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Anyone done a 4x4 conversion on a van ?

H20 Toie

H20 Toie

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Hell i have a crew cab, blazer and suburban, now just need a 4x4 van :)

Have looked at a few already done and they have been trashed or rusted like hell so thinking about just doing the conversion myself.
 
H20 Toie said:
Hell i have a crew cab, blazer and suburban, now just need a 4x4 van :)

Have looked at a few already done and they have been trashed or rusted like hell so thinking about just doing the conversion myself.
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I built one in the middle East years ago.
Used a 10 bolt 8 lug front and d60 rear with a 203 I had laying around.
It was a 79 chevy van and I built everything from scratch from spring hangers to cross members to driveshaft.
I still have all the plans and sketches.
I am now working on a 97.
Trying to decide if I go with a IFS I got from a 93 suburban or sfa with the 10 bolt I have.
Either way I will have a 241 tcase and plans are 31" or no more than 33" tires
 
I have a buddy who has researched this quite a bit. He wants to build one but wants something newer than the 70's vans you usually see, and on a budget. He said that the reason all the late model 4x4 vans are fords is that the gm van crossmember is difficult to work with. Lots of fab work to make it all clear on the gm. The Quigley 4x4 vans are fords. It can all be done, just lots of fab.
You could get an early 2000's Express van with an 8.1L. That would be outstanding in 4x4. I have an electrician buddy with a Duramax one too.
 
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HankScorpio said:
I have a buddy who has researched this quite a bit. He wants to build one but wants something newer than the 70's vans you usually see, and on a budget. He said that the reason all the late model 4x4 vans are fords is that the gm van crossmember is difficult to work with. Lots of fab work to make it all clear on the gm. The Quigley 4x4 vans are fords. It can all be done, just lots of fab.
You could get an early 2000's Express van with an 8.1L. That would be outstanding in 4x4. I have an electrician buddy with a Duramax one too.
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70's chevy van which went all the way to 95 can work just fine with a sfa.
Remove front suspension, cut the bottom part of the crossmember which now is only supporting the engine and the pumpkin tucks right in the gap of the crossmember.
I am working on the 96 to present version.
I really would like to do the IFS but I am trying to use coilover instead of the torsion bar.
No real hurry for me though I have a few projects ahead of it.
It will be more of a winter driving camping, and possibly overlanding
 
blazinzuk said:
Leaf springs and a front axle. They seem pretty simple.

I so want a 4x4 van. My wife, not so much
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I think she was fine with it until you mentioned the wall to wall carpet, queen bed and bar... that over did it :haha:

IMGP9705.jpg
 
kgblazerfive said:
You know that you can buy a 200 era van that is 4x4 from the factory from Chevy. Not very many but they are out there.
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There are a few drawbacks to those:
  • Actually AWD and not 4WD
  • Only offered on 1500
  • Most of them are white panel vans that tradesmen have worked out of and not exactly pristine. If you want windows or something more like the van "luxury package" you'll have to do all that yourself.
It is apparently much easier than starting from scratch, though. I was pretty sure I saw one lifted which kept about the same CV-joint angles, as they slope upwards to the hubs in the factory config:

IMG_1449-1.jpg


https://expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/chevrolet-express-van-awd-to-4x4-conversion.52911/
 
I've been tempted to mate my '81 G-10 with the '85 K10 Suburban,but my van has sat unregistered a long time,and though it could be put back on the road,I'm sure its unibody rails probably have some rot on the inside where you cant see--looks good outside still though..

Its a project beyond the scope of my current ability though now..if I had done it when I first got the Burb it may have been possible,but you need a lift and have to be in dam good physical condition to undertake such a big project..I have neither..

There was a van almost identical to mine on Facebook Marketplace that was converted to a 4x4,for $1000 about 2 weeks ago,the seller's ad said "I didn't do the conversion and don't know much about it--decided I have too many projects"...
It was in a town not far from where my older brother lives--if my truck could be trusted that far I would probably have gone to look it over and possibly bought it..my tractors,trucks and garage stuff 022.jpg my tractors,trucks and garage stuff 053.jpg
 
Buy this and finish it.
https://www.ksl.com/classifieds/listing/52083051
We have a late 70s or early 80s Chevy 12 passenger van at work that is 4x4 converted from way back when it was new. If I remember correctly its a ford dana 44 out front on leaf springs with a driver drop np205 tcase adapted to the Chevy auto trans. Not sure why they went that route. It is like brand new still and barely ever gets used. Super low mileage and my buddy that is the mechanic at that location changes the oil every year even though it gets maybe a few hundred miles if that.
 
I have seen a factory Chevy Van based 1 ton short bus that was 4x4 factory,and it also had a Duramax diesel,its in the fleet of a local town's school buses,used to transport handicapped kids..
Saw one of them for sale not that long ago,for $4500 or B/O,it had a lot of miles on it though,and was getting rusty..not sure what year it was but it was the newer "Express" van model nose on it..
 
diesel4me said:
I have seen a factory Chevy Van based 1 ton short bus that was 4x4 factory,and it also had a Duramax diesel,its in the fleet of a local town's school buses,used to transport handicapped kids..
Saw one of them for sale not that long ago,for $4500 or B/O,it had a lot of miles on it though,and was getting rusty..not sure what year it was but it was the newer "Express" van model nose on it..
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I saw one of these a few months ago, I would have jumped on it for $4500.
No matter what condition if running it's worth it
 
Truckman4life said:
Buy this and finish it.
https://www.ksl.com/classifieds/listing/52083051
We have a late 70s or early 80s Chevy 12 passenger van at work that is 4x4 converted from way back when it was new. If I remember correctly its a ford dana 44 out front on leaf springs with a driver drop np205 tcase adapted to the Chevy auto trans. Not sure why they went that route. It is like brand new still and barely ever gets used. Super low mileage and my buddy that is the mechanic at that location changes the oil every year even though it gets maybe a few hundred miles if that.
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Yeah the conversions done on those generations always used ford parts because the engine is not centered but more to the passenger side so more room on the driver side for the driveshaft.
 
imiceman44 said:
Yeah the conversions done on those generations always used ford parts because the engine is not centered but more to the passenger side so more room on the driver side for the driveshaft.
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Pathfinder was the one making those conversions back then.
Now Quigley is the only one I know doing conversions.
 
I've posted this photo before--has anyone ever seen a factory 4x4 van using this "V-drive" setup ?...I guess it allows for "low height" ,yet still provides 4wd traction..I've seen only one under a Ford in a junkyard..van v-drive 4x4.jpg
 
diesel4me said:
I've posted this photo before--has anyone ever seen a factory 4x4 van using this "V-drive" setup ?...I guess it allows for "low height" ,yet still provides 4wd traction..I've seen only one under a Ford in a junkyard..View attachment 265481
Click to expand...

Vemco is the ones that made that type of conversion. They did GM vans too.
 
diesel4me said:
I've posted this photo before--has anyone ever seen a factory 4x4 van using this "V-drive" setup ?...I guess it allows for "low height" ,yet still provides 4wd traction..I've seen only one under a Ford in a junkyard..View attachment 265481
Click to expand...
Yeah seen those.
Two pumpkins one for each side.
Not the best design and that's why not many were made
 
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