My buddy Brain and his son in law came over Sunday morning. I already had the van up on ramps and jack stands. We could now get a better look. What we soon discovered took us completely by surprise! The broken tranny was even WORSE than we first thought!! We were in shock, the the "holy..what-evers" started flowing. Whoever put the tranny to the motor completely TOTALLY screwed up! .... ONLY 4 bolts held it the tranny in place..2 at the top of the trans to the motor, where the bell housing part of the case SNAPPED OFF! (The ones you tighten from inside at the back of motor through the dog house hole). Then the 2 at the tranny mount in the back. That's ALL! ONLY 4 bolts that were holding the whole drive train together!!! Only ONE of the two required support braces from the motor to tranny, was there, and it wasn't even bolted to the block, just to the tranny and barely snug! We wondered how long or how many miles before the tranny and the motor separated in a lazy "V" ?? There was 1 1/2" gap between them where they meet at the bottom. 1 of the 2 bolts for the starer was holding it in, and that bolt wasn't even seated. Basically there were 7 bolts missing. The flex plate got it's 4 ears torn off. One of the bolts to the torque converter was crossed threaded in all the way. Hoping I can chase the threads and save $100 on a new one. Even the inspection cover was torn up, and it was only held on with 1 bolt. It was as much a night mare as it was unbelievable.

Last time I saw this kind of transmission damage was at the drag strip! This was just shear ignorance, carelessness or intentional, or the beer flowed before the job was done...Would love to know who and bitch them out for sheer stupidity. Never seen anything like it! Neither had Brian or Cory. Posted pics on Central Texas Vanners FB site. (easier to do on there than this site. Why?).

The claim by previous owner was that the 318 motor was rebuilt, was quickly proven wrong right away. Block and pan were dirty. New or rebuilt heads for sure, but obvious it was a top end over haul only. We hope the engine wasn't damaged when the drive train tried to separate. Don't see any visible damage. If it fires up OK, then leave it. If the motor isn't right, then I swap the 360 in. The 318 spins by hand just fine, so I have hope. If not, then I already have everything there for a swap, down to the wiring harness. Just park the vans side by side and go for it.

If all goes according to our plan, my blue shorty will be donating it's tranny this coming Sunday.. Then blue starts gets parked on the side of the garage, and I begin to part it out. Plenty of parts on blue shorty to fix up the white long B250. For now my intention is to get the white van up and running, work out any bugs, get it reliable and true. Then finish the white van out as I was intending on my shorty. Have everything I need and plenty of eager help to get 'er done this time! Then Cory wants me to help find his own van. Working on Brain to get his own. Start our own club. Hope Brian gets the van bug while he's helping build mine, then Cory's. Wonder if should start a new thread/posting on the white van? Opinions on that? Or cam someone tell me how to change the title of this one?