DIY Raised Roof Chevy Astro - Advice?

[86scotty]

Yep, I'd go AWD Express in a second over an Astro, but I can't blame you. I love the Astro vans. I drove one for work for years and you just wear those little things like a glove. I miss driving a delivery van like a sports car. It was fun. And they're cheap! AWD Astros are all over the place nowadays for a couple grand. If I were a solo traveler I would be tempted.

 

[RVflyfish]

I have an '03 Astro AWD with 3.42 gears and a 4" lift on 31.5" tires and 17" wheels; 15 mpg is about the best I see.

It may sound counterintuitive, but I've read that people who swap in a 5.7 Vortec V8 power train get over 20 mpg. Like Herbie said, the V6 is working hard to push that brick through the air.

 

[Herbie]

For reference:
https://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/cto/6200031309.html

$16k for a Delica, pop-top, and 4WD diesel. At 120k miles, it's just broken-in.

This would be a great rig for 2 people (see Pablo and Anna's "Cucaracha"), cozy but do-able for 3.

 

[86scotty]

That's pretty sweet. I wonder what it's like to drive a RHD on American roads? I've always wanted to get behind the wheel of a manual RHD anyway to see how crazy it is to shift and operate.

Thanks for sharing Herbie!

 

[jdreier]

I own a 2004 lifted Astro with a pop-top. It's a dog in the mountains. It's got 3.42 gears on roughly 30in BFG AT KO2 tires. I've considered regearing, or going to lighter tires. If I were to do it again, i'd go the AWD express with a v8 in a heartbeat.