Finally got a safari

10604 Views 38 Replies 10 Participants Last post by ASTROLAC, Mar 14, 2010

evil_motors

Discussion Starter · Jul 22, 2009

Okay so i have been on this forum and the old one for a long time off and on but i have not had a van to work on. I just loved reading all the things that you guys do to your vans. But finally I have scored my very own Safari van. Its a 92 Safari XL TBI . I bought this van for 2 reasons. #1 I love astros/safaris and #2 it will make a great work van. I own a mobile mechanic service that i started earlier this year and i have been working out of a 2006 Toyota 4Runner. It suits my needs but it is way too nice to use as a work truck. I really didnt want to use it this long but i ran into a few snags. But now i have the Safari to use as a work van. The outside is nice other than the previous owner bent the top of the hatch backwards so it has a little bend in it where the hinges are. but other than that its got a few miles but runs great now that i replaced the plugs, wires, dizzy cap and rotor. the old plugs were very very used up and the cap had rust on a couple of contacts. Now it starts like a champ. I am going to customize the van a little so it stands out more for advertising purposes. I have already ripped out the entire interior except the bare bones of the dash including all the carpet and the headliner. I will post pics in the next couple days I have also welded over the holes in the floor for the seats to lock into. Next i am going to rhinoline the floor and about half a foot up the walls. Then i will fat mat the rest of the walls and celing. I havent decided what to do with the windows yet. I am either going to paint them black or use the darkest tint i can find. I will also be looking for some kind of metal cage type screen to put over the windows just in case someone decides to break one to try to get into my van. I have tons of plans for the van and i will keep you updated with pics and maybe some write ups on how to do the mods. So Thanks for all the info i have learned over the years and i hope to add to the crazyness.

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Mr_Bowtie

· #2 · Jul 22, 2009

Congrats on the purchase. Very cool your going to use it for your own business. I just saw a guy doing carpet cleaning the other day using a Astro Van. These Vans have so many uses its crazy.........keep us updated with some pics!
Nick.

Matrixx

· #3 · Jul 22, 2009

Hi evil_motors

That's great to hear. I hope the van will suite your needs. Pictures would be great if you can swing it, thanks.

Leeann_93

· #4 · Jul 22, 2009

P71CVMAN said:
Congrats on the purchase. Very cool your going to use it for your own business. I just saw a guy doing carpet cleaning the other day using a Astro Van. These Vans have so many uses its crazy.........keep us updated with some pics!
Nick.

Ditto - and I had a client that used his '88 Astro every day for carpet cleaning (through this Jan, but I'm sure he's still doing it). He had super dark tint on his windows, too. I don't think he had a wire cage inside, though.

evil_motors

Discussion Starter · #5 · Jul 22, 2009

I took some pics today of the inside and outside of what i have done so far. Its raining out so i cant do the bedliner today but i can paint the interior pieces that i am keeping. so here you go.

Thats what i have for now.. not bad for $800 and now that i did a tune up on it it runs like a raped ape. I also have the front interior out now too with carpet and passenger seat out and the driver one unbolted.

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evil_motors

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jul 26, 2009

Got the truckbed liner finished and also installed a taplock. next is installing the racing seats i got and fat mating the sides and celing of the van.

This is where i tied into the power door lock signal wire. its on the passenger side next to the computer.

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'cudapaul

· #7 · Jul 27, 2009

Hey, did you recently buy the TaPLock?

I have been looking for another one since the company that was selling them went out of business.
Do you have a website or phone number for them? Thanks!

(OK, nevermind, I found them on the taplock.com website. Just hadn't looked for a couple of years.
heres the link: http://www.asianwolf.com/stocking-stuff ... plock.html)

evil_motors

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jul 27, 2009

yeah they are pretty awesome.. and you can change the tap pattern anytime so someone cant just listen and then try to get into your vehicle . There will be more pictures to come while i customize the van more.

astro355

· #9 · Jul 27, 2009

That's some good work there, keep it up!

Matrixx

· #10 · Jul 27, 2009

Those are great pictures evil_motors. That van looks to be in great shape. What type of bed liner did you use? Thanks.

evil_motors

Discussion Starter · #11 · Jul 27, 2009

The kind i used was Dupont roll on bed liner.. or you can spray it on if you have a gun... although i wouldnt because you would never be able to use the gun again. Prep work was to thouroughly cleaneverything then lightly sand the whole floor and clean everything again with acetone. Then you roll on a coat, let sit for 2 hours then roll on a second coat. now the hardest part is i have to let it sit for 2 days before i can do anything inside the van which is why i am working on the seats.

Matrixx

· #12 · Jul 28, 2009

That's great information evil_motors, thanks for the update.

evil_motors

Discussion Starter · #13 · Jul 28, 2009

I will have some more pics today of the fatmat installed since i get my second roll in the mail today. Gotta love buying from companies in your own state.

Matrixx

· #14 · Jul 29, 2009

Great, Thanks.

evil_motors

Discussion Starter · #15 · Aug 4, 2009

Did a few more things to the Black Beast today. Installed new headlights, Tail Lights, clear corners and took the ugly gold stripes off the sides of the van. I have pictures of the installs. For the stripes i just took a hairdryer to heat it a little and then it peeled off mostly in one try.

i will start with the tailights. Its a pretty straight forward install. There are 2 screws holding the tail lights in then you pull the side with the screws toward you and then out. quite easy.

Before

Back of the new light

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evil_motors

Discussion Starter · #16 · Aug 4, 2009

Now for the headlights and clear corners. This was done at the same time since you have to take the corners out with the headlight surround to get to the headlight. I also had to tap the holes in the new corner i bought the cheap ones and for some reason the holes were slightly bigger than the bolts for the original corners. So i tapped them out to 5/8" coarse thread and bought some bolts. cost me about a dollar. the new headlights are projector lights with H4 bulbs and they also have a blue bulb that turns on when you have the parking lights on. You can opt to not hook these up but i did just for show. i just spliced them into the actual parking lamps. I think later i will hook them up to a switch so i can only have them on when i want. So enough chatter on to the pictures.

Before BOOORING

The headlight cover is held in by torx screws. Its a T10.

Back of the headlight cover there are 10mm bolts that hold the corner light in.

New one

They included orange bulbs to replace the clear ones so you can stay legal. I will be switching these for the blue sylvania bulbs that flash orange later on.

Gotta take the 4 screws out to get the headlight out

Old light

New Light

Spliced into the parking lamp

Parking lights on

After

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fede

· #17 · Aug 5, 2009

Looks good man!! i have headlights similar to those. Did you get HIDs with those housings or just H4 bulbs? I like that last pic it makes the van look mean, reminds me of the terminator. LOL

evil_motors

Discussion Starter · #18 · Aug 5, 2009

no hids are next on the list. and yeah it kinda does look like the terminator.. lol

Matrixx

· #19 · Aug 6, 2009

Hi evil_motors

Those red tail lights really look good with that black. The headlights look good as well.

Thanks for posting those pictures E_M, great job I must say.

evil_motors

Discussion Starter · #20 · Aug 6, 2009

dont worry there will be more. this will be a continuing thread. Up next is a trip to the pick and pull to get a few parts. then more work on the van. i should have taken pics of the process in taking the damn stripes off the side of the van. oh well. i also spray painted the side windows so you cant see through them anymore. i will take pics of the process of making boards to put up. now i just need to tint the rear window some more and it will be good to go.

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