Are full size Van front end parts the same as the pickups? (73-87)

[Lil-Joe]

My father and I are building a 69 pro-street pick up. We are conv. from 8 lug to 5 lug and I know the 73-87 pick up ft. ends are best ..but, what about full size 5 lug van ft. end parts. I know that some vans (like the astro's have inverted steering boxes w/ 14 connections) but I'm not sure about the big vans...There's plenty of vans in my neck of the woods and it would be nice to get spindles or anything off them.....any advice would be golden!


thanks Lil-Joe (K.)

[Bob Moore]

Lil Joe - From what I can tell(don't know for sure), it looks like the spindles, rotors, calipers, upper control arms are the same. The lower control arms have a different size (larger) mounting rod. When I see them in the junkyard it looks like the front bushings are larger which means larger u-bolts(?). The steering box with pitman arm won't fit the pick-up.

You realize the C10 and C20 vans are both 5 on 5 while you have to get to a C30 van to get 8 lug.

Don"t know about front coils but would expect them to be stiffer than pick-up coils due to the arrangment of the van(driver compartment more directly over the springs than in a PU).

Maybe somebody with direct experience can answer better?

A very interesting question.