My ultimate ZAV build in progress

i figure i needed to upgrade my ZAV. the chopped up K5 with the wood flatbed was not going to cut it in the event of zombie apocalypse. the lack of a back of a cab would leave me ripe for brain eating, and there is no interior storage space. couple that with the fact that we just found out that my wife is pregnant, i decided my best ZAV needed to be a minivan. I love astros, always have, and i've had several of them. I have had this beautiful 96 LS in my garage for 5 years, i bought it cheap with bad engine, replaced bearings and crank, then the timing set dropped off the cam and i got fed up and parked it. it is a 2 wheel drive van, and has the potential to be the ultimate family oriented ZAV.

phase 1 - more drive wheels. if i get a zombie, or pile of them stuck under the rear wheels and start slipping and losing traction in zombie mush, i need to be able to pull a lever and get more traction. i busted out sawzall, torch, welder, and the power of my speedway motors catalog. apologies for iphone camera pics, my big computer is down right now so i can't work with or upload pics off the camera.

the beginnings of the addition of moar traction have me doing just enough cutting and welding to get things located and rollable so i can roll the van outside, pressure wash the chassis so i do not catch my garage on fire, and finish cutting and welding outside.

the axle is a 10 bolt 3.73 from a 1979 chevy k20(matching 14 bolt full floater from same truck will be installed in rear). the new front springs are 54" 1992 S10 4 leaf rears. the hangers came from speedway motors - i love the stock car catalog.

That's pretty awesome! After reading this thread I did start searching for Astros in my area. I can't think of a more useful vehicle.

When you get done i'll give you directions to where you're gonna leave it

first time in a long time that the front wheels are on the ground supporting the weight of the van. it was up in the air since last summer around this time, i dropped in a v8, then decided i needed a plan before continuing. formulated plan, and got on it.

made rear spring mounts today. instead of shackles i ordered a pair of roller bearing leaf spring sliders from the stock car catalog, cool units.

Minivan?

Too much glass that can be broken to allow easy zombie entry.

In reply to Trans_Maro:

That can be remedied.

I know these vans were available with AWD. I never understood why they never put a real transfer case in one. I'm sure it would have sold reasonably well.

I really like where this thread is going...where is the Epic build thread? I haz another submissionz

VanillaSky wrote: I know these vans were available with AWD. I never understood why they never put a real transfer case in one. I'm sure it would have sold reasonably well.

'cause Suzie Stay-at-home doesn't know the difference between AWD and 4WD and would be completely perplexed by a column shifter plus a floor shifter.

Not to mention the confusion between Hi-beam / low-beam and 2hi/4hi/4lo.

Shawn

8 Lug SAS lifted Astro? I LOVE where this is going.

DILYSI Dave wrote: 8 Lug SAS lifted Astro? I LOVE where this is going.

v8 too.

the k5 is donating its 350/700r4/np208.

the 225/75/16 firestone transforce ht tires on front of the van now are going on my work trailer, and the 245/75/16 goodyear wrangler ht's are going on the van. both sets are load range e. plan to pull the boat with the van, drive the van everywhere, plow with it, etc...

I loved my Astro. I could fit the dirt bike in back no problem. BTW a dirt bike or quad in back would make an excellant escape pod if the zombies ate the ecu

Not that I don't love the project, but it seem like for the amount of tire clearance you have you could have just set the Astro on the Blazer frame. After you remove the front subframe and suspension and everything, as well as the rear axle and springs, would the weight of the added frame really be significant? Use the suspension and subframe mounting points on the body to mount it to the Astro and when the one rusts out you could swap another on and go.

wheelbase difference and drivetrain offset to give driver footroom killed that idea right quick.

Trans_Maro wrote:

VanillaSky wrote: I know these vans were available with AWD. I never understood why they never put a real transfer case in one. I'm sure it would have sold reasonably well.

'cause Suzie Stay-at-home doesn't know the difference between AWD and 4WD and would be completely perplexed by a column shifter plus a floor shifter. Not to mention the confusion between Hi-beam / low-beam and 2hi/4hi/4lo. Shawn

Suzie Stay-at-home seems to handle Jeep XJs down here just fine.

building rear springs

will have them done tomorrow. astro main leaf, ditched the 2nd and weak overloads. dissected a set of 1 ton springs and am adding 3,4,5,and 7 to the astro main and the thick 1 ton overload spring. if it is too much i can take out but i anticipate it working well for the application of the van. going to add the lowest spring from the pack to the fronts to hopefully attain current ride height when engine/trans are installed and help carry the weight of the snowplow.

and stripped the k5 donor of its rusty body

Love it so far, but get all the rust off the leaves...looks like there's a great plenty to go around. You might want to consider some teflon interspring liners too. That does away with a BUNCH of stiction in a spring pack.

cleaned up the leaves prior to reassembly and did install factory plastic slider things in between them at the ends. they'll be just as rusty in the spring after i drive it this winter.

i finished cutting out stuff up front that needed cut out, boxed the spring crossmember, and discovered i need to add a leaf or two in the front, since i am working with s10 rears in the front, where the bulk of the van's weight will be. my uncle brought over his spindle nut socket so i can pull the drums off the 14 bolt rear, going with discs in the back for weight, easy maintenance, and clearance reasons. the drums are so deep that if i do not remove the backing plate my axle u bolt for the outside of the springs would not clear. so until i pull the drums and install rotors, i am stuck up in the air without rear axle in the van.

figured out steering today and ordered a high steer arm so i can make my tierod/link to connect the pitman arm to the knuckle.

no pics today, i was too busy working to remember to take any. most of saturday and sunday were spent cleaning the garage so i have a nice workspace. apparently my garage does have a floor, i had not seen it for so long that i forgot there was one there.

drivetrain out of the donor, going to do a quickie "rebuild" on the 350 - hone, rings, bearings, cam/lifters, oil pump, regasket, clean and paint and in general inspect everything.

got a bit done, boxed the front spring crossmember and have bumper brackets tacked in, had to take a break due to thunderstorm. going back out shortly to fire up the welder again.

that 14 bolt rear axle is a beast.

had to weld on new perches. removed the drums, they are 13.5" and no less than 5/16" thick at all points. way too heavy. UPS man brought my rotors, caliper brackets on the way. and new steering arm came too, but didnt touch that. need to fill torch tanks and ran out of mig wire.

Paul Przyborski likes this.

Gimp wrote: Paul Przyborski likes this.

now with more cubic inches than before.

the jagsthatrun.com engine adapter mounts are awesome, the 350 bolted right in as if it totally belonged there.

I am digging this one. Keep us updated.

patgizz wrote:

Gimp wrote: Paul Przyborski likes this.

now with more cubic inches than before. the jagsthatrun.com engine adapter mounts are awesome, the 350 bolted right in as if it totally belonged there.

that's because it does totally belong there! i hope to see some wintertime hoonage videos in a few months!

patgizz wrote:

Gimp wrote: Paul Przyborski likes this.

now with more cubic inches than before. the jagsthatrun.com engine adapter mounts are awesome, the 350 bolted right in as if it totally belonged there.

Van is going to be awesome. Is that your Chevelle in the backround?