Tell the world a little bit about your vehicle
(Built 1979 for 1980) This was a van that got passed down from my great-grandparents, to my dad's dad, to my parents, and then to me. It lived a long life and got parked when I was in first grade (2002) smoking like hell and just sat to rot until when I was in seventh grade and decided that was the car for me. Dad gave me the keys and said "What's the worst thing you could do break it? It's yours now and noone can take it from you." Now it's fully functional and is a badass roadkill of various makes models and years of different machines and rides like a Cadillac on the road. I've done things to this machine others thought weren't possible. Early Highschool people mocked it and wondered why I wanted it. By late Highschool I had people trying to make me sell it. XD It's been a long journey and now it's with me few states from where my life started back in the same yard where my great-grandparents used to park it where it's life in the family started. It's a hell of a story and more so on what came under the van and what got put in it.
Engine/Drivetrain Modifications:
ENGINE:
-Original 1970's 350 V8 Chevrolet Engine
-Has a Quadrajet 4BBL Carburetor that was made by Carter for GM. A very odd one, off from the GM Rochester in the strangest of ways. (I have to go by info from a Dodge manual for that one) Was on the van when I got it.
-2015 Harmonic Balancer Replaced
-A/C system removed. Heater removed also everything was full of acorns, pinestraw, and other fire hazards in there.
FUEL SYSTEM:
-Swapped the emissions 3 line type fuel sender/strainer unit out for a regular specter brand 2 line type, replaced the rubber fuel lines, added an inline filter by the tank for filtering and easy starting after going dry. (BIG difference)
-Running one HHO "Jar" cell mounted to interior firewall were the heater core used to be. Lines run into carburetor and intake manifold. (has blow-by valve for backfire protection- alot of idiots miss this step and get hurt if you have questions ask before your attempts)
TRANSMISSION:
-Original 1979 THM-350C (Auto) Chevy Transmission and torque converter Died in late 2011. Replaced with a THM-350 (Auto) Transmission and torque converter off of a '76 GMC C-10 Pickup in a junkyard.
-Upgraded the pan to a Chevy one with a fluid drain bolt for convenience.
-Transmission Fluid Dipstick and tube is one from an '83 Chevy van.
-2015 Added an Extra Heavy Duty Hayden Transmission Fluid Cooler.
POWER STEERING SYSTEM:
Original Chevy Saginaw pump goes out 8/2015
-Replacement Saginaw PS Pump is from an '83 Dodge Ram Van
-Reservoir can is from the Crappy in-store replacement pumps (Went through 3 defective from shipping ones until i went ahead got an old one and put the new can on it XD Rebuild and refurbish don't get these new. Can is good though)
-Power steering pulley is a dual groove pulley off of a '78 Chevrolet Elcamino
-Low pressure metal line coming from steering box I pulled off a '90 Chevy Camaro and cut to fit. Worked excellent.
-Power steering pump reservoir can cap is still from the original Chevy pump.
COOLING SYSTEM:
-Replaced stock pump with a Heavy duty Alternate style pump.
-Have no idea what my Radiator came out of. It's a single row either Dodge or Chevy.
-2015 replaced Coolant Overflow tank with a more compact Dorman styled one.
Suspension Modifications:
Nope XD
All stock and rides like a dream still
Wheels/Tires Modifications:
TIRES:
P225/75/R15 on stock GM rims.
BRAKES:
-2011 Ditched the original Chevy front brake calipers after they failed and grabbed some higher quality ones off of a '82 Cadillac Deville. Grandpa and I ground down and smoothed out the "batwings" GM put on the Cadillac calipers to keep them from being interchangable. Afterwards they dropped right on no problem and the van stops much better since that change and pads are cheaper.
Interior/Exterior Modifications:
DASH:
-Gauges replaced with ones from '76 Ford Gran Torino. Machined speedo shaft to fit GM Cable. Wired in flexible LEDs and mounted gauges with bolts from an old '70's McCullough chainsaw along with chrome sheetmetal screws.
-Added Equus Fuel Gauge and tachometer on top of dash.
-Glovebox replaced with one from a '93 Chevy G-30
HORN:
-Meep-Meep Horn is from a '97 Toyota Camry
WINDSHIELD:
-Installed one that came from a '93 Chevy G-20
GRILLE:
-All of the plastic stuff they called a grill and headlamp covers crumbled over time so I eventually just tore it all off. I wanted something stronger and metal so I looked around for a while at what I had.
-Replaced the Plastic grill With the cooling grate off of the back of an old fridge. I cutt it to size and drilled holes in the grates mounts for mounting to the original front trim holes.
-Added a Chrome Chevy Badge from the hood of a '57 Chevy 3100 as the center piece on top of the grate.
MIRRORS:
-Took the old mirrors that were falling apart off and put on a pair of small circle clamp on mirrors.
-Added a door mount mirror to the passenger door from a '67 Chevy C-10.
LIGHTING:
-Made sheetmetal adapter plates for the Marker light holes and mounted all new chrome marker lights using the stock light sockets and wiring.
-Added a small chrome tag light with the tag equipped to the back door.
LADDER AND TIRE RACK:
-Mounted a ladder and tire rack from a '93 Chevy G-20 with a Harley Davidson Trim Pack. Spare tire hubcap is from an '83 Cadillac Deville.
CURTAINS:
-Added Blue back door curtains from a '94 Dodge Ram Van
SEATS:
-Front seat replaced with a real nice poofy seat and belts from a '95 Dodge Ram Van by Custom Coaches.
-Bench seat/fold out bed replaced with an Electric Tri-Fold Bed/bench seat from a '94 Dodge Ram 250 Van
-Misc body screws from a '87 Toyota Celica GT
FLOORING:
-Redid the flooring by hand with thin wood paneling stained a dark walnut.
BODY:
-Reinforced the front body panels with Bolt in frame supports from '79-84 Cadillac.
-Bondo here and there
Future Modifications:
-Put Secondary Alternator and brackets back on.
-Second Bench Seat and belts
-Cabinets and sink
-Wood worked walls
-chrome fins over windows
-put G-20 and Chevrolet trim back on
-So much more possibilities are endless Read more ยป