# 98 Chevy Astro Van Worth converting?



## ddines (Feb 15, 2010)

I have 98 Chevy Astro AWD, with 130K, the tranny (auto) is going and the engine is starting to burn oil. I use the van to haul stuff to the dump and job sites, usually not more than 15 miles in any one trip so range is not critical. The car as the usual body and electric malfunctions that are nutty but is bearable considering the use of the car.

Can I convert it and remove the tranny? What would you suggest for an approach and a ball park cost for the parts and batteries (are we looking at 3K or 10K)?

I am a novice at this stuff, but have done some minor car work and am a DYI generalist type.


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## electromet (Oct 20, 2009)

ddines,

Welcome to the forum. Your Astro will probably make a fine EV, given its size and mechanical similarity to the S-10. You may have to find a place to hide batteries, as a tilt-up bed is not a real option, but there are EV vans in the Garage.

As far as running direct drive w/o a transmission, that option is usually reserved for much lighter conversions. You won't be shifting a lot, but you will want the capability.

Read through some of the build threads and many of your questions will be answered. Good luck with your project.


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## madderscience (Jun 28, 2008)

For a working range of 15 miles you don't need to go to any great cost extremes in a conversion, especially if it is also a lower speed vehicle (minimal or no highway use).

The disadvantages of a larger vehicle have been well covered here, but it sounds like you need a hauler. From what I understand the astro van has quite a lot of freight capacity, being one of the few minivans built on a light truck chassis instead of a unibody platform. (At least my uncle's early 90's one was that way, not sure about your year). Keep in mind you can do just as much hauling with a pickup truck, and midsize pickups (like the S-10) are very common conversions with kits available, so you might consider that option too.

If you don't need freeway speed, a 96V DC conversion using 6V flooded lead acid would do the job and should leave you plenty of cargo capacity on that chassis. (the truck will probably gain about 800lbs of total weight) Don't use anything smaller than a 9" motor; and 11" would probably be best.

With that size vehicle and these specs, top speed is going to be around 50mph, maybe 60 on a long straightaway so it would really be an around town conversion. 25-30 miles of range should be readily doable. (Same battery/motor in a smaller vehicle would get more like 40 miles)

You will need a transmission. While you can build a conversion with an automatic it is more complex and less efficient. Find an appropriate stick shift to replace your dying tranny. It would be best to add a clutch too but you might not need to especially if you don't transition between highway and local driving much; you would just use it as a range selector basically. Hopefully that chassis has the brackets and such to allow you to attach the clutch pedal, master cylinder, etc. 

A direct drive vehicle (no tranny) would cost a lot more to build since you need a high amp controller and a well prepared, torquey motor.

A typical 96V DC conversion will cost around 8000 dollars for everything assuming retail prices for low end but decent components, if you scrounge you may be able to find some parts used or cheap. Price goes up from there.

Good Luck.


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## dtbaker (Jan 5, 2008)

ddines said:


> I have 98 Chevy Astro AWD, with 130K, the tranny (auto)


well.... there are a lot of factors that make that NOT as efficient or easy as a small truck if hauling is what you plan to do. The AWD and the auto trans really make it a lot harder.

I would advise junking it, and buying a little used pickup with standard tranny and 2-wheel drive. You don't need the range of 6v batteries, so go with 96v worth of 8volt deep cycle for lowest cost up front, or Li for lowest cost over 10 year life.

D


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## ddines (Feb 15, 2010)

Thanks to all for your input. The main advantage of this care is that is all paid off and is not worth much as is. Though given the tradeoffs it presents, it sounds like I would be better off selling it and finding a more suitable vehicle for conversion. 

I will do more reading of the forums to educate myself further.


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## Woodsmith (Jun 5, 2008)

Hi,
I don't know what the vehicle is like but if you don't need the 4WD then you could look at striping the front axle of all the driving parts and then replace the whole transmission with a smaller and lighter manual from a similar truck to just drive the rear axle.

Was there a 2WD front axle? You may even find the front axle will sell as a whole if you can replace it with a cheap non driving one.


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## Jimdear2 (Oct 12, 2008)

Woodsmith said:


> Hi,
> Was there a 2WD front axle? You may even find the front axle will sell as a whole if you can replace it with a cheap non driving one.


The Astro Van is a slightely modified S10 pickup chassis with a van body built on it. It was, just like the pickup, available in 2WD and 4WD.

Many parts interchange.


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## joshg678 (Jan 25, 2009)

Jimdear2 said:


> The Astro Van is a slightely modified S10 pickup chassis with a van body built on it. It was, just like the pickup, available in 2WD and 4WD.
> 
> Many parts interchange.


What motor do you have, the 4.3L V6 or the 4.3L i6?
Because i believe the i6 had a different power trian lineup so you couldn't interchange the motor/tranny with the S10 lineup as easily. I'm certain they usually put the i6 with the AWD because it had more torq then the v6 but I'd have to get my brother to pull out the specs from work to know all the details. 

I think you best best would be to go to a junk yard, grab a 5spd manual (if you can find one) from an astro, and rear axle, drive shaft. Then match your motor up to that. Make sure you have someone look at the tranny, because those vans were usually ran into the ground.


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