Chevy & GMC Vans

And at long last pic's of Ole Yellar a 1989 cargo that will get the high top conversion top from the shop van.












Really is a true Florida rust free body.Just got some minor dings that you have to expect give it's age.Sure is going to pretty once it's my favor color......................Yellar.It is going to get all no window doors and I have a no window slider that I will use for a filler to shave the slider.More to come on this project.

Still don't have a computer to post pixs yet.These are coming via the library.I will until I get the computer I want to take pics and post them as I did here.Thanks folks for your understanding.

While I am harvesting the rear end for the 1985 shop van to have a housing to send to a shop to have them copy the mounting points to build a Ford 9" for Ole Yellar,I need the part number for the Buick roadmaster 11" rear drum backing plate.I want to buy new aftermarket.I need that so they can build a flange to match that backing plate bolt pattern.

Then the next question will be if I am going to have them build axles with the later Astro 6 bolt pattern for the 16" wheels.Not sure how those wheels fit the early astro wheel wells.Yep I know tire size counts.With the 3" lift,I am thinking of a 29" tire.Not sure how that effects a intended upgrade to the 3/4 ton caliper/pad rwd front brakes and if by doing that the 16" wheeled later rwd front rotors are bigger too.I do remember reading about that swap in the original site,but need details because I have forgotten it.

Thanks for the help.

Any help with the questions I posed??.I'm heading out to the shop and will check back later.Thanks.

The bolt pattern for the brake backing plate from the Buick was exactly the same as the Safari.

Skip,I thought I read in a thread of guys buying some and they where different.Maybe you have a part number and brand name??.

Anyone else on the question about the front rotors for the later 16" wheels??.I honestly don't know if RWD's where built for 16" wheels in the later yrs.

No part numbers, Gary. I bought an entire rearend from a Buick. $40.00. The ring and pinion had no teeth. All of the bearings were shot. None of that mattered. All of the brake stuff was there. I'm sure there are different bolt patterns. GM likes to change things just because they can. When I built the 12 bolt I had Dutchman Motorsports build the "C" clip eliminator housing ends with the stock Safari bolt pattern.

I'll go to the local parts store and start there.He has a 64 Ford coup 390 that is pretty nice and is a hot rodder.What yr roadmaster am I looking for again?

Thanks Skip

It just dawned on me.IF I went to the 6 bolt 16" wheel,I wouldn't be able to do the 11" brake upgrade .Well I could,but I would have to re-drill the drums and I don't know if I would have enough space to do that let alone I really am not a big fan of swiss cheesing drums or specialty parts that I couldn't replace on the road if I needed to.

Well it is said to keep it simple stupid and the brake up-grade is worth tons more to me than the 16" wheels.

If I can get my hands on the roadmaster backing plate,then I can match it up to the housing I am sending to the rear end shop.

Just as a side note for anyone reading this.With projects like this you go threw a phase where everything is dirty,greasy,rusty,kind of a pita to deal with.I mean that part sucks.I just can't wait to get the the other side of that..........

For the old timers here.Where was I when everyone else was building their stuff??.Yeah,lol,like always bring up the rear. Hang on,hang out,I'm working on it,I'm working on it.

I don't remember the year exactly, but it was an early 90's.

1Gary wrote:It just dawned on me.IF I went to the 6 bolt 16" wheel,I wouldn't be able to do the 11" brake upgrade .Well I could,but I would have to re-drill the drums and I don't know if I would have enough space to do that let alone I really am not a big fan of swiss cheesing drums or specialty parts that I couldn't replace on the road if I needed to.

Well it is said to keep it simple stupid and the brake up-grade is worth tons more to me than the 16" wheels.

Gary, if you use the 6 bolt wheel you can upgrade to rear disc brakes that are stock Astro/Safari parts. I don't think it gets much simpler than that!

Jim,
I know the later yrs used dics on the rear.I think I would prefer drums.I remember a thread yrs ago from So Calli V8 where he tried dics and gave it up going back to drums because he could never get it right.I honestly don't remember what the problems where,but that is the summary I have in my head.

I remember that thread too. I don't remember the details, but I think it had something to do the all the parts from different vehicles not working together. If you were to use all stock parts from a system that was designed that way in the first place, I can't imagine you'd encounter the same issues. But, to each his own.

One thing I have heard of was the e-brake being a issue if not used all the time on rear dics systems.They are exposed to the weather all the time.Maybe I won't get the stopping power out of drums,but I do think with 11" conversions I can get really good results.

I took the rear end out of the shop van to have a housing to give to the rear end shop that is going to copy it for the Ford 9" for Ole Yellar.

I loosened all the bolts first.





I still don't know how you guys are getting the old rubber cushions off the springs when you convert to steel springs.





Like everything else,it helps when you have the tools:



This made quick work of the e-cable:



Once I got the bolts loose I have this to use.When it was new,it would wind your hand right around:



I want the front driveshaft yoke to use for storage of trannies,installs of trannies,etc.Big Question is if I want to keep the tranny too.It is a good 700R4 that all that is wrong is a T/C solenoid or wire harness replacement.Other than that,it worked solid.But than it would mean I would have three 700R4's around.One from the 85 which is a 4.3 tranny,one from the 89 again a 4.3 and one 1991 V8 truck 700R4.I really do need to move on and stop working on it.Hummm>???

I'll have news on the 383 build tomorrow.

Gary, stick with the 5 lug wheels and if you want 16", just buy some nice aftermarket 16" or 17" wheels and then get the new tires. Do the 11" drum upgrade and place new e-brake cables and the USE the e-brake all the time and the drums will stay adjusted. KISS theory...remember.