I know I haven't been around here much, been playing on other forums and what not, but this is the forum I found after leaving the Dallas Mopar Forum wayyyy back when and still think of it as home! So, here is an update on my '72 dodge van over the past couple years:

Haven't gone any faster than my '08 run of 12.13 @ 107.06, lifting at the line (was on pace for a 112-113 pass). Overpressurized nitrous bottle (1200 psi) was to blame. Went 12.25 @ 110.7 on a normal pressurized nitrous bottle as a best for that. I put my van in the paint shop and she is getting close to being done. I have some pictures of her here at the bottom of this thread and am pretty happy with how she's turning out. I have plans to redo the interior a bit more spartan, installing a roll cage and other items to be legal down to 10.00 (for future upgrade potential). I also recently scored a deal from a buddy. He rolled his '05 Ram SRT-10 Viper powered truck and is selling me the wreck for a good deal. So I plan to swap the V10 from it into the van with a 4L80E transmission built to handle 1000 hp (more than I ever plan to make). The auto with OD and current 3.70 gears and 28" rear tires should put me around 2300 rpm at 70 mph, so hopefully able to get around 15 mpg on the freeway! We'll see. I figure she should push around 525-550 hp on the Viper engine without too much trouble (no cats, can free up intake, etc.). I'm no V10 expert but I think this will end up being very cool and different! I'm researching a lot but I know there are guys here that probably have good first hand knowledge that will help me accomplish this and any tips you can provide will be appreciated! I may end up Turbo charging it eventually as well, you know, after its in and all running and going well! That's the plans for now at least, thanks for reading my novel! Haha; now for those pictures I promised (click on thumbnail for larger view):

Engine in wrecked truck:


Van in paint shop:


Peace out!

P.S. My challenger is going well too! Vortech Supercharged, and fun daily driver!

Sweet!

I was wondering what happened to your van.

Paint job looks great, and I LOVE the attention to detail on the inside of the B-pillars, as that's not a very nicely finished area from the factory.

Post plenty of pics of the V-10 installation, please.

Inside the B-pillars? Whatchutalkinabout willis? lol

Wow that's awesome. I love the B vans to begin with but a V10 in one is killer. Does it fit where the 360 was or will you have to extend the engine cover?

I clicked on one of the thumbnail images, then paged through the PB album here: http://s440.photobucket.com/albums/qq128/alikazam2000/Van%20Work/?albumview=slideshow

I remember long ago seeing a video of your van at the track and the sound was the best I've heard, you had the old Edelbrock RPM mufflers that split into 2 tubes in the can, I've wanted some of those ever since. Will you still use them with the V-10? I can't imagine what that would sound like, V-10s usually sound weird to me. Good luck and keep the updates coming.

I just found the video of your van, I saved it on my computer in 2003! Its the burnout, and sounds as good as I remember!

Thanks! I actually run Magnaflow mufflers now and really like the way she sounds, so I plan already to miss it with the odd fire V10, haha. You can check out some videos of her running more recently at the drag strip (well before she went to the paint shop anyway) on my youtube channel (alikazam2000 user ID).

As for the B-pillars, yeah we got some different side doors and to make that one fit and seal better, we had to modify the B-pillar a bit by adding some I cut out of another van from a wrecking yard. Closed that gap up nice and doors look great! I didn't realize anyone would actually flip through the whole album, haha. We even talked about cutting the B-pillar and moving it forward or backward a little bit to make it line up better, but the shim was the best way to go I think. Also had to rosette weld each of the spot welds on the pinch there as they were all broken! Thanks again for taking a look!

As for fitment of the V10, I'm not sure yet. I don't have the V10 in hand yet but I know the dimensions are about 34-35 inches long, 24-26 inches wide (depending on if you count outside valve covers 24" or outside manifolds 26"). I think the width is OK and I plan to run pusher fans on the radiator to make a little more room. I think it'll just fit but I am at work in Louisiana so I'm having to wait to make sure. Worst case I will cut the rear of the floor openning and slide it back a little then get creative with the dog-house and fiberglass/modify it as necessary to cover the revised openning. Still I think it will be easier than trying to get a modern hemi to fit (something I was also considering at one point). The cool factor I believe pushes this over the top in favor of making it work one way or the other, . Thanks for the support guys! Let me know if anyone else has a point to consider or what not, I appreciate the "reality checks" as they come along!

So I've been reading that the Gen III viper motor intake manifold is actually not as good as the Gen II version. And that is a direct swap to put the Gen II on the Gen III engine/heads. Anyone out there can verify this and maybe point out exactly what it would take to swap these manifolds? Thanks!

The van looks awesome! but it looked good before as well, I unfortunately sold mine earlier this year.

Looks like it was on its way to being a sweet old-school set up van! sorry you had to let her go

First look of her with finished new paint. Still a couple hiccups to work out, think the mechanical fuel pump died on her, but spark is strong, etc. I'm offshore but my brother went to try to pick her up, but she's still at the painter's. Looks pretty good to me so far, but nothing is ever perfect. She's gonna be a driver though so I'll keep that in mind when I do go to get her.

Apparently I need weatherstripping for everything. The painter removed all of it and didn't put any back... *sighs* any help on if Metro is selling what, or where I can get it soon would be great! I know some said the front doors from newer vans from the dealership will work? Thanks for any info!