1990 5spd Turbo Caravan,Finally a project log

[Sgt Craig]

Purchased this van in January of 08 after 2 months of trying to get ahold of the owner on Craigslist, it disapeared.Got back from a trip and it showed back up again on Craigslist.Finally got ahold of the owner,talked the wife into driving me 120 miles to Champaign IL to look at it.Wife was against it be she reluctantly gave in.Paid $500 for it which in hindsight was probally too much but how often do you find a no option 5spd Turbo van.Driving it home was interesting,shocks,struts,tires where all in bad shape,boost hoses kept blowing off but it made the trip back to Plano.Had to replace the ignition cyl in the parking lot of autozone.That was fun in the dark.Didnt realize until i was driving it home it had no a/c,then found the original window sticker and it had no options what so ever.Also found a factory service manual.Shortly after I replaced.

Shocks
Struts
Inner and outer Tie Rods
All fluids
Rad
Hoses
Plugs,Cap,rotor and wires.
Booger Shifter bushings(it was missing 3 and rods where held on with duct tape)
Wheels and tires(2nd gen neon SXT wheels with 215/60/15 Bridgestone potenza pole positions)
Mad Dog STS(Great shifter)
T1 Garrett($90 Ebay find)buddy at hahn added adapter to compessor side for me
Stainless line kit for Turbo
Baddass' grainger
Poly bobble strut
muffler delete?(old one was rotted)
Gutted cat(found pieces of cat in tailpipe)
Newer TBI valve cover
Drivers Fender
rust free sliding door
Fake RFL BOV

Ive owned some pretty fast neons buit this is one of the most fun vehicles Ive owned.Working on fixing the rust for inspection here in PA.I drive this thing every day and have put abour 20k on it.I recently did the timing belt and tensioner.I had never checked it.The belt was so loose it barely touched the tensioner.It has only left me stranded once when the fuel pump let go.JT got me a tow back Home.Found something else interesting when i got it home and cleaned up.It had a mopar performance headgasket on it already too.

[600superK]

Nice find. Keep the pics comin!

[BadAssPerformance]

Gotta love the base model!

[Sgt Craig]

Gotta love the base model!

Today I installed my SWPA SDAC sticker.Easily added 50hp! I do need to take some more pics.Nothing has really changed from the pics I posted other than the sliding door and drivers side fender.I did add the two tinted windows for the middle,need to find two rear ones and hopefully a Rear defrost hatch thats tinted.

[Badger]

great project!

[turbovanman²]

Very cool, love the wheels,

Now you need to clean that carpet,

Any further plans?

[Vigo]

same interior and exterior colors as my 90 turbo van! mine is factory 5 spd but turbo swapped.

My rust isnt that bad, though.. i have quarters from a donor van sitting around waiting for me to learn how the hell to put them on. lol.

[SilverShelby]

Wow that is a base model
and the same color as mine
need to drop that thing

[Sgt Craig]

Very cool, love the wheels,

Now you need to clean that carpet,

Any further plans?

I ripped that nasty carpet out awhile ago to find mint factory carpet.Just one worn out spot in front of the rear seat.Ill end up intercooling it someday.Want to do rear swaybar,urethane bushings on front,maybe lower it.Itll be a rough ride around Pittsburgh lowered.Right now the rust is a issue i need to start addressing.There is no way id pass it for state inspection.The drivers side rocker is the worse of the two.

[turbovanman²]

Ahhhh,

Lowering doesn't make the ride harsher, unless you lower it so it rides on the bump stops,

[Sgt Craig]

Ahhhh,

Lowering doesn't make the ride harsher, unless you lower it so it rides on the bump stops,

If you have the time pm me on how you lowered yours.I need front struts(again) and springs anyway.Rear leafs need changed too.

[1966 dart wagon]

sweet van craig! More pics

[Sgt Craig]

I installed a new Cherry airfreshner today.This weekend im going to fix the horn.

[Sgt Craig]

Found a windshield for it.Im picking it up tomorrow $35 off of Craigslist.Check that off my list for inspection.

[Sgt Craig]

Well the windsheild ended up being cracked right down the middle so I didnt get it. I cut up a old LF fender to make patch panels for the RR wheel lip.Its coming along nicely.Ill have to go the the yard next weekend to grab a RF fender for the LR wheel lip.

[Sgt Craig]

Last weekend I added a warm air Intake I picked up for $15 at a swapmeet.The Filter sits nicely between the battery and master.Used the factory elbow at the turbo.Also relocated my fake RFL closer to the boost tube.Need to change the oil and get the snow tires on soon but with how warm its been itll probally wait.Heading to the pick and pull next weekend to grab another fender and possibly the two rear tinted windows.

[turbokid]

Wow cool little project forsure!
Q

[Gearhead24-7]

Good to see ya getting her back in shape Craig. Now let's get a big intercooler in there so we can get that thing out of the 16's next trip to the track...

[Sgt Craig]

Good to see ya getting her back in shape Craig. Now let's get a big intercooler in there so we can get that thing out of the 16's next trip to the track...

After the rust is fixed and its inspected thats my next goal.The airintake opened up alot of room for piping.I dont want to move the rad though.

[Turbulence]

I had a dual talon core intercooler in my 90 mini. With a bit of sheetmetal trimming it fit perfectly where the a/c condenser sat, without moving the rad. Worked well.

Martin
89 Horizon