A long time ago [several years] I had a Caravan that I drove literally everywhere, and after my friend backed into it and it was totaled by the insurance company, I've been kicking myself in the backside for not buying it back and repairing it, because I severely miss the comfort and utility of that particular vehicle.
So when I came across the option to get a B1500 Ram van, I really couldn't pass it up for what it ended up costing me, which was next to nothing.
Now that I have it, I've been putting miles on it and figured that my min mileage is about 14 [hauling/towing], and my max mileage is about 19 [driving 40 pretty much everywhere and keeping the TC lock engaged].
It's equipped with a 175HP 3.9L V6 [think Dakota] and a 727 3 speed trans with TCLK. No tach, no idea what the RPM's are doing [yet].
So far the only mods to it have been installing a hitch, it was an old Verizon van with only 48,000 miles on it [for a 1998!] and a few little issues here and there. I'm in process of installing a third bucket seat up front, cleaning out the back entirely, getting 'regular' truck mirrors instead of the wing mirrors that are on it, and paneling the rear interior with shelving and tool bins.
One mod I have intentions of doing is installing a drop-in box in the floor that takes up the space between the [not] frame rails and has a hinged lid that acts as the van's floor, to carry my chains/straps, etc that I use for hauling. Doing so will emulate a sort of 'belly pan' on the rear of the van's body, so it only makes sense to continue that all the way to the front as much as possible, right? Right.
Now, getting to the real work - I want to change the transmission out if it. The A-518 transmission that also backed 3.9L engines is basically a 727 with an external OD unit on the back of it.
BUT WAIT!
I don't have the PCM to control the OD unit properly, so that'll never work, right? WRONG. While installing this transmission, It'll be set up so that I have the option to split every gear via a switch, because the OD solenoid is a solid 12VDC signal. This will effectively make my A-518 a 6 speed transmission. Then there's the option to lock/unlock in any gear as necessary, since that, too, uses a solid 12VDC signal. 12 whole ranges to play with?! YES!
Odds are, I'll set the TCLK to just lock up at 10MPH and stay locked, though. Don't need to be playin around with TCLK much when you have a switchable splitter unit in place, right?
Anyway, just wanted to introduce the new vehicle... This one's not getting a name just yet. For now, it's all about just doing what I need to do to increase the mileage and make it more cost effective to operate regularly.
Here are some old pics: I'll get a few more newer ones as I work on it more.
