Newest Acquisition
 

Having done several Squarebody trucks over the years, I was getting bored with them. I had bought another first gen Monte Carlo last year but that car didn't send me either so I sold that too. For a while I wanted a first gen GM van and the stars aligned and I got this.... Project Shaggin Wagon..
Plans are to get it running ( previous owner had it swapped to a 4BT cummins motor with a 4 speed trans) i'm going to revert back to the original six banger and three speed for now Possible automatic swap later, want to do a disc brake conversion to the front, maybe power brakes, carpet insulation paneling and a removable brass bed in the back so I can use it for small trips and its a cool swap meet cruiser In any event this is the start of the project

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Scooby dooby doooo...nice

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Ha, that thing is wild. Food truck maybe? Glad to see the glass is in good shape. I'd hate to have to source that windshield or door glass.

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I don't know much about Vans... is that a "G-Series" full size van, or is it the GMC version of the "Corvair van.?"

Either way, that has to be pretty rare.

Whichever, it's pretty freaking cool looking.

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I love it...

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I like it. I'm feeling some old school cool mural on that one side, just can't quite put my finger on just what. No need to waste all that open space though.

Keep us in the loop as this thing gets cooler.

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That's an awesome van!


Definitely thinking along this line for the mural. ;)

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that glass can easilly be made its flat but they do sell it on ebay too problem is getting an old school glass guy to lay it in the gasket and put it in

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its considered a 1966 GMC G 1000 its what they called a package van.. this was the generation after the corvair van

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Already told the wife i was planning on this lol but im actually looking at a two tone

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I recently found a 69 Chevy van here for a friend in Ohio , very similar to yours . Its next in line for a restoration now .

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Stick an LSx in that dude! It will scream!
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I just noticed the symmetry... can you literally swap the back and side barn doors?

If so, that's pretty cool.

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I love it! I had (and rolled) the Chevrolet version. Mine was a 65 though. I think it was 67 when they switched over to a curved windshield. That thing was so fun to drive. The steering column sticking nearly straight up out of the floor, the doghouse nearly behind the driver.... the driver sits directly over the wheel so it feels like your hanging out there. Good times.:metal:

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yes you can the previous owners wife couldnt drive it with solid doors on the side so he found a rear pair of rear doors and stuck em on license plate and all

One of the first things i did was to replace the solid doors

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I thought squarebodies rusted this thing is alot of work

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I saw one of these behind a dilapidated trailer in south Arkansas today. It was in ROUGH shape, but I slowed down to make sure I saw the GMC across the front.

Keep it going, it will be a head turner for sure.

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I haven't seen one of those in a long time. Never thought of them as being cool but that blue and silver one looks good.

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There was a guy close to me that had one. It was Olive Drab green. (ex military) He drove it everywhere and was very clear that it was NOT for sale. I haven't seen on in at least 20 years. Very cool. :metal:

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one of the major problems is that the ones that are left are in pretty rough shape, especially up here in the Northeast.. and that there are few if any reproduction parts. This week i thought it would be easy to find an engine pipe for the six cylindermotor.. had to have it custom made Luckilly one of the members here is into these vans and he had an old rotted pipe and he had his midas make one for each of us.. cost of them was $50 per which is great . Another example is the gas tank.. You cannot find a repro 66 style gas tank so the only way to do it is to buy a repro 68-70. You have to use the newer float and modify with a circut the sender. The install involves removing a crossmember and moving it forward about 5 inches 11 hour job to do a fuel tank but it is a labor of love for the old things... makes the squarebodies seem simple

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I know how tough it can be to have a vehicle with little to no aftermarket support. I had a 71 340 Duster and you'd think there would be parts available. But if you did you'd be wrong. I had a devil of a time trying to find parts for that car. My friend had a super clean 63 Dart. But it had a cracked taillight lense. When he sold it, it still had a cracked lense because he could never find a replacement. And he looked for years.

It might be different now with the internet. But back then there wasn't jack squat.

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yes the internet helps but now you wouldnt have a problem with the duster they became cool now.. another major problem is hacks getting their hands on the vehicle before you.. look at this mess and as an extra thought... see there is a good use for Honda vehicles

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more

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also i had a guy send me a doghouse from St Louis.. thats all installed and the por 15 is on the majority of the floor

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Some good progress. Bondo is a magical thing to some people.