Chevrolet G20 Starcraft Conversion Van, 1994

[5ohmustang]

stuckmojo said:

Please keep writing, I'm really enjoying the story.

Love the van (and the house)

Thank you I appreciate the kind words.

I love my house, it's my favorite place to drift away.

[5ohmustang]

Mike, I did try a propane torch to heat it up, however I do not think that will get hot enough. On the weekend I'll get some freeze out and try that.

Today my wife is going to the hardware store to see if she can find a longer bolt to put in that tie rod remover. If it does not work I will do as you said.

The only thing I can fit at the back of the hub is a metal hacksaw blade to saw off the flange.

I have a cheapo easy out kit from harbor freight, basically a reverse drill bit. Drill a pilot hole with a regular drill bit and then use a reverse thread bit. If that fails, I will drill the stud gradually increasing the size of the bit. I think the hardest part is one it gets to the outer how to remove that metal.

Shakermaker if it was 1996 it would be an express van, the last year of the fan was 1995. If it was definitely like mine 4wd was available but not from Chevrolet. The most common 4wd conversion company were Pathfinder vans. You can occasionally find them using tools like searchtempest.com. However certain parts are no longer made as they are out of business. On the express vans the 4wd was done by Quigley who are still around and then when the express van was updated they had awd from the factory.

Check this out

http://smclassiccars.com/chevrolet/232563-1978-che...

Pits, this van would indeed be perfect for dogging if you are into that. Dogging is not as mainstream here as it is back home.

As for the cowboy hat and triple denim, that's pretty accurate for the older people that drive these.

I guess I downplayed how I bought the van. So the guy who we got it off was in his 70s, maybe 60s, a heavy smoker and drinker. He had a dark suntan, long grey hair in a pony tail, almost reminded me of a burnt out Hulk Hogan.

He was wasted when I called him on the Friday, he was wasted when he woke up on the Saturday and his was still wasted at Saturday noon.

He was knocking back cans of Keystone Light, he offered me one I declined. I always take a pistol with me to craigslist sales just in case I am walking into a setup, it has happened to other people. No need to this time as he was a happy drunk.

I'd spent a while looking at it, convincing myself in my mind the faults it had were no big deal. I couldn't see past the wood.

By this time I was pretty hungry. The old man had put some pork steaks on the grill and asked us if we wanted to stay for lunch. I said sure. The problem was he was still drunk and by the time the steaks were ready he had totally overcooked them.

Not wanting to be cock, I started eating my and it had been totally overcooked. My wife couldn't eat hers and when the old man wasn't looking she tried to give it to me. I quickly wrapped it in a tissue and stuck it in my pocket. Hmmmnn that was tasty, thank you sir.

When we left he offered me a Keystone Light for the road, I starting laughing and told him no thanks.


Spanglepants, thanks, I love those tri color faded 70s color schemes. Rib eye steak for $2.95, amazing. I do remember in the UK seeing Bedford vans with a dually axle and porthole bubble windows. This can right now would definitely fail an MOT, cracked windshield, suspension/steering components all need replacing and the brake master cylinder and reservoir need replacing too.

I'd really like a delica or a 4motion vw transporter.

Bgark it is possible to rent rv's from places like cruise America but there not cheap.

I guess it depends on your budget, you could buy one of these g vans for very cheap and sell it or give it away when your done. You could camp on BLM Or Walmart for free. The usa is not as dangerous as the media makes it out to be, just use situational awareness as to where you are staying the night

Or you could buy a late 90s RoadTrek class b camper and sell it when your done, you will have no problem selling a class b camper. I guess it also depends on how big and much of the stuff you are selling.

This is a Ford e150 Quigley 4wd that is a service vehicle for pikes peak. This is at the donut shop at the summit. This is a very nice van.





14100ft, The mountain range to the right is Cheyenne Mountain aka Norad.



Standard GM switch gear, the cruise control switch, all feels fragile.



To turn on the lights you pull the knob.



So the handbrake, known as the parking brake here is engaged by pressed the pedal to the floor, to release you pull the brake handle.

Sorry if this is the same in the UK, I don't ever recall a floor mounted parking brake.

The knob on the left opens and closes a flap on the side. I have no idea of it's purpose.






Headphone socket for video and tv, plenty of ashtrays and 4 cigarette lighter sockets.




First aid compartment, testing the black out curtain for size, still need to sew the side hems.

Excuse the mess I have not yet cleaned it. Ice Cooler box with drain.







All the foglights wiring harness is still there.

[5ohmustang]

The Hood.

[5ohmustang]

Morningside said:

Loving this thread and Starcraft sounds like a 1960s James T. Kirk van.
I presume the flap opening is to allow fresh air in?

Haha yes my wife said something similar. They make a lot of boats and travel trailers (caravans).

Yes the flap let's air in but I don't get what's wrong with the window, plus it's only on the driver's side. Each door has a pillar windows.

Any idea what aerial this is for?


And this. This is the worst exterior rust on the van, for now it is solid and only appears to be surface rust. I'll fix all the exterior rust at one time





The aerial for the radio is on the wheel arch. Obviously one is for the analog TV and the other one I have no idea.

Also the left headlight bezel I removed off the vandura fits slightly different and does not have the end pieces, you can see metal between the headlight and grill. I'll have to order a Chevy bezel off eBay for $20.

Now I'm going to take a lunchtime nap on these supercomfortable chairs, I really prefer cloth over leather.

Edited by 5ohmustang on Friday 3rd March 14:25

[5ohmustang]

That was a nice nap, went much too fast. I stumbled out of the van and saw this Datsun 260z. Just stunning. It looks a bit like the one in the Midnight Club.

Edited by 5ohmustang on Wednesday 22 February 19:14

[5ohmustang]

The other day while getting the alignment done on the Mustang

I saw this Dodge RAM van. Black with gold detailing. Interior was tan leather and in amazing condition for being 80s vintage. Wheels had the offset completely wrong.



Recently I noticed when it rains heavily, water will leak near the passenger sunvisor.

The sealent in the roof gutter could do with replacing. To rule out the gutter leaking I covered the old sealent with clear rtv. Unfortunately it still leaked.

Having removed the interior trim at the top of the windshield, I could not see where else other than the windshield seal it could leak from.

The previous owner had over torqued the rear view mirror screw which penetrated the glass and split it. So the windshield needed replacing.

Today I had the windshield replaced for $75. The installers said the glass practically fell out from a light push. There was next to no sealent in there. It should not leak now.


Next I need to replace the rear view mirror, clean the top windshield trim with isopropol and reattach the material with 3m adhesive.

This weekend I'll try to extract the broken wheel stud. An easy out bolt extractor will not work as the wheel hub is not treaded but splined.

I'll try freeze out and try to bang it through the rear of the hub. If that fails I will drill a pilot hole in the broken stud so a punch will snugly fit and then try and wack it through.

More inspiration.
https://priceonomics.com/post/32944888191/living-i...
https://www.adventureinyou.com/interview/the-bus-a...

Edited by 5ohmustang on Thursday 2nd March 05:41

[5ohmustang]

No such luck with the broken stud. The American steel is just too strong for weak Chinese drill bits from harbor freight. They were brave drill bits, but they didn"t stand a chance. My snap on bits did penetrate through however none were big enough to get a large punch wedged in.

The next attempt I will remove the axle shaft and try and hammer it out vertically. Replace the wheel bearings while it's out. If it still does not pop out a new axle tube it is. That would still be cheaper than taking to a garage.

The new windshield has stopped the rain leaking through.

We took the van to southern Alabama where were camped now. The van drove pretty good. The front tires have dry rot and one is slowly leaking air. New wheels and tires are on the way.


Notice the seal sticking out of the drivers door, the door needs to be realigned.

It's spam and eggs time now. Vanlife is calling.

[5ohmustang]

Jonmx said:

Living the dream down in the South, very jealous! One of my best friend's uncle moved to South Alabama and I'm hoping to get over there at some point and take up his offer of hospitality.

You should it's pretty nice. This weekend I am not on the coast but there are a ton of places on the gulf that are much nicer than Florida. The sand at gulf shores is pure white powder, no pebbles and warm most of the year. If you are big into hunting or fishing you will love it.

You can just stop your vehicle in the middle of the night start fishing on a bridge, there's plenty of other people there with bbq's and very friendly.



You just gave me an idea. I want to camp the van right on the beach. If we had the economical camper vans on sale in the UK, they would be perfect here. I could full time RV and not worry about fuel costs.

[5ohmustang]

I was just looking at a retired couple's Mercedes sprinter roadtrek class b camper. Bloody hell is it nice and I bet they are cheaper in the UK.

EBay have the regular sprinter 4x4 cargo vans for $65k. That is so much money for just a van.

While I was checking it out, amongst admiration I thought, oh crap, I think I just reached middle age...

[5ohmustang]

Jonmx said:

That beach looks like Nags Head in North Carolina, which is the last place I was in the States back in 2012. I'm currently looking at either getting myself a van or boat, just need to make up my mind which!

I know Nags Head, I've been to Corolla which is on the northern part of that peninsula and seen the wild horses.

Into the mystic.




I'd get a diesel van with a long wheelbase and high top roof. I think it will give you more freedom than a boat.

Are you moving into it full time?

Edited by 5ohmustang on Sunday 12th March 02:37

Edited by 5ohmustang on Sunday 12th March 17:32

[5ohmustang]

Take it easy-The Eagles https://youtu.be/IDdjZWn8l3g

Class A RV boondocking at Walmart.



Filling a 33 gallon tank...

Taking it easy.


The bed. Super comfortable.



The old man's Coyote powered F150.





I've noticed the back of the van sags down in terms of wheel gap. Not sure why, I'll probably have to replace the whole suspension at some point. I wonder if the van just handles like crap due to worn out components or if it's just the way they are.

So in the day time there was a fishing tournament going on. At night the good ole boys drive the trucks in a wagon fort formation (circle) and have a bluegrass festival.

I spotted the old folk passing the Mason jars around. Not long after a spitting image of Jerry Garcia hands me some.

Yes indeed, peach, strawberry and regular moonshine.

Banjos and guitars never sounded so good.

Edited by 5ohmustang on Sunday 12th March 04:32

[5ohmustang]

I finally arrived home. This weekend I put around 1000 miles with no problems other than a side turn signal bulb going out.

Driving through Atlanta, it's a nightmare. 12 lanes of interstate (6 in either direction), overpasses, underpasses, left slip roads, right slip roads, manic drivers with zero driving etiquette. I always try to avoid Atlanta. The V8 has no problems keeping up with traffic, just the steering and suspension components need to be replaced.

There's something very satisfying driving the van at 55mph, on the country back roads to the soundtrack of James Taylor.

In Alabama it's legal to brew moonshine providing you have a permit from the ABC (alcohol beverage control). It is legal to own a still however you still need a permit to actively produce alcohol. If you live in a dry country you cannot obtain a permit. Most of the Southern part of Alabama are wet counties. Alternatively you can buy it over the county at a liquor store, all of which are ABC stores.

I've never been to a Brew Thru, it looks like they're located on the outer banks.

New Hampshire is very pretty and one of the few states I'd live in the NE. Libertarian and they embrace Alternative Living/Homesteading, which I like.

https://freestateproject.org/

The American version of the Hilux the Tacoma is totally different to the Hilux. Personally I would take the Tacoma TRD pro anyday over the Hilux, however I would rather have the diesel engine.

The 4.0 V6 is not in the new generation Tacoma. It's 3.5 V6 but is supposed to be a lot better than the 4.0.

Your friend probably picked the Tacoma over the F150 as the Tacoma's barely depreciate. Buying a used one is not worth it, you will pay a lot for high miles. Buy new or nothing.

https://youtu.be/hyNshwyrtGY

Edited by 5ohmustang on Tuesday 14th March 06:30

[5ohmustang]

Liggle said:

Awesome read, keep up the good work

Cheers mate.
Coming back from the camping trip and I had Monday left over from my 4 day (4 day weekend.)

I had some errands to fix and had planned to fix a few things on the van. I was running short on time and I wanted to replace the transmission fluid and transmission filter.

I reversed the van on the ramps. Began removing the bolts on the tranny pan. I left one bolt in loosely, so the pan would not drop and began pushing up and down to spill the old fluid out into a drain pan.

The problem is the tranny pan does not have an OEM drain plug. They are available aftermarket, but not really worth buying when the gap between services is so long.

It was impossible to remove without removing the transmission mount. I supported the transmission output shaft housing with a floor jack as it was the only place to put the jack safely with causing damage.

I used an impact gun to remove the transmission mount bolts and moved it out of the way. I carefully removed the transmission pan.

As you can see it has a layer of dirt.

Cleaned it up including the square magnet. Replaced the gasket.

The filter has a removable bushing at the top. Well the old bushing would not come out and it was in a very difficult place to insert any tools to pry it out not to mention the exhaust pipe in the way. Meanwhile I am trying to do this in a rainstorm and the water began slowly creeping under the van.

I ended up using a small hacksaw with the blade flipped the wrong way round to give be clearance to cut the bushing. I had to take slow, small and deliberate strokes to cut through the bushing without cutting into the transmission metal and damaging in. Once I had cut through I tapped a thin flat tip screw driver in and it allowed me to twist the bushing out.



Then inserted the new filter, put it all back together with myself spending a good while soaked in rain water.

Filled it with 5 quarts of auto transmission fluid, turned over the engine, and cycled the column shifter through the gears. All is good. $10 for filter, gasket, $12/for atf fluid.

I then drove a few hours to my other home in a very bad storm. I felt like shaggy driving the mystery machine on the way to the next paranormal investigation. It's really cosy, you have to experience this cheesy old van to appreciate it.

My new tires arrived 245 60 15 Cooper cobras. Just waiting on the front wheels to arrive, same as the rear but 15x8, -19et, 5x5 backspacing.


Meanwhile check out this van.

http://www.go-van.com/stories/never-leave-dogs-beh...

Edited by 5ohmustang on Wednesday 15th March 02:54

[5ohmustang]

I saw this and a few other Chevy Express Conversion vans in Nashville last night. This had solar panels mounted to the high top roof. I believe the most popular choice is to use 2 6v golf cart batteries. One of the bars I went in, the live band played the Chevy Van song posted in the first page of this thread. Talk about obscure.

As I love driving any vehicle when given the opportunity. Here is a friend's Dodge RAM 1500 Laramie. 160k miles and I think around 5 years old. Still solid and no rattles after 160k.

The 5.7 Hemi is effortless and the seats are like arm chairs, though not as comfortable as my van seats.

It's nice but it's not me. I'd rather have a Silverado 2500hd.

Anyhow here's the pics on this cold morning.







Later on I should be getting the new van tires fitted as the wheels arrived.

Edited by 5ohmustang on Thursday 16th March 16:11

[5ohmustang]

I really don't want to remove the bed for a final time to drive the mower back in so I tried it through the side doors and just needed a couple more inches.

The secondary hi-fi and door trim get in the way.

[5ohmustang]

As some people say here, the ruff.

[5ohmustang]

Shakermaker said:

Also, just for you 5oh, I'm visiting the USA and Canada in a couple of weeks time.

Although I don't need a car in the US as we are staying with family in Chicago, I need a car in Canada and it was genuinely cheaper for me to rent this:



Than it was to rent a Ford Focus "or equivalent"

The mower won't go in at an angle unfortunately there's no space to rotate it. I would have to remove the hi-fi, and the wood trim on the door or alternatively remove the mower wheels. Either way, with all that effort I may as well move the bed and drive it in the back like last time.

Did the rental company they lock you in, for a truck? Is it guaranteed?

If so, I hope you have been working on that beard.

If they give you a full size truck for the price of an economy car that will be much nicer. All of the full size trucks are very comfortable in the front and back. A RAM is a more manlier truck and feels like a truck, whereas the f150 feels more modern and next generation.

Get some truck driving music, a caterpillar baseball cap and drive that rig! You can pull it off here.

https://youtu.be/O1dktmkP6_o

Oh btw on the earlier post regarding Toyota Tacomas, I spotted this one, stunning lifted.





Best color for a Tacoma.

Edited by 5ohmustang on Tuesday 21st March 17:58

[5ohmustang]

Power Stroke F250 with a 5th wheel hitch.




The new wheels, already covered in brake dust from a lot of braking in the mountains.


I think this weekend I'll replace the brake cylinders and master cylinder.

[5ohmustang]

Shakermaker said:

Yup, guaranteed an F250 super duty or equivalent yes. I think because I targeted a truck rental company rather than a car rental company but for $50 Canadian it was too good to hold out on. About £30 at current rate. Just need to arrange insurance etc.

New wheels are looking good. I saw a very similar van to yours on Sunday over here, same colouring but probably only a short wheelbase.

Thanks, I like the retro period wheels.

Being a rental you may or may not get the 6.7 Power Stroke with 445bhp and 925lb FTS. The smaller engine is the petrol 6.2 with 385 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque.

Eitherway it's a superduty and should be an experience to remember. Have you driven in the States before.

[5ohmustang]

Shakermaker said:

No, I haven't. Its only a couple of days hire, in Canada rather than the states, but I'm looking forward to it, even if it is the "lowly" 6.3 model, that is still 10x the power of my little van, and more than twice the power of my daily!

It's the same 6.2 that's in the Raptor but slightly detuned with different cams and ecu map for durability.

Raptor's are pretty common in these parts.




What I never see are RAM Runners. There are plenty of modified Rams but not a Mopar kit.

Edited by 5ohmustang on Thursday 23 March 03:49