So I thought this was a Honda first gen area?
Second thought who cares? Minivans are top heavy POS's I should know I repair them for a living.
Yes 5-speeds were avalible in just about every make just go visit you local wrecker or used car lot.

By Canada76civic (Canada76civic) (68.146.162.88) on Sunday, October 31, 2004 - 01:45 am:

Sorry! I should had said Ford areo... oh man, i can't even remember that model name, for pete's sake!! LOL, well you know what I mean...!

By Canada76civic (Canada76civic) (68.146.162.88) on Sunday, October 31, 2004 - 01:43 am:

Yeah, there were some FEW early models from 1985 to 1990 with manual transmissions. I once drove a 1986 (or was it a '87?) Ford Astro can with 5 spd off a Ford dealership for delivery. I can tell you that - it's kinda bit weird having to shift the stick where it was set up!

The reason why it didn't catch on is that a lot of people seem don't like that in their minivans, I guess!

By Shea Laking (Sheaman71) (66.185.85.72) on Saturday, October 30, 2004 - 12:11 am:

Chevy Astro vans were available STOCK for a few years in the beginning of their production run with a T-5 5-speed.

With the shifter even with your butt between the seats, I can't even IMAGINE what one was like to drive!

You could also get the Ford Aerostar with a 5-speed and I believe early Dodge Caravans had them available as well.

Shea

By Nitrousaddict (Nitrousaddict) (152.163.100.199) on Friday, October 29, 2004 - 09:41 pm:

just so u know if u have to build a 5speed van the chevy astro van shares the same bolt pattern with a chevy truck r camaro so u could make it a 6 speed if u wanted to

By -Andrew Smit- (Cvcc_Wagon) (154.20.120.147) on Friday, October 29, 2004 - 09:27 pm:

i know a fella who works at a toyota dealership as a mechanic and his family van is one of those ugly toyota mini vans from a few years back, anyhow it is a 5 speed from the factory. back when i was a kid we lived in germany for about 8 months, the vehicle we had was a '94 VW van (new at the time), not sure of the model name any more but it was about in par with a chevy Astro. it was a 5 speed as well. and just so you know it was a USDM vehicle, VW had some sort of deal back then that you could buy the vehicle here in North America and ship it over there and still come out ahead so it was not an EDM van.

By yuccabrat (4.61.231.22) on Friday, October 29, 2004 - 09:00 pm:

Does any one know if any car company in the US still makes a 5-speed manual trans minivan, or am I gunna have build one my self? ;-)

Tom