putting 4 wheel drive in a 80 chevy van?? - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

**bigunde** · 12-05-2007, 05:22 PM

will the front differential and springs froma 73-87 chevy fit a fullsize chevy van?

Duro5341 · 12-07-2007, 08:34 PM

I don't think so, the earlier vans were a unibody construction so what like the astro's, and safaris

Now the newer savanas are a full frame like the pick-up trucks

Duro

ElGracho · 12-08-2007, 06:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duro5341

I don't think so, the earlier vans were a unibody construction so what like the astro's, and safaris

Now the newer savanas are a full frame like the pick-up trucks

Duro

Wrong.

Chevy made factory 4x4 vans in the late 70's also.

Pyrotechnic · 12-08-2007, 11:25 AM

Wasn't the factory deal a system with 2 front prop shafts and right angle gear drives on each side ? I forget who made the system though.

There seems to be lots of solid axle and leaf spring conversions out there that people do themselves. If you search on google you can probably find these to get ideas.

**Zoomad75** · 12-08-2007, 05:15 PM

Quigley. Those guys are the 4wd van experts. GM never made them as a factory build, but company's like Quigley converted many. Unibody vans too. We got a couple of Fed Ex vans in town with a 4wd setup.

There is a guy in the 4x4 forum with one too. It's killer looking too.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=256358

68K20 x Drill · 12-08-2007, 06:42 PM

My friend had an 86ish Coast guard surplus van that used all normal 4x4 parts.

ElGracho · 12-08-2007, 10:34 PM

I was way off here.

I have seen so many 78ish to 80ish 4x4 GM vans I thought they were factory. I just went back through my literature (GM had 4x4 only brochures in the late 70's) and saw no mention of the vans. The people doing the conversions must have done well distributing them...

I still think the full size vans (at least 73-87) had frames. Am I wrong on that?

**Zoomad75** · 12-08-2007, 11:56 PM

Until they changed the body style in 97, they were unibodies. The express vans went back to a full frame.

I'm not sure how easy it is to convert but it's been done.

kevinr1970 · 12-09-2007, 01:11 AM

Are you sure?
I am pretty sure the full size vans had frames. I don't have anything concrete to prove it but I am like 95% sure.
I am nor sure but wouldn't be surprised if the Astro vans were unibody but am pretty sure the full size vans had full frames.

I think another company that did conversions was called Pathfinder. Or maybe that was the name of the Quigley conversion?

The Intimidator · 12-09-2007, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevinr1970

Are you sure?
I am pretty sure the full size vans had frames. I don't have anything concrete to prove it but I am like 95% sure.
I am nor sure but wouldn't be surprised if the Astro vans were unibody but am pretty sure the full size vans had full frames.

I think another company that did conversions was called Pathfinder. Or maybe that was the name of the Quigley conversion?

I would have to agree with this one the full size vans had a full frame under them the astro/safari had the half half uniframe going on lol

**bigunde** · 12-09-2007, 09:16 PM

mine is full frame

GM72K10 · 12-10-2007, 06:23 AM

Here's a gov surplus 86 4x4 van:
http://cgi.govliquidation.com/auctio...&convertTo=USD

Pyrotechnic · 12-10-2007, 05:05 PM

They look like they are full frame because the body has 2 supports that are welded to the bottom of the van to make it rigid. It's a unibody design though.

Same with Astro vans. Even being very closely related to the S10, they still used the same unibody setup on it.

Why? I'm guessing because the way the unibody was designed, it was just as strong as a full frame but weighed a little less for better gas mileage. It worked just fine too, seeing as they offered 1 tons as well as the extended vans.

12-05-2007, 05:22 PM	#1
bigunde Rusty Rockerfeller Join Date: May 2003 Location: South Georgia Posts: 1,631	putting 4 wheel drive in a 80 chevy van?? will the front differential and springs froma 73-87 chevy fit a fullsize chevy van?

12-07-2007, 08:34 PM	#2
Duro5341 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Earth Posts: 239	Re: putting 4 wheel drive in a 80 chevy van?? I don't think so, the earlier vans were a unibody construction so what like the astro's, and safaris Now the newer savanas are a full frame like the pick-up trucks Duro __________________ -1986 K10 LWB, 350 HD,TH400 3.08, 30 spline 10 bolt, with an Auburn Posi, 31" tires All original, second owner truck -1979 Monte Carlo, 350, 200r4, 3.73 posi -1987 GT T-top Mustang - slow moving project

12-08-2007, 11:25 AM	#4
Pyrotechnic Registered User Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 3,930	Re: putting 4 wheel drive in a 80 chevy van?? Wasn't the factory deal a system with 2 front prop shafts and right angle gear drives on each side ? I forget who made the system though. There seems to be lots of solid axle and leaf spring conversions out there that people do themselves. If you search on google you can probably find these to get ideas.

12-08-2007, 05:15 PM	#5
Zoomad75 K5Camper Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Pueblo, CO Posts: 1,513	Re: putting 4 wheel drive in a 80 chevy van?? Quigley. Those guys are the 4wd van experts. GM never made them as a factory build, but company's like Quigley converted many. Unibody vans too. We got a couple of Fed Ex vans in town with a 4wd setup. There is a guy in the 4x4 forum with one too. It's killer looking too. http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=256358 __________________ Rob Z. 1975 K5 350/465/205/D44/12b 4" lift on 35's- RIP 1991 K5 8.1L/NV4500/241/D44/14b FWC Camper Last edited by Zoomad75; 12-08-2007 at 05:15 PM.

12-08-2007, 06:42 PM	#6
68K20 x Drill Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Freedom CA Posts: 488	Re: putting 4 wheel drive in a 80 chevy van?? My friend had an 86ish Coast guard surplus van that used all normal 4x4 parts. __________________ 68 Chevrolet k20 Longbed 350 SM465/205, Dana 44, 14bolt, Power steering, Power Disk Brakes, 35" BFGs. 84 Chevrolet Suburban K20 6.2 Banks turbo TH400/NP208 Now with G80 68 GMC C20 Parts? Truck And a few cars

12-08-2007, 10:34 PM	#7
ElGracho Gentleman Jim Driver Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Poulsbo, WA Posts: 1,550	Re: putting 4 wheel drive in a 80 chevy van?? I was way off here. I have seen so many 78ish to 80ish 4x4 GM vans I thought they were factory. I just went back through my literature (GM had 4x4 only brochures in the late 70's) and saw no mention of the vans. The people doing the conversions must have done well distributing them... I still think the full size vans (at least 73-87) had frames. Am I wrong on that? __________________ Joe '75 GMC Gentleman Jim '84 Chev C10 Short Wide - Super duper plain (manual steering, manual brakes, no dome light, no cig lighter) '85 Chev C10 Short Wide - Super plain Vortec 4.8 4L60E trans also: '81 K30, '83 C30 Crew Dually, '84 M1028 CUCV, '85 M1009 CUCV, another '85 C10 SWB, '89 R3500 Flatbed

12-08-2007, 11:56 PM	#8
Zoomad75 K5Camper Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Pueblo, CO Posts: 1,513	Re: putting 4 wheel drive in a 80 chevy van?? Until they changed the body style in 97, they were unibodies. The express vans went back to a full frame. I'm not sure how easy it is to convert but it's been done. __________________ Rob Z. 1975 K5 350/465/205/D44/12b 4" lift on 35's- RIP 1991 K5 8.1L/NV4500/241/D44/14b FWC Camper

12-09-2007, 01:11 AM	#9
kevinr1970 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Everett, WA Posts: 2,316	Re: putting 4 wheel drive in a 80 chevy van?? Are you sure? I am pretty sure the full size vans had frames. I don't have anything concrete to prove it but I am like 95% sure. I am nor sure but wouldn't be surprised if the Astro vans were unibody but am pretty sure the full size vans had full frames. I think another company that did conversions was called Pathfinder. Or maybe that was the name of the Quigley conversion? __________________ 2009 Honda Fit CfC (bsf 44.9 mpg) 2000 Tahoe Limited 1991 GMC CrewCab Dually 2wd, will end up swb, not dually and replace CCswb below 1991 GMC CrewCab Dually 4x4, just going to fix things up for now 1982/1989 K5/GMC Jimmy 2wd 1987 GMC 1/2 ton swb 2wd Crew (sold)

12-09-2007, 09:16 PM	#11
bigunde Rusty Rockerfeller Join Date: May 2003 Location: South Georgia Posts: 1,631	Re: putting 4 wheel drive in a 80 chevy van?? mine is full frame

12-10-2007, 06:23 AM	#12
GM72K10 Next! Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Eastern Pa. Posts: 2,479	Re: putting 4 wheel drive in a 80 chevy van?? Here's a gov surplus 86 4x4 van: http://cgi.govliquidation.com/auctio...&convertTo=USD __________________ 86 K30 CUCV M1028A1 86 K30 CUCV M1028a2 dually 86 K30 C&C 6.2 4:56s, 4M, 11,000 gvw, ex fire truck, now lowboy dump More square bodies and CUCVs than I care to admit to 2020 Silverado K3500HD Work truck

12-10-2007, 05:05 PM	#13
Pyrotechnic Registered User Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 3,930	Re: putting 4 wheel drive in a 80 chevy van?? They look like they are full frame because the body has 2 supports that are welded to the bottom of the van to make it rigid. It's a unibody design though. Same with Astro vans. Even being very closely related to the S10, they still used the same unibody setup on it. Why? I'm guessing because the way the unibody was designed, it was just as strong as a full frame but weighed a little less for better gas mileage. It worked just fine too, seeing as they offered 1 tons as well as the extended vans.



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