Chevy & GMC Vans

Not wanting to highjack Spike 99's AWD thread, I'd like to expand on its direction regarding VW Syncros.

I researched for 6 months before I figured out which van I wanted, settled on the Astro, and am very happy with it.
Overall, it gave me the most to work with. Its great on the freeway, which is at least my first 30-120 minute leg out of town. Powerful enough to not stress and carry good speed climbing over the mountain passes. Its big enough for camping, small enough for off roading. With mods, is proving to be what I need for light duty off pavement driving. Its simply a great utilitarian vehicle. And gets decent mpg while doing all of the above. Just as I suspected when I chose it in the first place.

However, IF I had the money for my dream garage and a fleet of cars, I would also have purchased a VW Syncro, swapped the crappy little motor for a Suburu conversion or a Turbo Diesel I (not quite sure which way to go) The VW Van is voted "Most likely to be found at the head of any freeway bottleneck" as they don't have enough power to pull their own shadow up a slight grade. (Q: Why do hippies tend to go whichever way the wind blows? A: Ever try driving a VW van into a slight head wind?) Yes, I would love to be able to own both, modify the Astro as I want it, modify the Syncro as I want it, then drive both for as long as it takes for a clear cut winner to emerge and kick the other one out of the proverbial garage.

The thing I know I like about the Syncro (the 4x4 version of the VW Vanagon) is that while the wheel base is 11" shorter than the Astro, the interior room from front seat back to rear door is 16" longer, due to the forward control configuration (driving position).

There are a lot of VW vans out here in Washington, especially in my hippie/granola town. And a handful or really cool Syncros. ALas alac, thanks to you guys, I am the only lifted Astro in town.

The Delicas are cool. but I think they are only imported into Canada, and seem to be only right hand drive. Forget that nonsense. I saw them when I went to college in Japan 20 years ago, they were cool but too small.


Ditto for the 'Yota vans; sorta cool, but too small and way too limited.


Syncro: The cool orange one is owned by a Syncro aftermarket parts guy. I believe he's running a Subaru 2.5 in it, slight lift, and 245/16.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIii6Mo2fso

Delica: If you look closely you will see that what appears to be a reciever hitch is actually where the "wind-up key" goes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JtKUv65MZo



Toyota van: Love the factory sheet metal rock sliders! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4skJ763 ... re=related


Did any of you consider other vans before getting into the Astro? WHy/how did you end up with an Astro van for off roading?

I love the Syncro... I have ever since I first read they were going to import them way back when... but when looking at the cost/performance aspect, it is out of my reach. Used Syncros aren't exactly cheap, and the repair parts seem harder to obtain and quite pricey.

I think you get the most bang for your buck with an Astro/Safari. Stock, they go places they shouldn't. Add mild customization (Overland lift and 30" tires), and they are even more capable. And then you can really start tweaking them... 2-speed t-case, rear locker, custom weld-in subframe lift from 3-5 inches, and then a solid axle swap. And let's not forget power! The stock V-6 is A-OK, a 350 swap is easy, and some (those not comfortable with their masculinity?) even put 502's in them!

I'd love to have a Syncro, but I'm dollars ahead with a Safari!

Oh, I've also considered a Toyota van. They can be found cheaper and I've always been curious what could be done to one to make it more off-road capable. If the right one comes along, maybe I'll find out...

(Love that Syncro You Tube video. I've bookmarked it and will add it to my website I'm in the process of rebuilding.)

If you are serious about a yotavan, Roy Meyers is sortof a guru. He's based out of Bellingham and Mazama.

http://www.yotavans.org/index.htm


Maybe a Mitsubishi Delica if they weren't so exotic in these parts of the world.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQDZNmn6rhM


Hmmm, custom welded in subframe lift...

I checked out a couple vids on Y.T to see what all the fuss was about,and its obvious that they can def handle what the average dude or dudette is going to throw at them,they seem very capable BUT and this is a big BUTT! they are UGLY as sin. I'd take an AWD/4x4 Astro any day of the week before buyin a psycho ( I mean Syncro,lol ) your rig is a thousand times nicer lookin T.L and if/when you ever convert to true 4x4 you'll be way ahead

astrozam wrote:I checked out a couple vids on Y.T to see what all the fuss was about,and its obvious that they can def handle what the average dude or dudette is going to throw at them,they seem very capable BUT and this is a big BUTT! they are UGLY as sin. I'd take an AWD/4x4 Astro any day of the week before buyin a psycho ( I mean Syncro,lol ) your rig is a thousand times nicer lookin T.L and you'll be way ahead

[i]if/when you ever convert to true 4x4[/i]



Hah, thanks Zam. Like I said, I am really happy with the Astro. I do want to go off road with a Syncro just to see how they compare, and I hope to get a start on the T case Sunday.

i had a similar debate when van shopping. while the toyota is a true 4x4 and gets better fuel economy, it lacks the interior room and towing capacity of the astro. the syncro has a sweet interior but is underpowered, way overpriced, and a pain in the ass to work on. i landed on a 98 awd for $2000 from the original owner, none of the comparable vans have ac, leather, or power everything. i've driven the hell out of it for a couple years and had to do some work on it, but nothing too painful. these vans go so unappreciated, not sure why. even squeeked 20mpg out of it the other day taking it easy with six people and a roof box. after working as a vw tech for a while i'll always have a soft spot to build a tdi syncro westy, but i think i'll set my sights on catching a unicorn instead.

tkic wrote:i had a similar debate when van shopping. while the toyota is a true 4x4 and gets better fuel economy, it lacks the interior room and towing capacity of the astro. the syncro has a sweet interior but is underpowered, way overpriced, and a pain in the ass to work on. i landed on a 98 awd for $2000 from the original owner, none of the comparable vans have ac, leather, or power everything. i've driven the hell out of it for a couple years and had to do some work on it, but nothing too painful. these vans go so unappreciated, not sure why. even squeeked 20mpg out of it the other day taking it easy with six people and a roof box. after working as a vw tech for a while i'll always have a soft spot to build a tdi syncro westy, but i think i'll set my sights on catching a unicorn instead.

And while I thought the Delica was cool, upon further research, I'm not so sure I want a van with these braking characteristics:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHRgVvAO8Pw

no kidding, theres lots of those delicas around here some lifted which look so tall and skinny with a strong wind theyll blow over.

T.Low wrote:
And while I thought the Delica was cool, upon further research, I'm not so sure I want a van with these braking characteristics:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHRgVvAO8Pw

for serious? if my van did stoppies i'd be stoked!

tkic wrote:

T.Low wrote:
And while I thought the Delica was cool, upon further research, I'm not so sure I want a van with these braking characteristics:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHRgVvAO8Pw

for serious? if my van did stoppies i'd be stoked!

Stoppies are fun when you want to do one to show off. Stoppies are not cool when you need to do a panic stop and the van lifts and you lose all steering control and also most of your braking capacity. My work gets probably 5-15 Delica vans through each week they are usually beat to death and drive like a lumber wagon. The Safari vans drive much better. Also did you notice the front of the Delica smashing into everything that it got near?? Even on a slight down hill they were smashing into the ground that has to be the worst approach angle I have ever seen.

Kidhauler wrote:Stoppies are fun when you want to do one to show off. Stoppies are not cool when you need to do a panic stop and the van lifts and you lose all steering control and also most of your braking capacity. My work gets probably 5-15 Delica vans through each week they are usually beat to death and drive like a lumber wagon. The Safari vans drive much better. Also did you notice the front of the Delica smashing into everything that it got near?? Even on a slight down hill they were smashing into the ground that has to be the worst approach angle I have ever seen.

Thats why you send them ahead first; to break down the bumps for the rest of the team!

Just a brief word on Syncro ownership. I had two. Although the Type25 was built as a semi off-roader, it came complete with rear difflock (quite a revelation in the mid eighties) and a low crawler gear. The running gear was very poor. The two I had one the 1900cc petrol was very lacklustre in the power department and the 2nd (pic) had the later 2100cc inj which although more powerful still does not compare to the performance of the Astro. Both ate front drive shaft cv joints readily. There was an option of having 16" wheels but these vehicles were very rare and would probably get through the joints even quicker as the shafts remained the same. All the same though the type 25 was very capable off road.
Laterly in the UK the 4WD Volkswagen has resurfaced not as the syncro but as the 4Motion,(Type 4) their price new is way out of my league. These new ones have lost the ride height but retained the difflock and are powered by a 2.5 turbo diesel engine. They also come standard with 16" wheels or a 17" option.
I shall remain with my Astro, everything about it is better, far more beefier and robust. Although I did have some fondness towards the one below, but that was before I got to know of the Astro/Safari's existence.
Shep
As for Delica's.........yuuuuuck!

Excellent input, thanks very much. Not too often you get to hear from someone who has owned both.

I never looked for a 4wd van, but I have always been fornd of them when I see one. Mostly fullsize 4wd chevy vans. Now that I own an astro and have some knowlage of them I would love to convert mine to a solid axle 4x4. Its currently a 2wd (and dead for the moment) As far as the others go I looked over youtube at the syncros, delicas and yotavans. First impresstion is they do alright, then I think about it and they dont really appeal to me. First the approach angle on all 3 of the others are terrible, second they are all underpowered. Third, none of them seam as easy to modify for off road, as the astros. Or period for that matter. Forth and finally the astro is built with real 1/2 ton truck parts, the others just seam puny. Tie rods no bigger than a pencil? No thanks.

In the end its all about bang for the buck as MDMEAD mentioned, and the relitive ease of buildingm modifing and maintaining them. Isnt the yotavan a mid engine? like under the floor just behind the driver and passenger seat?