Slash's Mopar Van: End of the Road

[CAMAROBOY69]

Yup, for sure. Hopefully I'll get away with 3 cans since it's darker than the white I started on. They say to use gray precoats on white vehicles but I didn't know this before I started so I ended up using more black then I needed. Since the bumpers are darker I shouldn't need as much to get a dark color.

The headlights are new housings my dad put on since the originals were cloudy. The drivers side has some crap I want to wet sand off. Not sure what grit I'll use, probably 2000 but I'll have to check my garage to see what I have and I have a lot of it. Unfortunately the drivers side mount was busted ways back :/

Not sure what I have laying around to buff them out though, I'll have to look.





I've heard it depends on the application in a car wash. I've heard people have good results against pressure washers and others where it peels in car washes. I'm kinda scared to try it. Worst comes to worst I have to go to a spray washer where I have to get out and use a hose.

Yes that's always true about any light colors like white, red, yellow, and neon colors. You usually need a darker base first before applying the color you want to use. Most people do not know that.

Most anything will work for buffing the 2,000 grit. Even a cheap car wax will work. You could even use baking soda or tooth paste. haha

As for washing by hand in the winter, the bad part about that is there is simply no way you will remove the rust from under the vehicle if you are spraying by hand at a "do it yourself" car wash. Something is better than nothing, but you wont get the salt from under the vehicle without driving through an under body spray car wash. I just happen to be lucky enough that there is one 2 miles from my house and it is only $5.00 with underbody spray. I am very picky about watching for scratches in my paint but their setup does an incredible job. All the cars I bring through there come out very nice with almost no scratches at all. And it does a great job removing the salt from under the car. I put my cars up on a lift multiple times a year and constantly analyze the effects and results of the drive through car was. Hopefully you have access to a really good car wash like mine. It will greatly increase the life of northern winter vehicles for sure.

 

[Slash]

Yes that's always true about any light colors like white, red, yellow, and neon colors. You usually need a darker base first before applying the color you want to use. Most people do not know that.

In the back of my mind I knew it but it wasn't the first thing that came to mind

Most anything will work for buffing the 2,000 grit. Even a cheap car wax will work. You could even use baking soda or tooth paste. haha

We'll see what happens. I'm not in a huge rush especially for the lights. Right now, I'm thinking about somehow getting a small set of high beam foglights and mounting them somewhat high. My front is sagging slightly due to worn out struts but regardless the headlights don't give off enough light for me, and that's why I have a tough time driving most cars at night. Simply not enough, or high enough. I like to be able to see EVERYTHING for a long distance. Trying to squint to see hardly 100 feet in front of me drives me nuts. The problem is you can only legally mount them so high before they are considered to be "for offroad use only"; that and I don't want to destroy the looks. That's partly why I liked having the plow frame on the truck because they were high mounted and you could see everything.

As for washing by hand in the winter, the bad part about that is there is simply no way you will remove the rust from under the vehicle if you are spraying by hand at a "do it yourself" car wash. Something is better than nothing, but you wont get the salt from under the vehicle without driving through an under body spray car wash. I just happen to be lucky enough that there is one 2 miles from my house and it is only $5.00 with underbody spray. I am very picky about watching for scratches in my paint but their setup does an incredible job. All the cars I bring through there come out very nice with almost no scratches at all. And it does a great job removing the salt from under the car. I put my cars up on a lift multiple times a year and constantly analyze the effects and results of the drive through car was. Hopefully you have access to a really good car wash like mine. It will greatly increase the life of northern winter vehicles for sure.

Yeah, that's definitely the bad part about it. I love a good underspray but I'm more worried about the pressure of the water peeling off the dip. I wouldn't be concerned at all had I bedlined it but that's out of my budget. The washes around here usually aren't too hot though :/

 

[savage388]

I wouldn't worry about the dip too much, I've pressure washed mt wheels and even with my bad edges it never peels. I've got a friend who's had it in his car for three years, although now he can't get it off

 

[Slash]

That's reassuring

 

[Slash]

I am really tempted...



_____


Anyways, Monday, provided we have some degreaser and rags laying around, I'm going to try and tackle cleaning/detailing my engine bay. It is a disgusting mess and I am sick of looking at it. I'd like to get it done before my dad turns off the yard hose for the winter. I'd do it this weekend but I have plans already :/

Once I get that done, I will see about painting my intake and valve covers, or at least the front one since the back one i s a rotten bitch to reach let alone take the bolts off. Thinking Mopar orange for the covers and black for the intake with the "3.3L" done in white. We'll see if I feel like dismantling it all. Not sure what color I want to do my fuel rails, orange maybe?

I may also put some new plug wires on it, not because its needed but just to freshen it up a bit. Althoguh to keep it all matching I could just leave the stock black ones that are on it but IDK. Probably going to go with red but of course this turd has to use a special set so theres hardly anything decent out there...so I'm thinking I might just leave these
. ones and get a pair or wire looms.. There goes my next paycheck.


Wdit

There goes that idea the water is off. Ugh

 

[Bopop4]

Nooooo.
Drive it until it explodes, for the love of god don't spend any more money on the van.

If you're getting a steady income now then please just use that to save for a good car.

 

[Slash]

I need a need vehicle anyways. Might as well try to up the value of this when it comes time to sell it at least.

I'm probably going to start saving more once I get a real job.

 

[Bopop4]

I need a need vehicle anyways. Might as well try to up the value of this when it comes time to sell it at least.

I'm probably going to start saving more once I get a real job.

That van has almost no value, fixing up some small things won't make a difference.

I'd start saving every penny right now, you'd be surprised at how much you spend in a week buying drinks, food etc.

 

[Slash]

That van has almost no value, fixing up some small things won't make a difference.

I'd start saving every penny right now, you'd be surprised at how much you spend in a week buying drinks, food etc.

It's worth probably like $800. Cleaning it up helped a lot. I could probably get more out of it now if I wanted.

I need money for school to so idk. I have a lot to worry about.

 

[Slash]

Did a slight freshening today, things I've been meaning to do for a while. Had some stuff laying around so I figured why not.

First, I shined up all the plastics for the most part. My entire dash got the treatmeant as well as the outer trim and door handles.

I somewhat cleaned the engine bay, best I could do without running water. I also shined up the plastics and hoses for the most part. Its it perfect mostly because there's some rusty parts in there; if I can get some time I might pick up some high temp paint and just repaint the rusty stuff to clean it up a bit. If I'm feeling ambitious I might pull the intake and valve covers. Did clean a lot of gunk and grime off stuff though. Also installed a new battery last week with some terminal felt to stop corrosion.

Degreased and wiped down the underside of the hood. It was dirty as hell as looks a million times better now.

Had some gloss spray paint laying around so I said screw it and painted the bottom half of the seat. The pan it sits on and the plastic removable trim piece. Also did the grey plastic trim on the rockers.

 

[Slash]

Temporary 3.3L outlining on the upper intake until I decide if I want to pull it off or not. Did it kind of half assed

And man my fuel rails are hideous.

 

[Slash]

Blacked out the Chrysler logo on the steering wheel with a Sharpie

Also, lightly sanded down the upper intake to get rid of some of the aluminum corrosion since it doesn't rust, and in the process I got a slight shine Did the same thing with the front fuel rail, though that's probably as far as I'll take it until I paint it cheaply.

I also blacked out some rusty parts just to clean it up a bit.

 

[Slash]

Progress! Finally got the time to do more dipping. I got 2 bumpers, the back, wiper arms, and a little more with extra left in a can. The wiper arms were really starting to look like crap so I laid a couple coats on them.

Some of it was still wet when I took the photos.

 

[JMoney]

I think you should spray the A and D pillars next to give it a floating roof look.

 

[Slash]

I think you should spray the A and D pillars next to give it a floating roof look.

I was actually thinking about spraying the entire roofline and the front grille area next.

 

[CAMAROBOY69]

Turned out real nice. Time to dip those wheels.

 

[Slash]

I have anidea for those

 

[michrulejj]

Much respect to @Slash 👍 Don't take this the wrong way, but all he has is a mini van and is doing everything to make it BA and to make it "His" van. Doesn't matter what it is Slash will make it look BA. Respect Bro.

 

[Slash]

I work with what I have lol. Everyone seems to really like it so far. I still have more plans for it heheh.

 

[Slash]

New exhaust video because no :censored:s given.

Language warning.

 

[Slash]

Things are getting gritty! I should have this puppy on the road by early next week. My dads going to head to the DMV and get plates for it as well as a 10 day to pass inspection (which it will). Still waiting on the insurance card...but dad's been bitching how his premium sky rocketed :/ Hopefully when I get my car it won't go up to much. He's only charging me about $100/month for insurance (even though its a tad higher he said anymore than that isn't fair to me based on my current income). Not bad I suppose.

Today we tore off the drivers side caliper as it was seized due to sitting. Fortunately the thing hasn't really been driven more than twice or so (excluding up and down my street a few times every so often) so everything on the brake side is still brand new. We got it off but realized the mounting bracket threads were stripped for the first few threads from the last time we had it all apart. We managed to tighten them last time but this time they weren't saveable even after running a tap through it. So as I type this my dad went on a parts run to Autozone to get a helicoil kit, specifically this one to try and fix that so we can put the new bolts in the bracket and tighten them down. After that we should be solid, just have to bleed the brakes on that side and we'll be golden.

I also got some track day bro stickers hehe. I'm such a troll.

 

[Team THRT Drift]

When I read "Track day bro" in the alerts feed, I immediately clicked hoping to see a van blow the doors off some Miatas

 

[Slash]

When I read "Track day bro" in the alerts feed, I immediately clicked hoping to see a van blow the doors off some Miatas

Don't give me any ideas

 

[Slash]

It's about time...

Drove it a bit earlier. I really need an alignment. Pulling to the left real hard.

 

[Kitten]

I hate these plates :I, I miss the old Blue/White ones.

 

[Slash]

Oh I hated those ones. I prefer these ones honestly. They are like the old yellow/blue ones from the 70s that I have hanging my garage that I'm fond of.

 

[Kitten]

Oh I hated those ones. I prefer these ones honestly. They are like the old yellow/blue ones from the 70s that I have hanging my garage that I'm fond of.

I mean they grew a bit on me, but still. I find them a bit awful

 

[Slash]

I just like tht they are a throw back style. I also really like the red/white ones we used to have.

 

[Slash]

Wink wink hint hint

 

[Kitten]

Wink wink hint hint

View attachment 324941

And a race strip. dear god.