My new van --- 1989 Chevy Astro

[ScoobyDoo82]

This is my recently acquired 1989 Chevy Astro, my sister was gonna scrap it after she got her new car but its in such good condition, I didn't want to see it scrapped so she gave it to me for free.

This van has been very reliable since my sister owned it, the power steering pump was replaced and it did start to over heat once but never broke down. The over-heating problem was fixed and now its running like a champ.

It looks like **** in the pictures but with a good car wash (which it hasnt gotten one since my sister owned it) I'm positive it will look great. The interior is in good shape too, the usual stains from people getting into with snow on their shoes, or spilled pop, all that. Again, with a good clean, the interior would look great too.

My shopping list for it is a passenger side running board and hubcaps, yes hubcaps, unless someone wants to donate $600 to me for rims, Im getting the hubcaps.

At this moment, I don't have many specifics of it, I just got it today but I will update this soon. It has about 142,500 miles.

Known problems it has are all little things like the rear doors dont open, power locks dont work, passenger power window motor is blown, needs new speakers. Nothing major wrong with it.

I have more pics on Cardomain : http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2985562

[Uzzy]

Well, it's definately worth what you paid for it.

Those Astros were good work horses. They never got the credit they deserved. My dad wanted to get one as his last company car, but wasn't eleigible to order it in time and ended up with yet another pile of crap U-body GM minivan. He had a Safari in the early 90's and loved it.

Where are the other 3 wheels to match the one on the back? Can't you put those on?

[ScoobyDoo82]

Originally Posted by Uzzy

Well, it's definately worth what you paid for it.

Those Astros were good work horses. They never got the credit they deserved. My dad wanted to get one as his last company car, but wasn't eleigible to order it in time and ended up with yet another pile of crap U-body GM minivan. He had a Safari in the early 90's and loved it.

Where are the other 3 wheels to match the one on the back? Can't you put those on?

Nope, thats how it was bought. Im getting rid of that tire soon, it is so annoying when you hit bumps because it keeps squeaking when it rubs against the door. But yeah, as I said this has been very reliable, hasn't broke down yet.

[EldoFan]

Never underestimate the utility factor either! As long as it can haul alot of stuff (people, hardware, furniture, you name it......), it has definite value!!

My dad's got a '94 Plymouth Voyager that's starting to get a little rusty around the edges, but has hauled got knows how many people & how much stuff throughout it's life........whenever my mom barks at him about it, he brings that up and she quiets down again!

[t-rex]

Pimp dat mutha out!!!

My cousin and his wife passed their 95ish Astro on to their wannabe-ghettofied teenage son. He painted it cammo, slapped some big rims and airbags on it. There was definitely no mistaking him for anybody else in town!!!

Do something outlandish with it!

[darndot]

I love Astros. You need a billet grill, and some nice rims. I thought you were going to say you wanted to make a Mystery Van.

[SirRaven]

Originally Posted by darndot

I love Astros. You need a billet grill, and some nice rims. I thought you were going to say you wanted to make a Mystery Van.

I though for sure that was going to be in his post as well. DO IT! My brother always said that my dad should do it with our old Econoline, unfortunately we dont have that anymore .

[AndrewGS]

A guy I used to work with had an '89 with almost 600,000 miles on it. It didn't look pretty, had peeled and faded paint as well as minor rust, but it never let him down. When the transmission went out he finally replaced it... with another Astro.

What's that hanging from the underside of the dash? Alarm system brain?

[Puzzel]

Originally Posted by ScoobyDoo82

My shopping list for it is a passenger side running board and hubcaps, yes hubcaps, unless someone wants to donate $600 to me for rims, Im getting the hubcaps.

Go to a local wrecking yard and get some wheels from an older S-10. The Astro and S-10 shared the same platform, so alot of the chassis bits are swappable. You could even stuff some 80s IROC wheels under it.

[AndrewGS]

Originally Posted by Puzzel

Go to a local wrecking yard and get some wheels from an older S-10. The Astro and S-10 shared the same platform, so alot of the chassis bits are swappable. You could even stuff some 80s IROC wheels under it.

I thought that too until I was proven wrong by a discussion on wheels. The Astro (H-Body) was a true classic van with a sandwiched frame in the floor and a front subframe to mount the drivetrain and suspension. It shares drivetrain parts with the S-Trucks but it actually shares a front suspension with the B-Body. The bolt pattern is 5x127mm. which is the same as GM full-size cars and trucks, so decent used wheels should be even easier to find.

[F14CRAZY]

Throw some D's on that...

[MelvinJ]

Originally Posted by Uzzy

Where are the other 3 wheels to match the one on the back? Can't you put those on?

Gah - those wire wheels are offensive!

With all the U-van wheels there must be at junkyards, I'd go for some of them, even if they are just the steel spoke wheels with trim rings that so many of these had. They looked nice. If you are lucky, maybe you could find some of the Astro LT aluminum wheels for cheap.

[Uzzy]

Originally Posted by MelvinJ

Gah - those wire wheels are offensive!

With all the U-van wheels there must be at junkyards, I'd go for some of them, even if they are just the steel spoke wheels with trim rings that so many of these had. They looked nice. If you are lucky, maybe you could find some of the Astro LT aluminum wheels for cheap.

The U-body wheels won't work. FWD wheels with a different bolt pattern, I believe.

[MelvinJ]

Originally Posted by Uzzy

The U-body wheels won't work. FWD wheels with a different bolt pattern, I believe.

Oh crap! I completely meant to say L/M-body, not U-body. I'm sure you are correct.

[member12]

Originally Posted by darndot

I love Astros. You need a billet grill, and some nice rims. I thought you were going to say you wanted to make a Mystery Van.

If you are going to drive a shaggin' wagon, then you should have a since of humor.

I like the paint job on the mystery machine.