Vehicle Sighting - '80s? Dodge van, 1-ton chassis?

[Number_35]

Spotted this old veteran yesterday.

I'm guessing it's a 3500 (1-ton) with a 360 (5.9), and 15-passenger capacity. The rear overhang is a bit scary - with heavy people in the far back, the steering can be compromised.

 

[Rogueman2016s]

was the 360 the only engine offered?, I wouldn't be surprised if its not a 318.

 

[atikovi]

Pretty sure that front end design started in 1994.

 

[cptbarkey]

My parents had one in all white, mid-late 70s. Curtains in the windows. They finally got rid of it in favor of a brand new 1988 Dodge Dakota. I think it had over 250k. Three on the tree.

 

[LenZee]

I had a black dodge van like the one above but without side windows., U-joints were bad and the front one failed and acted like a pole vault. Was driving and the next thing I knew the van was standing almost straight up in the air. The rear diff broke into 3 pieces.
Was going about 20mph when It happened.

 

[bullwinkle]

I considered a Dodge 3500 B-van before I bought the Express in my sig-until I realized that all they had for a “frame” was a piece of C-channel ran down each side! Not any better for towing/heavy hauling than any other unibody van…

 

[bullwinkle]

I had a black dodge van like the one above but without side windows., U-joints were bad and the front one failed and acted like a pole vault. Was driving and the next thing I knew the van was standing almost straight up in the air. The rear diff broke into 3 pieces.
Was going about 20mph when It happened.

Those 2-piece driveshafts can cause major trouble like that, I pretty much just replace all 3 U-joints, center bearing, & grease the yoke at the transmission on every older truck I buy that has them. They’re bad for throwing balance weights if U-joints get sloppy, and then it’s time to ship them to a drivetrain shop. Not worth sub-$100 in parts.

 

[Number_35]

was the 360 the only engine offered?, I wouldn't be surprised if its not a 318.

Could be - I wasn't sure if the 318 was offered in the 3/4- and 1-ton vans.

I also wonder if the 360 was the largest engine offered.

 

[Chris142]

Still lots of those around the homeless camps here

 

[Rogueman2016s]

Could be - I wasn't sure if the 318 was offered in the 3/4- and 1-ton vans.

I also wonder if the 360 was the largest engine offered.

Based on wiki info 360 magnum was largest displacement available

 

[Number_35]

Pretty sure that front end design started in 1994.

Per Wikipedia it looks like you're right.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodge_Ram_Van

 

[Number_35]

Based on wiki info 360 magnum was largest displacement available

Correct for this van (2nd-gen, I think), although (again per Wiki) the 1st gen ('71 - '78) offered the 400 and 440 as well.

 

[Braapdaddy]

The hood angle changes once in that generation if I remember correct there were 4 of them in the fleet I maintained that was mostly GM G3500 or E350 vans

The dodges were a unitized frame whereas the Ford and GM vans were frame on body

The ford's were toughest overall with the twin I beam being the weak point ( due to heavy loads and lots of curb hoping everyday )

The GMs had bad radiators in nearly every one (due to being loaded heavy and rolled over curbs two to six times a day ) and flexing to the point the radiators got twisted eventually leaking at the tanks

The Dodges like the one pictured above were noiser and doors were much more prone to door sag but overall held their own against the others ......... nobody preferred the dodges and they were relegated to the B team employees

If the intake manifolds aren't leaking or sucking air the 360 is tough

 

[Rost310]

ha, I have exactly the same van. I’ll look out the window now to take a photo for you

 

[ls1mike]

The Navy had a million of those things. All white with radio delete or AM only until say the mid 90's when they started getting whatever color they had with AM/FM cassette.

 

[addyguy]

My dad’s work had govt. issue Dodge vans that looked just like cptbarkleys van in the early 1980’s to ferry around visitors. My dad had to bring them home a few times. He hated them.

 

[Snagglefoot]

Free Candy. Run, don’t walk.

 

[anderson]

used to have one , best work van i could ask for.

that is until it started to look shabby and people were giving us funny looks lol.
sent to the crusher with 400xxxkms on er. no real issues to report

 

[svtrit]

My friend had a 1/2 ton version in high school. It was cheap and ended up being a ton of fun. It’s last Harrah was us cutting the roof off and driving around town for one last cruise.

 

[vwmaniaman]

My first one was a 1971 Dodge van that belonged to Motorola. Loved that van. That 318 with 3 on the tree would easily do 85 in second gear to merge on the freeway. They sold it at 175 with no problems. My next was a 1974 Maxi 3/4 ton that I used to move from Arizona to Kentucky. Had over 150k on it when I bought it. Had a 360 and was a 12 passenger. Changed the original Holly carb for a Holley 350 cfm 2 bbl. Was getting 9mpg with original Holley and 14mpg with the new one. Next was a 76 B250 built as a camper by my Dad. Its still in the family and has a 318 with a 727 transmission. Neither motor or transmission has been rebuilt or replaced but carefully serviced. Drove that one all over the US and towed several vehicles home from far away with it. My newest of that style is a 93 b350 Roadtrek with the 5.2 Magnum. Has 106K on it and gets 16mpg highway. I have had nothing but great service out of all of them and the biggest failures were a radiator and water pump on the 76 B250 and a crankshaft position sensor on the 93 Roadtrek. They have sold me on reliability.