7 inch lift, headers, 3 inch exhaust, dual 90 amp hour batteries, electric fan conversion, custom cold air intake, LED headlights, back up camera, custom roof rack, awing, LED lights front sides and back, Warn 9500 winch, 32/11.50/18 Goodyear Duratrak, drilled front rotors, rear helper air bags, and fully insulated. The van has been around, Red Van Adventures is the original builder. He really did a great job with this van. The van comes to me with a blown motor. The tow truck driver trashed the CV axles. And someone busted a window out.






The dots came from the grease flying out of the busted CV boots.



Not sure what I'm going to do with the van as of yet. Needs a good cleaning and a window right away. But I have to get my Safari fixed first. I will keep you guys post on plans and progress.

That's pretty cool.

I love the name!

Cool van. Doesn't the Tow Company have insurance that would help you out ?

I came up with a gameplan for this van last night. I will be switching parts between the vans. Headlights, hitch, batteries, seats, over head console, air intake, and electric fan conversion. I will also be replacing motor, CV joints, and broken window. Then, listing the van for sale. I will post pics of the repairs. I'm going to take it camping once or twice before I let it go.

Cool van and solid plan. Just don't fall in love with it, or else it will snowball into two projects.

That is a worry. Plans were to gut and trash the red van. But I do like it and the build quality is so spot on it. Would be sad to see all the hours put into the trash. But the van isn't my style. Tuner4life's beautiful blue van is more my style, that thing is rolling art! The astro drives just as good as the safari. The steering and suspension feel so tight, and its bulit to last. I will gain some good knowledge from getting the astro back at its cross country travelling. I'm a pretty loyal guy and plans for Vanessa (The safari) and I will never die out.

Sweet, I'm axious to see the work you put into Vanessa too. OH! I totally forgot, that junkyard I go to (see the junkyard thread in the "van sightings" section) has a really nice champagne colored Astro that is fairly complete if you're looking for anything specific for it. I grabbed the cup holder section with glove box and CD player. Just planning on using the CD player in my Astro as a temp fix until I can clean my original one out.

The woman I got that van from did say that the tow was going to take care of the CV joints. She said would keep in touch with me about it. But we all know how that can be. I'm putting the cost of the CV joints in the budget just to be safe.

Looks like a fun van to play in!

It's time to get started on this beast. My 2005 Safari needs a axle bearing and the tag just expired. I moved into the ol lady's old van, a 2007 Town and Country. It's pretty much on its last leg. We were going to sell it but I dont think it would be worth much as is. So I'm pretty much just going to run it into the ground and scrap it. Vanessa runs like a top, good, strong 4.3. I know and trust this motor. So, I will be pulling it and putting into Clifford. I did a name change, The Disastro is now known as Clifford, The big red van. I'm just worried about getting a junk junkyard motor and having to do more work. Vanessa needs a V8 and Clifford needs something. I have never pulled a motor before. I have been around this stuff my whole life but never jumped in it. Wish me luck, please! I will post pictures along the way.

Haha... Our Suburban is named Clifford.
It even had a license plate that started with CFD when we bought it.

Well, After school I got one of the boys to help me and we got a good start today

Not bad for about a hour of for quality time with one of the kiddos. I got 5 of them so we knock it out.

Right on. You have your own pit crew !

I leave the house every morning at 3 am and go out though the garage door. Every morning Clifford (1998 Astro) begs, "Is today the day?" I see his dusty, dirty, face waiting for me to get him back on the road. I miss Vanessa (2005 Safari) and Gordon (1998 Express 2500) is a dream! Gordon is always ready to go anywhere! He has pulled everything I have hooked him to. And it seems the heavier the load the smoother he rides. I can load all my equipment, seat 8 and pull the trailer. Gordon is diffidently an asset. He is not flashy and does not brag. He simply gets the job done and says thank you. Gordon is my workhorse and will be my company vehicle. Vanessa is gone, but I still have the rear seats, custom console, head unit, and custom dash trim. I want a show vehicle, because they are cool and to catch customers. The wife is doing the office work and knows Gordon have to become company property. So, I asked if I could keep Clifford. She was not happy, "You said you would sell it when you got it. Its been in the carport for a year! We don't need it! Why!"
I said tell me that you don't want to drive that big van. She is 5'3".
She smiled, "Get it fixed and we will talk."

Awesome and keep it going!

I'm going to keep pushing this time and stay focused. Already thinking 350, 4L80, full 4x4.... but just need it running good. So, 4.3, and CV boots. I may do a few little things to free up some power but very basic. The rest is awesome and Clifford will not be my daily driver so I can do more later. I just cant wait to roll up to a red light in the biggest minivan in town.

That what I feel in my G30 . 8ft tall n 18ft long . the biggest van in town !

Drove it to the store once. As I came out some old man was saying,
"Honey, They put that van on a truck frame. Just look at that thing."

Once you drive a v8 astro you'll regret having spent the time moving the 4.3.
O.T.O.H. if you can't do your own engine work, diagnostics and repair your better off with the 4.3.
I have 2 astrofari w/ v8. My '93 is a mild build, 2wd, detroit tru-trac, .030 over, little bit of cam and a bit more compression. I did the swap in 2014.
I bought my '05 AWD last year and it was professionally built in 2015. It has a 6 liter Lq4, (iron block Ls) 4L65 trans with a 149 transfer case. The motor was built and tuned to shred, they were successful, it does, the thing is crazy fast.

The only problem I have with either of these is me, I'm not a diagnostician. To find a shop to work on a custom van ain't easy nor cheap. Recently I had running issues w/ both vans at the same time and needed to use my '69 g10 as my daily loaded up with tools.
I got lucky to find a shop that has the skills and patience to work on my beasts and tolerate me only because I don't ask "how much? or how soon it will be done? 2 coils, 2 injectors, and a plug end for one injector. I had them install new calipers in front, 2 lines from the master to the abs unit and the pass side front axle. They gave me a great price as I paid cash so next week my '93 goes in. I'm thinking the is a problem in the top end.

Anyway If I got this right you're going V8 in the '05? Is it AWD? If so you may want to look at my thread about Vandiction,
https://www.astrosafari.com/threads/05-6-0-awd-vandictions-return.147418/
a few posts in I have links to the previous owners build thread that may help you out. My signature over there has the '93 build thread also.

Are you going to cut the core support to pull the engine? if all your swapping at this time is the 4.3 I'm sure it would be fastest / easiest for you.

Put a 454 in it ... wont regret it .. ever !

This is a 1998 Astro AWD and I will be putting the 4.3 back in. I know a V8 would be better. But then trans, transfer case, new front axle, it's a slippery slope for sure. Just going to keep it basic for now. Im more of a low hotrod look. May only keep it a few months. If I find a good G10 or g20 it's gone for sure. It will be fun while it lasts.

https://fb.watch/cvMciuka6K/
Before I owed it. Worth the share.
https://fb.watch/cvMglFW6Lg/
Soon to be back on the road!

Well, I slipped. My older brother stopped by last weekend and twisted my arm til I gave in to putting a 350 in the van. I started looking around on craigslist and found a few nice donor vans. Im leaning towards a 1990 G20, its a high top conversion van. Going to try to keep it simple as possible. Going to the you pull it this weekend. Getting a window for the van, and maybe some stuff your Gordon.

Fun times ahead

Cool videos.

Those are great and looks like lots of fun.

I made it to the you pull it. So glad they dont have a, "you break it you buy it" rule! Not easy to get the side window out by yourself. I kept the seats from my Safari for this van, but noticed yesterday while putting the window in the center row is missing the seat belts. As a detail guy I couldn't wait to wash it after I put the window in. It was dirty when I got it and it's been almost 2 years now.


Looking for and good donor van. I'm wanting the find another Express. Use the motor in Clifford and have a mock-up van for Gordon.

Is this your first AWD?
I've heard for years they were unstoppable, until driving my '05 I had never driven one in bad conditions, this winter I had the opportunity.
I carry a good bit of weight, tools and hardware, my ladder rack empty is an additional 150 lb. the 6 liter adds another 100 lbs. I've been off road / dirt road pulling my 6x12' landscape trailer loaded w/ demolition debris in 6 - 8" of snow and didn't notice.
Absolutely awesome.
I've done a little snow plowing with heavier 4x4 trucks and would compare my astro to any of them.

I had a '86 Safari and drove it anywhere, really liked that go cart ... gave it to my ex and she blew it up. no maint.

Looks great!

Only had a 4x4 once, but never took it offroad. I'm not much for offroading. Dirt roads is as far as I go. I used the truck hauling heavy equipment. Miss it. I might get the van out there once or twice.

Nice

Well, the time has come. For Sale

Today I became the owner of a Tahoe!
LS SWAPPED ASTRO COMING SOON!
Starting my research after I post this. I successfully swapped the motor from my push mower to a new deck, last week. So, I think I'm ready. Any tips, tricks, links, or info would be greatly appreciated!





The Astro is a 1998 AWD, 4.3 "W" balance shaft. I was told it has a 7 inch body lift. From the center of the weld to the top of the block is 5 inches. 6 inches to the top of the bushings. Tons of space under the hood.
The Tahoe is a 2003 2WD with a 5.3 about 200,000 miles. Very mild front passenger side damage. Possible frame damage.
Good to be back!

You'll have a bunch of parts collecting in your future, I haven't done an LS swap but I own one, my '05 AWD has the 6.0, my '93 I swapped a 350 TBI.
The info on my '05 is very limited as the guy that built it had it done by a shop and my '93 thread is useless to you as it is a 1st gen. but you can find them all in my signature at astrosafari.com. The thread on the '05 has links to what Teddy put up as a build thread and his FS thread, I contacted him immediately when he mentioned "for sale" lol.

Copperfiremist did one of the best write ups of an LS swap I recall, alot of good info for you.

https://www.astrosafari.com/threads/ls1-swap-1998-awd.72617/