What might be the coolest Chevy Astro in existence has popped up for sale on Craigslist in Colorado Springs, CO. It’s an all-wheel-drive 1992 Astro LT which was the fancy trim for the humble van. It originally came with a 4.3-liter V6 which was common in Chevy trucks and SUVs at the time.
The current owner/seller of the van didn’t do the engine swap, but somewhere along the way, this Astro had its V6 changed out in favor of a second-generation 5.7-liter LT1 V8. This engine was introduced in 1992, so it’s technically period correct even though Chevy never put it in an Astro. The LT1 was originally used in the C4 Corvette, V8 variants of the third-gen Chevy Camaro and Pontiac Firebird, and various B-body cars like the Buick Roadmaster and Chevy Caprice. In stock form, the second-gen LT1 made around 300 horsepower and 330 pound-feet of torque, give or take depending on its application.
But the engine isn’t the only modification in this Astro. It has a custom grille, spoiler, bodywork, and 17-inch wheels which make it look more muscular than just about any other Chevy Astro out there. It has a towing package with a heavy duty transmission cooler, a trailer brake controller, extra gauges on the A-pillar, and an aftermarket steering wheel. Other than those mods, the interior is pretty stock and the cushy seats look like they’re in pretty good shape for a van with over 260k miles on the clock.
To top it all off, the asking price for this beast is only $9,995. That might be a lot for a Chevy Astro with over a quarter-million miles, but not bad for what it is. If you’re interested, check it out on Craigslist.