gearheadmb wrote:
So, are you, like, lusting hard after an astro er something? I thought you were buying a fullsize pickup? Ive always hated driving astros. They are just awkward and have weird ergonomics. And ive never been in one that didnt smell funny. I just feel this is a waste of a good v8. I mean, with same amount of money and energy you could swap an ls into pretty much anything and have a more enjoyable, desirable vehicle.
I was planning on it, but my parents decided that a minivan would be easier for me to drive.
In reply to pres589:
B-bodies are a bit big for me.
Trans_Maro wrote:
From what I understand, Astro and S-10 chassis are the same.
In what way? Maybe some parts interchange, but Astros are unibody, drag link AND center link steer vans, while S-10s are body on frame "traditional" steer trucks. (Look a lot like narrow G-bodies from the firewall forward)
G_Body_Man wrote:
In reply to pres589:
B-bodies are a bit big for me.
But Astros and pickups aren't?
EvanB wrote:
G_Body_Man wrote:
In reply to pres589:
B-bodies are a bit big for me.
But Astros and pickups aren't?
A C1500 extended cab regular bed is smaller than a new Colorado crew cab long bed, and has roughly the same interior space. A B-body wagon is friggin huge.
In reply to G_Body_Man:
Last of the B-body wagons is an inch shorter than a 1990's Silverado with an extended cab and a short bed. And the sight lines out of the wagon are a lot easier to deal with. Late Astro's are about two feet shorter but the sight lines issue is still there. All three vehicles have similar towing capacity using options available new from the dealer.
If you want an Astro I wouldn't bother with an engine swap. Buy a good one, make sure it's had all normal maintenance done with quality parts and fluids, and drive the thing. I would personal go for a B-Body as I don't like large trucks with extended cabs and I believe you had a requirement of a back seat.
In reply to failboat:
I'd drive that in a New York Minute 
Sorry, I love custom Astros.
An LS swapped one would be cool.
pres589 wrote:
In reply to G_Body_Man:
Last of the B-body wagons is an inch shorter than a 1990's Silverado with an extended cab and a short bed. And the sight lines out of the wagon are a lot easier to deal with. Late Astro's are about two feet shorter but the sight lines issue is still there. All three vehicles have similar towing capacity using options available new from the dealer.
If you want an Astro I wouldn't bother with an engine swap. Buy a good one, make sure it's had all normal maintenance done with quality parts and fluids, and drive the thing. I would personal go for a B-Body as I don't like large trucks with extended cabs and I believe you had a requirement of a back seat.
Wow. That completely shatters my size reason. But still, 'rents rules. They want me to buy a minivan, I figure I might as well buy a minivan. I don't feel like losing access to my college fund.
The Astro is more a B body derived van than anything A/G/S10 related. Basically the front half of a B body frame bolted to a unibody van.
Also, I believe the AWD Astros use the same BW 4472 35/65 split T case as a GMC Syclone/Typhoon. You can put quite a bit of power through one of those.
A friend of mine had one in highschool as a first vehicle. 3 rear ends in a year 
. having been over 100mph in that same van I must say they don't seem to be as flipover prone as everyone here thinks. its not a geo tracker.
In reply to dropstep:
This is why it is important to upgrade the rear end on an Astro.
