ever get that urge?.....

....i am getting the urge to make a custom van!

for those of you who dont know. in the late 70's through the late 80's there was a fad in the united states where people would buy commercial cargo vans and customize them. the fad was killed with the popularity of "conversion vans".

this is a good example of a 70's van.
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2650579


and here is a modern version...more like what i wanna do (someday)
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/554671

 

I had one, a 1981 Dodge Ram Conversion van, captain's chairs, table and seats in the rear, great sound system. 318 CID Auto, with AC. Excellent beast. I think it was 1986 or so. Traded it for a 1975 T&C wagon.

 

Both of those are pretty sweet. I'd love to take a road trip in one.

heh, this got my attention:

 

I recall the airbrushed murals painted on the sides of these vans which ranged widely in variety from comic book figures to nature scenery and of course the always popular scantily clad women!

 

I remember in the early to mid eighties, we used to sell alot of conversion vans at the Ford dealer in Staten Island. One guy custom ordered a black one and based the whole thing on Michael Jackson's #1 album at the time, Thriller. It was one sharp van, I gotta tell ya, but I've often wondered what he did with it when all his trouble started. He probably got arrested every time he'd drive it by a grammar school!

 

No van back in the 70's, but I've had a few. First was a big orange '76 Ford E-250 Supervan (extended length) that I was going to convert into a trailer-towing travelling van. Bought it used, already had 4 captains chairs in it. Think it had a 351, but maybe a 460 - don't remember. Plans changed soon after and it went away before I did anything to it. Next was a '79 or '80 E-150 (regular length) van conversion that was already done up by a company. I hated this one - suspension was too soft, other problems. Never should have bought it. Last up was a '83 Chevy G20, also already converted by a company. This one was real nice, all power equipment, and towed a travel trailer real nice. We kept this one for a while.

Still wouldn't mind having one of these, a Sportsmobile 4x4.....

 

Nope, not since 1969, at least.




Now an early '50's sedan delivery, maybe.

 

Not for me thanks. The Leisure vans of the 80's kind of replaced the 70's custom vans, but at what point did Leisure vans become Conversion vans?

 

Way back I had a real nice 74 Ford shorty van that was nicely done. Had alot of fun with it but that was then and this is now, wagons and my wifes van will do just fine

 

Here's a site for you http://www.vannin.com/threads/ubbthreads.php/forum_summary.html .
.

 

I bought this van when it was rust free. It came from Texas and had no rust proofing. I was going to fix it up and and make it a swiss army knife of vans. It was a 1982 Ford/ Pathfinder Quadravan.
Unfortunately, Missouri winters rusted it faster than I could fix it. I didn't have a garage then and when it quit running after 185,000 miles and you could throw a football through the floor, on pressure from the city I got rid of it. It was a great van while it lasted. 460, automatic, 2 speed transfer case. Enough power to pull a house and 9 miles per gallon. I miss it.

 

Man, the whole custom van thing.....
I think it's one of those things fondly recalled by many, but it wasn't really that great. Not a very good replacement for the Muscle car era.

I do remember when I was in Elementary school there was a kid who I was friends with. We both were into automotive stuff, anything with wheels and an engine, and we both liked to draw. We would go to the school library and check out this one book over and over about Custom Van's. It was published in the mid-late 70's. We'd draw a van and then we'd put our own custom murals on the side using the book as inspiration. For a couple of kids who loved cars and art it was the perfect combination

My fam has had a number of full-size, one-ton 15 Pass Dodge vans over the years. Always knew when we were around. The last two were VPSI vans from Cal. that had the captains chairs and individual A/C-heat vents reading lights etc. Folks who rode with us joked it was like an air plane. Started calling it "Orthmann Airlines" We logged many a mile across the Pacific North West in them Vans.

Lastly, (holy carp this turned out to be a long post!) Last fall I saw a brand-new Power stroke E-350 4X4 that almost made me rethink the ultimate family hauler. It was sweet.

 

i have very fond memories of the mamories

Boogie vans and Disco.....dam...those were good times

..................bowchikawowowow...........


the spare on my van...said..."dont laff...your daughter may be in here"

 

I think the VW bus and the Hippies started the van fad. I did a few van murals in the 70s (basic air brush and stencil work) but the best I ever saw was a rusty, black 60s somthing Chevy van piece of crap with large red letters.
Sloppy hand lettering that read;
DON'T LAUGH, YOUR DAUGHTER MAY BE IN HERE!

My first van was a 79 ford that I rigged up for traveling to dog shows with my dogs. Wasn't pretty but it was functional.
Second van was a new 1993 Chevy conversion. Built-in comfort but didn't have the character of the old ford.

 

There weren't any signs of rifle holes?