Chevy & GMC Vans

sold the racks and shelves out of the new cargo van and replaced the burnt out rear marker lights.

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.

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

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).

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!

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.

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 cleaned my intake manifold and spent a few hours wedged between the drivers seat and the pedals. Sore.

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.)

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.

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.

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)

Was sunny and nice, cleaned the outside of the Astro. Photochopped the rims XD

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

-Andrew

I like them too. They suit your van.