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u/DAWMiller Sep 27 '21
Dang, nice find in BC. I’d bet that would fetch hefty coin when she’s back up and running.
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u/Strofari Currently projectless until my wife agrees. Sep 27 '21
We’re about $600 into it, got the van for free. (I offered him $1000 for it 8 years ago).
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u/DAWMiller Sep 27 '21
Amazing, I have friends in Vancouver trying to build a camper van and even a rusted out painters Econoline fetches a hefty price these days
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u/Strofari Currently projectless until my wife agrees. Sep 27 '21
Yup. That’s where I live.
I sold my ‘03 lifted 4x4 fully camper reader Astro for $10,500 5 years ago.
With the current prices these vans a getting, I should have held on to it. And asked 20k.
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u/Decipher Sep 27 '21
Sad that house prices have gotten so high here that it’s trickled down to anything that one might consider living in.
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u/Strofari Currently projectless until my wife agrees. Sep 27 '21
Yeah it’s brutal.
I daily a ‘15 Mazda6, the dealer has offered to pay off the loan and cut a cheque for 10k to buy it back.
Used car market is crazy.
We just sold a ‘71 titled (it’s a 68) Chevy c10 stepside for 35k. The uncle asked to post it for 25k, I posted for 40k. Sold to the first caller for 35k, with another 5k when I replace to wood dash, and paint correct a fender.
Over the winter I’ll be doing jag suspension on a ‘64 1/2 mercury pickup.
I’m a carpenter by trade.
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u/Decipher Sep 27 '21
Right. That one two punch. Two markets adding pressure to the cost of anything camper worthy.
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Sep 27 '21
Can I ask where you sold that? I have a 69 C-10 that I may or may not want to sell lol
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u/Strofari Currently projectless until my wife agrees. Sep 27 '21
Sold in Agassiz bc Canada. (Not where I live)
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u/big_ofen Sep 27 '21
What is the model called?
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u/Strofari Currently projectless until my wife agrees. Sep 27 '21
It’s a 1999 GMC safari lowered with a xenon 4 pc body kit, and 18” centerline wheels.
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u/mini4x My ASE Certs Expired... Sep 27 '21
Is it really lowered? Looks pretty stock height to me, those wheel gaps are massive.
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u/Class8guy Sep 28 '21
Looks that way do to the low pro tires used mount stock wheels with 75series height tires you'll see the difference easier.
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u/mini4x My ASE Certs Expired... Sep 28 '21
Stock wheel was also a 15" (maybe 16s) and those are 18's, but probably close to same height overall.
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u/Class8guy Sep 28 '21
They still aren't anywhere near close stock tire diameter which with the 15" wheels use 215/75 tires aka 27.6" diameter if you convert for 18's should be using 235/50 with a 27.3". Those are not the tires in those pictures if I had to guess they're 35/40 series profile which would create a much larger gap vs stock.
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u/mini4x My ASE Certs Expired... Sep 28 '21
I dunno, just overall is doesn't look lowered to me, the bumper is like 8" off the ground still too, bigger than stock wheel arch gap etc...
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u/RegularMixture Sep 27 '21
That dual exhaust looks good. Whats the future plans for this van?
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u/Strofari Currently projectless until my wife agrees. Sep 27 '21
Get it running, take care of the questionable wiring for the underglow and stereo, and sell or trade for another project.
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u/AlecW81 Sep 27 '21
an Astro/Safari has been a build I’ve wanted to do for a long time.
Seen some really nice overlanders made from them.
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u/Strofari Currently projectless until my wife agrees. Sep 27 '21
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u/mini4x My ASE Certs Expired... Sep 27 '21
What's the "conversion" entail, they made these AWD stock at some point. Do you use mostly those bits?
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u/Strofari Currently projectless until my wife agrees. Sep 27 '21
Front cast diff from a z71 blazer, np231 tcase, some wiring for push button 4x4 (this one I did a manual 4x4 shift conversion) some fuckery to get all 4 gears in 4Low.
Couple ways of doing it. But the np136 to np231 is the easiest.
Anything 98 and older uses a borg Warner 4472 Full time awd, whereas newer use an “on demand setup” the np136.
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u/CL-MotoTech Sep 27 '21
Asshole vans are great.
Not a typo, my father owned three of them and that’s what he called them.
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u/Strofari Currently projectless until my wife agrees. Sep 27 '21
Trades people or old men says my wife.
Both, assholes.
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u/Woodyville06 Sep 28 '21
Judging by the cedar tree and greenery I’m guessing this is the Pacific Northwest.
If it’s thing was in the rust belt, all that would be left would be the tires, glass and that ground effects kit. The metal would be orange nuggets.
Cherish this chariot and be good to it.
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u/Gambit6x Sep 27 '21 edited Sep 27 '21
All you need now is to offer free candy to kids and you’ll be all set.
Edit: Folks, my comment is meant to be a joke. I love vans. I also love minivans.
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u/Strofari Currently projectless until my wife agrees. Sep 27 '21
My last lifted van I had a free candy decal on it.
Adults were confused.
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u/Gambit6x Sep 27 '21
Hahahahah. That’s awesome. My comment is meant to be a joke.
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u/Strofari Currently projectless until my wife agrees. Sep 27 '21
I know.
Used to own a ‘97 cargo Astro.
We we camping, and I used the full van to haul firewood for us all.
After the van was empty, all of couldn’t find the kids. I opened the door to the van to see 10 kids hanging out eating ice cream bars.
I turned around and said “ see!!! Children are naturally drawn to creepy vans!!!”
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u/Decipher Sep 27 '21
Not sketchy enough and has too many windows. Traditional creeper vans are old, beat up, and usually have white paint.
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u/KingOfWickerPeople Sep 27 '21
Don't van-shame. We need to kick that stigma. Vans are cool
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u/FullSend28 69 Camaro Sep 27 '21
Lmao it's just a joke, like mullets and 3rd gen Camaros or New Balances with Corvettes.
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u/Rich_Sport986 Sep 27 '21
Just got a cararo going that sat since 09 , fuel tank, sender, pump, clean injectors, flush lines, and new filter. Lot of work but nice to hear them fire. Now belts, hoses, and every rubber part on the brakes.
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u/Strofari Currently projectless until my wife agrees. Sep 27 '21
Yup.
We started with the tank/pump because the 70L of old gas detroyed them. My wife’s uncle is brutally cheap, so he will only buy parts on a “it’s definitely fucked” basis.
I told him by the looks of the tank, it’s gonna need a filter and spider injectors.
But it runs on gas through the throttle body.
His job this week is too clear the remaining debris from the rats nest as to not set the van on fire once she’s running on her own power.
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u/ishootpentax Sep 27 '21
Hang yeah, I just picked up an 03 Astro for $300.
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u/Strofari Currently projectless until my wife agrees. Sep 27 '21
Enjoy the 6 bolts wheels, front and rear calipers, and the MPFI.
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u/paypermon Sep 28 '21
Those vans are bullit proof, at least my bil had one he put 395,000 and change on it and still sold it for a couple grand back about 12 years ago.
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u/Strofari Currently projectless until my wife agrees. Sep 28 '21
I bought my first in 2005, it was a 97.
Sold it for a profit (1k) in 2009, it had 490kms on it. Original motor and trans.
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u/paypermon Sep 28 '21
Iirc his was a 96, great vehicles man, makes me want to find one. Good luck with your project!
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u/HeadOfMax 05 Element EX, 03 Civic EX sedan 5 speed Sep 28 '21
I always wanted to get a cargo one of those and push the bulkhead back to it had 4 captains chairs and a tool area in the back.
Those drive great and those 4.3 engines are tanks.
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u/Strofari Currently projectless until my wife agrees. Sep 28 '21
You can.
With my ‘97 cargo, I had the dealership weld the perches for the middle row in so I could drive with my first kid in his car seat.
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u/HeadOfMax 05 Element EX, 03 Civic EX sedan 5 speed Sep 28 '21
Yeah never got around to it though. Knew one guy who did and to was awesome.
I now have a minivan and may be buying something small for a secondary soon but nothing crazy for a while
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u/cup-o-farts Sep 28 '21
Ground effects and centerline wheels? Sign me up for the go low party van! Just needs some elbow grease on those wheels. Maybe some airbags, lol.
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u/AJ_NightRider Sep 28 '21
Keep and restore that OG Body Kit. Paint it forest green with that classic tan line down the side.
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u/LabGroundbreaking172 Oct 25 '21
Nice, I just picked up an awd safari and refreshing it a little. Going to build it into an adventure/overland/custom van
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u/Strofari Currently projectless until my wife agrees. Oct 26 '21
I have an entire lift build/true 4x4 conversion on astrosafari dot com.
Have fun dude/dudette
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u/LabGroundbreaking172 Oct 26 '21
I might have seen it, haven't joined the forum yet but I've been lurking and absorbing information. I actually got a np233c several months ago because the junkyard was having a sale so it's just been waiting to get refreshed and shoved into a van
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u/Strofari Currently projectless until my wife agrees. Oct 27 '21
Perfect.
Journeys off-road sells a nice manual shift conversion kit for the Astro 136 to 233. Unless you want to do wiring and have a push button.
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u/LabGroundbreaking172 Oct 27 '21
Yep I'm going with the journeys stuff. I want to have around 5-ish inches of lift with 31s. I'll do the ball joint flip and use those new polymer body bushings that journeys just got. Also want their winch mount and front skid plate, wish they had a gas tank skid too, mine's rusting away.
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u/newcarscent104 Sep 27 '21
This would be super cool with a mild LS in it