lowering a dodge van

Dude, just think of how many fat dogs you could fit in the back of your dajiban.

I think you gotta stay with the Dodge, though.

That generation had just enough curved edges to make it look right when lowered. An E series (in my worthless opinion) just wouldn't look right.

Anyone on the board speak Japanese and can ask or look through their site to figure out how it was done?

Oh, and add me to the WANT list.

-Rob

I never thought I would want a fullsize dodge van, who knew.

Though my wife did give me the whole "How long do you want to sleep in the garage" look.

You can sleep in the van! It's perfect!

rob_lewis wrote: I think you gotta stay with the Dodge, though.

I'm with you. I may give in to temptation and drop a Ford if the parts turn out to be easier to get, just to see if it works. (And for some reason, I really want a 300 I-6, but I guess I don't have to justify my weirdness in a thread dedicated to slamming full size Dodge vans.)

Now I want a full size van! This forum does not help with my automotive ADD.

Dakota lowering spindles apparently work on the earlier vans:

http://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Number=5747491

Still doing some hunting.

-Rob

Could you just bag them?

Amazing. Do want.

96DXCivic wrote: Could you just bag them?

Agreed, me thinks this would be the easiest and cheapest route.

and the wheels can handle the weight of a van on a race track? Most be expensive

alex wrote:

vazbmw wrote: I wonder what wheels those are (the ones that look like the Konig Rewinds)?

I believe the wheels are stupid-expensive custom Watanabes.

Here is the roughly translated site through google: http://translate.google.com/translate?js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=1&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.yahoo.co.jp%2Fr_q_collectibles&sl=ja&tl=en

In reply to MrMook:

I'm just curious Mr. Mook, if you spent some time in Pittsburgh?

I've been doing some research, lots, on devising a way of effectively lowering a dodge van with out too much fabrication. I have no real answers yet, but I do see hope from a few places for thicker sway bars, better bushings, etc. check this out

http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/r_q_collectibles/MYBLOG/yblog.html?m=lc&p=2

Keep working, man. We're bound to crack this nut eventually.

At my first real job we had a '76 Dodge Tradesman. Old Blue was a great van. Slant 6 with a 3 on the tree. Pump the gas 3x and Old Blue would fire right up. Even with 300K on the clock. I'd love to find a clean mid '70's Tradesman now.

The Dodge B-van chassis was in production pretty close to forever ('71-'03). They were pretty popular in the '70 during the custom van craze. Just a change in tire aspect ratio will bring them down a good bit.

Looking at the picture with the coilover, the rear axle appears to be a spring over design. It's been too many years since I looked under a B-van, I don't remember. But if it is spring over, relocating the springs under the rear axle will drop it a couple inches.

The front end is a double A-arm coil spring setup. I know the Ram pickup guys would use the van lower control arms to lower the pickups. I think the spring pocket is deeper in the van setup.

One of my buddies works with some younger guys that were lowering a later B-van. I'm pretty sure they bagged it. Last I heard they sectioned the body. I don't think it went back together after that. I'll see if I can get some dirt on what they did with the suspension.

-Rob

I've been looking through the blogs and have found a few more pictures.

link

any progress with figuring out these vans? i'm very interested and have started looking for one locally.

yessah... those vans are cool

alex wrote:

vazbmw wrote: I wonder what wheels those are (the ones that look like the Konig Rewinds)?

I believe the wheels are stupid-expensive custom Watanabes.

Oh my goodness, they are buttsex.

Leave it to the Japanese to put that much awesome into such an anonymous vehicle. I had no idea there was a "scene" for these anywhere.

Dajiban FTW

At my first real job, my boss had a Dodge van that I'd guess was about a 1984. It had a three speed on the floor and I can't imagine that he would have had anything other than a six in it. There was nothing unusual about the shifter location and I can only imagine that it would be even better in an Econoline, since they have the longer front porch.

But, I'd lower a Dodge, even thought there's no legroom in front.

OK I have been looking for a daily driver...I may just have to buy a van now!!