What did you do to/with your van today?

General Discussion
( Please do not post help questions here )

astroturf
ASV Supporter
ASV Supporter
Posts: 1658
Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2009 6:25 pm

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

Post by astroturf »

LiftedAWDAstro wrote:Moved the driving lights up on the bumper higher...
Was it for aesthetics or to protect them?

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 new brakes and tires. my van handles remarkable well now- and it can stop ...in a straight line no less.
rotors were not smooth at all (they were grooved line a vinyl record and were beyond toast)
front tires were on the cords on the inside due to shocks being worn out.
heres a pic of the left front brake pad. all I can say is Yikes- how the hell did that van stop?
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

LiftedAWDAstro
I have my van tatooed on my cheeks
Posts: 4379
Joined: Sat Sep 09, 2006 3:35 pm
Location: New Haven, NY

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

Post by LiftedAWDAstro »

astroturf wrote:Was it for aesthetics or to protect them?
Mostly for looks, but also for some better protection. What I really want to do is recess them into the center of the front bumper like the Bonneville SSEi or newer Jeep Wrangler:

Image

Image
Current rides:
2013 Toyota Tundra DC 4x4
2008 Dodge Nitro 4x4
2005 Nissan Sentra 1.8S Special Edition

Mileage spreadsheet

Vans owned:
1986 Safari 2.5L 4 speed manual - scrapped
1995 Astro 2WD conversion 4.11 posi, shift kit, DHC rock rails - sold to Skippy
1998 Astro 4x4 D44, D60, NP231, full hydraulic system with 9k# Milemarker winch and snow plow - sold to Lockdoc
2003 Astro AWD all stock - traded for a 3/4 ton truck
2005 AWD, 4.10's - sold to skippy
User avatar

HPbyStan
I sleep in my van
Posts: 601
Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2008 8:15 am
Location: Janesville, Wis

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

Post by HPbyStan »

Picked up my '04 Cargo from North Shore Customs today. Bone Yard '04 transmission slips worse than the origional one. Guess I should have had mine rebuilt in the first place. Their "big deal" warrenty means I have to pay to ship their junk back 1st and then they ship me another maybe good one. Meanwhile, you don't change an AWD tranny in a couple hours. I went big and put in Mobil 1 ATF at a cost of over $100 also. Guess I've had happier outcomes ](*,)
'04 White AWD Astro cargo
'00 Astro / El Camino
'61 BSA Super Rocket
'71 BSA B50 engine in a '67 C25 250 chassis
Impossible is just a degree of difficulty....

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 »

Stan,
This is the place that did the rebuild on Green's trans.
http://www.shiftritetransmissions.com/

They have upgraded rebuilt 4L60E's sitting on the shelf. Starting at $750 when you drop off the old trans.

Very happy with mine.
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

97CargoCrawler
I sleep in my van
Posts: 754
Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2008 11:50 pm
Location: Near Los Angeles, CA
Contact:

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

Post by 97CargoCrawler »

Gentlemen, tone it down...please. I'm only asking once. Thanks * Justice

I just want to share my van projects here. I thought this was a place where we could all be individuals and show off our custom vans. A place where people had an appreciation for unique and different vans. If you don't like what I'm doing to my van that's perfectly fine because it's MY VAN. You need not concern yourself with posting and IM'ing insults and warnings about my mod's. I couldn't care less. Grow up.

:cheers:
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
User avatar

MountainManJoe
I have my van tatooed on my cheeks
Posts: 3145
Joined: Fri Aug 08, 2008 12:55 pm
Location: The Pacific North Wet
Has thanked: 48 times
Been thanked: 25 times

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

Post by MountainManJoe »

this again? Image

97CargoCrawler
I sleep in my van
Posts: 754
Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2008 11:50 pm
Location: Near Los Angeles, CA
Contact:

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

Post by 97CargoCrawler »

I just purchased another set of ULTRA SUPER DUPER BLINDING Projector Headlights for my van.

:supz: :supz: :supz: :supz: :supz: :supz: :supz: :supz: :supz: :supz: :supz: :supz: :supz: :supz: :supz: :supz: :supz: :supz: :supz: :supz:
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
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 »

97CargoCrawler wrote:I just purchased another set of ULTRA SUPER DUPER BLINDING Projector Headlights for my van.

:supz: :supz: :supz: :supz: :supz: :supz: :supz: :supz: :supz: :supz: :supz: :supz: :supz: :supz: :supz: :supz: :supz: :supz: :supz: :supz:

and boy are my arms tired! :peep:
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)
User avatar

Mr_Roboto
I sleep in my van
Posts: 537
Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2006 2:12 pm
Been thanked: 2 times

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

Post by Mr_Roboto »

HPbyStan wrote:Picked up my '04 Cargo from North Shore Customs today. Bone Yard '04 transmission slips worse than the origional one. Guess I should have had mine rebuilt in the first place. Their "big deal" warrenty means I have to pay to ship their junk back 1st and then they ship me another maybe good one. Meanwhile, you don't change an AWD tranny in a couple hours. I went big and put in Mobil 1 ATF at a cost of over $100 also. Guess I've had happier outcomes ](*,)
What gears are you slipping in? 3-4? 2-4? If 3-4 you can get a clutch pack for very little $ if the fluid still looks clean, drain/salvage your fluid and throw the pack in. You pull the pump and then input shaft, no special tools required. The clutch pack comes out with a snap ring. Over all I'm talking less than $50 in parts as well, even if you get a set of "good" clutches like a Z-pak from Raybestos. Hack but hey it is plausible that's about all it really needs. Naturally while you're in there I'd probably get a Transgo kit as well but that's another story entirely.
User avatar

Mr_Roboto
I sleep in my van
Posts: 537
Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2006 2:12 pm
Been thanked: 2 times

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

Post by Mr_Roboto »

Whoops also wanted to say I took it by home depot today to get a new box. I was lucky to make it back, tire was flat by the time I got home. That was after I filled it there.

astroturf
ASV Supporter
ASV Supporter
Posts: 1658
Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2009 6:25 pm

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

Post by astroturf »

LiftedAWDAstro wrote:
astroturf wrote:Was it for aesthetics or to protect them?
Mostly for looks, but also for some better protection. What I really want to do is recess them into the center of the front bumper like the Bonneville SSEi or newer Jeep Wrangler:
They do look better there, and that'll keep em outta the snow too.

Thanks, Jim

LiftedAWDAstro
I have my van tatooed on my cheeks
Posts: 4379
Joined: Sat Sep 09, 2006 3:35 pm
Location: New Haven, NY

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

Post by LiftedAWDAstro »

Drove 350+ miles to our first snowshoe race...on sneakers! ](*,) Damn weather!

Get a little wintery :D
Current rides:
2013 Toyota Tundra DC 4x4
2008 Dodge Nitro 4x4
2005 Nissan Sentra 1.8S Special Edition

Mileage spreadsheet

Vans owned:
1986 Safari 2.5L 4 speed manual - scrapped
1995 Astro 2WD conversion 4.11 posi, shift kit, DHC rock rails - sold to Skippy
1998 Astro 4x4 D44, D60, NP231, full hydraulic system with 9k# Milemarker winch and snow plow - sold to Lockdoc
2003 Astro AWD all stock - traded for a 3/4 ton truck
2005 AWD, 4.10's - sold to skippy
User avatar

1Gary
I have my van tatooed on my cheeks
Posts: 2743
Joined: Wed Oct 07, 2009 4:18 am

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

Post by 1Gary »

When are you guys coming close to Roch??.
1979 Malibu drag race only car
1999 Sonoma 4.3 5 speed-Rufus
1989 Astro-Ole Yellar cancelled-still selling off parts
1985 Astro-shop van R.I.P. my friend
1994 Astro LT RWD W4.3 rod knock RIP
1982 Winnebago single rear wheel-Chevy 350 Scraped 1/28/13-broken dreams......


Rochester,NY

LiftedAWDAstro
I have my van tatooed on my cheeks
Posts: 4379
Joined: Sat Sep 09, 2006 3:35 pm
Location: New Haven, NY

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

Post by LiftedAWDAstro »

Probably the first Rochester race will be Jan 15th.
Current rides:
2013 Toyota Tundra DC 4x4
2008 Dodge Nitro 4x4
2005 Nissan Sentra 1.8S Special Edition

Mileage spreadsheet

Vans owned:
1986 Safari 2.5L 4 speed manual - scrapped
1995 Astro 2WD conversion 4.11 posi, shift kit, DHC rock rails - sold to Skippy
1998 Astro 4x4 D44, D60, NP231, full hydraulic system with 9k# Milemarker winch and snow plow - sold to Lockdoc
2003 Astro AWD all stock - traded for a 3/4 ton truck
2005 AWD, 4.10's - sold to skippy
Post Reply