Chevy & GMC Vans

well, it appears that within the next 2 - 3 mths I might be getting the 1993 LT back.

for those that either don't know of it or don't remember. this is the van that i bought a couple of years back for myself. ended up a friend was in a car accident and needed something asap. i worked out a payment plan and signed it over. since then i've been the one to do any repairs and upkeep on it. that being said, my friend now has a company van that he drives monday - friday and is looking to buy a little 4 banger sporty thing for the weekends. our agreement was that if he ever decided to get rid of it, i got first dibs.

this is also the van that i put the eneki wheels on that everyone liked so much. they were the trans am gta looking ones that are black with the brushed aluminum lip that i had on my 94 LT for awhile

here's the van when i got it (different rims a bit more rust) --> http://s7.photobucket.com/albums/y265/c ... 3%20astro/


here's what i'd like to do.... i would really like clean up the body on it and convert the front end to the colorado style. i know there was someone on the other site that posted some intitial pics of fabing this up... anyone know who he was or where he got with it?

the other thing i'd like consider is a V8. if i end up looking for a shop to the the swap, what should i expect to pay for everything, including an engine with a mild cam and a posi unit installed? really kind of looking for a ballpark so i don't fall off my chair when i ask a shop what it'd cost...

i'm guessing i could find a motor pretty cheap .. there are lots and lots of V8 guys around this hick town with low mile motors sitting in their yards... LOL

thanks
rob
i have a dream

found it.... the van was called 'Astrado' and it was on a site that is now defunkeddddddd lol.. http://www.layinbody.com <-- dead links to a nearly nekkid girl in heels checking tire pressure on weld draglite rim.. lol .. not sure if that was a club or magazine or what.. anyway, here's one pic i was able to find on my pc..

Glad to see you may be getting her back. Definitely do the V8 swap. You will never regret it. As for the Colorado front end...not my style but I can appreciate the amount of work involved!

i'm not huge on the styling either to be honest... i think it's just something to really update the look of the van... different

Yea, i remember that swap.

I did save only 2 pictures

cool.. thanks for those two that i didn't have.. it doesn't look like they went to the newer longer front before going to a colorado does it... looks like the sloped style on that 2nd pic you posted Jboy

below would be my 'blank canvas' .. LOL.. bright and early this morning my friend showed up at my door with a 'siren' sound coming from the engine bay ... i think it's the alternator whining really badly, now i have something to do on my day off tomorrow he took my 99 today so i took some pics

crash wrote:cool.. thanks for those two that i didn't have.. it doesn't look like they went to the newer longer front before going to a colorado does it... looks like the sloped style on that 2nd pic you posted Jboy

I believe that is correct. I do remember that the van a 1987 and he was just swapping the colorado grill, and customizing the hood and fenders to match the bodylines to fit with the grill.

btw, that van looks clean

well the siren sound turned out not to be the alternator but was the idler pulley. i changed both the tensioner and the idler pulleys because if one went the other probably isn't far behind. both on there were GM stock pulleys.

as for the van.. yeah it's pretty clean.. there are a few rust blisters in the typical areas. on the upper dutch door and around the plate box, as well as the rear rockers and under the tail lights. other than that it's pretty clean.

i'll have to start watching ebay and my local yards and price out some rado parts.

I am pretty sure that is a Silverado front end (03-07), not the Colorado one. The Colorado has the turn signals above the headlights. I would love to see the finished product though.

meetthespeakers wrote:Thats what I was gonna say, looks fairly clean in and out. I have no idea but the colorado front I think looks decent, I was wondering, do you get any more room/clearance by switching to the newer van front? Just curious if that would give you more room to clear the V8, radiator and such. The colorado front looks like the width is correct. Just need to extend a few pieces. Interesting. Well, GOOD LUCK, and HAVE FUN!

IIRC the newer front end does provide more clearance as it's not really father forward but it's more square so you have something like 2 -3" more wiggle room in there.

dean89 wrote:I am pretty sure that is a Silverado front end (03-07), not the Colorado one. The Colorado has the turn signals above the headlights. I would love to see the finished product though.

hmm .. good point dean. i'm going to measure up our silverado at work today and see how close it is.

crash wrote:

dean89 wrote:I am pretty sure that is a Silverado front end (03-07), not the Colorado one. The Colorado has the turn signals above the headlights. I would love to see the finished product though.

hmm .. good point dean. i'm going to measure up our silverado at work today and see how close it is.

If you put a silverado front end on that van you may end up coming out side one morning and finding a weirdo with a green safari hugging your van while whispering sweet nothings to it and asking it out for a romantic dinner and a long walk on a moonlit beach I hear piddock can be pretty with the right moon light lol!

yes piddock can be nice... a little empty at the moment being that it's drained for the winter...

well, i did a really quick measurement of the silverado here at work. i haven't checked the 93 front end measurements yet to compare but the silverado front end is actually slightly narrower than the front of the my 99 (which is what i drove to work today)... i'll check a customers colorado when he comes in next for an approx size comparison... for now i'm leaning towards it being the silverado pieces that have been used...

looks like if this comes together i'm going to have to look into buying a welder and learn how to weld