[ryan13]

Hello all, I am 22 and live in the Springfield, Mass area. I just got myself a Blackish 94 AWD Astro Van with 249,900 on the clock for $500. I got it as my winter car so that I can put my Subaru STi away for the winter. It def isnt the prettiest looking van but it will do for now. Surprisingly the only problems that I have found so far is that the air bag light stays on on the dash and I have a pretty bad power steering leak. The whole reservoir empty's out over night.

Anyways, looks like there is a pretty good following for these things so I look forward to learning some new things. I will post pictures as soon as I get it repainted...(rattle canned of course! :lol: ) This picture is from the add:



-Ryan

 

[Mr_Bowtie]

Welcome! Looks pretty clean compared to my '92 Astro. Your going to find that these Van can outrun any STi on the road.................off a cliff of course! :rofl:

Oh ya nice Cargo Van dog dishes you got on there..... :lol:

 

[h2omelon]

Welcome to the site!

 

[ryan13]

yaaa those things are freakin hideous! I'm in the process of trying to find some cheap wheels for it right now. Not as easy as I thought it would be since it is a Chevy. I am looking for something that will set those tires outside of the body a bit. Either a good offset or a nice wider rim...or both.

 

[offroad safari]

i hope you get the urge to lift it

 

[ryan13]

I would really love to lift it since the off road scene was the first thing i was into in high school and I miss it a lot...but, I have to remind myself that I bought this for a winter rig and not another project/toy. After being under the van for the first time today trying to find the power steering leak, I discovered that almost every visable bushing is either so dry rotted that it is not doing much of anything or there isnt even a bushing where one should be. The van needs a decent amount of small work to even make it worth dumping more money into. Even something as simple as the tensioner pully is cracked... :?

but we shall see, i have a hard time leaving any of my vehicles stock... some tires, rims and at least stock ride height would be nice...and to stop the leak haha.

Thanks for the welcoming all!

 

[Leeann_93]

Welcome from a former resident of CT - just south of Springfield

 

[ryan13]

Welcome! Looks pretty clean compared to my '92 Astro. Your going to find that these Van can outrun any STi on the road.................off a cliff of course! :rofl:

STi's have fun off the road too! :driving: This is mine about a few months ago...a few things have changed since but you get the idea

 

[Jasen]

Welcome aboard.

And whats wrong with those sweet arss wheel covers. Them puppies are da bomb...

 

[offroad safari]

your story reminds me of mine, i bought mine for 500 for a winter vehicle with no intentions of doing anything to it. After a while i had a bad vibration and noticed the motor mounts were bad and the oil pan was sitting on the front diff with a bolt of the front diff almost going through the pan. I changed the mounts and "relocated" the engine to its proper place to fix the driveline issues. While doing the motor mounts, I noticed the all the front bushing were bad and thats when it started, its addicting you wont be disappointed.

 

[90lownslow]

Not to sound like a complete repeat but here it goes. I got mine as a work ride that I work on and not just drive to work. I got mine for 500 also and I had a bad power steering leak also. You should check out the power steering pump for your leak. I got one at the junkyard for 20 bucks and it had the bracket or whatever it mounts to allready off. I think it was easier to change the whole bracket and not just the pump.

 

[Mr_Bowtie]

Ok I got my '90 Safari for $300 after I sold the subs and amp, but I kept the Pioneer deck. Its a work in progress.....well hell both my Vans are works in progress, but they have both been all over the state without missing a beat. <---That reason alone these Vans are worth dumping a little money into. Besides a 2" lift for your AWD Van is only $300.

Funny thing my Safari also has a pretty good power steering leak too, coming from where the steering linkage goes into the steering box. Gonna fix eventually, but she needed tires before the snow starts flying.

Nice STi you got there. :rockon:

You could get some 15X8 ralley rims off of a 80's 2wd Chevy pickup. Should be able to find 15X8" ones pretty easy. Or just look for 5x5 bolt pattern RWD Chevy rims on craigslist.

 

[ryan13]

Not to sound like a complete repeat but here it goes. I got mine as a work ride that I work on and not just drive to work. I got mine for 500 also and I had a bad power steering leak also. You should check out the power steering pump for your leak. I got one at the junkyard for 20 bucks and it had the bracket or whatever it mounts to allready off. I think it was easier to change the whole bracket and not just the pump.

From what I could see it is def leaking from the actual pump. I can only see the bottom of it since these engines are so nestled in there but it seems to be leaking right from the bottom of the housing itself. I cannot see any drip marks that would show it is leaking above that area. I guess my next stop will be a junkyard to see what I can find.

Thanks for the info on this and on the rims Mr_Bowtie!

 

[91astroluv]

Hi
Im from w.mass as well
Own a Shorty grey looks like it was in a sandstorm
with the paint being sanded of to the primer in a lot
of places. Thats because it came form TEXAS.
This means there is NO RUST anywhere!!!!
This was a huge seling point for me!

Glad to have ya aboard If you need a hand picking stuff up from a j Yard
and I have the time I'd be glad to lend a hand. Just let me know.
Trip

 

[ryan13]

Hi
Im from w.mass as well
Own a Shorty grey looks like it was in a sandstorm
with the paint being sanded of to the primer in a lot
of places. Thats because it came form TEXAS.
This means there is NO RUST anywhere!!!!
This was a huge seling point for me!

Glad to have ya aboard If you need a hand picking stuff up from a j Yard
and I have the time I'd be glad to lend a hand. Just let me know.
Trip

Where abouts are you from in W. Mass? I'm right next to Springfield. I will probably need some help in the future grabbing some parts because I work everyday they are open so I may take you up on that haha. My paint is all messed up too lol. faded clearcoat in some areas and some rust (not as fortunate as your texan car) so as soon as it gets on the road I will be giving it a fresh black coat out of a rattlecan.

 

[d0n]

welcome and nice looking van for $500!

I'm just over the border in NY.

I am digging the STI. I've always wanted one but couldn't swing it. We got a new 06 impreza 2.5i instead.

 

[ryan13]

welcome and nice looking van for $500!

I'm just over the border in NY.

I am digging the STI. I've always wanted one but couldn't swing it. We got a new 06 impreza 2.5i instead.

Thanks and the 2.5 isnt a bad car at all. are you into modding it at all? are you on Nasioc? if you ever need any kind of parts for a subaru def check out Nasioc!

Hopefully $500 wasnt overpaid...we will see if it gets me through the winter without too much trouble...

 

[Mr_Bowtie]

You don't get a lot for $500 these days. :x

 

[ryan13]

You don't get a lot for $500 these days. :x

a very valid point...

I was looking for a turn-key beater for under $600...very very difficuly. atleast in NE since most older vehicles are rusted away or beat to death. This was supposed to be a gas-n-go deal but already the PS pump and belt need to be replaced...and its not even on the road yet. :doh:

 

[d0n]

welcome and nice looking van for $500!

I'm just over the border in NY.

I am digging the STI. I've always wanted one but couldn't swing it. We got a new 06 impreza 2.5i instead.

Thanks and the 2.5 isnt a bad car at all. are you into modding it at all? are you on Nasioc? if you ever need any kind of parts for a subaru def check out Nasioc!

Hopefully $500 wasnt overpaid...we will see if it gets me through the winter without too much trouble...

I'm not into modding for performance really. I'm on USMB occasionally.