looking for a Grumman van

[Frankenchevy]

anything to look out for? any years better than others for any reason? these are mostly based on GM drivetrains, right?

I've seen a few with cummins / Allison combos, but they are usually beyond the initial investment for what we're doing.

someone within drivable distance on craigslist has a p30 Grumman, but they put a 700r4 in it. we'll be adding a couple thousand pounds to the basic box of the van, so this seems like a bad transmission choice for the weight, right?

if anyone has any leads on one in Northern California, I'd be interested on that as well.

also, if you know of any other manufacturers that we could type as keywords for a CL search, that would be awesome, too! we're tired of all the bs that comes when you search 'box truck' or 'box van' or 'panel'

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[shiftpro]

If it's geared super low and a good cooler it could work if you don't spend too much time on the highway.
But adding weight... hmm.
What's the engine?
Plenty of torque doesn't help the 700... makes it's imminent meltdown arrive even sooner. A common mistake with big torque is not gearing down...
fatal for the 700.

 

[Frankenchevy]

If it's geared super low and a good cooler it could work if you don't spend too much time on the highway.
But adding weight... hmm.
What's the engine?
Plenty of torque doesn't help the 700... makes it's imminent meltdown arrive even sooner. A common mistake with big torque is not gearing down...
fatal for the 700.

Yeah. The guy probably thinks he did the potential buyer a favor on the trans swap. I’m going to stay away I think. We’ll be adding at least 2000lbs to it and don’t want to limit the freeway driving. I found a 4bt Cummins bread truck with 60k on a documented rebuild I’ll probably move on. Won’t win any races, but should have a lot left in it.

 

[shiftpro]

Too bad it wasn't a 4l80...
Good call, move on.

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

Huh, I knew Grumman made the little mailbox trucks, but I didn’t know they made P30s. The more you know...

 

[Blue Ox]

Try searching "step van".

 

[Frankenchevy]

Try searching "step van".

Thanks! I actually found that just be before you responded and there were a ton. Looking at a diesel osh kosh now.

 

[Frankenchevy]

so the bread truck has a 4bt with 36k on a rebuild. it has a manual trans. ad says it runs great (duh, lol). it's from the early 90's and 220 miles away. I plan on driving down with my wife tomorrow and possibly pulling the trigger. the vehicle has been registered non-op for a couple years.

driving a vehicle with nothing to go on other than that, that I'm not familiar with that far...kinda crazy? other than a thorough test drive and checking all the fluids, anything else I should be predictably worried about?

 

[HotRodPC]

Does it have to be Grumman??? Why not look for a Wonder Bread truck? Those things aren't power houses but they come with Cummins 4BT engines. Yep, just like the 6BT 6 cylinder but with 2 cyl cut off of them. I'm not sure of the transmission but I wouldn't be surprised if it's not an Allison with OD.

 

[HotRodPC]

so the bread truck has a 4bt with 36k on a rebuild. it has a manual trans. ad says it runs great (duh, lol). it's from the early 90's and 220 miles away. I plan on driving down with my wife tomorrow and possibly pulling the trigger. the vehicle has been registered non-op for a couple years.

driving a vehicle with nothing to go on other than that, that I'm not familiar with that far...kinda crazy? other than a thorough test drive and checking all the fluids, anything else I should be predictably worried about?

Ohh cool. I now see you're on it. I didn't read all the posts. Manual trans is even better. Hopefully it has an OD.

 

[HotRodPC]

Huh, I knew Grumman made the little mailbox trucks, but I didn’t know they made P30s. The more you know...

P30 is just the unfinished GM Chassis. Any box truck or step van builder can buy the incomplete P30 chassis and build whatever they want on it. It'll be titled as an INCOMPLETE VEHICLE until it is then later manufactured and the manufacture who finishes the build then labels the vehicle accordingly.

 

[HotRodPC]

Here is a P30 chassis. Many times they become RV's too.

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[1987 GMC Jimmy]

Ahh, I see. I thought the P30 designated a finished step van or a motorhome chassis. Didn't know it was as encompassing as this.

 

[HotRodPC]

Ahh, I see. I thought the P30 designated a finished step van or a motorhome chassis. Didn't know it was as encompassing as this.

P30's are even made into some school busses. The smaller ones for the helmet wearing window lickers or handicap lift busses and such. P30 can be any variety of vehicle.

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

Gotcha.