles on body. 242k on junkyard Jimmy motor.
94 safari hi-top explorer limited. 132k miles.
95 ASTRO choo choo conv. RIP @115K
97 safari slx "surfin' safari" 145k miles RIP
91 safari shorty Tiara conversion. RIP
86 cadillac fleetwood brougham. 67k. It thinks its a hot rod.
83 lesabre limited. 71k miles
66+68 toronados
66 Riviera

oldsmoker
I finally get the smurf thing
Posts: 122
Joined: Mon Mar 14, 2011 6:39 pm

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

Post by oldsmoker »

transmission work:

a few days ago, its started slipping....damn it....the guy i bought the van from from said that it had already been rebuilt but couldnt tell me when...Looking back i cant believe that I overlooked doing this sooner, like 18 months ago when i got the van...did so much other work but i think that this being the first vehicle that i have ever owned and run with an auto tranny...it wasnt on my mind to do it...

so I dropped the pan, changed the filter and added 4.5 qts of Valvoline fully synth Dex VI with a bottle of Lubeguard Red.

It slipped once since the service and has been fine since, seems to get better and better...to keep things running good im gonna install an aux' cooler up front and at the same time, put a Magnefine filter in the rubber hoses that are part of the cooler install.

Tru-cool coolers:
http://www.transmissioncoolers.us/Merch ... -cool-thin

Magnefine filters (also good for power steering systems)
http://magnefinefilter.com/magnefine/order_page.htm
1989 Astro 4.3 283k. Originally a Zimmer conversion van, now a stripped out cargo.

safari kev
I finally get the smurf thing
Posts: 237
Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2011 9:13 pm
Location: St. Louis, Missouri, USA

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

Post by safari kev »

van got wrecked (not my fault). needs new pass fender, front door, and body work on sliding door and rear quarter. front rim is all scraped up (steel wheel). front bumper needs repainting. I also need a new tire (right rear).
00 safari high top explorer conversion. "shagfari" 235xxx miles on body. 242k on junkyard Jimmy motor.
94 safari hi-top explorer limited. 132k miles.
95 ASTRO choo choo conv. RIP @115K
97 safari slx "surfin' safari" 145k miles RIP
91 safari shorty Tiara conversion. RIP
86 cadillac fleetwood brougham. 67k. It thinks its a hot rod.
83 lesabre limited. 71k miles
66+68 toronados
66 Riviera
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doyoulikeithere
ASV Supporter
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Joined: Tue Nov 17, 2009 8:27 pm
Location: Misty Mountains of Cowichan BC.

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

Post by doyoulikeithere »

sorry to hear that Kev.
Verry shtty news!
Best of luck to you now.... Hope all ends well

I drove to work as usual, shifted down from 5th, held it WOT for about 90 seconds in 4th gear up hill 60. Yeehaw!
2021 Yamaha Tenere 700 - Blue.
2016 Yamaha XSR900 - Silver.
1990 Astro - AWD - Brown.
1987 Astro - With 5 Speed & 4wd - Silver & Blue.

safari kev
I finally get the smurf thing
Posts: 237
Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2011 9:13 pm
Location: St. Louis, Missouri, USA

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

Post by safari kev »

thanks man. it really ruined what would have been one of the best days for me in a long time. I had just gotten back from a day long trip across southern MO to go look at rocks and visit a mining museum (alot cooler and way more fun than it sounds.) and 2 blocks from home, some lady in an acura sideswipes me and dents up the side of my van.
00 safari high top explorer conversion. "shagfari" 235xxx miles on body. 242k on junkyard Jimmy motor.
94 safari hi-top explorer limited. 132k miles.
95 ASTRO choo choo conv. RIP @115K
97 safari slx "surfin' safari" 145k miles RIP
91 safari shorty Tiara conversion. RIP
86 cadillac fleetwood brougham. 67k. It thinks its a hot rod.
83 lesabre limited. 71k miles
66+68 toronados
66 Riviera
User avatar

justice
I sleep in my van
Posts: 875
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 4:00 pm
Location: Keeping a good eye on all you yahoos

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

Post by justice »

Cleaned out the cargo area and put some indoor/outdoor carpet down over the beat up rubber floor mat.

pics in my thread in the pictures forum.
I have a ban hammer and I ain't fraid to use it!


Current - 2004 Astro Cargo


Former
95 Safari (money pit - sold)
93 Astro Cargo (totaled)
85 Astro - (Bought for parts and scrapped)
92 Astro Conversion (sold)
87 Safari Shorty (sold)

97CargoCrawler
I sleep in my van
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Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2008 11:50 pm
Location: Near Los Angeles, CA
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Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by 97CargoCrawler »

I cleaned my intake manifold and spent a few hours wedged between the drivers seat and the pedals. Sore.
1997 SAFARI 2WD CARGO
Image
"I do not think there is any thrill that can go through the human heart like that felt by the inventor as he sees some creation of the brain unfolding to success... Such emotions make a man forget food, sleep, friends, love, everything." Nikola Tesla

safari kev
I finally get the smurf thing
Posts: 237
Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2011 9:13 pm
Location: St. Louis, Missouri, USA

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

Post by safari kev »

took van to my body man to get an estimate of the damage. just under $3k.
some pics of the damage (sorry for the crappy cell phone pics, but I didnt have a real camera with me at the time.)
Image
Image
00 safari high top explorer conversion. "shagfari" 235xxx miles on body. 242k on junkyard Jimmy motor.
94 safari hi-top explorer limited. 132k miles.
95 ASTRO choo choo conv. RIP @115K
97 safari slx "surfin' safari" 145k miles RIP
91 safari shorty Tiara conversion. RIP
86 cadillac fleetwood brougham. 67k. It thinks its a hot rod.
83 lesabre limited. 71k miles
66+68 toronados
66 Riviera

safari kev
I finally get the smurf thing
Posts: 237
Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2011 9:13 pm
Location: St. Louis, Missouri, USA

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

Post by safari kev »

washed the rims of the van (front ones were black. apparently they're metallic silver. also cleaned the carpet in front of and in between the front seats (it was black and is now light gray) the van smells better too.
also, the radio issue (amp stops working on bumpy road or when turning right) returned. I'm gonna run a new switched power line and ground for it and call it a day. I've eliminated the radio as the culprit, now to just eliminate everything else.
00 safari high top explorer conversion. "shagfari" 235xxx miles on body. 242k on junkyard Jimmy motor.
94 safari hi-top explorer limited. 132k miles.
95 ASTRO choo choo conv. RIP @115K
97 safari slx "surfin' safari" 145k miles RIP
91 safari shorty Tiara conversion. RIP
86 cadillac fleetwood brougham. 67k. It thinks its a hot rod.
83 lesabre limited. 71k miles
66+68 toronados
66 Riviera
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JTalley
I sleep in my van
Posts: 383
Joined: Sat Feb 26, 2011 11:56 am
Location: Sulphur, Oklahoma

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

Post by JTalley »

Today, I added some much needed oil after determining that the type didn't matter.

Also, I had to haul a few bags of sand and some garbage. Not pleasant, but I carry around air freshener. Not just the cover-up junk; this stuff really works. I don't know what kind it is, but it's good stuff. I got it as a gift.
Jake

Image
Ed- 1992 Astro, RWD, 4.3l V6 (purchased Feb. 2011)
FlowTech Red Hots glasspack exhaust (finally got it put on there!)
Old rides (earlier to later)
2004 Honda 250 Rebel (my dad's bike, he let me use it)
Neko- 1991 S10 Blazer, 4x4, 4-door (SOLD Feb. 2011)
Custom (aka failed) diy paint job- red with black stripe

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 »

Swapped out the transfer case for one that hasn't been abused. Started replacing the lousy E-torx bolts for the front drive shaft with hex cap bolts. (4 each, 10mm x 1.5 pitch x 25mm long and 12mm x 1.75 pitch x 25 mm long)
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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VanGoGo
I get chills without my van.
Posts: 86
Joined: Thu Aug 12, 2010 3:38 pm

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

Post by VanGoGo »

Was sunny and nice, cleaned the outside of the Astro. Photochopped the rims XDImage
"BOYCOTT AUTOZONE!"
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icebrrg3rd
I am smitten with my van
Posts: 29
Joined: Mon Apr 12, 2010 12:05 pm
Location: Milwaukee, WI

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

Post by icebrrg3rd »

This last weekend my van went from this:
SideView01.jpg
to this:
SideView02.jpg
Finally got the proper lug nuts for the Cragar S/S rims I picked up this winter. I like the look a lot!

-Andrew
81 Yamaha Maxim XJ650, Black & Green, 64k miles
83 Yamaha Venture 1200cc, White, 74k miles
91 Chevy Astro 2WD, 4.3L, Maroon, 229k miles
00 Dodge Grand Caravan, 3.8L, Blue, 145k miles
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MountainManJoe
I have my van tatooed on my cheeks
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Re: What did you do to/with your van today?

Post by MountainManJoe »

I like them too. They suit your van.
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