I had a topic started on this project and someone apparently deleted it. WTF? Just wasted a lot of time looking for it and it is not here anymore. Now I have to start it all over again. Whatever mod deleted it, PLEASE leave this one alone. Just because I haven't posted on it in awhile doesn't mean I'm done. It's a PROJECT!
A year or two ago I aquired one of our old work vans. A 93 Shorty that the ins company totaled out. I started working on it in 2008 by cutting out the damaged shet metal and getting replacement panels from my parts van. That's where it eneded for awhile. This week I got back on the project. I scored a 95 LT1 350 with all the wiring and accessories. Tore it down to see what kind of shape it was in. Pretty good. Plus I finally welded on the replacement panels as well as replacing the passenger door since "someone" backed into it.
Current:
01 AWD - Stock
98 AWD - Stock
Past:
93 4WD - 305 V8 - 5" lift - 31" tires
98 4WD DHC - 10" lift - 33" tires - Onboard air and Hydraulics - Snowplow
92 RWD - 350 V8 - lowered - 97 front clip
92 RWD - 350 V8 - converted to AWD - V6
91 AWD - 350 V8 - conversion van
94 RWD - 350 V8 - sons van
92 RWD - stock - sons van
93 RWD Shorty - project
89 RWD Shorty - parts van
Wow! Replacing that rear panel is 'big time' in my book! Good job!
Can't wait to see the swap occur too.
Matt
Selah, WA
-96 GMC Safari AWD Hi-Top Conversion -->Stalled 5.3L swap & 5" lift
-74 Ford Bronco -->Far from perfect but mine!
-99 V-10 Ford Super Duty Super Cab 4x4 -->Stock with 285 Cooper ATs
-00 Ford Focus Wagon -->The Red Turd
-95 Ford 24' Class C Motorhome -->My big block sleeper
-07 Can-Am Outlander XT -->My yellow 4x4 quad for work & play
-04 Ski Doo REV Summit -->Still several chassis behind!
Having done this, I may have some first hand experience that can help as you go through the process. Feel free to send me a PM and we can exchange numbers.
-X
-=John=-
1995 Chevy Panel Wagon - Stillen Body Kit, 3" Drop, Rear Sway Bar, Billet Grille, 18" Wheels with Yokohama Wrappers. LT1- .060 Hyper Pistons, Blueprinted and balanced, all ARP, LT4 Hot Cam, 1.6:1 SS roller rockers, 52mm TB, Elderbrock Headers, PCM Tuned with LT4 Knock Module, Aeromotive AFPR, 2800 Stall, Hardened 4L60E, Posi 3.72:1 Diff
Getting:
100HP Shot Zex Wet Nitrous Kit.... Why? If you have to ask, you won't understand....
I had forgotten all about that van Bill but remember after you posted the panel repair pics. Again, nice work on the repair. When's the 350 going in ? Wish I could be there to help. I'm getting the bug again but it'll pass.
89 Astro, 350 V-8, Shaved doors, Filled Slider, Corvette IRS, 94 Mustang GT Rack & Pinion(Thanks to Skip), Cad Tail lights from SoCalliV8 ( RIP) Miss you my friend.
VIDEO
If you drive illegally, they take your driver's license. If you're here illegally, they want to give you one
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
Hey Bill,
I remember the project too. Lots of questions about welding distortion etc if I remember correctly.
Is it possible it was long ago enough to have been on the other site?
Missed you at NECO and had to give all the extra food to Cobra,,,,
1999 LS AWD 3" Lift,4.10's,Snowplow,9500lb Ramsey winch
Well, I think I have the LT1 harness ready for whenever. Tedious work. And factory manual suck! Using one to trace wires is ridiculous. It takes like five pages in five sections to figure out the routing of one damn wire! God forbid you could look under your hood, find a plug or connection, go to your manual, identify it and find where the wires go. Why can't they just have a diagram of the actual harness you are working on? Instead, everything is broken down into components. I can not figure out how to make reading these things easier. If anybody has any tips I'd love to hear. Next will be mating to the Astro harness. It should be simple as there should be like three plugs all togther that have everything I need to splice into. But as soon as I open the damn manual it gets complicated because those three connectors are spread out over the whole book!
A question for those that have done this. The Impala has the VSS going directly from the transmission to the PCM. Then the PCM has a VSS output to the instrument cluster for the speedo and such. The Astro has the VSS wires going to a buffer (DRAC) which is then broken off into several areas. IE: speedo, cruise, PCM and ABS. My thoughts right now are to split the signal at the VSS. One going to the original setup and one going to the new PCM. I would possibly use the signal from the LT1 PCM for the speedo but I don't know if it uses the same pulse count. Either way it looks like if I needed to recalbrate for different rear or tire combos I would need to upgrade both the PCM and the DRAC. My only corcern is that I don't know if splitting it will degrade the signal with feedback from the original DRAC. I don't think it will but what have you guys done?
Here are a couple new pics.
The pile of leftovers.
Finished engine\tranny harness.
Current:
01 AWD - Stock
98 AWD - Stock
Past:
93 4WD - 305 V8 - 5" lift - 31" tires
98 4WD DHC - 10" lift - 33" tires - Onboard air and Hydraulics - Snowplow
92 RWD - 350 V8 - lowered - 97 front clip
92 RWD - 350 V8 - converted to AWD - V6
91 AWD - 350 V8 - conversion van
94 RWD - 350 V8 - sons van
92 RWD - stock - sons van
93 RWD Shorty - project
89 RWD Shorty - parts van
I remember the original thread, I thought it was posted on the old site though..
You are a brave man tearing into a wiring harness.. I have alot of respect for anyone who can tear into one, and rebuild it to suit another application.. looks like mind boggling work.
Steve O
94 2WD Astro EXT
179,000 miles and counting
Going from an 8 seater to a 4 seater
I'm so excited for you Bill!! I was really glad when you finally got a shorty cargo and now I'm more-so-glad you're getting an LT1 !!!
1988 Astro Shorty full cargo - 350 TBI - 5 speed
1993 Passenger 4X4 Astro 305 TBI V8 -2 speed transfer case 5" custom lift - Built by Lockdoc
2015 Ram Promaster City - work car
2004 AWD Express 5.3
2005 Express 15 passenger 6.0
1984 Beauville Full Size Sport Van- built TBI 355-electric fans- 4L60e 95,000 original miles
2001 International School Bus