Introducing Project oVANlander
by Brian Johanan onWhat is Project oVANlander?
It is what I am calling the GMC Safari. There is a sizeable amount of interest in using Astro/Safari vans to become campers. Astros were manufactured from 1985 to 2005 with two main generations. Inside of each generation, some updates happened that prevented all model years from being interchangeable. Astros were generally prevalent and built from tried and true technology that was basic to maintain. 3,200,000 Astro/Safari vans entered production in Baltimore, Maryland.
Astros were available as all-wheel drives starting in 1990 and lasted until model production ended. I plan on turning the van into an overlander vehicle with a lift kit.
Overlanding has a broad definition as a vehicle-supported, self-reliant adventure trip to remote destinations, where the journey is the primary goal. Your vehicle is the primary mode of transportation and living, and all gear and supplies are with you. Overland vehicles accommodate living from the vehicle, a set-up that usually is not compatible with extreme off-roading, four-wheeling, and rock-crawling due to balance and weight loads.