Cast Iron Philosopher
Active Member
Hey... quick intro,
My name is Ryan MacNeil. I'm 46, and a Mechanic by trade. I recently fetched a 1965 Dodge A100 Camper Van from the desert, so it's rust-free and original paint—stoked! Of course it needs some help before it can hit the road. It's sporting a 225 Slant, A727, and 8-3/4 rear. It was originally "camper-converted" by Bradley Controls Inc. in Van Nuys, CA when new. They dubbed it the "Van De Camper" and it has the original badge to match.
If you want to get a feel for me go check me out on Instagram: @castironphilosopher
I just finished my 1949 Chevrolet 3100 pickup after 13 years. Now I'm getting ready to share my van build with everyone. My garage is known as "The Projects". This will be my first vintage Mopar build.
Unfortunately I didn't realize these things were unicorns until AFTER I bought one. No regrets though. Fortunately it was pretty complete. I'm gearing up to upgrade the master cylinder to a later-model dual chamber, add a factory sway bar, rebuild the engine, transmission, and the rear end, and generally turn this bug-eyed beauty into the coolest camper van in Northern California.
Currently:
-The 225's head gasket is blown or the head is cracked. I've got coolant in the #5 cylinder after a cooling system pressure test, and the radiator erupts with combustion gasses once it gets warm and the thermostat opens. Great compression and vacuum though. I know, kinda strange.
-Park Lock cable is broken. (new cables in hand)
-Rear end is leaking everywhere and was backed into something, so there's a nice dent in the back of the housing.
I've got lots of questions, mostly around parts sourcing. I've already spent a grip on a mountain of parts.
I didn't see a dedicated A100 Forum, so my first question is: Where can I post general A100 questions without lighting anyone's fuse?
Alright... that wasn't as quick as I thought it would be.
Thanks for having me.
Ryan
My name is Ryan MacNeil. I'm 46, and a Mechanic by trade. I recently fetched a 1965 Dodge A100 Camper Van from the desert, so it's rust-free and original paint—stoked! Of course it needs some help before it can hit the road. It's sporting a 225 Slant, A727, and 8-3/4 rear. It was originally "camper-converted" by Bradley Controls Inc. in Van Nuys, CA when new. They dubbed it the "Van De Camper" and it has the original badge to match.
If you want to get a feel for me go check me out on Instagram: @castironphilosopher
I just finished my 1949 Chevrolet 3100 pickup after 13 years. Now I'm getting ready to share my van build with everyone. My garage is known as "The Projects". This will be my first vintage Mopar build.
Unfortunately I didn't realize these things were unicorns until AFTER I bought one. No regrets though. Fortunately it was pretty complete. I'm gearing up to upgrade the master cylinder to a later-model dual chamber, add a factory sway bar, rebuild the engine, transmission, and the rear end, and generally turn this bug-eyed beauty into the coolest camper van in Northern California.
Currently:
-The 225's head gasket is blown or the head is cracked. I've got coolant in the #5 cylinder after a cooling system pressure test, and the radiator erupts with combustion gasses once it gets warm and the thermostat opens. Great compression and vacuum though. I know, kinda strange.
-Park Lock cable is broken. (new cables in hand)
-Rear end is leaking everywhere and was backed into something, so there's a nice dent in the back of the housing.
I've got lots of questions, mostly around parts sourcing. I've already spent a grip on a mountain of parts.
I didn't see a dedicated A100 Forum, so my first question is: Where can I post general A100 questions without lighting anyone's fuse?
Alright... that wasn't as quick as I thought it would be.
Thanks for having me.
Ryan
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