First gen crossmember

Well I got one problem solved THANKS GUYS now on to the next I need some advise again PLEASE I have heard the 1st and 2nd GEN have the same front cross-member but my 1st GEN van has had A v8 conversion and the motor sits awful high in the front and no its not from the front springs LOL. Its at least 2 inches to high to run a mechanical fan witch is necessary in Florida in the summer all the motor mounts and pedestals are stock the only way I see this happening is put 2 inch spacers between the frame and cross-member to drop the front of the motor down 2 inches has any body run into this problem??? and is 2 inches going to affect the drive-shaft angle too much to cause a vibration the drive shaft is dead straight now trans to rear axle ????? THANKS........................

The X members are different between the 2. But I'm pretty sure they are the same height. What are you running for tranny? Typical V8/700r4: Usually drop the engine 1-2" with spacers and make tranny mount position to go along with it. I'm not familiar with the quirks of using the 350TH with a stock hanger and a V8 in a 1st gen.

i,m hopeing that on my 66 when i put the 283 with t-350 and stock hanger everything lines up right.with out shimming the x member

I have a 307 v8 w turbo 350 with a speedway crossmember that is the same hight as the origional one. DAN'O drove the van for a year with no overheating issues with a electric fan. I can install a mechanical fan but it is almost even with the top tank of the radiator witch leaves me no room for a shroud. RV sent me pictures of his 2nd GEN factory v8 and the fan was in the center of the radiator? I dont want to shim anything either...........ANY IDEAS? If I cant come up with anything I will take a inch or two out of the motor mount pedstals down the road...................I think 1st and 2nd GEN have the same x member but the 6 cly and v8 pedstals are a different height.

that is what i rember someone once posting that a 2nd gen x member used in a 1th gen the motor sits lower in d/h

BINGO.......THANKS BEAR........Back to the drawing board...JOE VAN.....

I don't want to start an argument but it would move the engine forward 2 inches. Not down. I havepics side by side at home i can post later if you want to see. Isn't the 2nd x flow much lower than thefan.?

joe what speedway cross member did you use? how much drop?

I might have had that backwards,, looks like it would set it back ,not forward.

The trans crossmember is from speedway it is a universal one maby 4 or 5 inch drop from the frame but lookes to be at stock height the motor crossmember is original I am thinking maby raise the trans mount a inch or so it should bring the front down the drive shaft comes straight out so it should not hurt to go up a inch or two and would be a lot easer than trying to modify the original front x member?..........I am open for suggestions. After looking at DIGZ"S photo they look to be the same height I think my trans is too low?

good looking van joe i like it. thinking of painting my 66 org or red

THANKS BEAR I have been after DAN"O to sell me this van for about 5 years now it was a factory red-orange color now its red the body is super solid with no rust or repair and one repaint. The only damage is behind the left front wheel well were a tire blew out I have been vanning since the early 80s and have always wanted a Early Chevy Van you guys on this site have been AWSOME with all the info and pictures thanks everyone........................

my dad had a 65 panal when i was a kid then a host of 3rd gens in the 70,s so i have been in to vans my hole life too i allways wanted a early and in 2004 i found a 1969 108 panal here in michigan then 1970 90 in 06 and a 1966 no-door in 08 sold off the 69 been working off and on both vans hope to get one of both back togther this year my 1970 is going 4x4.

With the van setting at ride height the thing to watch for is making the pinion angles between the tranny and rear as close as possible. With your gasser stance it may take some tweaking to dial it all in. Your rear pinion angle should be in the 4-6* range (trying to allow for your stance a little). The trans at normal mount would have a 4-5* angle. In my mind you would have to raise it some to get the angles matched up with the front "All up in the air" like that. Once you get those matched up then you run into drive line angle. Opinions vary somewhat in this area. 3* would be normal I think. I'm running closer to 7*. Start getting away from the norm and it becomes a game of comprimises.

The front end is not set in stone when we took the picture it was a 4 inch lift witch looked good but after working on it and jumping in and out me and my wife find it difficult to get in and out of now its back down to 2 inch lift now I am going with 275-60-15 in rear with 10 inch rims that will lift the rear a couple of inches I have a 2 more brake lines to run and its ready for the road. Hopefully next week I will register the van and work the bugs out as far as the pinion angle and the tail-shaft angle they are perfectly straight. My BLUE 78 CHEVY VAN I built and sold had a 12 inch lift kit the rear pinion angle had to be changed[turned up] but the tail-shaft had quite a bit if angle but I never had any problem.I think when they welded the cross-member on my van they welded it where the drive-shaft was straight so I think??? I can raise the trans a inch or two and not run into any issues I will find out in a week or so......if not I will live with the electric fan and leave it alone I guess if it aint broke don't fix it...