Vanning.com logo
Boxdin
Site Navigation


Advertisements
Recent Posts
Good day
by lukester - March 28th 2024 12:26 pm
Crazy mods
by MufflerMan Mike - March 28th 2024 9:38 am
Lew Greger
by MufflerMan Mike - March 27th 2024 5:15 pm
1987 G20 Gypsy
by SDMickey - March 25th 2024 9:39 pm
Featured Links


Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Rate Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2
Hello from Seattle!
#732790 February 06th 2018 7:52 pm
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 116
Likes: 2
R
member
OP Offline
member
R
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 116
Likes: 2
Hi all!

My name is Rich and my partner Aly and I purchased last September a sweet as hell 1991 Dodge B250 Zephyr conversion van. It's got the smooth running but fairly underpowered TBI 318, 4-spd auto, 65,xxx original miles and a interior that feels like driving around on your living room couch. I'll get some pics up soon. It is a seriously sweet ride! We have already done many weekend and day trips, and are planning a big west coast road trip for this summer. Seattle to New Mexico via Yellowstone and Utah, then home up the Pacific Coast highway. cool We bought the van so far in advance so I would have plenty of time to tinker and make sure it's all ship shape before the big trip!

Since owning it I've done a full tune up, a little bit of cleaning, two new rear tires, some misc electrical fixing (lighting and grounding gremlins, bad switches for the conversion lights, etc). LED headlight and dashboard light conversion. Rear backup camera (just can't see so well through those curtains!) And installed a rear axle locker because I like to ski, which means driving in the snow, which means I want real 2WD and not a one tire fire! I have learned already this ski season that while my locker does what I wanted it to do as far as forward moving traction in snow and mud goes. But no ABS brakes = stopping is sometimes an adventure, DUH! eek

Currently I am amassing an array of suspension parts and such to try and tame the big body roll and constantly bouncy ride. Got a rear sway bar, poly bushings, ride control shocks and a new steering damper coming. I'm hoping to install all or most of it next weekend. And I'm trying to talk myself into a set of headers and a new exhaust to try and coax a few extra ponies out of that 318.

I am a day to day carpenter/home remodeling badass.I went to tech college and have an Auto Repair degree in that. And also have a tech degree in welding and metal fabrication. So while this is my first van toy/project. I am no stranger to vehicle modification, maintenance and whatnot. I am a big fan of early Toyota cars, I own a 75 Celica and still have the 1980 Corolla I bought while in college. Both those cars I have removed and replaced every single nut, bolt, rivet or whatever part you can name.

Anyway, that's all I've got for now. Cheers everybody!

- Rich


1991 Dodge B250 Zephyr Conversion. "Bi-frost" 89,000-ish original miles and counting.
- 318TBI; has headwork and other bolt on upgrades. Runs strong and smooth!
- Powertrax locker
- 3" aluminum radiator.
- Rear air springs, rebuilt suspension, steering stabilizer.
AdSense long
Re: Hello from Seattle!
RichardB #732795 February 06th 2018 9:28 pm
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 4,007
Likes: 46
pooh-bah
Offline
pooh-bah
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 4,007
Likes: 46
Welcome! Sounds like a good van and good plans for it. Myself, I liked the 318 better than a 360. Of course, I didn't have any fuel injection on my 318s. Used a Holey Economaster carb on my 78 and loved the power and fuel economy it gave.


2005 E350 Turbo Diesel
Why is it that when I press 1 for English, I still can not understand the person on the other end????
Re: Hello from Seattle!
RichardB #732801 February 06th 2018 10:23 pm
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 18,536
Likes: 135
Supreme Master
Offline
Supreme Master
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 18,536
Likes: 135
welcomefrom Florida


[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

Arianrhod:2003 Chevy Astro
Black Magic: 1985 Dodge B-250
Serenity:1985 Chevy G-20
The Outcast:1983 Ford club wagon
Luna 1974 VW bay window transporter
Freedom:1990 Ford E-150(parts van)
Outcast Vanners van club
Support your local 2%
Re: Hello from Seattle!
RichardB #732808 February 07th 2018 3:29 am
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 764
Likes: 12
O
old hand
Offline
old hand
O
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 764
Likes: 12
Welcome from just north of you. Any pictures of your van to share ?


1975 Ford E-150 shorty (sold)
2016 Ram Promaster shorty
2008 Dodge Challenger SRT-8
2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Summit 5.7l
1984 Ford E-150
Re: Hello from Seattle!
RichardB #732812 February 07th 2018 9:37 am
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 32,696
Likes: 172
Old Timer
Offline
Old Timer
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 32,696
Likes: 172
welcome to the site. Good to have ya here.


Jim & Lucy Newkirk
1965 Chevy Bad Influence
1981 Chevy-the Love Shack
2012 Chevy Van , 2020 chevy van
2020 Chevy van Sapphire Sweet.
Club Vannerz.
vanninvanner@comcast.net
Re: Hello from Seattle!
oldskool73 #732821 February 07th 2018 11:29 am
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 116
Likes: 2
R
member
OP Offline
member
R
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 116
Likes: 2
Here are some pics. There are a bunch of them of the interior, and my dog, because I can't help but document how she likes to move from seat to seat to seat because I don't think she can decide which is her favorite.
1991 B250 Van/Couchmobile

Now let's see if I can make image embed work:

*EDIT* Well it looks like I failed at image embed. Gotta go to work so let me know if the links are at least clickable to get to the pics. Thanks!

Exterior looks good except for the early 90's paint flake to primer deal:
[img]https://photos.app.goo.gl/23EClYl9REdS1VP43[/img]

Interior shot #1:
[img]https://photos.app.goo.gl/UAwTpLoYkMirhllH3[/img]

Interior shot #2:
[img]https://photos.app.goo.gl/L7UvGA7KN06eGAJp1[/img]

Luna A Dog inspecting the drivers seat:
[img]https://photos.app.goo.gl/zgekJvGHsGPu7tb72[/img]

Shot of the LED headlights (on low), still not sure this does them justice. Everyone who has ridden in the van at night has commented how much better that normal lights they are. Unfortunately I did not get before and after pics showing the LED dashlight bulbs:
[img]https://photos.app.goo.gl/nbTRIFxCgCgl3tvb2[/img]

Quick shot of the Powertrax No-Slip lunchbox locker I installed. Not as refined as the full locker in my work truck, it's not loud but you can feel it every time it engages, disengages, or ratchets on tight corners, but seems to do the job.
[img]https://photos.app.goo.gl/C4WOzCcsZkTqbDOT2[/img]

Cheers,

- Rich

Last edited by RichardB; February 07th 2018 11:35 am.

1991 Dodge B250 Zephyr Conversion. "Bi-frost" 89,000-ish original miles and counting.
- 318TBI; has headwork and other bolt on upgrades. Runs strong and smooth!
- Powertrax locker
- 3" aluminum radiator.
- Rear air springs, rebuilt suspension, steering stabilizer.
Re: Hello from Seattle!
RichardB #732849 February 07th 2018 9:01 pm
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 18,536
Likes: 135
Supreme Master
Offline
Supreme Master
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 18,536
Likes: 135
Nice looking van.


[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

Arianrhod:2003 Chevy Astro
Black Magic: 1985 Dodge B-250
Serenity:1985 Chevy G-20
The Outcast:1983 Ford club wagon
Luna 1974 VW bay window transporter
Freedom:1990 Ford E-150(parts van)
Outcast Vanners van club
Support your local 2%
Re: Hello from Seattle!
RichardB #732853 February 07th 2018 10:11 pm
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 3,692
Likes: 32
pooh-bah
Offline
pooh-bah
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 3,692
Likes: 32
Welcome aboard! Nice looking Dodge.

[Linked Image]

Re: Hello from Seattle!
RichardB #732995 February 12th 2018 1:33 pm
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 764
Likes: 12
O
old hand
Offline
old hand
O
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 764
Likes: 12
Clean interior !


1975 Ford E-150 shorty (sold)
2016 Ram Promaster shorty
2008 Dodge Challenger SRT-8
2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Summit 5.7l
1984 Ford E-150
Page 1 of 2 1 2

Moderated by  Astro, lukester, nautic1, Virtual 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Donate


Upcoming Events
discovery
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 16 guests, and 4 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Newest Members
TheDrunkenGunsmith, Jac, LOVclassics, ZenMuffin, Milkman530
12724 Registered Users
Top Posters (30 Days)
SDMickey 129
CatFish 25
frscke1 25
Wedgy 21
Forum Statistics
Forums68
Topics35,746
Posts537,916
Members12,724
Most Online177
May 8th, 2013

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.4