Believe me, I'm no mechanic but I've watched numerous videos about the Astro vans and they have an issue with leaking from the rear doors. I heard one person say that a lot of people have drilled drainage holes in the floor. After watching your video and seeing all that water I may make the extra effort to rip the carpet out to see underneath on my Astro. Wish mine was a cargo van. I hate to strip it because the interior is actually in good shape.
That's what I ended up doing, drilling some drain holes. I caulked along the edge where the floor/threshold meet the body of the van, so water won't get underneath. Without the drain holes, IF it rained really heavily, the water just sloshed around back there with nowhere to go. Normally I see little water back there after replacing the weather-stripping. But now a little dust gets in on dirt roads through the drain holes. Since I'm usually in the desert, I just tape over the drain holes and leave them this way unless it's going to rain. Just gotta remember to pull the tape :)
cool.. I remember thinkig of driving a similar van all over hot sunny states, running a channel and the twist I had in my mind would be a daily work out wherever I stop. I was thinking about how to combine working out and travel which is just impossible when you think of it, two diametrically opposite poles apart ideas, but.. there is such an old school thing as a body weight, basic dumbbells and pull up station which can be easily set up and dismantled in a matter of seconds. Pull up station is a must, some place and palm platforms for wrist protection to do push ups, dumbdells/barbell which are not essential but can make it more fun and you are all set aside frm legs. Legs is a bummer... you cannot fit a proper leg press machine into a van, but you can fit in bicycle and some basic vertical leg press machine which you would buy for home it is easy to put together and disassemble. I know it sounds crazy but quite doable, you travel and stay fit, as opposed to just fit in a stifling gym. But the majority dont give a f**k about working out so just van will do for most =DD I was obsessed with this idea, it comes with all the advantages of a van versus tent, you are much more protected from the elements, humans, animals etc. You are warmer in a van, can carry lots of stuff, and move faster... pull up to any any trailhead and hike, find some flat spots for work out on some parking spaces or wherever and there you go ;D
That's a pretty cool twist actually. I like that idea because I used to workout regularly, before I built the van. I too thought hard about how to incorporate a good workout into my van setup. And like you, having some sort of pull up bar was going to be essential, and I just couldn't figure a good way to do it. If I can do push ups and pull ups, that would be good enough. I'll get enough of a lower body workout from hiking around all day. The best idea I could come up with is having two bars that run parallel to the roof rack, on the outside. Maybe weld tubes to the side of the roof rack, and inside would be some strong metal tubing that can slide out from behind the van. The pull up bar would span the two tubes that slide out and fit up against the back side of the roof rack when stowed. I think it would be expensive though to pay someone to build, as I've never welded in my life. The sliding tube thing I just described could also have other purposes... drape a curtain around it and it becomes a showering area, for example
@@SeekingLost We are all like-minded people [more or less] in this beautiful community ;D Yes your ideas are great. I was thinking about the pull up station like the one which can be taken outside of the van and assembled/disassembled whenever needed... for demonstrative example: www.k-sport-uk.co.uk/stand-alone-portable-pull-up-bar?Fitness%20equipment&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIvZXUgOjH-gIVpoBQBh0DzA-7EAQYASABEgJ6UfD_BwE if the link doesnt work it is a portable stand alone pull up bar, so some of them are bigger some smaller the idea is the same you get it out wherever the surface is flat and set it up then put it all back together and fit somewhere inside the van. But your idea is much more convenient if done the way you imagine it. Also the size if tube the circumference is important for the proper grip =) pull ups are the beast, and yes that suffice push ups/pull ups and hiking. If it is done daily man, you are in great shape guaranteed plus good nutrition your body will thank you for that. =) Occasional beer or cocktail will make it work even better ;DDD
Thanks! Actually, this van originally had the W/T grill, but I switched to the composite lights and grill because I think they look better. I bought the brightest bulbs I could find that were a direct replacement and not HID, but they still aren't very bright. I replaced the reverse lights with some LED bulbs, and WOW, those things are insanely bright!
TOTALLY AWESOME (cleaner) lol, I use that for everything. $1 at the Dollar store and works better than anything else. Looking forward to your northern Idaho and Montana trips.
Awesome has worked some miracles for me on a few cars I detailed many years ago. Cars that you would have thought were unsalvageably (not a word?) dirty. Best cleaner ever. Harder to find these days though it seems.
Awesome! The floor looks to be in pretty good shape despite the standing water. Not too much rust. Cleaned up real nice. How is the rust situation on the undercarriage? I'll be looking forward to the next episode! ~ Mike
I was expecting a little more rust, because there is some rust underneath. Impossible to avoid on a 20 year old Michigan vehicle, really. There's a little rust on the frame in the rear of the van, and below the drivers door, but nothing that's really bad or threatening the structural integrity of the van. Plus, this van has seen its last Michigan winter, and should no longer be exposed to road salt, so I'm not too concerned about it long term. I'm hoping to get at least 5 years out of the van
Can't wait for the next episode!! You really got a good deal on that!! My neighbor has an Astro Van, but it's a "luxury" edition. You really don't see too many of these on the road any more. Did you have any problems finding parts?
I was lucky to get pre-pandemic prices. I was looking for an AWD Astro to replace this one, but the $10k+ prices scared me away. In the end, I'm glad I went with the RWD because the AWD would probably get worse gas mileage, and the AWD is something that I would rarely use. Good All Terrain tires have been a surprisingly good replacement for the second set of drive wheels. So far, no issues finding parts. There's even a local junkyard with several Astros, which I've hit up for a few parts from time to time.
Jesus they wanted to make sure that ffriggin cage and plastic walls were there to stay. How the heck you have all those tools you have to be in a trade of sorts..
Just got my van and am trying to plan and map some things out. This was very helpful showing what prep work should be done. Thank you!
@@citizengar cool, good luck with your build!
Looking forward to this series.
i'm also looking forward to this!
Same
Believe me, I'm no mechanic but I've watched numerous videos about the Astro vans and they have an issue with leaking from the rear doors. I heard one person say that a lot of people have drilled drainage holes in the floor. After watching your video and seeing all that water I may make the extra effort to rip the carpet out to see underneath on my Astro. Wish mine was a cargo van. I hate to strip it because the interior is actually in good shape.
That's what I ended up doing, drilling some drain holes. I caulked along the edge where the floor/threshold meet the body of the van, so water won't get underneath. Without the drain holes, IF it rained really heavily, the water just sloshed around back there with nowhere to go. Normally I see little water back there after replacing the weather-stripping. But now a little dust gets in on dirt roads through the drain holes. Since I'm usually in the desert, I just tape over the drain holes and leave them this way unless it's going to rain. Just gotta remember to pull the tape :)
cool.. I remember thinkig of driving a similar van all over hot sunny states, running a channel and the twist I had in my mind would be a daily work out wherever I stop. I was thinking about how to combine working out and travel which is just impossible when you think of it, two diametrically opposite poles apart ideas, but.. there is such an old school thing as a body weight, basic dumbbells and pull up station which can be easily set up and dismantled in a matter of seconds. Pull up station is a must, some place and palm platforms for wrist protection to do push ups, dumbdells/barbell which are not essential but can make it more fun and you are all set aside frm legs. Legs is a bummer... you cannot fit a proper leg press machine into a van, but you can fit in bicycle and some basic vertical leg press machine which you would buy for home it is easy to put together and disassemble. I know it sounds crazy but quite doable, you travel and stay fit, as opposed to just fit in a stifling gym. But the majority dont give a f**k about working out so just van will do for most =DD I was obsessed with this idea, it comes with all the advantages of a van versus tent, you are much more protected from the elements, humans, animals etc. You are warmer in a van, can carry lots of stuff, and move faster... pull up to any any trailhead and hike, find some flat spots for work out on some parking spaces or wherever and there you go ;D
That's a pretty cool twist actually. I like that idea because I used to workout regularly, before I built the van. I too thought hard about how to incorporate a good workout into my van setup. And like you, having some sort of pull up bar was going to be essential, and I just couldn't figure a good way to do it. If I can do push ups and pull ups, that would be good enough. I'll get enough of a lower body workout from hiking around all day. The best idea I could come up with is having two bars that run parallel to the roof rack, on the outside. Maybe weld tubes to the side of the roof rack, and inside would be some strong metal tubing that can slide out from behind the van. The pull up bar would span the two tubes that slide out and fit up against the back side of the roof rack when stowed. I think it would be expensive though to pay someone to build, as I've never welded in my life. The sliding tube thing I just described could also have other purposes... drape a curtain around it and it becomes a showering area, for example
@@SeekingLost We are all like-minded people [more or less] in this beautiful community ;D Yes your ideas are great. I was thinking about the pull up station like the one which can be taken outside of the van and assembled/disassembled whenever needed... for demonstrative example: www.k-sport-uk.co.uk/stand-alone-portable-pull-up-bar?Fitness%20equipment&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIvZXUgOjH-gIVpoBQBh0DzA-7EAQYASABEgJ6UfD_BwE if the link doesnt work it is a portable stand alone pull up bar, so some of them are bigger some smaller the idea is the same you get it out wherever the surface is flat and set it up then put it all back together and fit somewhere inside the van. But your idea is much more convenient if done the way you imagine it. Also the size if tube the circumference is important for the proper grip =) pull ups are the beast, and yes that suffice push ups/pull ups and hiking. If it is done daily man, you are in great shape guaranteed plus good nutrition your body will thank you for that. =) Occasional beer or cocktail will make it work even better ;DDD
A lot of food for thought on this series, Eric. Great effort and result. Hope you get a lot of use and travel out of this. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Rick! I spent 125+ nights in the van last year, getting my money's worth for sure!
Good Work! If you need to upgrade the headlamps, you could install the W/T grille with sealedbeams and add H4 e-code headlamps and keep low profile. 👍
Thanks! Actually, this van originally had the W/T grill, but I switched to the composite lights and grill because I think they look better. I bought the brightest bulbs I could find that were a direct replacement and not HID, but they still aren't very bright. I replaced the reverse lights with some LED bulbs, and WOW, those things are insanely bright!
MUST CLEANING SUPPLT AWESOME!
TOTALLY AWESOME (cleaner) lol, I use that for everything. $1 at the Dollar store and works better than anything else. Looking forward to your northern Idaho and Montana trips.
Awesome has worked some miracles for me on a few cars I detailed many years ago. Cars that you would have thought were unsalvageably (not a word?) dirty. Best cleaner ever. Harder to find these days though it seems.
Awesome video. Cant wait for more
I want those interior wall panels and the divider cage.
I give them to you, if I still had them!
i recognize that build....
Awesome! The floor looks to be in pretty good shape despite the standing water. Not too much rust. Cleaned up real nice. How is the rust situation on the undercarriage? I'll be looking forward to the next episode! ~ Mike
I was expecting a little more rust, because there is some rust underneath. Impossible to avoid on a 20 year old Michigan vehicle, really. There's a little rust on the frame in the rear of the van, and below the drivers door, but nothing that's really bad or threatening the structural integrity of the van. Plus, this van has seen its last Michigan winter, and should no longer be exposed to road salt, so I'm not too concerned about it long term. I'm hoping to get at least 5 years out of the van
Can't wait for the next episode!! You really got a good deal on that!! My neighbor has an Astro Van, but it's a "luxury" edition. You really don't see too many of these on the road any more. Did you have any problems finding parts?
I was lucky to get pre-pandemic prices. I was looking for an AWD Astro to replace this one, but the $10k+ prices scared me away. In the end, I'm glad I went with the RWD because the AWD would probably get worse gas mileage, and the AWD is something that I would rarely use. Good All Terrain tires have been a surprisingly good replacement for the second set of drive wheels. So far, no issues finding parts. There's even a local junkyard with several Astros, which I've hit up for a few parts from time to time.
@@SeekingLost can't wait to see how this project turned out!
Have you considered ditching the carpet and doing a spray bed liner?
Thata how i got my van lol
Jesus they wanted to make sure that ffriggin cage and plastic walls were there to stay. How the heck you have all those tools you have to be in a trade of sorts..
Oh that wasn't even that many tools! Just accumulated a bunch over the years, worked in construction, on cars, remodeling homes, etc. Mr fix it haha
Mustache?