Outskirtscustom's 1980 Dodge Van Project: parking solutions DEMOLITION!

[TexasDart]

so it did come with the 440...Most had the 360 in them.

 

[CCR]

 

[dracothered]

did it come stock with a 440...that must be pretty darn rare if it did.

Looks like you could get them with these engine choices.

• 3.7L 225cid L6
• 5.2L 318cid V8
• 5.9L 360cid V8
• 6.6L 400cid V8
• 7.2L 440cid V8

 

[outskirtscustoms]

They should have offered the 426 Hemi as an option.
Just imagine stopping at a red light next to a Camaro and blowing his doors off with a full size van!

If only I had $19K to throw under the hood of my van...And stock in Goodyear tire... 572 HEMI 650 HP and 660 lb.-Ft. of torque.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/dcc-5155429?seid=srese1&gclid=CPzPo9iTvr0CFUVgMgod8xYATA

 

[outskirtscustoms]

Got my new starter today and got it installed! One thing crossed off the list. Also found out a set-back Kokomo Indiana passed a new ordinance that parking in a yard is no longer allowed as of May 13th. According to the new ordinance:

"Vehicles and trailers must be parked on a hard surface, including but not limited to concrete, asphalt, or gravel. No person shall operate or park any vehicle or trailer on any portion of a lot in any residential district other than on a drive or approved parking area. No person shall operate or park any vehicle or trailer on any portion of a lot in any residential district in a way requiring driving the vehicle over the curb instead of through a curb cut."

So now thanks to a bunch of crooked city officials I have to build a driveway now.

 

[outskirtscustoms]

Well I found a cheaper solution to my parking problem. My shed has a concrete floor and was ready to fall down so I measured and the van will fit (barely) with all 4 wheels on the concrete slab. So I spent all morning turning my old rusty shed into a pile of scrap metal with nothing but a baseball bat, a screwdriver, and a pry bar. I had to get rid of a few bikes and cram what I wanted to keep inside my van for the time being but the shed is no more. Really brought back memories of all the different bikes I have worked on in that shed. Finding small parts I thought were lost forever, and stacking up metal to scrap tomorrow. Then while working a guy down the road comes up and gave me 3 more bikes... They were all cheap Wal-junk so I parted them down and got them ready for scrapping.

 

[big kountry]

I have never understood why or how people can an will tell us what we can or can't do on our property we pay or payed for it burns my britches

 

[outskirtscustoms]

Got the van moved today and all 4 tires are on cement. Also the tow truck driver gave me a tip, if I tarp it the city can't complain about it.

I also hauled the entire remains of the shed into the scrapyard in 3 trips on a bicycle. Totaled out to $30 in scrap.

 

[outskirtscustoms]

Well not much progress to report but I did come up with an idea that would be cool, useful, custom, and I don't think it would be too difficult... I hope. Also I have NEVER seen it done before.

Anyway my idea is for the back and side doors... More specifically the windows. From the factory you had three options: No glass (cargo van), Fixed glass which doesn't open at all which is what I have, and swing out windows which let in just enough air to tease you. What I want to do is fix the problem of ventilation once and for all. Make them roll down inside the door like the front doors.

I know the Corvair Greenbriar vans had this and I really liked that about mine but the van I had was way too far gone for me to save so I passed it on to someone else. I know I'd have to cut the glass longer to attach it to a regulator, find regulators that would fit the doors, create a track for the window to ride in, then find weatherstrip to seal everything. It would be a challenge but worth it in the end.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

That would be cool if you can pull it off!

Luke.

 

[outskirtscustoms]

Well after doing some research I have found exactly what I want to do to the van later when I get the money and turn the van into a hot rod. I was thinking a 572 Hemi would be cool and yes it would be awesome but it would guzzle gas like crazy and it's heavy. I could go with a 318 or 383 but again fuel mileage and it wouldn't be any different from any other van that came stock with one. So what to do...

I was watching videos on YouTube trying to get in tune with this whole Dajiban style and JDM drift car vibe when one video's side links led me to a JDM engine swap that intrigued me. A Toyota 2JZ twin turbo... Cheap, reliable, powerful, lightweight, and available with a 6 speed manual trans.

I did a bit of research and bone stock it is DOUBLE the horsepower and torque of the stock Chrysler 225 that is in the van now, and it is build-able to whatever your wallet can handle... one I saw even has 1,000 horsepower!!!

But with an inline 6 DOHC platform I wouldn't have to throw mileage out the window as long as I kept my foot off the hammer. Not to mention what is more trick than a Toyota 2JZ engine in a Dodge van? Plenty of space under the Dodge van hood for pipes and turbos, Plenty of space behind the stock grille to hide an intercooler, there would be plenty of space around the motor to work. And you can push it to 500 HP with just turbos and exhaust with STOCK internals.

Not to mention putting a Toyota powerplant in a MOPAR would make so many haters and purists get their panties in a bunch. What do you guys think???

 

[LukeTheJoker]

I like it! Those 2JZ motor are incredibly bulletproof, the stock internals as you say are good for huge boost, plus, in my opinion nothing sounds better than a screaming straight six!

Luke.

 

[outskirtscustoms]

I correct my previous statement, they are build-able to over 2,000 horsepower!

Yeah I really want one now... It would be cool to stomp a Corvette Z06 with a full size van. And if it's anything like the last Toyota I had they are tough as nails. I had an '87 King cab pickup (22R) and bought it with 500,000 miles. Ran great till I hit a deer and took it off the road, fell in love with it as an off road rig, rolled it on it's lid twice, submerged it in mud more than once, finally broke the passenger side frame rail over a boulder in Moab, Utah. I used a piece of log and 3 rolls of duct tape and still drove it home to Indiana. Used it as a farm truck for another year then scrapped it.

 

[outskirtscustoms]

Well I won't be keeping the original wheels, I called Performance powder-coating and they quoted me $350 just to sandblast and powder-coat my original Dodge wheels. I told the guy straight out I could buy brand new wheels for less and he hung up on me so I looked on Summit Racing's site and found these awesome wheels. Summit Racing has a house brand knock off of the Cragar "Soft 8" that looks identical but are only $48 each. Then I will buy the Cragar center caps and new chrome lug nuts to complete the look.

So the van will look like this, blacked out bumpers, hood, cowl, back windows tinted dark, new grille (which I FINALLY found a place that sells the one piece round headlight grille), and I will lower the back so it sits level. Maybe lower the front by an inch or two.

Then the body will be painted this color Satin finish USAF light blue.

Then add in some black stripes down the sides and hood pins on the blacked out hood to mimic the AAR Baracuda.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

YEAH!

Luke.

 

[outskirtscustoms]

I found out something new! I walked down to the corner store and saw a newer 3rd generation Dodge van and I noticed they have 4 wheel disk brakes! Yes disk brakes on the rear end... Let's just say I feel an upgrade in the future.

 

[XC204]

Our front yard at work is starting to look like Indiana! Physicist Richard Feynman's doge van with his famous diagrams in ann art display that includes an Airstream trailer. http://www.fnal.gov/pub/tufte/index.html

 

[outskirtscustoms]

Well I hated to do it but I had to face facts, I have no garage and the van needed more than I had to put into it so I talked to a friend (The same guy who drove this van 30 years ago) and asked if he would be interested in having it back. He wasn't but his friend was so we agreed on a price of $700 as it sat and so the van is officially sold. I will miss it but when it's all boiled down I doubled my money so I can't complain.

So there I was riding my bike down to the dollar store to get dish soap and I spotted a friend out in the garage so I stopped and talked for a bit which lead me to looking at a car around the corner from him. Long story short I ended up buying a 1992 Mercury Cougar LS XR7 that has been bumped in the back end but not really bad. (just enough to crack the bumper cover and break the tail light lens) It runs and drives and they were only asking $450! I offered $400 and he took it so I got the title signed over grabbed the keys, threw my bike in the trunk and drove it home.

It's white with burgundy interior, not one rip inside but I need to put the dash back together and fix a few little nit picky things and I have to pick up the driver's side door panel tomorrow from the guy, (it was in the garage and getting dark) but for $400 I think I did okay. It has aftermarket chrome rims, like new tires on the back, V6 automatic, tinted windows, CD player, infinity speakers, cherry bomb glass pack muffler, The headliner is even still in it and not sagging!!! I'll get pictures in the morning.

 

[JaxRhapsody]

Now I'm sad...

 

[outskirtscustoms]

Now I'm sad...

Yeah but it's going to a good home and DMV makes you go through a mile of paperwork to get lost titles from a dead guy's estate. I can't complain about how I spent the $700 though I got my $400 Cougar on the road with plates. I just need to sell what's left of the Mazda truck so I can get two decent tires on the front of my Cougar and pick up a taillight from the local junkyard.

$200 cash takes it today!
http://kokomo.craigslist.org/cto/4573614789.html