PennSilverTaco's "Perfect 5-Lug Regular Cab" Build, Aspergers, and General BS MegaThread!

So that's how it passes emissions in Texas?

 

It said they were imported with no powertrains and were expected to have someone turn them into electric vehicles but obviously ended up with an LS and Kit Car status for registration.

 

I love loopholes! Does it have A/C?

 

Kinda hard to tell from underhood shots and didnt see any interior shots, you would think they would have AC in Texas though.

 

I wonder if it has a posi rear?

 

Just taking a wild guess that it does as they had to swap something in there that could handle an LS.

 

COFFEE!!!

 

I think that's how some people got Nissan Skylines and other JDM factory hot rods into the country and made them legal...

Like I said, I love loopholes!

 

I think the Chrysler minivans (especially the Dodge Caravan/Grand Caravan and Plymouth Voyager/Grand Voyager; Not so much the Chrysler Town & Country because it was a fully loaded luxury model that most middle-class families didn't want to spend money on when they could get a Dodge or Plymouth with most of the same options for a much lower price, and as such the T&C is less common prior to the 1996 model year).

A good portion of my childhood was spent in a Dodge Grand Caravan and two Plymouth Voyagers, even though these were not my parents' vehicles; The only two vans my parents ever owned were a 2000 GMC Safari and a 2004 Honda Odyssey.

As stated many times before in this thread, the lone Grand Caravan in the family was a 1994 model with the mid-level SE trim; My aunt and uncle bought it brand new in 1994 and owned it for ten years, putting well over 180K miles on it in that time. There were several options my aunt and uncle wanted and a few they didn't want, so they ordered the van as opposed to buying it off the lot; The biggest thing was the "Quad Command" seating, which added two bucket seats in the second row. This was specifically chosen so their daughters (10 and 13 at the time) wouldn't fight on long trips. My uncle did not want power windows because he'd had problems with them on previous vehicles. Power locks and mirrors were standard equipment on the SE trim according to the brochure I bought at Carlisle last August, but power windows were extra-cost on all except the top LE/ES models. Air-conditioning was also extra-cost on all but the LE/ES models, but my aunt and uncle of course specified air-conditioning on the order form; I have never seen a Dodge or Plymouth minivan newer than 1990 that didn't have A/C. My aunt and uncle did not get the rear A/C and heat because (A) they were trying to save money, and (B) didn't think they'd need the extra cooling capacity since they lived in Northern California. The van was driven to Texas and other hot places numerous times in the decade they owned it, and there were never any complaints about the A/C being insufficient; The third row seat was rarely used from what I remember, and the A/C was always powerful enough to reach the second row. The A/C did have to be recharged at least once during the time they owned it, according to my uncle (he actually drove it over the border while visiting his dad in Texas, and had the A/C charged in Mexico for far cheaper than what it would have cost stateside). The A/C compressor actually failed in 2004, and my aunt and uncle decided it was more cost effective to buy a new vehicle than to replace the compressor in the 10-year old, 180K+ mile minivan; They sold the van to someone in Texas if I remember correctly (funny, since the A/C didn't work) and bought a new 2004 Honda Element that they owned for more than 12 years before my uncle sold it to make space for the two VW buses in 2016-2017...

When I said in the quoted post above that the van was falling apart by the summer of 2002, I didn't mean it literally; It was extremely reliable, the AC still worked, and there was nothing mechanically wrong with it. However, the original wheel covers were long gone and my uncle replaced them with El Cheapo Plastico units rather than go the OEM route; These alone made the van look a lot more sketchy than it actually was. The van had no body damage, and the paint was still in good shape; It was never involved in an accident during the time my aunt and uncle owned it, and my uncle said it never failed a smog test. An AM/FM cassette player was standard on the SE trim, but my aunt and uncle did not shell out the extra money for the Infinity speakers or the CD player (which by default was only availably with the Infinity speakers). The last time I rode in the '94 Grand Caravan was in 2003, when my aunt and uncle drove out to Northern Virginia to visit; The A/C still worked then, and my aunt let me plug my discman (May have been the little Sony minidisc player I had prior to my first iPod) into the cassette player with a car kit adapter. For a basic 4-speaker system in a 9-year old minivan, I remember being impressed with the sound quality and thinking it had good bass; My uncle had installed a CD player in his 1999 Dodge Ram because this daughter drove that a lot and it was fairly new, but he refused to spend the money on a van that was nearing the end of its service life.

 

Don't know how the hell I missed this; Rolls-Royce (BMW) Cullinan SUV that appears to have been lowered...

 

I see refrigerant lines; Definitely has A/C...

 

My uncle insisted that the 1994 Caravan used R-12 Freon, but I doubted him because many manufacturers started transitioning to R134a for the 1993 model; All 1993 Volvo models used R134a, as did most Mercedes-Benz models, all Nissan models, and many GM models. The only 1994 vehicle I've ever personally seen that R-12 was a Chevy S-10 Blazer...

I bought a slew of Chrysler minivan brochures in Carlisle last August; According to the brochures, all Chrysler minivans started using R134a across the board for 1993, and obviously for 1994 they did as well. I do believe that my uncle brought the family van into Mexico to get the A/C charged; There was a 1983 Chevy El Camino used on his dad's farm that had the troublesome 350 diesel V8 (which obviously R-12), and my uncle brought these and other older vehicles across the border to get the A/ serviced.

 

@shakerhood
@Taco critter

And now we come to my current idea for a nice little sleeper; Pull a Turbocharged 2.5L out of a 1989-1990 Dodge Caravan or Plymouth Voyager, and install it in a 1993-1994 Caravan/Voyager! It's the same basic engine, and the 1993-1994 models obviously still have OBD I, so it shouldn't be much of an issue at all. In a perfect world, I would find a rare factory 5-speed 1993-1994 van, but it would likely have to be converted from automatic to manual. A 1994 would be preferred because it has the updated interior, but I would take a 1993 model as well; 1991 was not available with a manual transmission for some reason, and I am unsure about 1992.

What I would really love to is take a 1994 model with a beige interior and paint it Chrysler Emerald Green, then do it up to look like an SE with the SE Gold Package. What sucks is that 5-speed was only available with the 4-cylinder, the 4-cylinder was only available in the base model SWB van from 1991 onward, and the base model was not available with the "Quad Command" seating package, power windows, or the Infinity stereo. 4-banger 1993-1994 vans generally did have A/C, but it was designed for the family on a budget, and most left the factory with A/C, an AM/FM stereo, a third row seat, and no other options. Tilt wheel, cruise control, power locks, and power mirrors were all available on the base model vans, but if I found a suitable vehicle for the turbo swap I would likely have to take parts from higher-trim junkyard donors to spec it the way I would like. The two big things a 1991-1995 van would have over a 1989-1990 model are an airbag (dual airbags on 1994-1995 models) and much better occupant protection in the even of a collision; 1991 and 1995 models were NOT available with the 5-speed manual, and I am unsure about 1992 models, which makes 1993-1994 models the best bet for finding a stick shift example.

Also, turbo Caravans and Voyagers were not particularly uncommon, and actually made more horsepower and options than both V6 options at the time; However, the overwhelming majority were ordered with the 3-speed TorqueFlite automatic transmission. This transmission is utterly bulletproof in my opinion, but the lack of an overdrive gear gives me the impression that the performance would be restricted. 1984-1990 minivans with the 5-speed manual were fairly common from what I've seen (2.5L Turbo didn't become available until 1989), but 1989-1990 models with the coveted turbo/5-speed are much rarer than their automatic counterparts. All of the turbo/5-speed examples I've seen online have been fairly loaded up examples with A/C and power everything, but all of the 5-speed/non-turbo examples I've seen (1984-1990 and 1993-1994) have been totally stripped down, no-frills models with A/C and literally no other options! This would indicate that, back then, people ordered these vans with a manual transmission to save money and only picked the options they absolutely needed.

 

As stated before, I've only seen three Chrysler minivans in person that did not have A/C; All were pre-1991 models, two were manual, and one was automatic; One was in Maine, one was in New Hampshire, and one was the 1990 cargo van owned by my uncle about a decade ago...

The two I saw in New England (one automatic and one manual) were both in the summer of 1999; According to my 1984-1986 brochures, it was possible to order a base model Caravan/Voyager with power everything, a stereo cassette, cruise, tilt, and A/C as well as the top 2.6L/3-speed auto powertrain combination. At the same time, it was possible to order a van in top LE trim with the base 2.2L engine, 5-speed manual, an AM radio, no A/C, and absolutely no options! The key difference between the base, SE, and LE trims was interior trim, seating styles (high-back buckets standard on LE and optional on SE while only low-backs were available on the base); If you didn't want to shell out hundreds or potentially even a couple gran extra for an SE or LE, but wanted an automatic transmission, A/C, power windows and locks, cruise control, and an AM/FM stereo or even a tape player then specifying the base model and loading it with options made perfect sense! However, choosing the SE trim and especially the LE trim but not getting A/C and sticking with a standard AM radio makes absolutely no sense.

 

The Town & Country, prior to 1996 anyway, is the least common of the early Chrysler minivans; Why?

Well, upon its debut in 1990 it cost $25K! It literally came standard with everything that was an extra-cost option on the Grand Caravan and Voyager, and leather seats were also standard. A few early production models had the shitty Mitsubishi-built 3.0L V6, but most had the durable and more powerful Chrysler-built 3.3L V6; I know I saw a couple "1st Gen" 1990 T&Cs around years ago, but I haven't seen one in years. 1990 was the only year for the 1st Gen, they didn't sell a whole hell of a lot of them, and then they started selling the redesigned 1991 models in late 1990. A well-equipped brand new 4WD Suburban could probably be had for less than $25K in 1990!

From 1991 to 1995, they still were not as common as the Dodge and Plymouth versions, but I still saw them around well into the 2000s. I still see 1991-1995 Caravans and Voyagers around as well, and in decent shape to boot! No doubt that almost all of these have the 2.5L 4-banger or the 3.3L V6, because like I said the 3.0L Mitsubishi engine is a turd, prone to excessive use and even burning of oil prior to 100K miles. While they sold hundreds of thousands of these vans when they were new, the reason they are steadily disappearing from America's roads is not because they are bad vehicles (far from it), but because the newest examples are now over 25 years, and a domestic minivan isn't exactly a Corvette, a Mustang, or a full-size pickup. People beat the shit out of them and those that weren't totaled before the turn of the century were just driven until they fell apart; For one of these vans to be damaged in an accident (beyond a dent, a scuffed bumper, or a broken light cover, etc) would surely be a death sentence due to the steep depreciation and high cost of bodywork.

I see Dodge Caravans as new as 2001-2006 driving around with mismatched doors and body panels from junkyard vans, likely because the owner was involved in an accident that was their fault and either only had liability insurance or the cost of properly repairing the van exceed its actual cash value; If the vehicle is otherwise structurally sound and not unsafe to drive, then I see no problem with putting junkyard parts on it, but it still looks like shit...

I also find it highly amusing to see vehicles manufactured after the turn of the century that have body panels of different colors!

 

When we moved to Furlong in 2007, our neighbors had a 2003 Dodge Grand Caravan that they bought brand new. They had lived in Massachusetts before moving to Pennsylvania, and Minnesota prior to that; The van was only four years old at the time (though it had over 100K miles) and in excellent mechanical condition, but it was rustier than vehicles five times its age! There was absolutely nothing wrong with the van mechanically, and it was very nicely-equipped model (dual A/C, captain's chairs, cassette/CD, 4-wheel disc brakes, alloy wheels, etc), but our neighbors traded it for a brand new Acura MDX in 2008. I chat with my former neighbor (who now lives on Long Island), and MDX was traded for a Jaguar F-pace in 2017 or so with close to 200K on the clock after it started having serious engine trouble.

 

Just a dream...

You know likely it is that I will find a decent 1993-1994 Caravan or Voyager...?!?!

 

My aunt and uncle considered getting a manual transmission when they ordered their 1986 Voyager from a dealer in Alabama, but they ultimately decided on the automatic since they wanted the larger engine; The 2.6L Mitsubishi engine made only 100hp, which was underpowered, but the standard 2.2L only made something like 84hp...



The 2.2L came standard with the 5-speed stick and was available with the 3-speed Torqueflite automatic, but the 2.6L was only available with the automatic; The standard 2.2L/5-speed combo was available in all 50 states, as was the 2.6L/automatic, but the 2.2L/automatic was not available for sale in California. I have no idea why this was the case, but as with other manufacturers that wouldn't sell certain engine/transmission combinations in California, I believe that for whatever reason this specific power team would not meet emissions in California. This does not particularly bother me; Why?

Because unless you absolutely had to have a manual transmission in one of these vans, or did not want a manual transmission but were on a budget and couldn't afford the 2.6L engine for whatever reason but still needed a versatile vehicle like Chrysler's revolutionary new minivan, you were a masochist if you chose the 2.2L/automatic power team! Again, merging onto the freeway with you wife, two kids, and all of their luggage onboard, on a hot day with the A/C cranked be like...



Hell, even if the A/C was off, it was cool enough to not need it, or you were really miserly and opted to not get A/C...



My dad's boat has more horsepower!

 

Yeah you would have to locate one that basically was driven very little.

 

High miles don't bother me that much; It's all about how they were maintained...

Two of my aunt and uncles had these vans and beat the shit out of them; One aunt and uncle had a 1986 Plymouth Voyager LE and then a 1997 Plymouth Voyager SE Rallye, while the other aunt and uncle had the 1994 Dodge Grand Caravan SE. The Dodge and the '97 Plymouth both had something like 180K miles on them when they got rid of them (the Dodge in '04 and the '97 Plymouth in '09). Aside from the A/C compressor being seized in the Dodge (which is why the finally got rid of the damn thing), it ran and drove great, and as stated before NEVER failed a smog test (they live in California). The '94 Dodge did have it's Mitsubishi-built transmission replaced for free under recall in 1995 or 1996 at like 20K miles, but that van was solid and my Uncle Craig has always been as stringent about maintenance as I am (he was a helicopter pilot in the Army, and a 747 freighter captain after he retired, so I think being a pilot had something to do with this). My other uncle, also an army vet (but not a pilot), was incredibly stringent about maintenance as well. The 1986 Voyager had a few issues over the years, but it still looked great when at 11 years old with over 100K miles on it when they sold it in 1997. The van was purchased at a dealer in Alabama and spent the first year or so of its life in the Atlanta, Georgia suburbs; I know the Atlanta metro area requires annual emissions testing, including in the suburbs, to this day. However, I don't know if the area where my aunt and uncle lived required it. They moved to Maryland in 1987 or 1988, and to Northern Virginia in November 1994; The van spent at least nine years of its life in the DC metro area, where emissions testing is required in both Maryland and Virginia (and safety inspections in the case of Virginia). According to my uncle, the 1986 Voyager never failed an inspection and the reasons they got rid of it are because it was old, had over 100K miles, and lacked modern features like airbags and ABS; The 1997 Voyager was mechanically sound when they sold it, but it was in much worse condition appearance-wise when it was traded in 2009 than the 1986 Voyager had been when they got rid of it in 1997.