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No Reserve Custom 1987 Dodge Mini Ram Van RWD
This is a Custom 1987 Dodge Mini Ram Van available at No Reserve that retains the shape of the runaway success of Chrysler Corporation’s first-generation minivans, but little else. This is a custom build that was completed in 2005 and it has been driven for pleasure under 15,000 miles since. Supporting the photos submitted by the owner is an appraisal dated August 2021 which sets out the build components in great detail. It also notes that the design and build are of high calibre, meeting safety requirements. Appraised value in 2021 was $35,000. The info.-rich appraisal appears in the photo gallery below.
Montego Blue paint with bright silver two-tone is separated by a black stripe in between and was applied in 2005. Aft of the rear wheels is further striping with a “426” logo, the bored displacement of the engine in place and the displacement of the famed Chrysler Corporation Hemi engines of the 1960s – as used in the 1968 Dodge Charger, for example. The fuel cap and exhaust tips are in stainless.
Appearing higher on the same panels on both sides is a subtle air-brushed blue-on-blue Mopar logo. Double-staggered Eagle alloys are 14 inches up front, with 15s in the rear. Front tires are P215/60 Firestone Affinity LH30 while rears are Mickey Thompson Sportsmans with light truck measurements, 29×15.5, installed with the build and all said to be in excellent condition on the appraisal. Rear wheel openings have been expanded slightly for rear tire fitment. The grille has been finished and bumpers have been accented in black while the two back windows – side sliding door and rear hatch – are tinted. A 12-point mild steel cage holds body and chassis together.
Inside, the interior has been completely redesigned. The custom steel dashboard provides an industrial retro look with aluminum inserts replacing the stock cluster and glove box. Gauges installed on the driver’s side aluminum insert show white faces with bright orange needles. The central Autometer Phantom 160 MPH speedometer has an odometer within, indicating under 15,000 miles since the rebuild, when it was installed at zero.
All gauges are Autometer Phantom. A large centrally mounted 10,000 RPM tachometer and Mopar insignia on the passenger’s side provide pop. Other gauges are installed for fuel level, water temperature, voltage and oil pressure. The four polished aluminum spoke steering wheel is by Grant and wrapped in black leather. A floor-mounted B&M shifter is in place to engage the automatic transmission while seats are by NEX and composed of black cloth-covered fibreglass. There is a single custom rear seat with a shoulder harness, carpets are in charcoal and original equipment grey door cards in place. The heater and defroster are by Vintage Air.
The customization reaches its crescendo under the hood. Power is provided by a rebuilt 1963 Chrysler 413 cubic inch V8, bored out to 426 c.i. as set out on the quarter graphics. Highlights of the rebuild include rings and bearings; Crane camshaft, lifters and roller rocker assemblies; as well, there are Aero cylinder heads capping stainless steel valves. Carburetion is by a Holley 750 CFM unit while the transmission is a Chrysler 727 3-speed automatic featuring a street shift kit, sending the power to the rear wheels, unlike the stock Caravans and Ram Vans.
Opening the hood catches the eye: there is a chrome aftermarket air cleaner; water pump and radiator are aluminum while engine pulleys and alternator are also finished in chrome. A Ron Francis universal wiring kit has been installed, all wires are marked with final destination and rear axles are Strange 31 spline mounted in a “Bears” fabricated 9” Ford-style rear axle housing. (Bears is the Canadian distributor for Strange Engineering product). Braking is handled by discs all around, a GM 11-inch set-up in the front and Willwood in the rear – a Corvette dual-chamber master cylinder is at the helm. Since the build, work has been limited to maintenance though the seller notes stiff steering after some driving, recommending troubleshooting, as well as light seepage from the rear main seal on to the engine.
This Custom 1987 Dodge Mini Ram Van is available with two sets of keys as well as receipts for parts and components used in the build at No Reserve from the owner in Stratford, Ontario.
