There was a time, previous to the rise of the minivan, when Detroit pitched its full-sized passenger vans as very massive and thirsty station wagons. On the similar time, most of these vans got here with handbook transmissions and straight-six engines as base gear (practically all consumers after about 1970 paid further for automatics and V8s, after all). Right now’s Junkyard Gem, present in a San Francisco Bay Space automotive graveyard, is likely one of the uncommon Nineteen Eighties American passenger vans constructed with six cylinders, three pedals and 4 ahead gears… with floor-mounted shifter.
Chrysler’s Dodge Division stopped constructing forward-control A100 vans in 1970, changing the A100 with the a lot bigger B-Sequence line of vans (Plymouth bought the B-Van, too, because the 1974-1983 Voyager). Manufacturing with minor beauty modifications continued by way of 1997, after which a significant redesign saved the identical primary chassis with a special look going till DaimlerChrysler axed the B-Sequence in favor of the Sprinter.
From the 1971 by way of 1980 mannequin years, cargo variations of the Dodge B-Sequence vans received Tradesman branding, whereas the passenger model was referred to as the Sportsman or Sportsman Wagon. For 1981, the Tradesman turned the Ram Van whereas the Sportsman become the Ram Wagon.
This one is a burly ¾-ton mannequin with a curb weight pushing two tons (which is considerably lighter than Chrysler’s minivans of a decade later), so that you’d have anticipated the unique purchaser to insist on the non-obligatory 318- or 360-cubic-inch V8. Not so! This can be a Slant-Six engine with 225 cubic inches (3.7 liters) of displacement, rated at 95 horsepower if it is the unique plant.
Simply to confuse California emissions-testing personnel with its incorrect smog-specs sticker, the hood from a 318-equipped 1991 van has been swapped in. I will guess there have been some heated arguments about this van at smog-check time, which makes me surprise why the hood-swapper did not simply scrape off the decal.
After all, the proprietor may have pointed on the construct tag on the door jamb for proper identification. Right here we will see that this van was born north of the border, on the Pilette Street Meeting plant in Windsor, Ontario.
With most vans of this kind that had the engine mounted over the entrance axle and beneath a doghouse within the passenger compartment, handbook transmission shifters have been mounted on the steering column to offer ergonomically wise entry for the driving force’s shifting hand. Usually, this could have been a three-on-the-tree rig, though four-on-the-tree column-shift manuals have been put in in some Ford and GM vans starting within the late Nineteen Sixties (sadly, none have been constructed with 5-on-the-tree setups). When Chrysler determined so as to add one other gear to the B-Sequence vans for the 1980 mannequin 12 months, nevertheless, the overdrive-equipped four-speed’s shift lever was positioned subsequent to the driving force’s proper hip.
This location means that you’re pressured to achieve again to shift gears, with ergonomic hilarity growing if you’re already in second or fourth and fumbling for the knob. You’d get used to it after some time, however it might be irritating in stop-and-go visitors.
With a five-digit odometer, we won’t know what number of miles this Ram Wagon traveled throughout its 42 years. This odometer might be exhibiting 164,287 miles, however the unkillable Slant-Six/handbook powertrain mixture means it might be displaying 664,287 miles.
The software pockets and usually battered inside point out that it spent fairly some time as a piece truck.
Nonetheless, a few of the paneling and fabric from its authentic calling as a passenger “wagon” stay. These plaid material inserts look similar to those within the ¾-ton 1973 Chevy Sportvan Beauville by which I spent my Malaise Period childhood.
This might confer with Van #408, or it may confer with San Jose’s phone space code.
Was this van a elements runner for the Del Grande Vendor Group on the finish, or did the DGDG simply get it as a trade-in and hustle it straight to the closest boneyard?
Once you ask about vans, you hear about Dodge!