Got another 67...

[tarafied1]

but it is a Chevy Van!!!
My youngest son really wanted an old VW van, like another Craig we all know. Must be a Craig thing (his name is Craig Jr. but we call him CJ).
Anyway, if we could even find one they were either really expensive or really bad shape or both. So I talked him into looking at other vehicles.
We looked at a few Pinto's but the owners wouldn't sell. We looked at a Gremlin but it got sold before we could get it. He found several others we wanted to look at but they were pretty far away. So he found this 67 Chevy van in Tennessee. It's a G20 "Heavy Half" 108" wheel base (long), and has a factory 283 three speed. It's rough but he loves it!

 

[Ponyman66]

A customizing suggestion Craig......



It'll make that furry dash seem right at home!

 

[Fst Blk]

I can dig it. How's the wife reacting to all the cars at your house now?

 

[RapidRabbit]

That should be a fun project.

 

[Midlife]

I can dig it. How's the wife reacting to all the cars at your house now?

You really think he's still married?

 

[opentrackerSteve]

go get a Corvair Van. All others are not worthy.

 

[KBMWRS]

No THAT is a padded dash! Looks like it will be great fun.

 

[tarafied1]

The wife is NOT happy, but I put down a new floor in the kitchen, living room and hallway. Engineered hardwood she has been wanting so it bought me a little time!!!
The furry dash has been stripped clean. So far many are calling it the "hippie" van or Mystery Machine... it has been a learning experience for sure. They made a G10 which was more common, this is a G20 which had the optional V8. I do like that but the front axle has been a major problem. It was missing one brake drum and is 6 lug. No body makes repop parts for the G20 and there are no conversions for disc brakes. The G10 can use Nova rotors since they share the same bearings and there are brackets made in the aftermarket for calipers. Nothing for the G20. The rear axle has been converted to five lug already. We have been working on the brakes to get it drive-able. It runs but obviously with a drum missing it has no brakes. Replaced the master cylinder and some hard and soft brake lines, shoes, rebuilt wheel cylinders and replaced the hardware. After a lot of research and joining some vintage van forums (which were no help) I figured out we could use the rear brake parts for a mid 70's K10 on the front. Same size shoes and drum and they were 6 lug. It's ready to bleed the brakes and take it for a spin!
we had one side to use for measurments...

so my son has been putting it back together with the new stuff

we even used some Mustang parts since it was missing the self adjuster, I had some old fron drum parts from a 68 Mustang

had to replace the turn signal switch too

has what appears to be a Vega GT steering wheel

put Mustang seats in it too!

 

[Fst Blk]

Very cool. Guess I need to get that 65 out of your driveway quicker lol

 

[tarafied1]

it had some weird paneling and stuff my son ripped out. its bare bones now

after

 

[Fst Blk]

What is his plan for it. Odd and cool all at the same time that he's interested in that lol.

 

[tarafied1]

What is his plan for it. Odd and cool all at the same time that he's interested in that lol.

he wanted something different. He is kind of artsy so he likes the creative stuff. I think he is going to go retro hippie van but no shag on the dash!

 

[tarafied1]

I tried to talk him into Gasser van!

 

[Fst Blk]

Gasser would be cool. Im interested to see what he does with it.

 

[tarafied1]

right now he is focused on getting it reliable so he can drive it. he has a job at a BBQ place. he has been driving the truck but wants to start driving the van really bad

 

[guruatbol]

IMHO it is ripe for a 4x4 conversion!

That way front and back are 5 lug!

It is for sure very cool! I wouldn't mind having the same type vintage Ford. It would be a cool camping and fishing mobile! I had a friend that had one in the late 70s for a house painting van.

Mel

 

[Ponyman66]

Craig, my teasing aside, he's got a pretty cool van. Whether your son decides to go pretty much stock looking or mod it, he can't go wrong! The earlier flat faced vans, to include the Ford Econoline and Dodge A100, have been growing in popularity. While not a van, I'd love to find an Econoline Pickup like my father's '67 that I grew up riding in!

 

[tarafied1]

I've thought about a 4x4 conversion Mel...
I would have preferred he found an Econoline but the Chevy is pretty cool too and pretty rare in terms of not many around any more. Chevy had the Corvair pickup but this bodystyle was never made into a pickup like the Ford and Dodge. He really wanted a Van or station wagon of some kind. We looked at Pinto wagons and other wagons but this van caught his eye and I was able to talk the price down a bit so we don't have a fortune in it (yet).

 

[KBMWRS]

Its a perfect track van for hauling your motorcycle to the track.

 

[tarafied1]

Its a perfect track van for hauling your motorcycle to the track.

I guess I need to get a motorcycle now...