I own a small delivery company and one of my primary workhorses is my 1999 Ram Van 1500 (318). The old boy has 240,000+ miles on the original everything. It is soon to be retired and I don't want to sell or "clunker" this piece, instead I had the grand idea of hot rodding or at least giving it some performance enhancements.

Good idea for the wrong vehicle I guess. I've been researching the internet for a week or two and have come to the realization that the mods I'd like to have done aren't viable, unless I wanted to do everything custom. What I was thinking was: lifting it a couple inches, bigger/dual exhaust, head/cam at least, ECM tuner, wheels & tires, & maybe a respray. Seems the only thing of that list I can do are the wheels and tires. Hell, even the lone Edelbrock cylinder head choice is an OEM update.

My questions are simple: can we even mod these vans? Is there a tuner available? (for bigger tires, head, camshaft) Headers/exhaust other than the Gibson cat-back? Lift kit? (couldn't even find an add-a-leaf) Front springs are a no-show too. Are we left to use/modify what's available for the Ram pickup?

I'd like to show this van some love. Any ideas would be helpful
Thank you,
Eric

 

Since our vans are mostly produced as workhourses there is not really anything out there to customize them with. I have done a retune of the IAT mod. I have thought about a custom cold air intake but not sure it would really give my van any help since the air is take from just above the radiator to begin with.

Suspension is very limited. You can buy some lifting block for the rear axle, not sure about the front.

Engine wise, most things from the pickup's Magnum engines will work.

Custom exhaust is easily done.

Other wise the rest is totally custom.

 

All my "B" vans are converted to propane (dual fuel) so I am always on the look out for suspension upgrades to handle the extra weight.

On a "150" the std front spring is wound from 3/4" dia wire (measure it with an open end wrench), you can also get 13/16" and 7/8" dia. wire. 13/16" is the one I prefer, 7/8" makes it ride like a "lumber wagon" and the constant jolting gets annoying pretty fast.

Rear springs are easily upgraded. I usually start with a full length leaf right under the main one and keep adding until I get the ride I want. Usually takes another two or three, placed amongst the existing leaves. I have a "raw" 3/8" thick leaf that I have yet to try, that should really stiffen it up. I went in the back door of a "friendly" spring shop and paid cash for my spring leaves and "U" bolts.

Propane is the way to go here as it is half price (and the reason I still have a 318)

A few years back I used to pass a "Mopar" garage who were into many things,70's Darts, Volares, '81-83 Imperials, etc, etc. One of their projects was a SWB cargo B150 (about a 1981) and it was a screamer. Never got a chance to talk to them, but my guess it was a 440 stuffed in there. So, anything is possible. That garage has been bulldozed for an appartment building so I will never know for sure.

 

Yes, whatever you can do mostly to a Ram Truck Magnum engine for performance mods, you can do for the Ram Van.

Some things like adding bigger exhaust or headers may be a tight fit or no fit at all due to the enclosed compartment the engine sits in.

You can even convert a 5.2L/318cid or a 5.9L/360cid to a stroker engine.

 

4 crager ss wheels, lake pipes, 2 port hole windows, a peter max paint job, some wood paneling, **** carpet, the greatful dead playing.