The van market in the United States is one of the more confusing segments to dissect. Obviously, large SUVs are still quite attractive to consumers, but many of them act as if seating for seven is a newfangled invention. GM, to its credit, and Ford with its Aerostar, actually provided multiple options for seven passenger seating (and sometimes eight!) way back in the late 80s and early 90s. Not only that, they offered packages and features on models like the Chevrolet Astro that made them downright cool, from all-wheel drive to second-row captain’s chairs. This 1992 Chevrolet Astro Van is a Rally Sport edition with some very cool details and is listed here on Facebook Marketplace for $13,000.
That price is significant. For one, I don’t think this Astro will sell for anywhere close to that number. Secondly, it shows that owners of these vehicles are not shy about demanding some respect for these awesome family haulers. After all, the Astro was forgotten about for many years and rendered a throwaway utility van that was better suited for a plumber or housing contractor. Not so fast: the Astro was an awesome family vehicle with tons of space and a proper sliding door. Factor in the styling that the Rally Sport package got you and it was downright cool to be seen in at school drop-off. The Rally Sport trim was unique to the Chevy version, while its corporate twin the GMC Safari could be spec’d as a GT.
Let’s talk about that option package and what it meant at the time: when Chevy decided to offer the RS trim, it was signaling that consumers wanted to own a vehicle that was primed for an active lifestyle. This was an intriguing development from the era of land-yacht station wagons. Yes, I need to carry the kids and all their gear, but I also want to be able to pack this rig up on the weekends and go camping in a national park. The RS trim got you mostly cosmetic add-ons, but it sure as heck made owning a family vehicle feel significantly cooler. A front air dam, unique alloy wheels, special decals, fog lamps, a sport-tuned suspension, and more add-ons made the Astro RS quite a sight in the athletic field parking lot.
If an Astro had a second row bench, you got eight passenger seating; with the second row captain’s chairs, it went down to seven, but these buckets are cool as heck – well worth the reduction in seating capacity. The Astro was equipped with either the Iron Duke four-cylinder or one of two 4.3L V6 options, and in 1992, it would have had around 150 horsepower and 230 lb.-ft. of torque. The seller lists off numerous recent repairs under his care, including a new fuel pump and distributor along with two new tires. It’s all the money for one of these, but a clean Astro RS like this one rarely comes up for sale.
The words Rally Sport and Van don’t really go together.
Maybe not, but Ford has made a series of Supervans since the early 1970’s. There a lot of short YouTube videos worth checking out, search Ford Supervan.
Steve R
Their most recent one is a monster!
Friend of mine has a 2005 RWD Astro with the 4.3 Vortec. That van moves. Wish something like that was still manufactured. Small size, body on frame in van or pickup.
Bring back the S10 dangit.
I had an 1989 that was pushing 150K miles in 2004. The rear main was leaking so I just kept swapping out bras below it to stop the drips on the rented garage floor.
I saw it 10 years later with the seats removed as a drywall van. \o/
“GM cars run poorly longer than most cars run.”
– Old Automan proverb of 80s and 90s GM vehicles
I love it, although whats under the sheets on the front seats. Paint and trim look nice and dig the oem alloys. About the only thing i’d do is toss the deflector in the dumpster although its period correct. Now correct me if i’m wrong but i remember seeing these with oem Eagle GT’s or GT+4’s with raised white letters
The 4.3 v-6 was one of GMs best motors.
I had one in a p.u. and I loved it.
It’s not unusual to see one with 150,000 miles on it and still running strong.
Couldn’t kill these with the 4.3. Surprisingly quick. We abused one at work for 20 years.
Best with awd around here, wonder if the RS package was just 2wd.
If they actually built the suspension a bit I imagine it handled well, for a van.
Last I rode in one of these it was a conversion van, 2 hours to Philly to see Blue Oyster Cult and Rush. Last row at the spectrum. Remember the lasers hitting the beams above our heads, and don’t recall much else.
Those were the days :) old greybeard
I purchased the Safari GT in 90. The sport package in Canada came with the V6 4.3 210hp. It was stolen with 205,000 km and working great. Funny , I came to a intersection in a major city a few years later and was right behind it. The crooks didnt take off the only sticker on it. I loved cruising all over western Canada for years in this van. I would pick this up if still for sale?
I have a silver 91 Astrovan with the extended version and trailer package. I bought it with 99K on it after my ex wrecked the 89 we had. I immediately had to replace the automatic transmission and now have about 240K miles on it. My youngest allowed it to overheat and I had to redo the top end (myself), but #4 cylinder still has very low compression so it’s still running on 5 cylinders and has a bit of a knock. No rust at all so at some point I’ll pull the engine and either rebuild it or put a 350 SBC that I redid from one of my son’s pickups. I don’t think that the 454 I’m rebuilding will fit. Johns Cars in Texas has a kit for the swap I believe.
I wasn’t a van guy but really enjoyed this Chevy / GMC model.
We vacationed on the Outer Banks for years, even when we moved west. We usually rented minivans, but the rental company was out and gave us a red Asto Van. It was fabulous, and every year after we rented the Astro until they no longer were available. Roomy, powerful, the kids loved it, I have a photo of all seven of us at the Beach standing in front of our Red Astro! Blast from the past, thank you.
I had an 1989 Safari cargo van that I drove everywhere. Lasted 300,000 with minimal maintenance. One of the best vehicles I ever owned. I always liked the look of the RS and GT M-vans.
I moonlighted as a light group passenger transport driver for years. I’ve driven many of these. A little heavy and truck like for a family vehicle but, man… you really can’t kill them. Indestructible.
I had 2 Astro vans as work vehicles when I had a traveling rep job. First one racked up 120k in 2 years and still going strong when I turned it in. The idler arm was a weak area. The 4.3v6 is iconic for durability. I put 510,000 miles on one in my 95 Silverado which included extensive towing. It never had the valve covers or timing chain cover off. No leaks, always started up and still got 20mpg even with all those miles. I’m hopeful my LS 6.0 in my 2018 van goes half that far.
Had a couple of these. This was the version I always wanted. Looked at one just like this in 2005 on funky car lot in Calumet City. Was actually really clean but the white paint was pealing in a few spots so passed. Hindsight huh? Ended up with a 93 Safari EXT with the same window configuration with the driving lights and luggage rack in metallic blue…also pealing. These really were great vehicles. These early ones were the best. The later facelifts and dashboards just seemed clumsy.
I think my Astro was an 89 with the v6. I loved it until threw a rod when I was on a fishing trip. I put in a rebuilt motor and it lasted about 2 years and something cracked on the block and was too expensive to fix. Great kid hauler, bikes etc.
We had a 2wd Safari extended cargo at the catering company I worked at. Had it for years. I’m sure it was loaded over capacity (we loaded it to the roof) every weekend. Never broke, never any trouble, except in snow because of all season tires.