Advice Needed: What to do with my '96 B3500?

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Flying G

Flying G

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I have a '96 B3500 Ram Maxi Wagon with around 160k miles. I love it, but it needs significant mechanical help that don't have the time or know-how (for some things) to give it. My wife demands that it go as a condition of spending money on my other projects. Here's my choices: 1) keep it, try to sort out its problems, & face the wrath. 2) Sell it on Craigslist/FB Market (or here) for maybe $1,000. 3) pull the drive train/other bits & have it hauled off for scrap (about $300) or give it away. 4) Part it out, then scrap it (would take too long). 5) Other options? I'd hate to see it go to the crusher & I'm sure the right person could put it back on the road. I'd like to hear y'all's opinions. Thanks.
 
I have away my 2002 3500 van with 360 roller motor same reason.
 
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Thanks for the replies. I was thinking to keep this a philosophic discussion about the calculus of fix vs. sell vs. scrap vs. life, rather than a tech article or a for sale ad, but since you ask...

Van was a Chrysler program vehicle I bought 1 year old with 30k miles. It was hit in the rear or backed into something & repainted before I got it. I bought it as a motorcycle hauler when I was racing, so all seats are out but the 1st back seat.

46R trans blew out the OD piston seal, so I pulled the trans & my father & I rebuilt it. He's built 727s for 30 years, so it all went together like clockwork. Now is reluctant to shift up & hunt back & forth between 3rd & 4th.

While trans was out - 5.9 was burning lots of oil, so new top end & front end (heads rebuilt by Dover in Chattanooga $600, timing chain, intake gasket, etc.). Motor now has misfire & a tick/knock that wasn't there before. When heads were off, cylinders look horrible with water lines & pitting.

Fr brakes/hubs are new/rebuilt. Rest of front end is pretty shot. Hood stripped & phosphated. Roof stripped & ready for phosphate. Windshield cracked (thanks Arkansas!). A/C stopped working just recently. Been off the road about 6 years now.
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Rule I live by... If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy. Take her advice. Especially if she demands it as you stated. My $.02
 
PlymCrazy said:
Rule I live by... If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy. Take her advice. Especially if she demands it as you stated. My $.02
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Totally agree! That's really the question - how to make her happy & what's the best way to dispose of the vehicle. Option 1 was never really an option (my dad used to "get rid of it" by keeping cars at friends houses - not doing that).

I'd love for a real Mopar guy to take it & put it back on the road. Otherwise, I'm pulling the drivetrain/accessories & scrapping it.

My dad had a 70's swb Tradesman that my brother still drives. My van could probably donate some parts for it.

Not sure the engine block can be saved, but I have another 5.9 block that's already been machined.

Maybe the way forward is becoming more clear.
 
Jadaharabi said:
I'm looking for a van. If you are going to sell it I maybe interested.
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Send me a PM if interested & we'll chat.

Keep in mind this van is not road-worthy as she sits. Not sure it would make it to the end of my street without a failure, let alone to your area.
 
Flying G said:
I'd hate to see it go to the crusher & I'm sure the right person could put it back on the road. I'd like to hear y'all's opinions.
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Maybe find a church in need that has some mechanically inclined folks to bring it back to life, and donate it, on the condition they fix it and use it. Just a thought.
 
That's a bigass van. You could live in the thing.
 
It would make a great van for hauling stuff to the swap meets while pulling my 14-ft enclosed trailer loaded with parts.
 
Jadaharabi said:
It would make a great van for hauling stuff to the swap meets while pulling my 14-ft enclosed trailer loaded with parts.
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Having owned and driven quite a few the mileage will drop plenty from the 10-12 to 7 to 8 doing so.
 
340six said:
Having owned and driven quite a few the mileage will drop plenty from the 10-12 to 7 to 8 doing so.
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Did your van have the single big back door like this one has or did you have the two smaller doors. I had a 97 3/4 ton that was a 5.2 and a 727 transmission. Not an Overdrive from the factory.
 
I bet you can get more for it than that. Those vans make great vehicles for contractors of various types, especially with no new vans of that type being made (try pricing a used Sprinter...).
 
Bad Sport said:
Maybe find a church in need that has some mechanically inclined folks to bring it back to life, and donate it, on the condition they fix it and use it. Just a thought.
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Yes, you can reduce your income tax using it as a charitable gift
 
Is it safe to assume that you no longer need the van for the original purpose that you purchased it for(hauling motorcycles?). If you do not really need it, then I would offload it.

If the van was one of those cool 70's disco vans, then my response would be diferent!
 
We have one of those in the family, too - a 70's swb Tradesman with some custom-conversion touches. Never going to sell that bad boy. My dad made a bracket to put a B&M shifter right at the end of the driver's inboard armrest. When we were teenagers, he would haul either my brother's or my Challenger to the drag strip on the trailer, then unhook it & outrun both of us!

Saw a FB thing where Japanese turn swb Dodge vans into road racers. Started as motorcycle haulers, too. Maybe need to start a lwb class.
 
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