Big Red, 1993 Bagged Astro

[meetthespeakers]

As posted in my other thread, thanks again to astrosafari forum for making this purchase happen. Came home with onelowstro's van. I'll try and make this a short post, but I have always wanted a "older" Astro, I've owned a 2000 for about 6 years, and a 98 for 3 years. Pops had a 86 for 14 years! So I had him go down with my this Saturday to go check it out and bring her home. Ray is a great guy doing business with.

The only hitch I had on the ride home was ..... the lower ball joint castle nut stripped on the drivers front side as I was pulling into a Wawa. So the vans spindle came off the lower control arm and the wheel bent up into the wheel well. I found the nut a few feet back and it was completely stripped inside. So I was able to jack the van up, and put a new castle nut on, but only half way before it started spinning. With an hour and half highway driving left to get home I had to find the nearest shop. 3 hours later they had my fixed up (needed a new balljoint, cause the threads were stripped on that now). So with that happening it made it a 10 hour round trip. Anyway, Ray really stepped up and paid for the bill and more. I really appreciated that, and I really like the van. Could have been a lot worse, like happening while doing 75mph!

So with that said I will be going over everything and customizing it to my taste over the next few months. It's bagged, 2600 up front, 2700 on rear. Big notch, and tub. Just ordered a set of 18x8 ridler 695's for it, so I am putting the other 2 sets of wheels up for sale now. Going to install bench seats in the back instead of buckets. Need to install a hidden trailer hitch so I can tow my Mini's with this thing. Going to try and fit a double din head unit from my truck into the stock location. Anyway, this will be my build thread I suppose, great to be back in the saddle again!

[meetthespeakers]

Well made the first shopping spree. Ordered a smooth front bumper off a half ton that is made to fit the astro with a recessed center license plate. Ordered up a hidden hitch for the roll pan, 2000 dome light for the rear, 2000 astro lighted sunvisors, center dash/radio bezel so I can mock up the double din, trying to pick up the 2 bench seats. Anyway, here is a pic of the wheels that are on the way. I ended up going with 225/45/18's, so it will be slightly smaller than the 215/70/15's on there now.


Ridler 18x8 695's 0mm Offset


Billet Specialties 14" Steering wheel with polished smoothy chevy button and hub


Had to get the billet shifter and tilt of course too.


Here is the double din headunit I'll be pulling out of my truck, bluetooth is awesome!

[Big_kid]

Cool! Congrats!

[meetthespeakers]

Alright, I am looking for a few factory pieces, does anyone know where you get the roll up window bottom seal and around the top seal, mine are shot. I think they call the bottom a window squeegee? Next I was looking for a new dash, or in really good shape, other than going to a junk yard I guess you can't order this? I saw a blue one on ebay for.... $499 ouch.

Anyway I will be curious how the hidden hitch for the roll pan works out, ordered it from airbagit, they are custom making it, and powder coated it for $15. The front bumper is going to be raw off a half ton, modified to fit an Astro, again should be interesting to see how that shakes out.

[meetthespeakers]

Just did a quick rendering, so it kinda sucks, but you kinda get the idea.

[meetthespeakers]

So my rendering was not that off. Got the new wheels in last night, had to pop them on! They just barely fit on the front when airing out. May have to do a little rolling, anyway onto the pictures.














New Steering wheel.

[ProStreet_LS1]

Very cool

[meetthespeakers]

Woohoo, new seats are getting delivered tomorrow, should be here in the afternoon. 2004 Leather Astro seats and benches. The back bench I will have to chop and fabricate mounts to go over the notch. One of the unexpected pluses I found is the 2004 bench seat has the baby seat latches built in. Awesome...

[356redux]

Lookin good bro. You know I like the style of those wheels too. That's a nice score on the seats. Do you mind telling me how much and where you were able to score the whole set? And on a side note, what is going on in the background there? Mini motors don't mount that way! What you building back there? Funny I love mini's too. I guess we have similar tastes.

[meetthespeakers]

I bought the set of a member here. A little more than I wanted to spend, but they are hard to find, especially complete and in good shape. Used USHIP to get them from Georgia to MD. What's going on in the background is the 61 I am building. Spent all yesterday working on the Morris fabricating a new trans tunnel, recessed battery box, mounting Mini seats in it, scraping off all the old valve cover gaskets, and setting up the trunk for the air tank, compressor, fuse panel, etc.

[meetthespeakers]

Okay, was another productive week on the Stro. Here are some pics:


Half ton bumper sectioned/narrowed to fit astro. Smoothed out and recessed plate holder.


Hidden hitch made up from airbagit, they powder coated it for an extra $15. They custom made it to fit behind the roll pan.


Installed, fit was perfect!


The 2 link with panhard bar.


Big C-Notch


This was when I was installing the hitch, and flip up license plate holder.




Then I moved onto to doing the leather seats. Here is the rear bench, I cut off the legs, welded some angle steel to it so I could mount the rear seat untop of the wheel tub.


Came out pretty freaking good!


Love the new seats in there!


Sittin pretty with the new cleaner rear end, centered flip up plate.


And I will end with the 2 family haulers...

[icebrrg3rd]

Love those leather seats, very nice install. I'm also planning on a hidden hitch similat to that, except I will keep the rear bumper, pull it in a little, then run it thru that. Are there more pics of the 2-link set-up?

-Andrew

[meetthespeakers]

Sorry no additional pictures, may be able to snap some this weekend when I work on it some more. Anything in particular your looking for? Front hangers? Have my paint buddy stopping by on Friday to take a look at the body and see if I can get the bullet holes filled, paint the new custom front bumper, and just go everything in general. New shocks are coming in looks like Saturday, so maybe this weekend I will tackle fabricate the front shock mounts.

[icebrrg3rd]

No special pics required, was just curious on a 2-link, usually hear about 3 or 4 link, that's all. I'm probably sticking with old school leafs on mine anyways, altho after I swap my V-8 and everything works, I might lower it, not sure. Yours looks good, I like it.

-Andrew

[meetthespeakers]

The ride quality alone is worth it, no longer feels like a "truck". Plus I like my cars low, really low, so this really was a good fit for me. It is a little bouncy in the front without having shocks, but hopefully that will be rectified soon. Bags are the RE-6 up front and RE-7 Slam bags.

[vectrex11]

That build is coming along nicely. I always liked the look of the older Astros with the phantom billet grille. I used to have a 1990 Astro and have always been unhappy that I traded it for a Blazer. Since then I have been on a quest to obtain a mild custom Astro like you have here. Its tough trying to find the older ones these days that haven't been beaten to death or hacked into some weird horrible excuse for a custom.

[slammedgringo]

Nice ride man! Happy you could fill the void. Is it notched? From the pictures I can't tell where the upper bag mounts are welded ? also what wheel and tire combo is that ?

[meetthespeakers]

Frame has roughly a 6" notch, bridge across, full tub. Wheels are 18" ridler 695's, I been getting most of my wheels from JDWHEELS for the last few years, I just like the variety the offer, IE mainly 5 spoke wheels with dish. Tires are skinny 225/45/18.

[slammedgringo]

skinny? I'm on 20" 35's , we spoke over the phone about my van lol ... I would like to return it to a 18" though nice pick on wheels. How many valves do you have ? shocks in rear ? I like the idea of a 2 link retaining factory front perch but not bag over axle. I want to re-do with bag on bar

[meetthespeakers]

As much as I like the look of 20's with some dish, I didn't want to run that low of a profile, not cruising to work 3 hours a day in. The van is just front back setup, it does have shocks on the rear. I will be adding the front shocks when it gets a little warmer and I can find the time. I just ordered all new shocks, belltech lowering shocks. And the front perch is not stock, looks kinda like stock. I just ordered a few days ago, and looks like they are getting delivered today some re-6's and re-8's for the rear. Maybe one day I will see if I can squeeze the 7's in the front. I really wanted to get the SS slam bags, but the reviews of bag failure turned me off. Yes I remember speaking with you, I take it you still have it? I was happy I could find one "locally", 2.5/3 hour drive.