A reminder.

"The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock" (jukesjukesjukes)
10/25/2017 at 20:56 • Filed to: None

It’s 2017 & Chevy still sells the Express.

They killed the 1500 in 2014, they only offer the 2500 & 3500 now. The 4.8L Vortec is standard with the option of the 6.0L Vortec & the 2.8L Duramax. The 6spd auto is standard, with a 8spd (only with the Duramax).

Ford also still sells the E-series, but only as a cutaway.

DISCUSSION (35)

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
10/25/2017 at 20:59

My favorite fact about these is that they are, I believe, the only vehicle you can still buy new with sealed beam headlights.

AC2 - The Now 15 Year Old Jalop > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
10/25/2017 at 21:01

How!?!?? Why!?!?!? I always hoped that these all died and went to hell in washington heights, ny.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
10/25/2017 at 21:02

I’d be interested to see real world economy on the diesel, and how it compares to the Sprinter. Because my in laws have a 6.0 ancda 4.8 both 2500 LWB low roof, and they both have atrocious fuel economy. Like 10-14. And 14 would be on a good day, a very good day. Mean while their LWB, highroof Diesel sprinter gets 16-20.

shop-teacher > AC2 - The Now 15 Year Old Jalop
10/25/2017 at 21:04

Because they still sell to companies who want cheap, durable vans. The design cycle on vans is 30-40 years. This one came out in ‘96, so expect these to be sold for a number of years.

shop-teacher > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
10/25/2017 at 21:04

Good. I like it that way.

David Baker > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
10/25/2017 at 21:07

Wow, the 2.8 TD 4cyl in an Express. Never knew that was a thing.

fhrblig > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
10/25/2017 at 21:12

And I hope they never stop making them. Stupidly reliable. Cheaper than the NV to repair. Doesn’t shit transmissions like the Ford Transit.

fhrblig > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
10/25/2017 at 21:13

E-series cutaways still have them too.

fhrblig > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
10/25/2017 at 21:14

14-16 in our 4.8s. But the Sprinters are too big for our needs.

BahamaTodd > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
10/25/2017 at 21:24

For 2018 they are replacing the 4.8 with the 4.3 V6 and 8 speed.

BahamaTodd > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
10/25/2017 at 21:26

The rumor is that all trucks will move to a single scalable platform - fullsize trucks and SUVs, midsize trucks, and the vans.

The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock > fhrblig
10/25/2017 at 21:28

Reliable, yes. Comfortable, no. Chiropractors make good money off people who drive them all day.

Quadradeuce > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
10/25/2017 at 21:42

I’d like to think there is at least one part on this thing that is exactly the same as the original 60s Chevy Van. A direct swap like the headlights or something.

Junkrat aka Rick Sanchez: Fury Road Edition > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
10/25/2017 at 22:04

I bought one from my company for $200. I really only bought it because it is a 6L with a 4L80E. I figured I’d pull the engine/transmission, sell the rear end and wheels/tires, and scrap the rest. I have found it way too useful to kill it. I mean it’t got 250k miles and the cluster is possessed, and to me it’s much more useful than a truck. That and it’s really hard for me to actively kill a perfectly serviceable vehicle. If I found the right swap candidate that would probably convince me.

Any suggestion’s? 240 Wagon? Cressida? It needs to be cheap.

HammerheadFistpunch > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
10/25/2017 at 22:05

I’m in the “if it aint broke don’t fix it” camp. I like a reliable old tool.

cmill189 - sans Volvo > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
10/25/2017 at 22:11

If we’re going by the photo, that is no longer true.

facw > cmill189 - sans Volvo
10/25/2017 at 22:15

From Chevy’s Express page:

Kinja'd!!!

http://www.chevrolet.com/express/cargo-van

fhrblig > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
10/25/2017 at 22:23

I’ve driven those and the Nissan NVs for lots of shifts. The Chevy is better.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
10/25/2017 at 22:24

It’s a great van. No need to change.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
10/25/2017 at 22:26

Hell of a lot better than Ford seats imo. Though that said that depends on your back, mine was kind enough to conform to my biases. If I had ended up a Ford fanboy my stubborn streak would have put me in a wheelchair by now

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > AC2 - The Now 15 Year Old Jalop
10/25/2017 at 22:27

Your opinion is bad and you should feel bad.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Quadradeuce
10/25/2017 at 22:29

Not a direct swap, but iirc it’s got the same basic signal stalk cruise control they’ve used for roughly forever.

...which isn’t at all a bad thing, I’ve got it in my truck too. Works just fine.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > BahamaTodd
10/25/2017 at 22:30

Good. The 4.8 is not a truck motor, no matter where they try to put it.

It would work great in the Camaro imo, that engine loves to rev as it is. Wouldn’t be hard to turn it into an absolute screamer.

The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer
10/25/2017 at 22:34

Saying they are better then Ford seats is not saying very much. Ford seats were still bad, just not as bad as Chevy seats.

shop-teacher > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer
10/25/2017 at 22:38

I love the GM uni-stalk. People who hate it are wrong and bad.

shop-teacher > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer
10/25/2017 at 22:40

Hey now, my Sierra has a 4.8!

And it’s slow as dogshit. It’s probably the reason I got the truck so cheap. Brand new, out the door for under $22k.

cmill189 - sans Volvo > facw
10/25/2017 at 22:48

Interesting. Looks like they had composite lights for a while in the 2013ish year(s).

thatsmr > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
10/25/2017 at 23:41

Id rather this article be “Can you believe Chevrolet Asrto is still a thing?”

TheD0k_2many toys 2little time > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
10/26/2017 at 03:14

ford still makes the V10 gas motor

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
10/26/2017 at 07:30

Seeing as the Ford is pretty much the go-to option, it’s the one that counts.

Sprinter is more comfy? Probably, again depends on your back but I’d say yes. Also more expensive to buy and exponentially more expensive to fix.

ProMaster? Dunno about comfort but I wouldn’t touch one with a flagpole. If I need a work wan I need to use it for work, not use a rental van while it’s in the shop.

NV? See fhrblig.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > shop-teacher
10/26/2017 at 07:35

And after 2 years I finally figured out all its tricks (didn’t know about the “decelerate” function) last year! It’s dead simple and easy to use without looking once you get a little seat time... which is really all you can ask.

Buttons on the wheel are harder to use imo. For what it’s worth, I think the only reason there are buttons on the wheel now is because all the controls for everything else are on touch screens. So you can’t trust muscle memory and feel, you need to look. And then they found they had a second half of the wheel to take up and said, meh, why not throw away this thing that works and put cruise there...

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > shop-teacher
10/26/2017 at 07:36

My deepest condolences on having to put up with that

I maintain my opinion, the 4.8 is a decent engine but has no place in a truck.

shop-teacher > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer
10/26/2017 at 09:02

Eh, it’s fine. Just slow.

AC2 - The Now 15 Year Old Jalop > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer
10/26/2017 at 15:42

Your opinion that my opinion is bad is bad and you should feel bad

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > AC2 - The Now 15 Year Old Jalop
10/26/2017 at 15:46

THE EXPRESS IS GREAT

LONG LIVE THE EXPRESS