I am scrounging parts for my tudor build and a buddy of mine called last nite telling me that there is a full size chevy van at his shop that somone left and the landlord said to get rid of it. I was wondering what all I could use off of it for my tudor. Engine is a 350 with center bolt valve covers and it has a 700R4 trans. I do not really want to use this new of a drivtrain but you cant beat it for free. Is the rearend to wide? Would the roof sectin work or are the ribs to long? I never really paid attention to the details of these vans so sorry for the dumb questions.
The rearend is prolly too wide but I would scarf up the motor/******, steering column and then cut a big hole in the roof and keep that as well.
I figured that the rearend would be to wide from the van too. I got a chance to roam the net today and see that the ribs on the roof of the van run the entire length of the van. I do not really want to have to section the metal and have a seam to do bodywork to in the middle of the roof of my sedan. maybe Ill p*** on the free van since I do not really want to run the newer style 350 in the tudor. It could look cool with a set of rocket valve covers on it but I think that I want to go with a nailhead.
you could always grab it and pull the drivetrain and sell it to help finance the build of your car. lots of guys like that combo.
if you do want to fill the roof a good one to use is a early 90s dodge caravan thats what I used and it turned out to look pretty good and ez to find
the van has no ***le, no key, and someone has busted out all of the windows.I am not even sure if it runs, it has been sittin there for a while with the dog house off of it. I think I will go this weekend and see if I can brake the ignition switch and see if I can get it to crank over. If it cranks then I will grab the motor and trans, the steering nuckles, and anything else I may think of grabbing
Maybe look at the way the pedals are mounted. may have swinging pedals. I have seen some aftermarket swing pedal ***y. w/master cylinder mount out there I heard they resemble ones out of vans because of the tight quarters. Don't quote me but check it out....espesially if your parting out.
strip it... even body panels sell on Ebay if you got the patience to list them... check with your local Chevy dealer and bodyshop, they might need something off it... vulturize it man, pick it clean of anything you might REMOTELY use or sell... you can always haul it to the s****yard later... think like a scavenger, be - be the scavenger.
You can still use a portion of the roof. You don't have to use the front and the rear. use the length you want and then form the end, you can cut and weld or beat the metal. Either way works. I don't see a huge problem.
The Jalopy Journal
