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Posted By: SPORKY New Guy with a 1976 Dodge B200 Shorty - August 16th 2017 8:22 pm
I've been looking almost everyday for a old panel van for 5 years now. Found this one an hour from my house. The seller was funny and knew nothing about repairing vehicles. By the time I got to his house he had pulled the craigslist ad and decided not to sell it. He went ahead and decided to show me the van since I showed up. He was asking $1600.

The previous owner goes around pointing out all the things wrong with it. Under the van was multiple huge puddles of power steering fluid. He said he fixed the power steering problem by adding a quart of new fluid every week. The battery doesn't have a hold down strap so he just wedged a empty water bottle against it and the firewall so it wouldn't rock in the tray. The engine bay was a nightmare or random wires with only half of them attached to things.

My biggest concern was some rust in the typical locations but I knew they made patch panels for those locations. After he gets done showing me the van he surprised me by saying "Ok, Ill take $1000 for it." I paid the man as fast as I could without drawing suspicion, collected the keys and title and came out the next day with a buddy to drive it home.

The van made it 10 miles in the pouring rain without working windshield wipers before additional electrical problems killed it on the side of the road 40 miles from home. Spent some time trying to fix it but in the end I had to call a tow truck. The next day I fixed all the electrical problems. I am so excited and can't wait to fix more problem







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Posted By: cjhardcore Re: New Guy with a 1976 Dodge B200 Shorty - August 16th 2017 9:27 pm
Congrats man. Enjoy the process.
Posted By: frscke1 Re: New Guy with a 1976 Dodge B200 Shorty - August 16th 2017 9:27 pm
Welcome to the site Sporky ....
Posted By: Bblintpicker Re: New Guy with a 1976 Dodge B200 Shorty - August 16th 2017 9:39 pm
Who keeps letting all this riff - raff join the blog! I don't know about this guy. I don't think I like him at all. <SMILE>
Posted By: lukester Re: New Guy with a 1976 Dodge B200 Shorty - August 16th 2017 11:42 pm
welcomefrom Florida
Nice looking van.
Posted By: Starlord Re: New Guy with a 1976 Dodge B200 Shorty - August 17th 2017 12:38 am
Welcome. Glad you picked up one you like and are enthused about working on it.
Posted By: SPORKY Re: New Guy with a 1976 Dodge B200 Shorty - August 17th 2017 7:49 pm
Spent the morning installing a set of old wheels and tires that I have been dragging around across the country for 10+ years. The rears are 15x10 with 275/60R15 and front is 14x7 wheels with 215/70R14 tires. I had to put a set of 1.5" wide spacers on the front to clear the disk brakes. The tires are shot but hold air and I need some long lug nuts for the front. I have no idea who made the wheels but I am loving the stance. Exactly what I was wanting.



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Posted By: newkirkinc1 Re: New Guy with a 1976 Dodge B200 Shorty - August 18th 2017 12:45 pm
welcome to the site !
Posted By: crazyvanman Re: New Guy with a 1976 Dodge B200 Shorty - August 18th 2017 2:44 pm
welcome yeah van
Posted By: Dyno_Dave Re: New Guy with a 1976 Dodge B200 Shorty - August 18th 2017 6:47 pm
Welcome aboard!
Posted By: oldskool73 Re: New Guy with a 1976 Dodge B200 Shorty - August 21st 2017 5:12 am
Nice find. The wheels look good.
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