http://www.upnorthlive.com/news/story.aspx?id=439660 I can only imagine how tough it is to keep a place like that around. Considering that even around here in the sticks, it's getting harder and harder to even keep a parts car around without getting pestered by the zoning board. I know they've been been hit with demands before and have had to rearrange things or make dirt banks to hide things or whatever. And if they really wanted to, there's enough steel there for them to scrap the whole thing and have a good retirement. But they keep it going because it's what they love. I'm definitely grateful for what they do, because it's getting to be the only place around where I can get reasonably priced and readily available parts for my cars. And it's fun to just go look and see what you come across. All the stuff there is old, and mostly American. I'm pretty sure there isn't one vehicle there made in the last 10 years. Most of it is from the 70s and 80s and early 90s. There is stuff from the 60s and earlier but I'm not familiar with it too much. Then there's everything from school buses, campers, bulldozers, lawnmowers, boats, bikes..... a rough guess says there's probably 1/4 square mile of stuff. I recently saw a pretty nice shape Malibu or Cutlass wagon, late 70s to early 80s, clearly marked Diesel. Don't know what was wrong with it, it was on top of another car. My daughter is 10 now and I've been taking her there since she was a baby and she loves it to this day. Every time is like a treasure hunt, there are old toys and stuff in the cars. A couple years ago she picked up a mirror from a Mack truck, she had me paint it gold with a pink dog and put it on the wall in her room. If I had a million dollars I'd have a place like that and live on it too, but unfortunately one would never get away with starting a place like that in this day and age. And besides it took generations to grow to what it has become. I can only hope that they can keep it going as long as they can.
Tell you what, wagman....next time you go there please shake their hand for me. Tell them that the fox commends them and thanks them for their service to real car people. I will, someday, visit that place before they are forced out of business. You just gotta love and appreciate people like that.
I'm still trying to get finances in order to get this van but i thought i'd share an ad i came across. Just in case anyone needs a laugh today. http://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/cto/2682453002.html
Yes, $56k may have been the sticker price on that, but you would have been a fool to pay it. Frankly, the value of a van conversion drop like a stone after they are purchased new, so it makes much more economic sense to buy a gently used one. The $15.5k price on that one even seems a bit high for a 2007.
Yeah....and it's in Brooklyn, New York! You can see how well it's been taken care of. He'll be sitting on that one for a long, long time.
Good afternoon all, It's been a while but i check in every now and then. I gave up on the wagon for now due to not wanting to sink anymore money into it with the rust issue it had. I'm keeping my eye for another one. I started this post asking about vans and there's one I looked at. Due to my previous experience with the wagon rust, i thought i'd ask for a more expert opinion. It's a 1991 G20 with 99,000 miles. One owner except for dealer who i'm sure has used it at times. I haven't driven it yet because it was all the way in the back of an indoor lot. i did snap a few pics underneath and have some of the dealers exterior/interior shots. hopefully they are decent enough for some input Let me know what you think. Thanks the rust i saw aside from the battery tray was around the hitch area and a few spots around 1 window I don't except it to be perfect because if it was, I wouldn't be able afford it anyway. Based on what you can see, is what's there something that can be taken care of fairly easy and inexpensive? I looked in all the door jambs and underneath the doors and they looked good. No rust surface or otherwise.
man, the underside of that van is clean! i wouldn't even worry about the hitch. the batt tray is rusted bc of the battery leaking. and the tiny welt on the window?....take a dremmel tool to it and touch it up with some paint. Is it a 350 or a 305? i'd say it looks like a nice van to me !!!
Looks to be in great shape especially for up north. Keep spraying out the undercarriage at the car wash and you'll keep it looking that way for quite a lot longer. Many other 20 year old vans have some serious rust on the bottom. Only thing that really looks rusty is some of the exhaust joints and just like anything else you just take care of that whenever it happens to go. You can always bolt in replacement parts and keep a vehicle going, but when the structure starts to rust away it becomes tough or impossible to keep it safely on the road. It looks like you've found one with a good solid structure. Assuming the major mechanicals are in good shape, I'd go for it.
Yup....looks clean under there, mo. One thing I would like to point out. In the used car biz....a car that sits way in the back of the lot is usually earmarked for a trip to the auction. If you drive this van and really, really like it and want to buy it....keep in mind that they would have received UNDER wholesale for it at the auction. Offer them an insanely low price.
Thanks for the input as usual. When I first looked under I was excited to see it was clean but I also 2nd guessed my observation. It has the 350! I'll keep that in mind fox. Though I have to admit, I'm bad at haggling. I am a sales person at work but I suck as a buyer.
x2 on what fox said. bare-in-mind, conversion vans aren't selling. They get crappy mpg, heavy, and in the case of a highroof like we have here...won't fit in most parking garages. that usually = great deal.
Resurrecting an old thread here, because............. I found a picture showing our '83 Chevy G20 van conversion! This pic was taken around 1987 (I think) when we were on vacation in Arizona, saw the Grand Canyon, etc. The travel trailer is a rental. We bought a 5th wheel the next year and exchanged the van for a P/U.
