VintAGE-Vans.com

sehaceguey · Joined: 07 Jan 2008 Posts: 73 Location: El paso Tx.

im looking for a dodge van, and i have a few prospects that i have seen and still some more to see, they all are around the same base price but different conditions.
it may be a hard question to answer but what should i look for on a van??? i know if it has too much rust i should erase it from my list, the engine and transaxle is important but that i could get from my uncle, body panels?, hard to find parts?? what model has the best brakes and overall more security? all i know is that i want a short wheel base dodge, as of now they all look alike to me Rolling Eyes

(the only differences being window/panel van)
thanks for the help in advanced.

enbro · Joined: 27 Apr 2008 Posts: 79 Location: Ottawa, Ontario

I am by no means an expert on this. I just know from looking at a few for sale, what problem areas I've seen.

The front dog legs (curved body panel where the step is) seem to rust away, so look for bondo/repairs in that area. The drip rails can rust too, as can the tops of the door frames.

I've noticed the frame will weaken and crack where the leafs springs attach, so look for rust/cracks/repairs there.

Other than that, basic checking of the body for repairs, bondo, welding etc. is a good idea and look underneath for anything unusual I guess. Hope this helps.