78 GMC Pathfinder 4x4 build

[Clay]

I just picked up a new ride, and I thought I would start a build thread here. The plan is to drive it to Panama next winter, but it will mostly be used for trips with the kids to Baja and all over the western US.

It's a 78 GMC 35 van with a Pathfinder 4x4 conversion, in really nice condition with the exception of the interior. It's got a crate GM goodwrench 350 with 5000 miles on it, and the turbo 350 tranny was rebuilt at the same time. The whole van only has 24k miles on it!

I plan to build it into a nice camper for two to three people, and then drive the heck out of it.

I only have one picture right now, but I'll snap some more tomorrow when I take it out on it's maiden dirt road voyage.

What do you think?

 

[UHAULER]

Looks nice. Post more pics and details when you can. Also, action shots are always good.

 

[T.Low]

Looks nice. Post more pics and details when you can. Also, action shots are always good.

Yes indeed, more pics. Interior shots, and action shots, but not necessarily interior action shots.

And a few specs while you're at it; tire height, axle types, gear ratios...you know the drill.

 

[dsw4x4]

Hmmm! Interior action shots in a van !! I think they already have a web page for that!!

Cool van I would love to see some shots of the front end (of the van), Like spring hangers shackle mounts and such. Soon I will be converting a chevy van with my neighbor and doing a pop top on it any insight would be great. Good luck with your build I will be watching it.
Derek

 

[Adventurerider]

Very nice find, I'll also be watching to see how things are coming along. Always really liked that body style, you should be able to find some
really cool parts for that to make it into one really cool looking Expo rig!!! while up late in the past, surfing the web, I've run acrossed some pictures of those older Chev body style Pathfinder set ups & they were done up in really clean, cool builds. An with such low miles on the body & a newer crate motor to boot, wow, awesome find/score!!! More pictures please, really interested in seeing the complete pkg.
Welcome to the club, Vans Rule!!!

 

[Clay]

Had an unexpected delay on being able to go out and take some action pics, looks like I'll be out and about on a test run this weekend.

Here's specs:

78 GMC Van Dura 35
Crate 350, Edelbrock carb, beefy headers of some sort or other, 100 amp alternator
Turbo 350 tranny
NP 205 transfercase
14 bolt rear axle with unknown gears and open diff
Dana 44 front axle with unknown gears and open diff
Who know's how much lift, but it's got a bit
35" TXR tires on 16.5x10 aluminum wheels, I have a set of HMMWV wheels I might try and fit up, though.

Interior is pretty bad, mostly from not being used and getting water damage or whatever. The plan is to tear it out, insulate it, put a bed and some storage in it and keep it simple.

I also plan to have a couple of golf cart batteries, a solar panel and an inverter in back, to power my ham radios, a shower pump and a fridge.

I like that it's a shorter wheelbase van, it feels pretty good driving around and negotiating parking lots, so the woods and desert should be no big deal. I also like the good view that you get from sitting right over the front wheels and up high. It's a bit different from the Toyota's I'm used to, but I like it.

I'm headed to San Francisco this weekend, taking the long way there and back through Santa Rosa, so hopefully I can get some good shots of it along the coast.

 

[Clay]

I went out and snapped a few quick pictures yesterday. I'm planning a little camping trip in two weeks, so I'll get the gear all set up and take some more pictures then.

Would anyone like different pictures of the front suspension?

 

[xped]

Did someone convert the front to leaf springs or did it come from Pathfinder that way?

 

[NickTheTinkerer]

Sweet ride!!!!

 

[Clay]

Did someone convert the front to leaf springs or did it come from Pathfinder that way?

I have no idea!! I seriously need to find out some info about this truck.

The front axle apears to be a re-tubed Chevy Dana 44. If someone took out original coil spring and put in leaf springs they did a really good job and cleaned up the frame very well of any brackets.

The guy that I bought this off of has a Dodge and an early 70's Chevy that are both pathfinder conversions as well. the Dodge has coils and it looks like all ford 4x4 parts, while the early Chevy has parts similar to mine, with the same leaf spring brackets and what not. This would lead me to believe that this is how it came, but who knows?

 

[78Pathfinder]

Hey clay,
Nice Van. I have a 78 GMC Vandura Pathfinder also, I'm in the works of restoring and converting mine to a camper also. Your van looks like it is in a littel bit better shape then mine. Here are some pic's.

 

[Clay]

Nice ride! I'd be interested to see what you do with the interior of yours. What's your plans?

I'm pretty much going to be keeping it simple on mine. I just went through the whole things and cleaned every crack inside, as well as lubing up all the pivot points and sealing a couple of little leaks in the forward sun roof.

Next up is to tear out all the carpet, and get to work on the sleeping area.

 

[el-cid]

Nice, I'll be following this too. I have a '75 Ford 1-ton Pathfinder conversion with a 460, C6 automatic and NP 205. I bought it last summer only to discover after one camping trip that it had a crack in the block that allowed the coolant to leak into the #1 cylinder. It's apart awaiting the "new" 460, then it's on to the interior.

 

[jkam]

I had an 86 that I fixed up for camping.
Did a write up for it here. Great van, I miss it.

 

[Clay]

I like your van a whole lot! I may ask you some questions as I go, if that's alright?