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Speaking of saying goodbye...

D

DCM

Well-known Member
Ran this old boy,97 Astro,since 2004, 52 weeks a year for work, lavish maintenance to meet contract requirements, 445000 km which is about 275,000 miles,could not get any interest at 750 bucks, finally gave it away to a buddy who can use a new starter,rad,good tires,new etc. Pic taken in Nov 2018.
cvphoto13951.jpg
 
Sold a car a few years ago with 450,000 km on it. Got a message this month the buyer traded it in for 500$ credit with 650,000 km on it. She still looked good but floors had rotted out. I had welded rockers into it previously.
 
That's in great shape for the year, shows your attention to timely maintenance and repairs. Is it a 4.3l? A friend of mine had one similar with AWD, was quite a van in it's day.
 
I had a friend who had one of those, earlier than your year, he told me that it was the absolute best vehicle he ever owned. I think it had a V6 with all-wheel drive which he raved about. He's had countless cars since but still talks about it now and then. Did they not have some plastic body panels as well? One other thing he used to talk about. I still see them up here around and about, people seem to stick with them.
 
Had a company van and around 200 it blew a head gasket. It looked like a Destroyer laying a smoke screen running down the highway. Pure white but you couldn't see anything in the rear view mirror. Got it home just fill the radiator back up and leave the radiator cap unlocked. That way the system can't pressurize and blow water through the hole in the gasket.
 
The ground effects(grey colored) are plastic or some such, rust was starting behind those panels.
 
The 4.3 is a great little block, swapped out a lot of QS oil over the years.
 
I had a 87 that I bought in 2000. I ran it u til 2005 when I slid on some ice and totaled it. It had 300k on it. Great vehicle.
 
I had a 4.3 Astro company truck. I had so much stuff in it we had another leaf put in the rear springs. 154 thousand city miles with nothing but oil and brakes. Made in Baltimore Maryland. They shut the factory down and laid everyone off.
 
I've heard the 4.3 is a pretty strong and long lasting engine. I've got 171,000 km on the one in my 97 Blazer. Seems like it might have a few miles left in it yet.
 
They did not just lay everyone off from the Baltimore plant. They retired, transferred or took buy outs. I used to stamp the steel in Mansfield Ohio. Now I am at GM Arlington assembly. Work with quit a few people from the Baltimore plant.
 
I had an AWD Astro. Wow that is one vehicle they got right. Of course as with any van style vehicle it was a pain to work on. The van was perfectly balanced most stable confidence inspiring vehicle I ever drove. Mileage sucked never broke 17 mpg!
 
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