[chops]

Since this is gonna be a multi build (Interior, suspension, v8 swap, 4x4 custom lighting and soforth)I guess Ill start it here since there is not a general build topic area and Maybe Austin can locate it where he thinks it belongs:

Well here we go the begining of my astro
It started life as a 1986 Astro 2 wheel drive cargo shorty:

the very first thing I did was change the front uncomfortable beat up seats with a set of 2001 Pt cruiser leather, heated driverside full power seat...with very little modification and relocating two bolt hole wala they are in:

:banana:

 

[chops]

my second mod was an attempt to change the look of the front but dare to be different from the rest so off to the Jy yard I went and found a grill that I liked from an Olds bravada and to the house I went to start to chop it up...

I cant find the finished grill pic but anyhoo I didnt like the look so I scrapped it its on a buddies van and he loves it.
he tells everyone he had it custom made at chopfather customs' :rocker: but I think he forgot to pay for the custom work... :biglaugh:

but after many hours I didnt like it so I scrapped it :biglaugh:

 

[moboman]

chops! I like that grill, but if its not to your taste, I guess it is good for it to go.

 

[chops]

chops! I like that grill, but if its not to your taste, I guess it is good for it to go.

It kinda gave me the vision of an old fish mouth.

 

[chops]

MOD THREE!"the doors" and not the group :biglaugh:

I decided that I wanted three door ove two so to ebay I went looking and found a guy in New York selling parts off a 98 Safari so I purchased some and after they arrived I started the swap and emoval was easy using a thin cutoff wheel and a drift to pop out the pins;

The back looked like this:

hey who stole the door?

now to put these on:

Well here are the two lower doors on:

hum I seemed to loose some pics some where. :confused1: have to take an after pic later today.

 

[chops]

MOD #4

ok it get in our way while working on the van the guys at GM were Stoopid when the thought of this thing! you say ok chops what is it? well let me tell ya "The prop rod". Am I right does it get in your way? is it stoopid? well theres a better way around it. so heres what I did.

you can order everythin from http://www.mcmastercarr.com
the bracket I used on the hood is part number
PN:5992K51
View attachment 1

you could order this for the lower bracket but I just made mine outta some scrap
PN:9512K95


Ill have to get some measurements on the gas struts for ya if you need them.

OBTW use 40# min per side 30 lbs the hood will come down on your head with the slightest breeze! ask me how I know!

Peter also did his but he did his different and with his written consent he told me I can post it in his behalf here on AS.COM so Will post it as a how 2 in another section.. :banana:

 

[chops]

MOD FIVE

Well as some of you may know my original plans was to put a 3/3 drop on this with a bad azz V8 so I went out in search of all the lowering stuff in the mean time I was in a very BAD accident and was hit while riding my chopper and wound up in the hospital with some minor ( :biglaugh: ) broken bones.

I know your thinking Minor bout the end results could have been major! :butbut:
while I was laid up for a year I came across this site and met some people some really nice some not!
As I lurked through the site and chat I met Lynne who showed me the SPB and I fell in love I asked many of questions about it to Dean her hubby and decided I want one and behold one day was reading a forsale topic and found this:

so after many phone calls I managed to get the vehicle. I will never buy a thing off of this guy again. After fixing some of the problems it arrived with I had fun driving it. But one day the phone rang and it was the insurance agent calling me to review my insurrance policy and discuss my rates...well a choice had to be made something had to go, will it be the cargo or the 4x4? while thinking hard :confused1: my buddy tried to make a joke which turned out to be one heck of an idea make one van out of two. so I started tearing the cargo apart as it was gonna be the main donor. I pulled the motor and then started on the rear.

found some broken parts:

well after some :banana: we started to get the springs out.

Heres my personal assistant with the first spring out!

 

[SSAstro]

what are the seats out of

 

[snapple]

what are the seats out of

2001 PT Cruiser

 

[chops]

2001 PT Cruiser

:yeahthat:

 

[dumb lady]

Awesome Mr chops! Nice x-rays too.

 

[thyubernoob]

I got hit riding once, but not as bad as you...glad your still here....do you still ride?
Look forward to seeing more pics of the build!

 

[chops]

I ride here and there mainly my buddies bike i traded my Triumph off for another toy.... I'll be posting some more just gotta find the ambition to do it...

 

[bones5150]

im stoked to see the rest of this build so post up more fawkin pics!

 

[Gary]

im stoked to see the rest of this build so post up more fawkin pics!

FYI-he sold this van.