The original Chrysler minivan was a shot heard ’round the world when it was introduced. If you were accustomed to riding in a wagon in terms of moving large groups of people around from one place to the next, the minivan represented a huge shift in terms of occupant comfort and interior configurability. These days, its significance is not lost but I remain surprised that there’s not been more of a groundswell of interest in this segment-shifting model; of course, you may want to try and find the elusive Town & Country trim if you want a collector’s item. This basic entry-level 1987 Dodge Caravan is going for peanuts here on eBay with one bid to just $105!
Yes, it has some body rot but it’s really not bad. The seller confirms that the floors and frame are in excellent condition, so hopefully what we can here with the damage to the rear bumper/quarter panel is as far as it goes for body rust. The colors are pretty standard for the 1980s, and it’s of little surprise that the interior very closely matches the exterior. The seller notes that he bought this as a junkyard runner from a family in Pennsylvania that used it for annual journeys to Carlisle, but that he’s just not using it enough to justify keeping it around or investing in it further.
While no one will deny the impact of the original Caravan, it’s also not hard to see why it’s not more of a collectible. After all, who wants to ride around in a family hauler as your hobbyist vehicle of choice? The other factor is there just plain aren’t that of these first-generation Caravans left, and the same goes for the follow-up model. Good luck even finding the high-zoot Town & Country, as those seem absolutely extinct. The one exception to the rule is the rare turbocharged Caravan that many Mopar enthusiasts are committed to saving when they do come up for grabs. The interior of this example is in fair condition overall; the headliner is drooping, but the seller has removed the two rear rows and they appear to be in excellent shape.
The seller’s Caravan comes with the optional 2.6L Mitsubishi-built I4, which produced a mighty 100 b.h.p. (still, this was an upgrade over the original 2.3L I4 which was lifted from the K-Cars of the same era). The seller notes he is having some issues with a high idle that he attributes to a carburetor that requires the choke to be held open manually in order to settle down. Perhaps a rebuilt carb would do the job, but he hasn’t ventured down that rabbit hole to assess if it will make a difference. Overall, this is as cheap as it gets for a parts runner, but I imagine with a bit of detailing and some carb work, it’d fetch a more respectable number.
Was hoping to see the stick shift. If my memory serves… these were available as real bare bones models w standards.
They did! My cub scout leader had a navy one that had gray seats and a five speed if I recall correctly. My parents always sprung for automatics in everything and I remember it being the first stick vehicle I rode in.
You could really mix and match-order these. I knew someone who had an ’85 black with the fake wood grain exterior, red interior and the best part, a 4-banger with a 5-speed on the floor!
i dont remember the 2.6 with one just the 2.2
You are correct. The 5 speed was standard for ever. Rear defrost was an option! Wiper was standard. The rear seats were heavy and were hard to get in and out. They did not even have wheels if I remember right. The big hits over the years were dual doors. (1996). V6 (late 80’s) Grand Caravan (1987).Stow and go seats (2012).
From a practical stand point no car I can think of is a better than a Caravan. I know mini vans are un cool but they do everything and do it great!
I have to say, these were crazy popular because they were exactly the right size and so easy to carry a lot of people and things in. As far as the drive train, probably the best was the 3.0 Mitsubishi V6. I am rather surprised something like this wasn’t offered in the US until the 80s, as Europe was using small vans for decades before, and they made so much sense. A neighbor used to have a Triumph TR10(?), a minivan that was slightly smaller, built sometime in the 60s, and I was thinking “this thing is cool!”
And decades later, we are back to driving behemoths and Europe is still driving reasonable cars.
It’s crazy how complicated and bloated today’s “mini” vans have become.
The giant station wagon was more of a family hauler in the US until the 1980s. That was when CAFE regulations put large wagons out of business, to be replaced by minivans and then SUVs. Minivans and SUVs were classed by EPA and DOT as “trucks” and therefore were not subject to CAFE; also they came under more relaxed emissions and safety regulations than passenger cars.
Actually, trucks half ton or lighter were subject to CAFE legislation, that is why the minivans came out with 4-bangers, and is also one reason why EVs are out now, because those regulations have become much more stringent.
You are correct Bill. That loophole in the CAFE regulations is was stuck with a road full of SUVs. The manufacturers built a market for them when they could no longer sell gas guzzling cars.
I owned this same van only it was a 5 speed manual shift with the 4 banger. It was a very reliable vehicle. It hauled seven and pulled a small light weight pop up camper.
This would be fun to put a built 2.2 turbo in. Go out and absolutely spank tuner cars with it. Take notes BF because that is what a sleeper is.
Not really, it’s too heavy and has all the aerodynamics of a barn door.
Yeah terrry carrying all that air around really weighed these things down lol.
The Chrysler 4 banger was not a 2.3 liter, it came in 2.2 and 2.5 varieties. Not sure if you could get a 2.5 in 87, or if you could get it with a five speed at that time. I once drove an early van with a 2.2 five speed. Fun, but it could have used a little more get up and go, though in all fairness if I recall correctly, the air was on and we were in a hilly part of the world. I am fairly sure later you could get a van with a 2.5 turbo and a five speed. That must have been a rare duck. I think just a standard FI 2.5 sans turbo with a five speed would have been enough. That longer stroke gave more pull. My wife and I had the next generation with the 3.0 V6 and an auto. Nice as can be, of course that engine brought to you by the same company that engineered the Zero. World class engineers, that crew, at least back then. Not so much today.
:),,,that smiley moniker indicates yet another. In the late 90s, my kids were learning to drive. Around the same time, I got a courier job, delivering drugs and medical supplies to institutions, hospitals, drug stores, etc. It required your own van, I found a Plymouth 4 cyl. turbo, with a bad steering rack. Everything was so easy to repair, and I used that van for those deliveries, sometimes a dozen or more stops per day. While doing that, my old man told me of 2 more vans his mechanic buddy had. One was a fully decked out T&C with a bad V6 motor, the other was just like this, only a V6, get this, the maroon one, someone replaced everything they could, struts, tires, brakes, then the tranny puked and they bailed on the repairs. I came along, offered him $200 for BOTH, put the maroon V6 in the T&C, and had all the extra parts. Both my kids learned to drive on that van, my son used it for a spell, and I used it as a DD for a couple years, until that motor developed a massive oil leak, and was pretty tired anyway. It was that van I changed a timing belt in a truck stop one aft. When the belt breaks, the fun stops there. Once again, with aging folks, these are bound to come to light. Timing belt aside( I think they did away with that nonsense) I can’t think of a more influential vehicle, and it saved thousands of jobs and Chrysler as well. Great find, can’t go wrong with these.
:(, this site, I swear, you get a few comments in, then the commenting police kick in, back to not posting, can’t the staff get a grip on this issue? I’m telling you, I see less and less members commenting, and are probably just as frustrated as I am.
What do you mean Howard? Your comments published right away.
Thanks for the response, but not on my end. I might get 3 or 4 comments in on various posts, then the next pos(s), either doesn’t register on the # of comments, or lost altogether. Mysteriously, they show up much later, as if it has to go to an approval of some sort. We’ve been over this many times, and tried the “logging out/in” thing, no better. It’s as if my account has been hacked, and I know I’m not alone in this matter. Thanks for helping.
Okay, since I’m paying for this, I’m going to try again. In the late 90s, my kids were learning to drive, my old man told me of his mechanic friend had 2 of these. One a loaded T&C with a bad V6, and one like this, also a V6. The maroon one, someone stuck a ton of money in, struts, tires, brakes, then the transmission went. I offered $200 for both. I put the maroon V6 in the T&C, and had all those extra parts. My kids got their licenses with it, my son used it for a while, and was my DD for a couple years until that motor developed a massive oil leak, and was pretty tired anyway. It was that van I replaced a timing belt in a truck stop one aft. You don’t get much warning when that happens, and never had another belt driven cam vehicle since. About as cost free driving as one could get. Timing belt aside I, I can’t think of a more influential vehicle, saved thousands of jobs and probably Chrysler as well. They are in a rift of trouble, again, and could sure use a universal vehicle like this again. Great find, ( nervously hitting submit),,,
can’t overstate how these changed the market. Killed the wagon and led to suv’s everywhere and sedans disappearing.
Seemed to carry everything, and run forever. Practical and boring!
Glad to have never owned a minivan, bought a 97 Taurus wagon for our young family instead. Which will be a future collectable.
I remember when the Chrysler minivans were introduced. A home run for sure. Iacocca used to say “we have to sell minivans or we don’t eat.” It was noted very few of these vehicles exist now. Were they just used and abused as family haulers or is unreliable quality the key reason? I see post 1990 minivans on occasion but the last first generation T&C I saw was at the Walter P Chrysler annual show in Chattanooga in 2018.
I ordered an ’84 from the dealership before I had ever seen one in person, 2.2 4 cylinder, could not, loaded, do two of the hills on the Maine turnpike, was over in the right lane in 4th doing 55 or 50, but otherwise was perfect for family of 5. Went 220,000 miles before lost 1st adn 2nd gears in manual transmission, steering rack gone for 3rd time, rust in bottom of doors, but original exhaust system. At about 150,000 miles would not go if wet. Dealer could not solve. So in its last years only drove it on sunny days. Replaced with 4 more over 30 years, all V6, all but last one had to be rebuilt at about 150,000 miles. Bought new one in 2000, wife wanted leather, only available in Chrysler version, only dealer near by was Dodge, got aftermarket leather. Last one, used, was a 2006 Chrylser version, had been in a flood, only one that rusted badly. Flood was “only” just above door sills, but floor gave out after a few years. Our 3 kids all learned to drive on standard transmission cars, the first Caravan and an earlier Pontiac Phoenix. When the first one lost 1st and 2nd for my daughter, who was 18, State Police stopped, called me at home, went down and fetched it, drove in 3rd, 4th and 5th for a week until I found a used one with V6. Just wonderful, practical, vehicles, and with the Mitsubisi turbo, or the V6, had enough power, the Canadian version had a rear seat heater. The parking brake cables “froze”, that is rusted, and so never used the parking brake in the automatic versions. After my 5 of them, son in college bought one, friends laughed at him, but it was the most useful of any, ski trips, hiking trips, moving from dorm to dorm or apartment, dark blue paint, peeled, just like the early baldness on his head at 21.
ugliest vehicle ever made in my opinion along with all the other k cars even tho im sure the ladies flocked to the stud driving it, i also can still smell and see the blue smoke boiling out of the exhaust
Best deal ever: sold for $396!
wHat CouLD PoSsIBlY gO wRonG???
Sold for exactly what it’s worth!