The Evergreen Library
Knowledge Base
The Build Journal is the story in order. The Knowledge Base is the same knowledge, sorted by system so you can find what you need without reading three years of posts.
Start Here
New here? These are the pages that explain who we are, what we drive, and why we build this way.
Welcome to MillerVantures: Building an Astro Around Smiles Per Gallon
A quick introduction from Darren and Tanya — who we are, why we bought a 2005 Chevy Astro, and what this site is going to be.
Read →BC AdventuresThe MillerVantures Manifestos
The MillerVantures Manifestos: why we build, what we believe, and how we judge every modification on this 2005 Chevy Astro.
Read →Build UpdatesWhy We Chose a 2005 Astro Over a Sprinter
Budget, parts availability, and the joy of an underdog rig — the honest case for a $4,800 2005 Chevy Astro over a $60K Sprinter for BC backcountry overlanding.
Read →Engine & Diagnostics
How we read the 4.3L Vortec before we wrench on it — scanners, live data, and code-by-code diagnosis.
Why Every Adventure Van Needs an OBD-II Scanner
A CA$120 tool has already saved us at least one tow. If you drive an old van into remote country without one, you're gambling.
Read →GearLearning Live Data on the 4.3L Vortec — What Normal Looks Like
Codes tell you something is wrong. Live data tells you why. Here's what to watch on an Astro 4.3, and what "normal" reads like.
Read →Build UpdatesDiagnosing the P0420 Code on a 2005 Chevy Astro
The check-engine code every high-mileage GM V6 owner sees eventually. Here's how we chased it, what we ruled out, and the fix we tried first.
Read →Build UpdatesO2 Sensor Spacer Install on a 2005 Chevy Astro
An $18 spacer, twenty minutes under the van, and a P0420 that finally stayed away. Here's how we did it.
Read →Cooling System
Radiator, thermostat, hoses, and cap — the small parts that keep a 21-year-old engine alive on gravel.
Thermostat and Cooling System Repair on the 4.3L Astro
Coolant temp was creeping high on a warm climb. We replaced the thermostat, hoses, and cap — and checked everything else while we were in there.
Read →Build UpdatesCollapsing Radiator Hose on Cooldown: The Clue That Led Us to the Radiator Cap
The upper hose was sucking flat every time the engine cooled. We didn't assume — we tested. Here is how the radiator cap's vacuum valve entered the picture, and why loosening the cap fixed the symptom while we sourced a replacement.
Read →Steering & Suspension
Lift, LSD, shocks, and front-end refresh — the mechanical case for a 2WD Astro that actually works off pavement.
JOR 5" Lift on a 2WD Astro: Full Spec Breakdown
The full JOR 5" lift kit, now installed on a 2WD 2005 Astro. What's in the kit, the install sequence, a costly Moog part-number mistake, and the correct front-end part numbers for the 2WD platform.
Read →Build UpdatesThe JOR Lift Kit Install: What We Got Right (And Wrong)
A weekend job that turned into three. Here's what we'd do differently.
Read →Electrical & Power
Amps, watts, solar, and the power system that survives a week off-grid.
Camper Conversion
The modular interior, sound deadening, insulation, cladding, and the plans in progress.
Recovery & FSR Safety
Winch, bumpers, tire pressure, radio channels, and the FSR habits that keep you moving.
The Hidden Winch Bumper: Custom Steel, Smittybilt X2O Gen 2 10,000 lb, and the Recovery Kit
We didn't want a winch hanging off the front of the van like a bolt-on afterthought. So we built a hidden winch bumper to tuck it behind the steel — and stocked it with gear we actually trust.
Read →BC AdventuresFSR Driving in the Fraser Valley: What You Actually Need to Know Before You Go
Forest Service Roads are not Hwy 1 with gravel on them — they are industrial access roads. What you actually need to know before running BC FSRs out of Chilliwack.
Read →Tools & Shop Equipment
The kit that lives in the van and the shop tools we lean on for every build day.
Documentation in progress
We haven't published a standalone guide for this section yet. Follow the story in the Build Journal — new entries are added chronologically as the work happens.
Parts & Product Reviews
Every part we've bolted on — status, reasoning, and what we'd do differently.
Choosing a 270° Awning for the Astro — What We Shortlisted
Freestanding vs. mounted, batwing vs. wraparound, aluminum vs. steel. Here's how we picked a 270° awning for a 60-inch roof rack.
Read →Build UpdatesRoof Rack Planning — Load, Mounts, and What Actually Goes Up Top
What lives on the roof, what does not, and how we spec'd a custom 60-inch steel basket that clears an awning without adding forty pounds we don't need.
Read →Build UpdatesBuilding a Mechanical Baseline Before Building a Camper
Before we lifted, bumper-swapped, or slept in it, we brought the 4.3L back to a known good state. Here's every fluid, filter, and hose we touched.
Read →BC Adventure Guides
Trip reports, region guides, and the roads that made us want a van in the first place.
Overlanding BC: A Real-World Guide to British Columbia's Backcountry
Everything we've actually learned overlanding British Columbia in a 2WD Astro — what FSRs to start on, what the road conditions really look like, what gear matters, and the local rules nobody writes down.
Read →BC AdventuresOverlanding in a 2WD: A BC Backcountry Guide
You don't need four-wheel drive to get off the pavement in British Columbia. You need patience, the right diff, and the humility to air down before you get stuck.
Read →BC AdventuresFraser Valley's Hidden FSRs: Our Local Favourites
Three Forest Service Roads within an hour of home that don't make the lists.
Read →Trail ReportsHarrison Lake FSR: Two Days of Quiet Water and Smoky Sunsets
We pointed the Astro up the West Harrison Forest Service Road and didn't see pavement for two days. Glacier-fed water, smoke-filtered sun, and one very content 2WD van.
Read →Trail ReportsThe Day the Astro Disappeared
Harrison Lake FSR, no itinerary, no reservations. Just curiosity, a hidden campsite, sunbeams breaking through storm clouds, and a van that finally stopped feeling like a project and started feeling like home.
Read →Trail ReportsFirst Shakedown: Harrison FSR and What We Learned
The lift held. The fridge didn't. Lessons from 48 hours on rough gravel.
Read →Want the story instead of the reference?
The Build Journal walks the same work in chronological order — from a stock 2005 cargo van to the rig we camp out of today.
Open the Build Journal