Thinking about an old dodge camper van... Input needed

[ert01]

I've been looking at trying to find a vehicle that will suit my family... Myself and my wife have always travelled in my XJ with our RTT but now we have two infants and the desire is to be able to jump in our vehicle and hit the road any weekend of the year. (RTT+babies in -30C weather isn't ideal and makes for a grumpy weekend for everyone.)

A fully contained rig that we can jump in and hit the road is kinda what I'm aiming towards.

No need for a huge lift and 35's... That's what the XJ is for.

So I've been browsing the local classifieds for camper vans and I'm seeing tons of mid 80's high tops for sale between $1k-$3k. Usually low km, with worn looking interiors and dated exteriors, but for the price, I'm having a hard time saying no.

If I did pick one up, how involved is a 4wd conversion for the older vans and is there much market for lift kits or will I have to piece my own junkyard lift together?

4wd and 33's are the biggest I will ever need in this vehicle.

The one I'm keen on right now is a 1985 dodge 3/4 ton high top. 360 engine, low mileage (80K) and clean inside and out. Seller wants $2k.

Is this an ok platform to start with or is there something more preferential to start with? Anything specific to look for as potential trouble areas?

Is the 360 a decent engine? I'm confident in my mechanical skill set but this engine predates me. Which could be nice because it should be easy to work on but also I'm assuming will have poor mileage and low power output.

 

[NorthernWoodsman]

I'm sure others will respond with more detailed information than myself, but...

Ford Econolines are the way to go if you want to convert to 4x4. Dodge and Chevy/GMC had unibody constructed vans while Ford used a body on frame for their vans. Personally, I have a love affair with the old, late 70's Chevy/GMC G30 "shorty" 4x4 vans. Unibody or not. Love 'em.

But for what your'e doing, you're best bet is to look for a newer OBD II van and use one of Chris's (U-Joint) conversions. Seem to be the best out there now from what I'm reading. 2wd diesels can be found for pretty cheap, and V10 vans can also be found for a good price. Mind you, I'm talking about cargo vans, blank slates, clean canvases. If you don't mind the older vehicles you could look for an older Pathfinder Ford van. Seem to be the best outta the older 4x4 conversions. Often paired with a 460ci motor.

And with all that said, there is a sweet Dodge Sportsmobile 4x4 out here near where I live. And I used to own a 1977 Dodge one-ton ambulance I was going to convert to a camper.

Best of luck!

 

[Shocker]

x2

Ford is the defacto standard for 4x4 conversions exactly like NW said. It would be nice to know your budget as conversion is going to be pretty pricey. You might be better off finding one done and fix that up.

The Mopar 360 is a great engine. No issues to speak of. Lot's of support. I don't know of any Dodge 4x4 conversions going on at all.

I found my rig locally. Just kinda stumbled on it, but I am glad I did! 4x4 vans are one of the coolest things around!

Keep us posted and check out the vans for sale thread. Where are you located?

 

[ert01]

Good to know... I wonder why no one builds anything other than the fords? What makes them better platforms than the dodges (a unibody design isn't that hard to deal with... my xj has had a unibody its whole life haha)

I'm in Alberta so any sales in the US would have to be pretty good for me to fly down and drive it back up here. That said, there are almost no 4x4 conversion vans around here at all. I've only ever seen one and it was a new SMB that was way out of my price range.

I found a ford for sale... 78 pop top with clean exterior but interior would need some love. 460 with a fresh rebuild and a 9" rear for $3k

I would like to stay below $7k for the van and fixing it up (sound system, solar, batteries, tires, rear locker etc...). 4x4 is not necessarily included in that price as that is this years budget and the 4x4 would probably be a year or two down the road.

 

[boardrider247]

In the late 70's there were a lot if dodge 4x4 vans around(not that I was around in the 70s). At least here in mn, until recently the majority of 4x4 vans I found come up for sale were dodges.

Google "dodge vancharger"

http://www.pathfinder-vans.com/html/vancharger_i_d_.html

Probably the easiest conversion would be to find a rusted out/wrecked 4x4 dodge van to use as parts for the camper van.

 

[bdog1]

Unibody is tuff to attach mounting points ...for leaf springs or control arms and coil mounts. Not impossible but...

The 360 is decent but likes fuel!

I think in your budget you can find a 4x4 van (I did) and this would be path of least resistance, even if some repairs were required.

Chevy AWD? Astro AWD? Ford Quigley?

People spend big bucks adding a nice 4x4 system to a van. Might not be money well spent to start with $2k van?


Sent by wing, prayer & ATT

 

[ert01]

Yeah that's part of the debate I'm having with myself... there are a few Chevy express awd vans up here but they're usually pricey. But even if I started with a clean slate awd van, there would be a whole lot of work to do to get it comfortable for 4 of us. Probably some high top or pop top and they're not cheap! I'd be looking at $10k for an awd express cargo van. Plus whatever top I want. And then I still have to completely build the entire interior! I'm sure I'd end up with a better vehicle going that route, but it'd also be more expensive and time consuming.

So then I was thinking about these older vans. They're already set up (tweaking and updating will be necessary, but they have all the fundamentals already in place) and all that would be required is a 4wd conversion down the road at some point.

How hard are these conversions?

I guess I need to do more reading...

I'm not looking to live daily out of the vehicle and drive 1000's of miles around the world and sell my house... I'm just looking for a comfortable toy that will take me down logging road and forestry roads and camp away from the general population.

 

[k9lestat]

im not sure if we are talking about 80"s vans on a chevy being a unibody. I have and 85 chevy van and its body on frame. I did have an older dodge van at one point but was having issues with the air duct air flow flaps would stick. but yes the 360 was a very strong motor. but as far as 70 and 80 era vehicle I don't know of a unibody van from that period.

 

[NorthernWoodsman]

I doubt that is true. Chevy/GMC vans have been unibody since at least the 70's. Or, as someone put it in another forum, a unitized body/frame. Might want to check under your van again and take a closer look.

im not sure if we are talking about 80"s vans on a chevy being a unibody. I have and 85 chevy van and its body on frame. I did have an older dodge van at one point but was having issues with the air duct air flow flaps would stick. but yes the 360 was a very strong motor. but as far as 70 and 80 era vehicle I don't know of a unibody van from that period.

 

[k9lestat]

Well maybe I'm not up on the technical name for it but it got a ladder style frame front to back. I was thinking unibody was like rails in the front and rear connected to the body in the middle like a crown Victoria. My mistake.

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk

 

[bdog1]

4x4 involves the complete matching gear front axle, transfer case and usually transmission rebuild adding the 4x4 output shaft and extension housing to accept the case. The fuel tank sometimes has to be relocated/ modified for room for the transfer case. Then you need leafs mounted or coils/control arms and track bar depending on which suspension you pick. Your steering must be worked out. Then it's shocks, shifter and front and rear driveshafts, ABS. (In a unibody, mounts must be fabricated for each attaching point to spread out the load through the body.)

The $12k number gets floated around here quite a bit but with a deal here and there and doing work in your own shop I'm sure that could be trimmed substantially. But, you can buy a 4x4 van for the same price of a conversion if your patient!

Sounds like a passenger van may be a good start for you. Windows, real seats and interior, then go from there.


Sent by wing, prayer & ATT

 

[Shocker]

Well maybe I'm not up on the technical name for it but it got a ladder style frame front to back. I was thinking unibody was like rails in the front and rear connected to the body in the middle like a crown Victoria. My mistake.

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk

Take a pic. GM van's are unibody, but are reinforced.

 

[boardrider247]

Take a pic. GM van's are unibody, but are reinforced.

Sorry to take this further off topic, but I'm not understanding how the GM vans are considered unibody.
I didn't take a pic of my van today but found this online.


Looks like a frame to me rather then a unibody. Can someone explain this better?

 

[ober27]

Everything I've found on the web has said that Dodges are unibody, and GMs and Fords have always been body on frame. Is this information incorrect?

 

[NorthernWoodsman]

RE: Chevy/GMC van frames-

per good ol' Wikipedia:

"In 1971, Chevy received a major redesign, moving the engine forward of the driver with a short noes and hood. The van was constructed of a unibody style frame and employed stronger truck style hubs and brakes with dual A-arm independent front suspension."

And here's a pic of a Chevy van's undercarriage. The frame and body are joined together as one unit. I believe they're welded together. Appears to be a bit of a hybrid between a true body on frame and a unibody.