Found a sweet donor van! Do you need shelving or ladder rack?

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robcuda

robcuda

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Hello Gentleman,

Just found a pretty cool donor vehicle! It's a 97 Van 3500 series with 360 and 46re, 122K miles. Will be transplanting into a 64 Cuda, efi swap.

It is full of commercial shelving (guy was electrician and had receipt for $1200 for shelves) and I'm selling them on craigslist for $300 but would be happy to give them away for free to anyone who can consult me on the magnum swap, LOL (no seriously). Also, have a free van roof ladder rack with all hardware (drip mount) for any members (made by American brand). Also, have a free interior ceiling mount sliding ladder rack to any members in the Albuquerque area that would like it.

I'm pretty happy about finding the van. At first I was nervous because the trans fluid was not clean. When the guy backed out the van he had trouble getting it in reverse, however, it shifted well in all other gears. That night I read a fantastic thread in which a gentleman confidently noted that "reverse problems alone" on the 46re usually indicate a pressure and/or a fluid/filter issue versus "a reverse problem with another gear issue" which would indicate some serious problems. Anyway, I went back and decided to take a chance and bought it.

I immediately changed the engine oil, dropped the trans pan crossing my fingers that I would not find a ton of metal....drum roll......just some metal sludge on magnet. I changed filter, removed trans line and pumped out ALL old fluid while simultaneously replacing with mopar fluid. Now goes into reverse just fine and shifts perfectly. Pheww, that was a close one, was really hoping to have both the engine and trans to transplant!

Runs so great and fluids look good, thinking the heads are still in good shape.

Thought I'd share my donor story as I know this is such a big part of the magnum swap!
 
That should have the factory large hole 360 magnum manifolds on the engine.

Treblig
 
Yes and no!! The passenger side will fit the 67 and up A body but the driver's side won't. I don't know what year car you're working on???

treblig
 
robcuda said:
64 Cuda
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In that case the passenger will work if remove the casting numbers (grinder) and a little metal off the manifold where it gets close to the inner fender. You might sell the drivers side to some one who has a B body?? Then use that money to buy a late 60s 340 driver's manifold (around $200), but the 340 driver will only work if you have manual steering.


Good Luck!!
treblig
 
DFX 340 Duster said:
PICTURES!!!
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upload_2017-9-13_10-30-45.png

Pics with my daughter, pics of donor swap vehicle coming soon.
 
My Mom was born and raised in Tierra Amarilla just North of Albuquerque. I used to love visiting her relatives in their SUPER OLD abobe house. The winters were harsh but, since I was young, it was tons of fun waking up (freezing) to a warm cast iron stove "cracking" in the cold!! I can still remember the 1 foot thick pile of blankets we would sleep under, not to mention the (chamber pot) bed pans. In the middle of winter you surely don't want to walk outside at 2 AM and walk 75 yards to the outhouse!!!



Treblig
 
robcuda said:
View attachment 1715091154
Pics with my daughter, pics of donor swap vehicle coming soon.
Click to expand...
Treblig said:
My Mom was born and raised in Tierra Amarilla just North of Albuquerque. I used to love visiting her relatives in their SUPER OLD abobe house. The winters were harsh but, since I was young, it was tons of fun waking up (freezing) to a warm cast iron stove "cracking" in the cold!! I can still remember the 1 foot thick pile of blankets we would sleep under, not to mention the (chamber pot) bed pans. In the middle of winter you surely don't want to walk outside at 2 AM and walk 75 yards to the outhouse!!!



Treblig
Click to expand...

Thanks for sharing, your Mom grew up in an absolutely beautiful part of of New Mexico. Interestingly, I am working on a story about a 'country doctor' in Tierra Amarilla.

We live out in the country, wood stove and the Milky Way right over our heads.
 
robcuda said:
Thanks for sharing, your Mom grew up in an absolutely beautiful part of of New Mexico. Interestingly, I am working on a story about a 'country doctor' in Tierra Amarilla.

We live out in the country, wood stove and the Milky Way right over our heads.
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That's amazing!! I have to totally agree...It's beautiful up there. I visited my Mom's home just last summer, it's still the same with a few minor additions. I have many pics of her and her "Indian" relatives as they grew up in that small town. She told us about how she had to get up early every morning (in the freezing cold) to chop wood for the stove to warm up the kitchen and cook breakfast. Then wash her hair in water, heated on the stove, only to have to walk to school 1/4 mile and arrive with her hair frozen!!
She told us many times how much she loved growing up with nothing and living life to its' fullest!!

Treblig
 
Treblig said:
That's amazing!! I have to totally agree...It's beautiful up there. I visited my Mom's home just last summer, it's still the same with a few minor additions. I have many pics of her and her "Indian" relatives as they grew up in that small town. She told us about how she had to get up early every morning (in the freezing cold) to chop wood for the stove to warm up the kitchen and cook breakfast. Then wash her hair in water, heated on the stove, only to have to walk to school 1/4 mile and arrive with her hair frozen!!
She told us many times how much she loved growing up with nothing and living life to its' fullest!!

Treblig
Click to expand...

What great stories! I make my kids stack wood after my wood guy dumps it in the yard. My kids thought they had it rough, but now they look forward to doing it as they get older, they love the smell of cedar now, reminds them of Christmas!
 
Well, let me jump in on the Albuquerque love.
My mother's side of the family were one of the founding families of Albuquerque. The families spread out over the years and my grandmother, who was born in San Rafael, had a sheep ranch in the Farmington area. She, my mother, and my aunt (mom's sister) made it out to California during the depression. Those three would always return to New Mexico to visit relatives in Gallup as well as in Albuquerque.
My older sister and brother told me of visiting some relatives in those areas during the mid and late 1950s where life was still basic as you describe.
My mother (born 1923) told me about wood burning stoves, ice boxes, and kerosene lamps in their home.
My brothers and sisters still get together every year and get the New Mexico Hatch Chiles for our tamales!!!
 
Thank
DFX 340 Duster said:
Well, let me jump in on the Albuquerque love.
My mother's side of the family were one of the founding families of Albuquerque. The families spread out over the years and my grandmother, who was born in San Rafael, had a sheep ranch in the Farmington area. She, my mother, and my aunt (mom's sister) made it out to California during the depression. Those three would always return to New Mexico to visit relatives in Gallup as well as in Albuquerque.
My older sister and brother told me of visiting some relatives in those areas during the mid and late 1950s where life was still basic as you describe.
My mother (born 1923) told me about wood burning stoves, ice boxes, and kerosene lamps in their home.
My brothers and sisters still get together every year and get the New Mexico Hatch Chiles for our tamales!!!
Click to expand...
Thanks for sharing your connection to New Mexico! What incredible stories. Gotta love the chiles too!
 
DFX 340 Duster said:
Well, let me jump in on the Albuquerque love.
My mother's side of the family were one of the founding families of Albuquerque. The families spread out over the years and my grandmother, who was born in San Rafael, had a sheep ranch in the Farmington area. She, my mother, and my aunt (mom's sister) made it out to California during the depression. Those three would always return to New Mexico to visit relatives in Gallup as well as in Albuquerque.
My older sister and brother told me of visiting some relatives in those areas during the mid and late 1950s where life was still basic as you describe.
My mother (born 1923) told me about wood burning stoves, ice boxes, and kerosene lamps in their home.
My brothers and sisters still get together every year and get the New Mexico Hatch Chiles for our tamales!!!
Click to expand...


Ice boxes!! Ice boxes!! I don't remember my Mom mentioning ice boxes. Maybe they had one in Tierra Amarilla but I don't remember seeing one back in the 50s when I was there....Your Mother's family must have been rich!! LOL!! .... But then again, my Mom's town was far from big Cities. I do remember that back in the late 50s they actually had running water...the water pipe came up out of the ground near the back of the porch outside the adobe house (no inside water). I remember my Mom telling me that she was sooooo happy when they got water to their house because she was tired of walking 1/2 mile every day down to the river to get water. I do remember the Kerosene lamps, they were so cool!! The abobe house was next to a very rural road and the thick adobe walls would nullify any outside noises at night! I couldn't stomach the green chilies that they used in EVERY FREAKN' meal. But I was young and dumb and wish I had been more understanding. They lived on very little but loved every minute of their lives!! After my Mom married my Dad and moved to Texas my Mom lived the rest of her life dreaming of Tierra Amarilla. She never let us forget how happy she was when she was in New Mexico!!

Treblig
 
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robcuda said:
Are you kidding me, I love these stories! Anyway, I was just bragging about finding a 5.9, not much of a thread to begin with!
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Actually...it looks like you got a pretty good deal, complete engine and transmission with all the accessories!! That van doesn't look too bad at all. Don't know what you paid but I think you made out OK!!:thumbsup:


PS - I envy my Mom growing up in a valley between the mountains, the Chama river was just a few miles away. I have very fond memories of when we visited my cousins, aunts and uncles back in the day!!
treblig
 
The van looks like the 11 passenger commuter van that I used to ride in when I moved 55 miles from my work. I moved back 4 years later.

PS-I love New Mexico. Blue sky, red soil, and quiet. No rushing around.
 
My Marine buddy bought a ranch near Albuquerque with all the tax free dough he made with Blackwater in Iraq. worked 2 years, bought it in cash. I liked driving through New Mexico on our way to Texas. When I was a kid, we drove a white 66 Coronet 500 out and drove a 71 Duster back..probably traded it in for the ride back..? It was a 3 on the floor manual but never knew the motor. I remember sitting up front on the bench straddling the "И" pattern shifter between Mom and Dad while the 2 older sisters were roasting in the back. Red car, black plastic interior NO A/C! I hear we bought it almost new out there so I guess that would have made me 4 or 5! .
 
Treblig said:
In that case the passenger will work if remove the casting numbers (grinder) and a little metal off the manifold where it gets close to the inner fender. You might sell the drivers side to some one who has a B body?? Then use that money to buy a late 60s 340 driver's manifold (around $200), but the 340 driver will only work if you have manual steering.


Good Luck!!
treblig
Click to expand...
Hey Trebling,
I've got power steering. What are thoughts on manifolds knowing that, use the 273 manifold for drivers side and donor 360 (with a touch of grinding) on passenger?
 
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