You probably guessed it by my post in my truck thread, but I picked up the next daily already. This one is going to be the official kiddie hauler for the next few years, should make holidays and other trips a heck of a lot easier on us.



It was my parents, they bought it new, nearly fully loaded (didn't want leather I guess). It's the fabled minivan with hundreds of thousands of miles on it, somewhere between 50k-100k are undocumented as the speed sensor wiring broke at one point and it never got fixed for like 3 years or something.

The bad:
Lost all keys. So I bought a new ignition lock cylinder to replace the one it has - yeah, can't do that without the original key. Going to pull a door cylinder and have a locksmith make a key to match probably, in the meantime I get to tear down the steering column and figure out what exactly I broke to get it on the trailer - either the lock cylinder or the housing it locks into (to be honest, as easily as it turned, it was probably worn out really bad to begin with).

Trans (4t65e-HD swapped) needs a partial rebuild. It would go into gear and drive for about 5 seconds before dropping into neutral. That's what went wrong last time it was parked.

Engine is gutless.

Rockers are gone from rust. It was undercoated when it was new, aside from some broken clips and what I'd image are rusty brake and fuel lines, the underbody should be in better shape than most of my projects..

radiator lower support rotted.

Interior, while not abused, smells from sitting.

misc. broken bits.

Drivers side rocker and underbody:


Passenger side:


Rear end:


Looking top down at the radiator bottom support:


The spot, where it wasn't even a year old, when it got dinged by a door in a parking lot and never fixed:



The plan:

First thing, I'm going to get underneath it and find out exactly how bad it is, and what metal is still available to fix the rockers. For the most part, on the trailer, it looks like it's only the rockers. But I've done enough of these to know what to look for and where I'm going to draw the line. If this one is too far gone it will become the parts donor for another one.

If it works out, then it's getting stripped down. Carpet, seats, pillar trim, etc. Everything has to get cleaned, the key situation fixed, nothing too extreme. While it's apart, I might just replace the sliding door with the rust spot (they are plentiful in the local u-pulls), and rebuild the door motor while I'm at it. The rear window motors need rebuilt, the rear wiper motor and hatch latch need rebuilt, etc. Just a bunch of little things that have worn out over the years.

Of course, all new brake lines and fuel lines, new brakes and hardware, shocks and struts, and check if anything else has worn out. For the most part, it's straight up going to be a repair all things broken and clean it up, make it look nice again.


But it wouldn't be one of my projects without a little something extra. First is going to be a 3800 swap. I happen to have an entire working drivetrain just sitting here that I was trying to sell, might as well use it. And of course I'll be top swapping it - a little wiggle room here is that if I don't have to use this van as a parts donor for another, I can get a W-body donor and use the L67 motor and get all the mounts and stuff in one go. But we'll see how that goes.

Another possibility is to pull a rear and diff for the AWD system. I need to look at the wiring, but the only electronic control of it is to disable it. The obvious benefit here is that it's the easiest way to get rear disc brakes. Depending on the budget, it will also get the F-body front brakes - or whatever else the W-body peeps used for dual piston front calipers with a 12" rotor.

Wheels and tires - this will be taking over for the STS in terms of winter driving, Plan is to use the 17" Aztek wheels I have with the snow tires on it. We'll probably end up using this for long road trips as well, so I'll likely end up putting all-season tires on the '97 LeSabre for winter and switch them over when I part the Lesabre for the fair-weather drivers.

_________________
Blow all the things! Wait, I meant boost. Boost!


The Fleet:
'93 SSEi - Twincharged + manual Build thread
'97 Camaro - Top swap
'05 STS - V8, AWD, her DD
'92 Trofeo - Fair weather DD
'84 Sierra Classic - Twin turbo 3800
'97 LeSabre - Top swap

Current project:
'99 Montana - top swap 3800

Upcoming projects:
'92 Bonneville SSE
'87 LeSabre T-type
'67 LeSabre

RIP:
'86 LeSabre - pictures
'93 SE - L67

I can't wait to see what it ends up like!

I would think the GP GXP front calipers would bolt up to it, they fit on our PAU and STS, 12.7" rotor. They fit under the 17" wheels too.

_________________
Will
91 Buick Riviera | S2 L67 swap/4T60E | 124k mi | Antelope Beige Metallic w/Tan Int | Beat-up Beater / Cool Digital Dash
92 Pontiac Bonneville SSE | L67/4T60E | 75K mi | Med Slate Grey w/ Two-Tone Grey Int. | Low Miles Time Capsule / Storage Occupant
92 Chevy Lumina Z34 | LQ1/4T60E | 177k mi | Torch Red w/Grey Int. | Rusty Storage Occupant
03 Buick Park Avenue Ultra | L67/4T65E-HD | 197K | White Diamond Metallic w/Shale Int. | Rust Free Southern Sourced Storage Occupant
99 Chevy Tahoe LT | L31/4L65E | 246k mi | Spiral Grey Metallic w/Grey Int. | Daily Winter Rig / Tow Pig / Portable Concert Hall
04 Cadillac Seville STS | L37/4T80E | 216k mi | Red Jewel Tintcoat w/Shale Int. | Storage Occupant Too
05 Cadillac Deville | LD8/4T80E | 146k mi | Black w/Two Tone Tan Int. | Livery Pkg Daily

Managed to get the van into it's new home for the next few years... I mean, weeks.

Got underneath, and I have to say I don't understand jack schmidt about the rust patterns. Bare brake lines are clean in areas where they should have rotted, but then entire sections of metal are gone right above them. The rockers are about 85% of the rot, there are a few spots in the sliding door lower runners that are bad, and some rot creep up from the rockers into the fender corners. The windshield needs to be removed to fix some rust along the top of the window frame, and some completely random rust spots near the rear hatch in the roofline area will need to be fixed.

Overall though I think it's worth the time and effort to cut out the rust and weld in patch panels and such. The plan is to start with the rockers and underbody. The interior will have to be stripped completely, except maybe the dash, to expose all of the metal. Everything underneath - fuel tank, gizmo's and doo-dads, brake lines, wire harnesses, etc, will all have to be removed. Body moldings, brackets, and what-have-you's... Then I can start really poking around at the rust spots while the interior is properly cleaned.

_________________
Blow all the things! Wait, I meant boost. Boost!


The Fleet:
'93 SSEi - Twincharged + manual Build thread
'97 Camaro - Top swap
'05 STS - V8, AWD, her DD
'92 Trofeo - Fair weather DD
'84 Sierra Classic - Twin turbo 3800
'97 LeSabre - Top swap

Current project:
'99 Montana - top swap 3800

Upcoming projects:
'92 Bonneville SSE
'87 LeSabre T-type
'67 LeSabre

RIP:
'86 LeSabre - pictures
'93 SE - L67

Too bad you're not a little closer to Utah. You could probably pick this bad boy up for $200 and save a lot of time & effort in rust repair...

https://cars.ksl.com/listing/5831855?ad_cid=17

_________________

Resident Tightwad

Screw you, Photobucket.

Wow, I can't even come across a deal like that on rust bombs up here.

_________________
Blow all the things! Wait, I meant boost. Boost!


The Fleet:
'93 SSEi - Twincharged + manual Build thread
'97 Camaro - Top swap
'05 STS - V8, AWD, her DD
'92 Trofeo - Fair weather DD
'84 Sierra Classic - Twin turbo 3800
'97 LeSabre - Top swap

Current project:
'99 Montana - top swap 3800

Upcoming projects:
'92 Bonneville SSE
'87 LeSabre T-type
'67 LeSabre

RIP:
'86 LeSabre - pictures
'93 SE - L67

Stripped most of the interior out tonight. Aside from what appears to be a carpet soaked in rodent waste, looks like interior parts are all not broken, just a few clips popped. I'm going to pull the dash out, looks like the dang things got into some of the wire harnesses. The wires for the rear heat control are all destroyed. But man, that smell is something awful.





The floor pan looks like it's still in really good shape, which is a relief considering the things I remember being spilled in it There's some surface rust in the seat latches, but that should be simple to clean up.

The drivers seat base is worn out, and the foam broke the straps that went across. I intended to pull them apart anyway to clean them and add heated seats, so I should be able to fix it.

Already have a short list of clips and things that I'll have to replace, the years were not kind and the brittle plastic clips for the most part broke.

I still need to remove the door panels, get all the body cladding off before I start removing the stuff from the underbody.

_________________
Blow all the things! Wait, I meant boost. Boost!


The Fleet:
'93 SSEi - Twincharged + manual Build thread
'97 Camaro - Top swap
'05 STS - V8, AWD, her DD
'92 Trofeo - Fair weather DD
'84 Sierra Classic - Twin turbo 3800
'97 LeSabre - Top swap

Current project:
'99 Montana - top swap 3800

Upcoming projects:
'92 Bonneville SSE
'87 LeSabre T-type
'67 LeSabre

RIP:
'86 LeSabre - pictures
'93 SE - L67

Good luck!! I'm enjoying the thought of what it'll be like when you're all done.

_________________

'02 Pontiac Bonneville SE 108,539 miles, N/A, SSEi exhaust system, boat roller mount. Gone, but not forgotten.
'13 Buick Regal GS 69k miles (nice), 270 hp, 295 lb/ft of torque.
(yes, there is a story behind my avatar.)

I'm impressed by your ambition and effort. You certainly like to dig right into things. Well done!

_________________


Bose Luxury Sound System w/Touch Screen Navigation, Addition of Factory XM, 2005 MY Antenna, OnStar Upgrade (3G),
RainSense Wipers, Backup Camera, '00 Style Door Panel Courtesy Lights, Heated Washer Solvent, 2X Remote Trunk Release,
Turn Signal Mirrors, Center Console Courtesy Lamp, Rear Outboard Heated Seats, PVD Chrome 18" Factory Rims, Upgraded
Carbon Fibre Appearance Interior Trim, Highly Modified Main Body Harness, Instrument Panel, Door, Door Panel & Headliner
Wiring Harnesses, Custom Fuse Box & Tire and Loading Information Decals, Additional Acoustic Insulation

Got the interior as torn down as I think I need to, still want to check above the headliner to make sure there aren't any nests but the dash is out and the cleaning has started.

This seems to be the extent of actual damage from critters eating car parts, at least inside the vehicle:


I need to figure out what type of tubing is used for those vacuum lines, as well test each of the valves they control. I'd like to find a reel of the stuff and re-run all of the lines, but cost is going to be a major driving factor in this project so the cheapest way to do it right is what I'll end up doing.

I'm still working on the budget for this project. Timewise, I have a week off work coming up here that I plan to work on this to get a majority of the work done. But that has to line up with the budget too. I'm thinking I'll be able to get all the metal work done and the motor and trans swapped in that week. Once the underbody is done and it's able to roll around again, I'll pull it back into the garage to remove the windshield and fix the flanges and body metal along the top. Then I'll be able to piece in the other things as the budget allows.

The current list of things to do:
-Pull all the W-body 3800 mounting parts (engine brackets, SC belt tensioner, A/C manifold, PCM & harness, air filter box)
-find a few interior pieces to replace the ones that started to break (door seals, one door panel, etc.)
-New power steering pressure hose
-New LCAs
-KYB 339015 struts (GTP struts)
-Strut mounts and bellows
-Liftgate struts
-Muffler
-Cabin filters
-Wipers and arms
-Calipers and rotors and pads for the front
-3800 top end gaskets
-Timing set
-headers

Then I need to get the AWD stuff figured out.
-Rear axle assembly (can get cheaper on car-part than a u-pull)
--That determines what rear end parts I need (shocks, brakes, etc)
-2-piece driveshaft (has to come from a LWB van)
-transfer case (hopefully it doesn't need a different subframe)

Other stuff
-NiCu brake lines
-Convert to all-nylon fuel lines using the '93 H-body fuel filter
-Weld up the pieces needed to make the rear A/C connect to the W-body manifolds
-New windshield
-rebuild the power sliding door motor
-Paint
-Heated seat pads
-Remote start (I think I know what I need to do for this).
-Oil spray the underbody
-Speakers and basic subwoofer

Future stuff (cool stuff I should probably never do unless I decide to keep this long-term...)
-Bluray player to replace the outdated VCR. Would love to find a drop-in screen to replace the factory one, or an OHC that has the rear heat controls and headphone option less the VCR to make my own OHC bezel to fit a bigger screen.
-Power liftgate


I never liked the tan body trim panels. So I'm going the Olds route and painting them body colored. The rockers will get a coating of truck bedliner, and I plan to fix the seams on the liftgate and rust patches in the door and attempt feather in the new paint. I'll probably re-cover the roof rack as it's peeling, probably just going to go with gloss black.

_________________
Blow all the things! Wait, I meant boost. Boost!


The Fleet:
'93 SSEi - Twincharged + manual Build thread
'97 Camaro - Top swap
'05 STS - V8, AWD, her DD
'92 Trofeo - Fair weather DD
'84 Sierra Classic - Twin turbo 3800
'97 LeSabre - Top swap

Current project:
'99 Montana - top swap 3800

Upcoming projects:
'92 Bonneville SSE
'87 LeSabre T-type
'67 LeSabre

RIP:
'86 LeSabre - pictures
'93 SE - L67

I've made decent progress cleaning up the interior, the smell inside is almost completely neutralized. At this point it needs to dry out and see if there are any lingering smells.

Started getting things torn out and ready for the metal work underneath. All of this rot was caused by a hole the factory left un-sealed in the rocker right in front of the rear wheel well. Moisture and salt and dirt get in there and clog up the bottom seam of the rocker, rotting it from the inside out. Then, because it was undercoated, it holds the rotting metal and moisture in allowing it to creep along entire panels. I got to poking around with the pressure washer a bit, look like I'll have to fix an area along the base of the sliding door track too. Well, that's a good enough excuse for me to finally build a metal bending brake of my own.

Here's the concept:


It's a cammed lever that allows me to use multiple different locking plates with different bending radii. Design is mostly bed frame angle, uses leftover bearings from idler pulleys, etc. There are many different DIY bending brake designs out there but none of them allow you to vary or control the bend radius. I initially wanted to make one with a 48" working area, but I need to find a local source for steel cutoffs and a place to mount it first.

_________________
Blow all the things! Wait, I meant boost. Boost!


The Fleet:
'93 SSEi - Twincharged + manual Build thread
'97 Camaro - Top swap
'05 STS - V8, AWD, her DD
'92 Trofeo - Fair weather DD
'84 Sierra Classic - Twin turbo 3800
'97 LeSabre - Top swap

Current project:
'99 Montana - top swap 3800

Upcoming projects:
'92 Bonneville SSE
'87 LeSabre T-type
'67 LeSabre

RIP:
'86 LeSabre - pictures
'93 SE - L67

Liking this thread... You know I wanted to do this to my sister In-law's old Montana but didn't want to open up a can of worms and of course, I'd drop in a 5.3 (LS4).

I HATE mice.

_________________


Retired Bonneville Owner and former GM Tech:
2004 Pontiac Bonneville GXP: Black/Ebony *SOLD*

Summer Toys: Combined 827 RWHP / 877lb/ft RWTQ
2004 Pontiac GTO: Impulse Blue Metallic/Black/M6: lots 'o mods, 415 RWHP / 405lb/ft RWTQ!
2006 Cadillac STS-V: Light Platinum Metallic/Light Gray/A6 - Spectre CAI, Magnaflow exhaust, Speed Inc. tune, 412 RWHP / 472lb/ft RWTQ

Daily Drivers:
2015 Chrysler Town & Country Limited Platinum: Mommy's NEW RGC
2007 Chrysler Town & Country Limited: Daddy's beater affectionately called the Rolling Garbage Can or "RGC" for short
2009 Pontiac G8 GT: L76, Sport Red Metallic
2009 Chevrolet Impala SS: LS4 V8, Victory Red
1999 Chevrolet Suburban: Sunset Gold Metallic - Daddy's winter beater and plow truck

Hey Matt, get on TCG. Someone from Connecticut just introduced himself in the freshmen initiation section and he's swapping in an L67 and drivetrain in to an older C-class Mercedes. I tagged you because I know you'd love that kind of frankenstein stuff.

_________________


Retired Bonneville Owner and former GM Tech:
2004 Pontiac Bonneville GXP: Black/Ebony *SOLD*

Summer Toys: Combined 827 RWHP / 877lb/ft RWTQ
2004 Pontiac GTO: Impulse Blue Metallic/Black/M6: lots 'o mods, 415 RWHP / 405lb/ft RWTQ!
2006 Cadillac STS-V: Light Platinum Metallic/Light Gray/A6 - Spectre CAI, Magnaflow exhaust, Speed Inc. tune, 412 RWHP / 472lb/ft RWTQ

Daily Drivers:
2015 Chrysler Town & Country Limited Platinum: Mommy's NEW RGC
2007 Chrysler Town & Country Limited: Daddy's beater affectionately called the Rolling Garbage Can or "RGC" for short
2009 Pontiac G8 GT: L76, Sport Red Metallic
2009 Chevrolet Impala SS: LS4 V8, Victory Red
1999 Chevrolet Suburban: Sunset Gold Metallic - Daddy's winter beater and plow truck

Will do, been busy doing fabrication work (pictures to come Monday), so I've missed out on the internet all week lol.

_________________
Blow all the things! Wait, I meant boost. Boost!


The Fleet:
'93 SSEi - Twincharged + manual Build thread
'97 Camaro - Top swap
'05 STS - V8, AWD, her DD
'92 Trofeo - Fair weather DD
'84 Sierra Classic - Twin turbo 3800
'97 LeSabre - Top swap

Current project:
'99 Montana - top swap 3800

Upcoming projects:
'92 Bonneville SSE
'87 LeSabre T-type
'67 LeSabre

RIP:
'86 LeSabre - pictures
'93 SE - L67

After a partially successful scrap run I ended up with enough metal to make a 48" metal bending brake. It's not perfect, and not exactly to my original design, mostly because of the limitations of what I could get to make it. Built a new work bench for it as well:


Then I found some good metal, and got to bending. Had to cut out 2-3 layers of the rotted metal, then starting from the inner most layers build it back up:








I know it doesn't look straight, the bottom flange is way longer than needed so I can line up the lower rocker and trim it back later.


Still working on fixing the rear of the rocker, the area where all the salt water was let into it over the years - it was so bad I just cut it all out. This was hidden under the plastic body trim.








A few other randoms:







The weather this weekend forced me to take a few deviations from progress on the body work, so I've been cleaning up the interior. For the most part, I think the rear seats were safe from the rodents. Both front seats will have to be disassembled, not sure what's going on with those but I think there's some super nasty crap (or rusty seat frames) leeching through the fabric. But almost everything else is clean now. Hasn't passed the smell test but I need the sun to come out again and help dry it up!

Before:


After:

_________________
Blow all the things! Wait, I meant boost. Boost!


The Fleet:
'93 SSEi - Twincharged + manual Build thread
'97 Camaro - Top swap
'05 STS - V8, AWD, her DD
'92 Trofeo - Fair weather DD
'84 Sierra Classic - Twin turbo 3800
'97 LeSabre - Top swap

Current project:
'99 Montana - top swap 3800

Upcoming projects:
'92 Bonneville SSE
'87 LeSabre T-type
'67 LeSabre

RIP:
'86 LeSabre - pictures
'93 SE - L67

A sheet metal break is on my list of "things to build because Im too cheap to spend the money". Right now, we dont really have the room for it. Ill be curious to see your setup.

I dont envy you ripping apart the interior on that van. That stank was horrible.

_________________
--Tim




2012 Nissan Titan SV 4x4, 5.6L V8 Pics: http://imgur.com/a/jw3Af (updated: 2/4/2015)
1986 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Brougham, 5.0L V8 (307). Pics: http://imgur.com/a/1eKUG (updated: 4/21/2014)

Roughed in the rear edge of the rocker - this is technically part of the fender/body side stamping, but you can't get those anymore so I grabbed an extra section of rocker panel to use.







I had to use what was left on the other side to see how everything shingles together.

I already have like three or four new ideas with the metal brake to make it better. The real challenge is welding something that long and controlling warp and other distortions. Ideally, the long pieces would not be welded at all, but as usual I had to work with the limited materials I had. Once time and project finances settle down I'll be able to come back to it with some waterjet parts

_________________
Blow all the things! Wait, I meant boost. Boost!


The Fleet:
'93 SSEi - Twincharged + manual Build thread
'97 Camaro - Top swap
'05 STS - V8, AWD, her DD
'92 Trofeo - Fair weather DD
'84 Sierra Classic - Twin turbo 3800
'97 LeSabre - Top swap

Current project:
'99 Montana - top swap 3800

Upcoming projects:
'92 Bonneville SSE
'87 LeSabre T-type
'67 LeSabre

RIP:
'86 LeSabre - pictures
'93 SE - L67

Slowly making progress:


Drivers side is almost done. I've got three more small pieces to make for the drivers side, and finish the rear corner up. Once it's done it needs to be sealed and undercoated. It's crazy that there were 5 pieces that come together at the bottom of the B-pillar, the H-body cars only have 3 there.

_________________
Blow all the things! Wait, I meant boost. Boost!


The Fleet:
'93 SSEi - Twincharged + manual Build thread
'97 Camaro - Top swap
'05 STS - V8, AWD, her DD
'92 Trofeo - Fair weather DD
'84 Sierra Classic - Twin turbo 3800
'97 LeSabre - Top swap

Current project:
'99 Montana - top swap 3800

Upcoming projects:
'92 Bonneville SSE
'87 LeSabre T-type
'67 LeSabre

RIP:
'86 LeSabre - pictures
'93 SE - L67

Got the drivers side done for now. I'll need to do the rest of the body work right before it's ready for paint, some filler to fix the imperfections and I don't need a whole lot so going to just wait and do it all at once.

I also got the carpet as good as it can be without trying to dye it. The smell is gone, I still need to make a few more passes on the floor mats though.


The budget crunch is real with this project... The windshield for the van is going to be more than $450. The old one has a huge crack in it, and I need to fix the rust in the window frame that causes it, so new carpets and mats are out of the question, and I think the AWD is going to be shelved unless I find a screaming deal (free parts).

_________________
Blow all the things! Wait, I meant boost. Boost!


The Fleet:
'93 SSEi - Twincharged + manual Build thread
'97 Camaro - Top swap
'05 STS - V8, AWD, her DD
'92 Trofeo - Fair weather DD
'84 Sierra Classic - Twin turbo 3800
'97 LeSabre - Top swap

Current project:
'99 Montana - top swap 3800

Upcoming projects:
'92 Bonneville SSE
'87 LeSabre T-type
'67 LeSabre

RIP:
'86 LeSabre - pictures
'93 SE - L67

More carnage:





The rear corner of the door frame on the passenger side is the biggest problem - the driver side the front roller track area was rotted, on this side it's the rear of the roller track - and the entire dogleg. But again, that rear corner was the entry point. It looks like what happened on this side is the rear corner rotted out quick enough that a lot of the salt and water didn't have a chance to get as far forward in the rocker as it did on the other side. So, aside from the inner and outer rocker stampings, everything inside (pillar reinforcements, roller track, etc.) in the front half of the van is still in good shape. I ended up drilling out all the spot welds because there wasn't any real rust on them. The rest of it I just ripped out with the cutoff wheel. This is another instance though where I had to rip out good metal just to get to the rot.


I was really hoping this side would go quicker than the other side, but not this time!

_________________
Blow all the things! Wait, I meant boost. Boost!


The Fleet:
'93 SSEi - Twincharged + manual Build thread
'97 Camaro - Top swap
'05 STS - V8, AWD, her DD
'92 Trofeo - Fair weather DD
'84 Sierra Classic - Twin turbo 3800
'97 LeSabre - Top swap

Current project:
'99 Montana - top swap 3800

Upcoming projects:
'92 Bonneville SSE
'87 LeSabre T-type
'67 LeSabre

RIP:
'86 LeSabre - pictures
'93 SE - L67

Progress continues.

Cleaned up the rear corner:


And the rebuild commences:










Once the seal flange is welded back up all that's left is the rocker and the patches in the rear quarter, and the inner rocker (which needs the outer rocker in place to make sure it lines up). Weekend progress may stall due to rain - I have the tent over the work space, and probably going to put up some plastic sides for it, but that only works in light rain. But I've got a bunch of other stuff that needs to be done (all the seats need to be deep cleaned, engine prep, etc..).

_________________
Blow all the things! Wait, I meant boost. Boost!


The Fleet:
'93 SSEi - Twincharged + manual Build thread
'97 Camaro - Top swap
'05 STS - V8, AWD, her DD
'92 Trofeo - Fair weather DD
'84 Sierra Classic - Twin turbo 3800
'97 LeSabre - Top swap

Current project:
'99 Montana - top swap 3800

Upcoming projects:
'92 Bonneville SSE
'87 LeSabre T-type
'67 LeSabre

RIP:
'86 LeSabre - pictures
'93 SE - L67