New Guy here, just got my first van and want to do a 4x4.

Hello everyone. I just found this forum a few days ago and I've really been enjoying reading some of the topics. The atmosphere here is great and I'm glad to be a part of it.

Decided to make it official and join because I just sent the deposit thru ebay for my first van! If the listing is still up, you can see it here:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160582919195&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT#v4-35
It should be at my place in about a week and I can't wait!

I was wanting to do a 4x4 van for a long time and originally was moving toward doing a VW bus until I started learning more about the early Chevy/Ford/Dodge vans. More room, more obscure where I'm from (I like to be different), and all American!

I'm curious if anyone has ever tried to place the van onto an existing complete 4x4 truck chassis? I have an '87 K10 that I bought as a donor for the VW project and it runs great with a 350TBI, is already lifted, and is tagged and titled. My van does not come with a title so I figured 2 birds with one stone if I just put a new body on an existing truck. I know the truck is too long but I have a fabricator who says he can solve this problem easily.

Anyone ever done this before? Does it work? Am I crazy? (yes) Any input would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Welcome to the site!!!! Talk with Vanish about this, sure he can help

Welcome to vanning and the site OldDirty!

M1D

Hello all, Still working on this project, and got a quick question for those who have attempted in the past. What transmission/transfer case did you use? My combo is a 700R4 and NP208 which together are about 52" long, not leaving much room for a rear driveshaft. I think NP205 and TH350 is the shortest for 4x4 Chevy, but if there's anything better I'm all ears!

Here's a shot of what was a driveable pickup 2 months ago.


Happy vanning!

I am putting the van on that frame. The frame will need to be shortened to accommodate the van's wheelbase (I should've got a 108...) but I have a guy who can do it and he swears it "won't be that big of a deal". I know I'm crazy, I just figured from the beginning that it would be easier to have the running gear from an existing truck all together. Once I found this site and saw a few 4x4's done off the van chassis, I figured someone would have some insight as to what components would be short enough to preserve working 4 wheel drive while still allowing a long enough rear driveshaft to avoid any extreme angles. I have found sources for driveshafts that can run at up to almost 40 degrees, but I think it'd be a good idea to have my trans/transfercase combo as short as possible. I know it can be done because I saw an Econoline pickup that the guy said was on a modified Bronco chassis at a car show a few years back. That planted the seed and I've been wanting to do this build ever since. Originally it was to be with a VW bus, but the one I had was just too shi**y. Any input is much appreciated!

Have the guy concentrate on driveline length and placement, and the steering. These will be the main issues. Wiring, cooling, exhaust and body mounting will all be less difficult.

Divorced tansfercases work wonders! The biggest problem is the driveshaft angles due to the short wheelbases of our vans. Keep the wheelbase stock.Keep the original drive train. Add one of those transfercases and make three driveshafts. All with the stock chassie.Save a whole lot of time and cash this way!

A cheap easy 4x4 that has a divorced transfercase is IH fill size pickups up to 1975. Early Dodge 4x4 1960 up to '72 "twin stick", and '60-67 Chevy trucks. Easiest way to spot one ,It has a driveshaft from the transmission to the transfercase then to the axles.

Benwah and Rod, thanks for the input. I am hoping my fabricator friend can come see my project in person soon so we can game-plan it. I have seen the divorced transfer cases and I think they're neat but I don't think I follow how this will help keep my driveline short enough to have a respectable rear driveshaft? See my 4x4 truck was a fullsize long bed (about 2 feet more wheelbase than the van body) so I have to shorten up the chassis to make the tires fit under the 90" wheelbase of the van. If i'm moving the rear axle closer to the tranfercase output, then my rear driveshaft is operating at a more drastic angle. Go too far and you're binding up the u-joints, so I'm looking for the shortest trans/t-case combo I can get so that it's still streetable and retains 4WD. I have looked into the NP205 and it looks like it could buy me about 15" of extra space, so I'll probably go with that unless something better becomes apparent.

See how long that transfer case is with the long slip yoke? It's eating up valuable driveshaft space! In this photo, the rear axle is out of frame to the left.

old dirty,seems it would be easier to hang the front end and rear end under the van using the stock spring locations. Then install the motor and tranny in the van and figure out the transfer issue. The van has a flat frames rails that will have to set on top of the chevy truck frame(curved) . Also another thing you might want to check out , is this going to be legal for the road, usually frame on top of frame is fround on by john law. Vanish has a couple of these vans done , I would be picking his brain!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bob