2004 Chevrolet AWD Express

[dar395]

As the failure to list it as an AWD, the paint bombing in my case were a bonus the interior being a little dirty is always a welcome treat!:bowdown:




Where as most seem to enjoy the clean polish look when they look for that just right van or auto, I on the other hand look at the piles of trash or just plain dirt, again it may keep you away from my personal finds, I have never understood the payment book approach, but on the other hand I always call and find out who maintained the vehicle and what they may know about it.

In this case, oil changed every 4,000 miles, only used in the summer (no salt) and any repairs needed were done right away! Just taken out of service, but it needed a battery! Some may pay for 48 - 72 months, sorry I like it simple as it can be, give me some dirt!:jump:

 

[dar395]

This we hope is just the start of the story, we just ended four years of travels in our van that we have built and enjoyed the new travels across the nation from cities to the west coast. The people we meet and the views we have seen, the van traveling is for us.

Our first one was about two things, a low cost build (just to see what could be done), to finding idea's on building and making the van more useable.

I hope to incorporate idea's from other's that I have ran across in our travels and here on this site as well as make sure not to include other's idea's that make no séance at all!

The first part is we found the van to start the journey, I hope you enjoyed how we have started.



The van is just a Chevrolet Express AWD, 2004 model with 40k on the clock, body is in great shape and was purchased thru my Uncle Sam for just $2,900 but needed a battery right away and it was 1,000 miles away. A little dirty, needing a good cleaning.

The van will be a camper van and only used for traveling, we (wife & self) like the back woods and have been trying for an AWD one for the past year, our other or old van 1998 GMC 2500 with a 9,000# winch that has worked well for us, we will be selling as this will be the replacement van.

 

[philos]

stellar, love it.

 

[simple]

Hat is off! SCORE!

 

[dar395]

After the bid process planning of the trip begins, first off I was the only one planning on taking the trip to pick up the van. I was planning on flying into Boston Logan airport and taking a bus that leaves the airport to Cape Cod, the van was 102 miles from the airport and by bus about 5 hours away but only $33 for the trip. My 1st time trying Sprit Air I found a flight from Detroit to Boston direct just an hour and 20 mins no bag checked.

Plans changes quickly arriving home from work that evening, wife says for $33 she'd like to tag along, back to Sprit Air.com and her ticket was purchased. The week before we had our 98 GMC in the upper part on New York State enjoying the fall colors and the slower pace of fall,



The fall is a great time in the North East U.S. as the camp grounds are still open, fall colors in full arrange and very little traffic on the two lane roads.

Our 1st fall trip called for a repeat of the prior week in this the Cape Cod run. Where I was happy with the bus trip from the airport we now found an auto at Enterprise from Boston's Logan airport to Orleans Mass (Cape Cod) Enterprise with the drop off fee being just $19 on top of the $38 rental and just a mere 1hour and 30 mins to the van.

We hit Boston's highway out of town at 9:30 am heading to the Cape with traffic backed up for about 10 miles on the incoming highway our side free sailing.

 

[dar395]

Pushing on to the Cape was a breeze, Mass 6 is just a Buzz-way fast moving. I had talked to the vehicle maintenance supervisor so I was prepared somewhat of what to expect on just what I might need to pick the van up.

I had been told that I needed a battery and may need tires at least one as there was cords showing on it, but the van was fresh out of service and should start right up.

We started looking for a Walmart, we almost never shop at them but being a new area for us this seemed a simple choice. In Barnstable Mass, Cape Cod we found "Our Store", parked and it we go. If you travel Spritair.com you know that the bare fare price is just a small carry-on bag, with-out any checked luggage this means no tools.

I had checked on U-tube just what I may need to install the battery and we had our shopping list in hand, 1st item was a battery, Walmart had one but the inventory tag showed it being 5 years old! I found a clerk and he checked the store inventory, this was the only one of this size. I had to pass on the battery, but other items on our list were fullfiled, They were metric socket set, two screwdrivers, channel locks, gloves, windex and paper towels, checked out gave them my $70+change and out the door. In the same mall area there was a Sears store, they had a fresh battery, checked it for full charge, paid and back on the road.

On the buzz-way it was a quick trip to Orleans Mass Cape Cod, we were stopping there just to see where the Enterprise office was located for the car drop off, we knew the Van was just 10 miles away in Wellfleet Mass Cape Cod, easy as both were on 6A.

Back into town (Orleans) 4 Fish and Chips at a great cove side diner over looking a small fishing fleet, than the short trip to the van

 

[dar395]

The van was part of the "Cape Cod National Seashore" park fleet and beginning it's life with the "Macroni Site" on the seashore and used in their education department. We arrived and walking into "Headquarters", seems like all of my vehicles that I drive come directly from Headquarters of one sort or another this was no different.

And just like all headquarters there was George waiting at the desk, handing the paper work over the wheels of the Federal Government began to turn once again for us. George call Marcel to announce our arrival. Marcel the property agent came out of hiding and first thing he says: "You got your trailer out front"! When I returned with: "No we just have a rental car, were driving the van home". Lucky he had no knowledge that I had call the vehicle maintenance garage and had needed information, if you purchase Surplus this is a great trick to have added information.

Marcel told us he'd meet us at the back of the building and there she was our new van, I did a quick walk around and noticed all of the tires looked ok, and did not see any bad tire as told, popped the hood placed the battery in, two bolts and she started right up, Marcel gave us the good luck-good bye, and we were ready to hit the road in less than 30 mins of arrival time, we felt great with the purchase :smiley_drive:.

 

[dar395]

As with anything that is this easy; after a year of looking for an AWD van, then one is listed with crappie photo's as a "G-10" and no mention of it being AWD, running the VIN number on a GM decoder to just be sure, and than no one came bidding against me, great flight at such a low price, the drive and the van all were great; Then!; Wife is in the Rental, I'm in the Van I pull out of the parking spot and the tire on the left rear is Flop, Flop, Flopping! It fell apart, I pulled over saw the bad tire, looked under and there was a brand new spare, opened the rear doors removed the panel and even a jack with hardware.

Still looking good!, jacked the van up and I could not even take off one lug nut! Eleven years and I was no match for them. The end of Easy! Before I go I always run a list of tow services, repair shops and tire stores in the area and I had them. In this case I saw a Ace Hardware and a Auto Repair shop just about two to three miles outside of the park, 1st stop was the ACE Hardware, they had Craft-men tools in stock but very high priced for a breaker bar and 22mm socket, I chose to try the repair shop.

Small Mom & Pop shop talking to the wife at the front desk she says hubby never lends tools! I ask just to talk to him, please? After a little small talk he never asked me my name nor where I was from, he lent me a 36" Snap-on toque bar and 22mm socket, back to the van we go! Lug nuts are a piece of cake with correct tools, spare tire on we're good to go again.

Back to the shop give the guy $20 (Had to force it on him) two $$'s in the air machine out front aired up the tires to 44#'s and off to return the rental in Orleans.

 

[dar395]

After leaving the repair shop we stopped to fill up the rental care as required, the van came with the added bonus of a full tank of fuel. I thought it might be a good idea to add two bottles of dry gas just as added insurance of a good run for home it began.

Two mins later the auto was dropped off and we're back over on Mass 6 heading for Hartford Conn, a trip through Canada would have saved us 130 miles but no plates as we were on a browed Dealer Plate, we were taking the long way home!

We agreed to just drive in the daylight hours as the colors at full sun were at their peak, hey two trips east right at peak season, what a lucky break for fall travel. We made it a little over 300 miles the first day heading back and knew we'd make it back about 7pm the next day, piece of cake trip.

We spotted a great looking diner right at the exit and the dinner time had arrived, I'd been driving all day and I was ready for the break. We get seated and I'd asked for coffee as no beer to be found in this diner, I'm looking over the menu and started reading the most in-depth writing to tell me what I was about to order and eat. The waitress returns for our order; Seafood Chowder, Pan seared Chicken Breast with Garlic Shrimp on Angel Hair Pasta in Base, Green Salad with Blue Cheese; than I was told that I should wait to have the coffee so to enjoy my dinner first. This was a great meal, and I was glad she told we to put off the coffee as it was amazing also. It's hard to understand when on the road in a small town a meal like this for just $13.95 and than the waitress tells us to go one more exit to a great motel and again she was right on. We were checked in by 8:30pm, nice glass of wine.

 

[dar395]

2nd day just as great as the 1st, wake to sunny sky's mid to low 70's and breakfast at the motel with fruit for the road, but really bad coffee. We're on the road by 8am and stopped at the local Mickey D's for coffee on the road.

Buzz-way is clear and in the mountains again with the colors at peak, van starts right up but we were only one exit up from the motel and pulled off for fuel. Again van running great. Then!

We put around a 150 miles behind us and then we are on I-80 and our rear left tire passes us go 75 mph, the van handled very well with only three tires on her, many of drivers pass us as we keep her under control and pull off to the left side of the road. In all of the co-motion we did not see one driver even slow down as our tire was rolling along, it went down a hill and out of site, and then bounced back up out of the ditch heading across the Buzz-way a white Malibu came close to it but was lucky and missed it. Two gents driving a GA truck stopped and helped retrieve the tire and wheel. It was a good day as no one was hit, we were able to stop safely and the van didn't get a mark on her, we were being cared for.

The wheel looked ok, so out came the jack and up go's the van on the left side of the road.

 

[dar395]

:Wow1: There is a story that I had heard years ago, here it is: "There was a guy that had a flat tire in front of the County Mental Ward, He jacked up the car took for the lug nuts and placed them in the hub cap. He stood up and stepped on the hub cap and all of the lug nuts flew out, he could not find them and was about to walk into town, a young man stood behind the fence of the County Mental Ward and watched, he asked "Why would you walk all the way to town when you could take one lug nut from each wheel and just limp into town and buy more", the man then asked "why are you locked up in there, you're a smart guy; the reply; "No one said I was Stupid, I'm hear because I'm crazy".

Always try to keep a light heart in your travels.

All I could do as all of the Lug nuts were gone from the wheel was try very hard to get a least on from each of the other three wheels, I was able to take off four.

I installed the tire and as I was starting to letting the van down a State Trooper pull up, I'd told him we were about done with the flat repair, he returns to his car telling us to put the four way flashers on and have a great day he drives off, but then my wife has to let me know that officer filled out his uniform correctly as I have all the fun of loading the van back up.

Oh that would all be to simple :iagree:

 

[dar395]

After the jack was in the back and the doors shut the van again starts right and we're good to go, wrong!

I start to head out on to the Buzz-way and the tire is wobble'n real bad, I pull to the right hand side of the road as there's more room for us. I get out jack her up try to tight'n the wheel a bid more still the same wobble we bent something I say.

I call 911 and a State Employ gives me a tow truck phone number, I call and get it on the way. We're thinking as we talk we're going to get robbed out here in nowhere land on the Buzz-way. We keep our sprits up and come up with a name for our new friend; the Van.

After all of this we were still enjoying the trip, we were on the side of a mountain with a great river view and all of the trees in full color.

We as you may have read picked her up at "Macroni Site" at the "Cape Cod National Seashore", wife says Macroni was a such a brilliant man (we got a little history lesson when we were at the Education center) this van may not live up to the smartness of the man. So we came up with "The Macaroni Express" it stuck and adding one letter she is named!

The flat bed just pulled up!~:wings:

 

[dar395]

There's the wife again as the Flat Bed driver gets out "The Mountain boys have nice jeans", man I'm working hard here.

I tell the driver about the wheel coming off and the recovery, lug nuts and on and on. He looks at the wheel and said he'd never seen a wheel come off and not have a mark on it, I never had a wheel come off so I can't say.

By nature I always want a little something, I ask the tow driver if I could drive the van on to see how the AWD works, he agrees and ask how high I want to go, I say high. He tilts the bed up for me and Macaroni Express the van gets to drive up the slope and it did great, no wheel spin at all, tow truck driver was impressed as well.

He takes us down some back roads past some great older Mobile Homes (I love Art Deco) to his small garage where we put the van down. He places the tire from the what we think is a bent wheel to the spare wheel with a flat tire on it. Installed it torqued it to 80#, then the bill! He asked for $100, I gave him $150 it was a great deal.

He gets a call of a wreak on the Buzz-way, I thank him and we're ready to head towards home.

Wobble, Wobble, Wobble the tire go's we stop, tow truck pulls up and I tell him the news he's sorry but has to attend the wreak, I understood and asked it I could stay at the shop until he returns, it was ok'd.

 

[dar395]

About 2-3 mins later an older (75-80) gent pulls in and pays no attention to us at all, unlocks the shop goes inside, than comes back out he'd called his son the tow driver.

Comes over to us and ask what's wrong?

We talk on-and-on again about the tire/wheel coming off and that something must be bent, he'd not seen a wheel come off with out marks on it entire, the wheel must be bent. I then informed him this is the good wheel had changed the tire over and it's still wobbling. He brings out the jack, I jack her up take the wheel off, laying the wheel flat it looked good. We now know him as Wilbert gives the rotor a small kick and out drops a small stone. I put the wheel back on, Wilbert brings out an Air Wrench, I tighten the lugs to 80#'s she drives like a million. We thank Wilbert and we're off after 3 hours.

The trip back to Michigan was easy sailing, the van got average of 17.4 mpg and we kept a close eye on the wheel.

Our first stop back in Michigan was Detroit Metro Airport to pickup our other truck, clear sailing back home by midnight, Macaroni Express came through for us.

 

[dar395]

The next morning the DW was talking to her Nephew (You know the one the Law knows well) and she tells him the story and his reply: "Your wheel didn't just fall off, someone tried to steel it and didn't get the van jacked up, the wheel on the axle shaft held it on for a while"

We will never know, just glad no damage done.