New Shop Truck

falconvan said:

Thanks! I just put a chip adapter in the TBI computer so I can burn a chip for it and do some tuning. I've been driving it quite a bit without any issues except for it running rich and an EGR code. Should be able to fix both of those issues with some programming. I'm about ready to hit it with my buffer and see if I can wake up the oxidized paint a little.

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Don't get it to shinny

soltz said:

Don't get it to shinny

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I cant help myself! The paint is too good not to shine it up.

I ended up buying my own chip programmer last spring and really getting the van running great. This thing has ran great and been super reliable all year so what should I do? Tear it apart and make it better, of course!
I took a 98 350 Vortec and an extra fresh set of Summit Vortec heads on trade this summer so I'm going to freshen it up and drop it in over the winter. The motor came out of a Z71 truck and the guy said it ran great except for some lifter noise. I pulled it apart and I guess the guy didn't believe in oil changes. the amount of goo is unbelievable but the cylinders have almost no wear; you can still visibly see all the factory hone marks. Should be a nice upgrade from the 307.

Pat check the valve guides for clearance IE: too tight. Common failing with the R motor vortecs. it should go pretty good[cl

Will do, John. I'm planning on a cam upgrade, headers, Air Gap RPM intake with a throttle body adapter, and a TBI bored to 650cfm. I already upgraded to a high pressure fuel pump so I can put a 18 psi spring in the throttle body fuel regulator.

If you are going much more than a mild cam then you will need to machine the valve spring seats to accept more lift. Usual process is to open them up, shorten the top of the guide and run a regular stem seal with LT1 style springs. Then you can get to .525" lift (ZZ4 cam)[P

Yeah, I may do that. I got a new set of Chevy Performance Vortec heads with it but Summit says max lift on these is .475. I'll see what cams Chevy has; I hate to take a brand new head apart and have machine work done on it if I can find a lower lift cam I'll be happy with.

That's better; a couple of cans of engine cleaner and the power washer made a big difference. I'll probably still have it run through a hot tank to get all the goo out of the oil passages.

I probably wont get this engine together and put in until next summer as most of my resources are going into putting my 48 together. But when I do, I figured if the van was going to have more beans, it needs three pedals to go along with it. Picked up this 5 speed to put behind it.

Going to be an interesting shifter on that 5 speed.....

Bamamav said:

Going to be an interesting shifter on that 5 speed.....

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Shouldn't be too bad, the 85-88 Astrovans actually came with 5 speeds. I saw one with an NV3500 swapped in and the shifter came through the floor in a decent spot.

Now that the 48 is wrapped up it's time for the shop truck to get some love. I actually put it out there for sale a few times thinking about going to a Suburban but all I got were some ridiculously lowball offers so it's staying put. I was going to build the Vortec motor for it but honestly the little 307 runs too darn good to ditch it yet. So I'm just going to drop on the new set of Vortec heads along with an aluminum intake and headers, put in the 5 speed, new shocks all the way around, and get the A/C working. I've got a few residential A/C replacements lined up to do in the next two weeks and then she's going in the garage. I think I'm taking this one on the Power Tour in June; I'm planning on doing the Saturday-Wednesday stretch from Kansas City to Gateway International Racetrack which will put me about 45 minutes from home.

Getting ready to tear down the Astro for the trans swap and engine upgrades. So a friend of mine says,"You're going to go through all the hassle of pulling the engine out of this thing to put on new heads, intake, headers, a manual trans swap and your going to put the 307 back in when you have a roller cam vortec 350 sitting there that just needs a few parts and will give you probably 100hp more?" Ok, now that I think about it, I guess that doesn't make much sense. So I ordered the engine rebuild kit and a GM Performance roller cam today and got the block cleaned up. should be putting it together this weekend.

Made a little headway

Luckily GM put in the the mounts and cutouts for the clutch pedal and master cylinder. Finding a manual transmission Astro to get the pedal assembly is pretty rare so I cut down this Jeep pedal I had laying around. A few more adjustments and it should work fine; the clutch master cylinder was still available from Rock Auto.

I like this project a lot. Even better because you are putting a manual transmission in it. And, you got rid of the 307.

Thanks, Bob. Can't really complain about the little 307; it was a darn good running engine with decent power and I had next to nothing invested in it. I sold it and the 700r4 yesterday to another local hot rodder. But I'm sure the Vortec engine and three pedals will be a lot more fun.

falconvan said:

I'm sure the Vortec engine and three pedals will be a lot more fun.

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Oh those poor little 205/70/15's aren't going to know what hit them! [cl

jfg455 said:

Oh those poor little 205/70/15's aren't going to know what hit them! [cl

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One step ahead of you, brother! I put some 255/60/15s on the back and 215/70/15s on the front; she's ready for a HP increase!

falconvan said:

Thanks, Bob. Can't really complain about the little 307; it was a darn good running engine with decent power and I had next to nothing invested in it. I sold it and the 700r4 yesterday to another local hot rodder. But I'm sure the Vortec engine and three pedals will be a lot more fun.

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Had a few 307's and they were fine. Pulled the cranks out of a few and put them in a 350 block to make a large journal 327. Works pretty good too. But I really like your driveline combination now.