Dodge actually did offer a factory turbo on the Caravan very briefly from 1989-1990. It was a small 4-cylinder, but the effort was appreciated. This was during the Iacocca days, when the company was trying hard to keep up with the Japanese econobox invasion and did whatever they could to stand out, including adding a turbocharger to everything.
Turbocharging didn't matter much, but they struck gold in the form of something bigger: the first minivan. It was a great idea. There were certainly people-carriying vehicles before the Caravan. But they were big, bulky, uncool and fuel thirsty. Chrysler took the best virtues of a sedan and the best virtues of a truck and put them together to create something new. The Caravan was cleanly styled, small on the outside but big on the inside and had a couple decent engine choices. Families all across America embraced it quickly. The first Caravans from the 80s are like the first few Volkswagen Beetles: the birth of an icon.
The seller of this survivor also seems to have shown their appreciation for the Caravan's importance by enhancing the turbo. For one, the engine bay is very nicely detailed. They've also added a bunch of gauges to the interior that don't look half bad, as well as what looks like a ZEX nitrous boost kit. They say the engine has been bored 20 over with arp bolts and rods and it runs great.
This thing had about 150 horsepower when new, but it's probable got more now. The silver body is fitting of the speed demon theme here, and the aftermarket wheels are perfectly appropriate. It looks like they've pulled the stock grille, so I'd probably want to fill that in with a black or body-colored aftermarket piece and also try to clean or replace the headlamps.
The car is a little dirty and could be hiding some rust, so we're hoping it's clean, because this would be one fun ride. The ultimate sleeper?
Available here on craigslist where the seller is accepting offers.
No comments:
Post a Comment