db's 1970 DODGE A108 Sportsman van

db · Post by db » Sat Dec 31, 16 7:17 pm

Hey! Oh that's ace, I'll be picking your brain a lot!
How long have you had it? What's the motor/ trans? Have you done much work on it?

db · Post by db » Mon Jan 02, 17 2:48 pm

So this will need an upgrade!

It has flooding issues so I have all the excuses I need to bin it. I'm thinking 650 Holley, but what manifold?
No big power increase required just wake it up a little. It may get headers and cam too but not straight away.

Blue · Post by **Blue** » Mon Jan 02, 17 5:26 pm

Edelbrock performer would do the trick, and by chance I will have one available in the not too distant....

db · Post by db » Mon Jan 02, 17 6:30 pm

Sweet! Dibs on that please mate

Blue · Post by **Blue** » Mon Jan 02, 17 6:38 pm

Noted!

mad machs · Post by **mad machs** » Mon Jan 02, 17 7:14 pm

db wrote: How long have you had it? What's the motor/ trans? Have you done much work on it?

Bought it mid 2016, went out to buy a Ford Transit crew van, came back with the A108 (well, kind of

)
It's a 318 727 , part converted to a mini-camper, done a fair bit to it, mainly fettling to sort out a few snags, one of which was the carburetor, but a rebuild kit saw to that ok. Front prop joint went recently , that was when I found out it had been converted from trunion joint to uj.

db · Post by db » Mon Jan 02, 17 9:15 pm

Love it, I take it you didn't have a responsible adult with you then?

Same motor/ trans combo as mine. Have you ever had to take the motor out? I asked on Vintage vans, it seems you have to haul it out of the front passenger door!
Mines a desert dweller so it'll be interesting to see what issues that throws up.
The surface erosion is obvious and he say some of the rubbers are in a poor state.

Does yours have power steering? Would you say it's really necessary? If not I'd sooner pull mine off to save on complication/ weigh/ potential faults

mad machs · Post by **mad machs** » Mon Jan 02, 17 9:28 pm

db wrote:
Does yours have power steering? Would you say it's really necessary? If not I'd sooner pull mine off to save on complication/ weigh/ potential faults

Mine did have P/S but thankfully it has been removed, simply by installing the the manual steering link bar and removal of the pump & pipes The P/S can be problematic, odd system that usually leaks. The manual system is fine and less vague on the road.

mad machs · Post by **mad machs** » Mon Jan 02, 17 9:34 pm

db wrote:Love it, I take it you didn't have a responsible adult with you then?

Mary encouraged me & she's meant to be the more sensible one, it really was an 11th hour decision

Better this classic Dodge than a Transit that will only ever be a slowly deteriorating Transit, the Dodge will hold its value and is way more fun.

Made sense to us.

Post by **MattH** » Tue Jan 03, 17 8:13 am

That looks superb, better bet than the International that could have been a nightmare. Good choice !

Dave81 · Post by **Dave81** » Tue Jan 03, 17 12:45 pm

Got a 600 Holley on my 318 Paul and fits the bill perfectly (for now). Depends if your gonna start chasing power or just want a cruiser.

If your going cam and other bolt ons etc then id go 650, but id think the 600 would be better on a near stock teen with stock heads??

Steve Chapman · Post by **Steve Chapman** » Tue Jan 03, 17 12:57 pm

Nice old bus , desert dweller, check for poisonous nasties!

db · Post by db » Tue Jan 03, 17 1:29 pm

MattH wrote:That looks superb, better bet than the International that could have been a nightmare. Good choice !

Yes mate, I've dodged a few bullets on my way to finding this one!

db · Post by db » Tue Jan 03, 17 1:32 pm

Dave81 wrote:Got a 600 Holley on my 318 Paul and fits the bill perfectly (for now). Depends if your gonna start chasing power or just want a cruiser.

If your going cam and other bolt ons etc then id go 650, but id think the 600 would be better on a near stock teen with stock heads??

I'd like to pep it up a little but I think for this one, as it's my new daily driver, torque and driveability with a nod to fuel economy (I bet you never thought you'd hear me say that!)

db · Post by db » Tue Jan 03, 17 1:32 pm

Steve Chapman wrote:Nice old bus , desert dweller, check for poisonous nasties!

Good point!