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"The Pimp Van" Build - New Batt's/Subs Pics Pg. 5


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Astros aren't so bad... once you get to know them... :)

Good to know that the 3400 will fit in there! I know what I am doing next time for my battery.

12 - 12"s in the STAY PUFT 1989 Chevy Astro

Build & Comment Log

Un-Interrupted Build Log
YouTube Channel

Chevy Trailblazer 5.1 Dolby Digital DTS Install


You have a beard of a mysterious sea captain. I would follow you to hell and back.

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This build looks real good.

Nah, Astros aren't bad at all to work on. Mine has over 230K miles on it and still going. Need to do an engine swap one day though, just cause I want a v8.

That alt location would be a p.i.t.a. though. Mine is right behind the battery. The smog stuff is where your alt is located. The hardest spark plug to get to is the first one near the gas pedal.

My question. Why did you take the cover over the instrument cluster to change out the bulbs to LEDs? Or was that for pics sake? It can be a pain to get the needles back on properly and the speedometer still may be a couple mph off.

Team Pinnacle / Team SouthEastSPL / Team SoundStream / Team GPI / GPI Sales Rep for Florida and Georgia

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Yeah haha it does fit, I had to remove the fuse box to get it in but after that it was easy enough.

Colin- You know these vehicles better than me, is there a engine to chassis ground on these? I looked and looked and couldn't find it, but it was dark and 16 degrees outside. Let me know, because right now I technically have only the Big 2 done lol.

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This build looks real good.

Nah, Astros aren't bad at all to work on. Mine has over 230K miles on it and still going. Need to do an engine swap one day though, just cause I want a v8.

That alt location would be a p.i.t.a. though. Mine is right behind the battery. The smog stuff is where your alt is located. The hardest spark plug to get to is the first one near the gas pedal.

My question. Why did you take the cover over the instrument cluster to change out the bulbs to LEDs? Or was that for pics sake? It can be a pain to get the needles back on properly and the speedometer still may be a couple mph off.

Haha, have you had any transmissions problems?

Yeah there is about 2 inches (if that) clearance all the way around where the alt is, it was a serious pain in the ass, haha spent pretty much all day installing the alt.

When I took the instrument panel out the front came off by accident, so that's why I took a pic that way, I need to get a picture of the new leds in there, people ask me "why do those gauges look so good", I also did the cabin lights and map lights, workin' on mirror lights and climate controls.

The speedometer was already off by 1mph and hasn't changed since I took it off wrong, any ideas how to calibrate it?

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Check the astrosafari forums. They may have some info there about calibrating the speedo. astrosafari.com and astrosafarivans.org

No, haven't had any problems with the transmission. Even went for a whole season carrying 14 68lb batteries, 300lb enclosure, and about 200lbs of subs (probably a little less, can't remember weight of them). Only problems I have had with the van was an oil leak at valve cover, shimmy at 55+ mph, and an't keep air in my air shocks. Oh, and I'm on the 4th starter in 3 years.

But you can see in my sig what I am fixing to go through with my van. 2 years aprox to get it done, if I can get started. The angled drop top is kind of driving me crazy right now.

Team Pinnacle / Team SouthEastSPL / Team SoundStream / Team GPI / GPI Sales Rep for Florida and Georgia

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We gotta keep them on the road! They are a dying breed! Around here the only ones I see are either really clean with old folks driving them, or they are beat to hell with duct tape holding stuff on and windows stuck half down as people drive them into oblivion. ...sigh.

Yeah, TechSys is right about that spark plug on the driver's side. It sucks!!! Cut up forearm FTL! I don't know if any of you have noticed, but the engine isn't in the center of the van! It is off to the passenger's side so the driver can have room for the pedals! LOL! Crazy.

I have had Transmission trouble (at about 240k miles). It would seem that it would behoove one to drop the transmission pan every 50k miles or so, change the transmission filter, and put a few quarts of ATF back in. If you don't change the filter, it begins to take on the color and texture of a charcoal briquette. Mine was flowing SQUAT for transmission fluid and I was having problems with it not wanting to shift. After a bit of long overdue maintenance, all is well again.

I have pretty much killed my motor though and the 350 is conversion is happening come warmer weather.

Michamye- to answer your question, yeah there is a factory ground on them, but it all depends on what year your fan is as to how the whole thing is set up. Mine is an 89 and the serpentine configuration looks nothing like yours. Hell, I think there were 2 or 3 different configurations in 89 alone. Mine was easy to find and from the factory already had 4 awg grounds from the serpentine system (very close to the alt) to the chassis and from the chassis to the battery negative. The Alternator was like 10 or 8 awg though. You will just have to look (when it warms up) for your grounds. My chassis ground is on a stud that bolts through the metal that is behind the grill- right in front of the battery- just a bit to the center of the vehicle past the left of the battery. I posted some pics on my build log if that will help you any.

SDC10554.jpg

See how your ground from your battery runs off to the right and attaches to the metal on that bolt (just off picture)? It should have another wire from that same bolt that goes somewhere on your block or serpentine system. Those are the wires I beefed up. Just used the factory locations and put some 2awg and 0awg I had on there. It made a huge difference.

12 - 12"s in the STAY PUFT 1989 Chevy Astro

Build & Comment Log

Un-Interrupted Build Log
YouTube Channel

Chevy Trailblazer 5.1 Dolby Digital DTS Install


You have a beard of a mysterious sea captain. I would follow you to hell and back.

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nice build micah... working quickly as usual i see... lol... box looking good... i like your amp rack and buss bar...

did you get ur DD comps in yet? or still having trouble with the active crossover?

My first truck... My first Real build...

*Update 8/9/10 DC Power 270xp Alt is In!!!*

1997 Toyota T-100 DC Level 5 18" in a T-line

Everybody wants their system to be....

1. Cheap

2. Reliable

3. Loud

...you can only pick two.

micahmye hertz pack

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TechSys-Thanks for the help! Damn if you were alittle closer bro I'd come help you out with the build sometime, you just gotta feed my ass.

Colin-I'm tuned in for your conversion dude. Thanks for the advice. Yeah I have like a 4ga and a 8ga coming into the battery. The 4ga possibly engine to battery ground? I haven't followed it yet. 8ga is battery to chassis.

spl4life-Thanks bro, miss buildin' with you, haha your system kicks mine to the curb. I have the active crossover figured out now, but with the amp rack out I have no way to test it...yet :awink: DD's are in! I'll get some pic's sometime in the daylight.

NOW FOR THE PIC WHORES!

SDC10559.jpg

tasty led gauges

SDC10563.jpg

you can see the difference between incandescent and these leds by seeing the neighbors lights out the back window

SDC10564.jpg

SDC10568.jpg

SDC10572.jpg

SDC10573.jpg

Look what I found when I opened the hood :) Ooops

To cold to build tonight, 10 degrees anyone? Wind chill factor was only 16 below 0 :spiteful:

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