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View Full Version : Van-Touring anyone?


DarkBuddha
09-22-2005, 10:43 PM
Well, I've been eyeing some local super cheap early '70s Ford vans lately, thinking about how functional and cool it would be as an alternative to the dreaded minivan. You know, cheap, V8 powered, rear wheel drive, lots of room... much cooler than a pathetic 4 cyl minivan. So I started seriously thinking about it... could vans make a legit come-back? If so, what would they look like? Could you do something cool to 'em to bring 'em up to date? So I found a '70s reject on eBay and put this together. Whatch'all think?

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://imageshack.us)
SatisTraction
09-22-2005, 11:32 PM
LOL, looks like something form a steven king movie!!!! i guess you may see a few but i doubt they will be main stream.
Damn True
09-22-2005, 11:35 PM
Anyone recall Hot Rod magazine in the 70's?

Ack.
DarkBuddha
09-23-2005, 12:37 AM
Anyone recall Hot Rod magazine in the 70's?

Ack.
I know, I know... too crazy... There are definitely some wacky leftovers from those days. Seems a shame to let 'em just rust off into the sunset when they could become a cool soccer-mom-mobile.
vanzuuk1
09-23-2005, 02:59 AM
I think its cool , but you have enough projects already! Get to work.
CAMAROBOY69
09-23-2005, 03:51 AM
Its a good idea. If you want some serious information talk to astroracer. Your jaw will drop seeing his van being built. :eek:
Steve Chryssos
09-23-2005, 06:03 AM
Please! Do not get my parter Frank started:

"....Man those were the days! You'd pick up your best girl in a van with no windows and her dad would just be fuming. Then you'd do a burnout, then you'd drive to the van-in, then you'd turn on the Frank Zappa, then you'd get stoned, then you'd get naked. Did I mention" Those were the days?......"

I think that looks cool Bhudda. But I'd go with solid paint. There's just too much surface area on a van. Better to tone it down.
DarkBuddha
09-23-2005, 11:04 AM
I think that looks cool Bhudda. But I'd go with solid paint. There's just too much surface area on a van. Better to tone it down.
That one was a quicky version... the flames are actually part of the original photo, and it was really hard to remove them convincingly. I knew it would look better without 'em, so I did this version this morning:

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://imageshack.us)
bnickel
09-23-2005, 01:33 PM
i love it, even with the flames. ok maybe a little less flames but i wouldn't get rid of all them. there used to be a really sweet plymouth no window van around here, it was sassy grass or sublime green and had the plymouth script logo in black on the rear side panels and they were about 4-5 ft long. it had champ 500's and fender flares and a really nice rake. swee van last time i saw it someone had trashed it and half-ass painted it white, there was still some green showing through in places.
Camaro_Kyle
09-23-2005, 08:16 PM
Hasn't anyone ever seen Old School with Vince Vaughan and Will Ferrel? Remember the Black Van? That thing was badass! Black with sidepipes, mags, and a spoiler. That would be a killer project.
Kyle
Lesrace82
09-24-2005, 08:46 AM
Thats the movie i was thinking about when i saw this post.

Dont forget to chop in the little moon shape window into the back.
suh weet
09-24-2005, 12:46 PM
There are a few cool vans out there. I saw this one on the Hot Rod Power Tour.
DarkBuddha
09-24-2005, 12:53 PM
I like the fake drilled rotors on that one... Good looking van though. Chop the top, raise the wheel arches, shave some trim, update the mirrors, lower it down deep over a set of 20"s, and you're there!
Kenova
09-24-2005, 06:28 PM
The nicest van I've seen was an old Dodge A100. OK, it's not really a van, but it's not a pickup truck either. This one was tubbed, had a custom hard bed cover, and had the passenger seat and engine cover secured with quick release pins so he could pop them out at shows and cruises to show off the engine. Oh yeah, he had a mild 426 Hemi in it. :naughty:
I hope to have a dig. cam. next time i see it.
Ken
vanzuuk1
09-24-2005, 06:33 PM
It would need a tube chassis and a mid engine. imagine a track day with a van running with the euro geeks.
formula
09-24-2005, 09:23 PM
all i have to say is youd better build it before i do...i've been dreaming up a van for years now. i just have to get the bird to where i want it first...
bnickel
09-25-2005, 12:19 AM
i actually know where there is one of those early 70's ford vans like DB's pic, but it's plain old white, i bet i could pick it up for a couple hundred bucks or less, it even has a 351w in it.
ViperBlue68
09-25-2005, 11:05 AM
Dont let MrQuick "Vince" see this...I think hes got a few vans in his shop :eek:
DarkBuddha
09-25-2005, 02:38 PM
i actually know where there is one of those early 70's ford vans like DB's pic, but it's plain old white, i bet i could pick it up for a couple hundred bucks or less, it even has a 351w in it.
Exactly. There are 6 or 7 locally, all '69-'73s, and all under $600 running and driving. One is a 6 cyl, one is a 351W, and the rest are 302s. The one I want most is a '73 cargo van with a 302, rust free, slightly dented, with a recent tune up, new brake job, and new tie rods and balljoints. $500... how could I go wrong? :jump:
bnickel
09-25-2005, 04:27 PM
the same guy has a 64 falcon van as well, would be really sweet fixed up but ti's got some serious rust issues, too bad.
formula
09-26-2005, 08:44 AM
Exactly. There are 6 or 7 locally, all '69-'73s, and all under $600 running and driving. One is a 6 cyl, one is a 351W, and the rest are 302s. The one I want most is a '73 cargo van with a 302, rust free, slightly dented, with a recent tune up, new brake job, and new tie rods and balljoints. $500... how could I go wrong? :jump:

i would be ALL OVER that!!!

do it, dude. at the very least it'd be great to spray flat black and tool around in. the biggest costs would be finding enough ratty blankets to cover the front seats, and the mandatory chili pepper lights...
shmoov69
09-26-2005, 08:30 PM
About 7 or 8 years ago I was looking for a cool (LOL!) early/mid 60's Chevy/GMC van. I went and drove one that I wanted, but it needed complete wiring and he wanted $550 for it and I did not want to spend more than $400 for it. Ya know, the complete BOX version with round headlights, it was a short wheelbase with no windows except the back doors. Too cool! After driving that one, my wife did not like the idea of a sweet van with shag carpet inside. Including the ceiling!
kmcanally
09-27-2005, 03:39 AM
Its a good idea. If you want some serious information talk to astroracer. Your jaw will drop seeing his van being built. :eek:

I agree astroracer is building what will be the most hard core van ever built.
DarkBuddha
10-03-2005, 06:59 PM
Since the post got lost, I'll say it again... I'M NOT CRAZY! There's a column in November's Hot Rod about a van revival. It's written by Kinnan, and I've heard he's a bit "off", but he's my kinda "off".

I posted up a reply on the Hot Rod forums about it..
LiveWire64
10-18-2005, 12:45 PM
Kinda nice to see something about vans posted here. Go to www.vannin.com (http://www.vannin.com/) there are plenty of old vans & new ones being built. Vanning might not be like it once was, but it is far from dead.
Heres a sweet 66 Econo. Enjoy,Brad
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif
bnickel
10-18-2005, 01:38 PM
oh man, that is a sweet van
502imp
10-19-2005, 11:04 PM
Don't be dissin the 4cyl vans. Have you guys been to turbominivan.com?
I thought is was such a hoot I got a turbo 4 cyl voyager as my daily. ~350 hp, and 2700 lbs. Not the fastest, but enough to ruin the day of many a bmw, or porsche owner. C'mon if you get beat by a camaro well you expected it... But if you lose to a maroon minivan with paint cancer, and a powder blue door, you may have to go and sell your car in order to cope :firefire:
BTW: mine basically serves as an enclosed truck for hauling crap, and I got it for a cool 1k, swapping in a stick on Fri. Then up goes the boost!