BajaNomad

Astro Van Project

chuckie - 6-27-2012 at 06:35 AM

The Van has been Purchased! After looking on Ebay, Craigslist and Nextech for months, I found this one. Amazingly enough it was within 2 miles of my daughters home in Palmer Lake Colorado....Not exactly what I was looking for, would have liked the Multipoint FI engine. BUT the features did it. Cabinetry, Raised roof, Ladder (KAYAK) racks, reasonable mileage and service records. Bought it, havnt seen it in person yet, I'll pick it up 4th of July. Then it goes to Fruita Co. to a Fabricator (Stepson) for the real stuff. 4 inch lift, new springs, new tires and wheels, flowmaster, K&N, BIG transmission cooler....Lots of steel work...Bumper, tow points, front reciever, skid plate, light brackets...LOVE the old school KC's...All steel Powder coated The Baja Events wagon....I'll post pics and progress as we go



bajajudy - 6-27-2012 at 07:22 AM

Interesting
Where do you sleep?

Russ - 6-27-2012 at 07:29 AM

I had the first model line of Astro. It didn't have EFI and I think it had a 4 barrel carb that I could watch the gas gauge drop when I punched it. Held all my camping gear and dog for the opening of pheasant seasons in Washington, towed the boat. Sold it and got a used Datsun p/u with a shell that was probably the most trouble free car I've ever had. A neighbor has the AWD Astro and loves it but the Punta Chavito road is taking a toll on it.
Good luck with your conversion! Looks like it'll a beast of a Baja rig. Keep a photo log for us.

CortezBlue - 6-27-2012 at 07:51 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by chuckie
The Van has been Purchased! After looking on Ebay, Craigslist and Nextech for months, I found this one. Amazingly enough it was within 2 miles of my daughters home in Palmer Lake Colorado....Not exactly what I was looking for, would have liked the Multipoint FI engine. BUT the features did it. Cabinetry, Raised roof, Ladder (KAYAK) racks, reasonable mileage and service records. Bought it, havnt seen it in person yet, I'll pick it up 4th of July. Then it goes to Fruita Co. to a Fabricator (Stepson) for the real stuff. 4 inch lift, new springs, new tires and wheels, flowmaster, K&N, BIG transmission cooler....Lots of steel work...Bumper, tow points, front reciever, skid plate, light brackets...LOVE the old school KC's...All steel Powder coated The Baja Events wagon....I'll post pics and progress as we go






Ok, you forgot the most important part, the Kick A$$ Stereo system and if possible, one of those spot lights that fits on the drivers side that can be controlled to look for the bad guys when driving in the dark.

I had 2 astros in my past they are fun, kind of a pain to work on but fun. AWD?

Ken Cooke - 6-27-2012 at 03:00 PM

From first hand experience, skip the K&N and go for an AEM Dry Synthetic element.

My AEM element is actually larger than the K&N, and does not require oil that will negatively affect/foul your MAF Sensor.


Nursing my cooling system at Coco's Corner. Note the AEM Conical filter (for a Dodge Ram 1500) attached to a K&N FIPK II Intake system.

jack - 6-27-2012 at 05:59 PM

Ken's got that pegged right. I had a 2001 Astro that I put a K&N into. There was a noticeable power increase with the K&N but after about a year it contaminated the MAF sensor. I think it was worth about $400 in Canada. I went back to the paper element and gave the K&N to a buddy who had an older Astro that did not have a MAF sensor.

AndyP - 6-27-2012 at 06:58 PM

I like Astros a lot, and once spent a couple months in Baja camping out of one. With the AWD we could drive OK on sand. I put a simple platform in the back for a bed and stored all our junk underneath.


[img]http://potterfs.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/pics-233.jpg?w=500&h=666[/img]

[img]http://potterfs.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/img_2470.jpg?w=500&h=375[/img]

[img]http://potterfs.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/pics-240.jpg?w=500&h=375[/img]

AWD didn't get help much in that last photo, but a friendly CAT driver yanked us out.

EDIT: not sure why photos aren't showing up...

[Edited on 6-28-2012 by AndyP]

willardguy - 6-27-2012 at 07:34 PM


the possibilities are endless!