I'm glad I got to experience the '70s & I just recently sold my 1976 Dodge California Custom Shaggin Wagon 360 4 bbl, dual side pipe exhaust, dual moon roofs, tear drop portals, CB, 8 track, shag carpet, mini bar, Cragar SS mags with white letter BFGs, wood paneling all thru, mood lighting & used to be water bed but converted to regular bed! Lots of 'great' memories - PEACE LOVE n HIPPYNESS ✌☮
@@christopher5585 As in recently it was 8 yrs ago but I had to sell because I was moving back to Georgia & unfortunately it was one of the casualties of not being able to come & I still miss it! Only thing that sucked was the gas at 10 mpg but of course I did like to put my foot in it every now & again to hear that 4bbl open up & those side pipes crackle 😇
I might have mine up for sale in the next few months. Black California no window shorty. Oversized cam Chevy 350 V8 looking to get it on some new meat next month and run some test drives. It was a barn find and nearly perfect no rust, just a ding in the driver's rear panel under the tail light.
In 1975 I bought a brand new Ford E150. I ordered it with full headliner, swivelling captains chairs, and 2 tone paint. My cousin was an interior designer so he furnished out the insides. It would hold it's own against some of the vans of today
My dad use to customize vans in his shop in our back yard in the 70's. He did it as a side hussel. God I wish I had pictures of them. I remember him doing 5 of them. One of my favorites was a Ford he did. He put a bed in the back and behind the driver's seat he put a cabinets with a mini fridge and sink. Then he put in 3 custom captain's chairs. It was red and white on the outside and he did some custom airbrush down the side. He also out a sunroof and 2 moon windows on each side in back. God what great memories this video brought back! Thank you for making it!
Im an 80s raised kid but with love for the 70s era. I own a 75 E150 Custom ( 351w / 5.8l /v8 ) and a 79 Chevy g20 ( 350 /5.7l /v8 ) both daily drivers. Vanner for life :)
Back in the early 70's I bought a used 68 Dodge van with a slant six engine. She had wide slicks on the back with Cragar mags on all four tires. I paneled and carpeted the interior and installed a great sound system. I didn't have my drivers license yet so my friend taught me how to drive on empty beach and wooded areas that weren't developed at the time. My friends and I had more fun with that van, going to concerts, partying at the beach with the stereo turned full blast, and just cruising around town. Great memories...
This was a great video, a concise summary of the models and trends of the time. I was just given a neglected 1982 Dodge B-250 van that had low milage (58,000km = 36,000 miles) with the 225, 3.7L slant six, 3 speed auto and a wheel chair lift and spent its life at a retirement home. After rebuilding the carburetor it is reliable enough to be a daily driver. I find it interesting which vehicles make it 40 years into the future. It seems more common for people who retired in the 70's or 80's to buy a fully optioned truck or Camper Van that is barely used as they age. However most of the utilitarian trucks and vans get driven into the ground, so seeing those vehicles especially the mutli-window passenger vans is becoming less and less common.
Mine was a 1977 GMC Vandura. I did all the customization, port hole windows, carpet on the floor walls and ceiling. Sink, icebox, bed and port-a-potty cassette toilet. My girlfriend and I drove it across country and get-a-ways on the weekends for years. We're married now and retired we reminisce about our van. But now we travel in an RV. Great video, thanks for the drive down memory lane.
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I remember some very cool shaggin wagons from the early 80s. A guy a few years older than me had one all decked out complete with an insane stereo for the time along with tables that collapsed into a bed & more shag carpet than should be allowed in one vehicle. My mom told me to hang out with him but my sister wasn't allowed anywhere near him or the van. Typical 70s & 80s double standards at its best!! She used to say how I could get away with anything under the sun & she would get grounded for just thinking about it!!! How times have changed.
Owned a 1963 Econoline. Was just 17 years old, it was the early to mid 70's. I was very into cars and was quite able I managed to put in a 289 V8, I put in a larger doghouse I had made from a sheet metal shop, and used an engine mount that I fabricated myself. I used a larger radiator, and it had real cool exhausts, and with that cab-over design, driving it was awesome. I am now 66, and miss that old van.
Absolutely brilliant thanks for sharing. Our Aussie version of the panel van was a little different with the Holden Sandman, Ford sundowner together with the Escort and Valiant drifter panel vans being the most popular. Even now I’d still love to do a 70s American style van but they are really rare here and very hard to come by.
@@barsixful I had a 1974 Kawasaki z900 in original condition which my first wife made me sell I got $2000 for it in hindsight I should of got rid of her and kept the bike. Now the same bike sells for $25k to $30k.
Growing up in South Louisiana in the 70s the whole family would go to the river on the weekends in the good times van .We had several of them in my family .We did a lot of camping on the river dad and uncles riding enduro bikes me and cousins swimming in the river, grilling on the sand bar river banks....they lived up to their names.....Good Times!! 👍
Great ! In '74, a guy moved in down the street and we became friends (me, 17, him just turned 21). Hid daily driver was a '61 style panel type Ford Econoline with full mopar drive train (383 mag, 727 and sure grip). He didn't do the conversion but this was a beast ! He later installed a quadrophonic stereo with 3 sets of speakers so full quad in the front and the back. He named it Medusa. Fave memory was a trip back from southern San Mateo county on 280 crossing the Doran bridge, at like 10:00 at night doing about 100 MPH with the engine box open, 383 screaming. High times ;) Thanks for the memories !
Holy crap what memories. I bought a 69 Ford 2nd gen E100 EX phone CO van, repainted and a new motor, sky jackers air shocks portholes, buckets baby moons and drag slicks. Did paneling, shag, bed, cabinets, fridge and giant "Quadrophonic" sound blaster 8 track & CB. Was a senior in HS pumping gas and no worries, other than having time for my cheer leader GF... Yep, one of the most memorable was parked in the mountains late at night next to a creek with my GF who said "I on my period", who cares I say... Learned so much that night.
My brother had a Chevy van just like the one at the start and end of the video. But his was red and white. I had a 2000 GMV Savana 1500 hi-top conversion van.
On "Hawaii Five O", a citizen referred to a custom Chevy Van of interest as a "roach coach". I'm sure bags of weed and Zig Zag paper were common companions in those rides.
We spend a lot of time in a friends Chevy cargo van which was carpeted ceiling walls and floor. For some reason my memories are a little fuzzy of the time in that van
Learned to drive in the late '70s on a 1971 Ford Econoline Club Wagon in Seafoam Green belonging to my dad. Absolutely bare-bones model, not even a cigarette lighter, just a blanked-off spot where it would be. I think the only option was the automatic trans. No power steering, with the engine and front seats totally on top of the front wheels, made for quite a workout when parking.
I always liked the custom vans.There was a show with dozens at a shopping center by the Town's school.I guess to catch the next couple years of buyers,and all the dreamers too.I still want a similar van today.Now with more of a camper set-up.
I had a brand new 1979 as a teen I turned it into a show van I put 400k miles on it traveling all over the US and Canada I regret ever selling it 15 years ago.
Boca Brothers you got to remember the "Artie Grindle Tropic Traveler Vans" Orlando/ Winter Park FL. He was big in the 1980's and 1990's selling his customized vans in his crazy/ wacky TV commercials. He retired in 1999 when he was just 44 years old. He lived a great adventurous life in his retirement , which sadly ended way too soon. He certainly knew how to keep the tradition of the" Cool Van" alive. RIP Artie Jr (1954- 2015)
Bought a new E 150 in 1978 and still have it 351 with 4 in the floor lived in it , winter spent in Key West other time all over the Beautiful U.S.A. 225,000. Miles all the repairs I have made.
I loved those Vans from that era and custom trikes I was a loyal reader of VAN WORLD magazine And understand the free thinking social anarchist of the day Fred Blumenthal
I fully participated in the Van craze and beyond . Drove several Dodges for years then got a Chevy Astro van. These days I'm in a pickup but still considering another van. Guess it is still in my blood.
Frito Vandito, lol, that's a good one. And you guys did your homework on this vid, nice work. And about all I would add is that in the Seventies, vans were legit for people with active lifestyles and their gear, everything from motocross bikes to hang gliders and whatever else we could find to get our kicks in the great outdoors. And I was the happy owner of a mini-truck at the end of the Seventies and that worked for me, cheap transportation and easy to haul bikes to the track. And it'd be interesting to see you document the van life craze. My Dad, as a retiree still on the road, started doing it in the Eighties in a GMC Suburban.
@@SpockvsMcCoy A '73 Ford Courier and I got it in Vallejo in '79 as the second owner. And its first owner lived in Petaluma. And I rebuilt the engine in the early '90s--I just followed the steps in a Haynes manual and used my childhood model-building mojo--and, with a friend, sprayed it Corvette White with the side slabs in a teal used by Chrysler as an homage to '50s cars in those colors.
my buddy has a 74 dodge maxivan with a 510 hp 408 stroker in it . its still has the original white paint , side pipes and centerline rims with huge mickey thompson N50 tires in the back . its badass
Cool Video , I had a 69 Ford Van that I did a mild custom job on . Side pipes , kicking Stereo , overhead console , etc etc ! Miss those days. Had some great times with mine 😎 . This was back in the early 70s .
Same here… 71 Ford Econoline, sidepipes,chrome wheels, tires larger in back than front, custom stereo, couch in back… a party on wheels for me n my friends! Great memories..
I had a 63 Econoline. It had a 289 V-8 shoehorned in between the seats. Headers, and Thrush Side Pipes. Cragar SS Mags Painted Bright Yellow with Black Pinstripes. Three on the tree. Leopard Patterned headliner front to rear. That thing could wheelie in second gear if you didn’t twist the u-joints. I remember it had a Cadillac Am Fm with a power antenna in the back corner. I put a Craig Powerplay 8 track player, wired it through the Caddy Radio and had a twin VOX 15” Speaker box from my Bandmaster Amp. It was big fun. Of course the Obligatory shag carpeting. A bed across the back and an Icebox. I recall it was REALLY hot in the summer with all that motor.
Yep cool I bought a brand new 76 E100 window less cargo van with a 351 W automatic and customized it with help from my brother full blue shag with a nice stereo,cb radio swivel buckets black out grill air craft landing lights,fog lamps,fiberglass fender flair’s,flat chrome 10” chrome spokes ,adjustable E’s ,rear air Gabriel’s chrushed velvet pillow chair ect it was a blast to own and drive! Often had to trade my buddy for his car to pick up my date as most dad’s would not let me leave with their daughter in my hotel on wheels as they referred to it!
WANT TO SEE MORE ''OLD'' VANS LIKE THIS...I SAW A VAN THAT HAD A STICKER THAT SAID ''IF YOU SEE THIS VAN A ROCKIN' DON'T COME A KNOCKIN'' WHEN I WAS A KID....LOL
First vehicle, 1977 dodge B200 tradesman maxivan. 360 2bbl/727. My dad had bought it brand new because he owned a tv store/car radio installation shop. It was striped when he bought but he added a second bench seat, put far out gold shag carpet in it and made bench seats for the rear with foam rubber cushions that could be thrown on the floor for a place for us kids to stretch out on long trips. 1987 I turn 16 and get my license. I was every dad's nightmare come true. Show up to pick a girl up for a date, they look out and see the van and you could just see the horror in their eyes. lol Sadly the van came to a end in 1989 when the oil pump gave out unexpectedly and rounded the cam. Had many a good times in that van BUT it wasn't my last van. Mid 90's I bought a 1986 dodge conversion van from a uncle. 318 2bbl/904. I had dual exhaust installed and threw raised white letter tires on it. Had the 4 captains chairs and the rear seat that folded down into a bed. Had a absolute ball in that thing too. Eventually traded it in on a jeep xj. If I ever find another 77 B200 maxivan with all the side windows I might just have to get it.
2018 6.0 liter Express 2500 cargo in my driveway right now....at nearly 70 ...I have not been without one for well over 45 years. Never owned a customized one ...too busy working ,but there is nothing like the utility of a full size van ... a trip to the lumber yard to get stock up to ten feet in length does not turn into a hurry to unload if it starts to rain once back to the house ...you simply go in have a coffee and relax until it stops raining . I owned pick up trucks ...they got nothing on vans ..especially 4wd vans.
Magic mushrooms sell really well as a van nowadays. With all those so-called legalize pot dispensaries. Scooby-Dooby-Doo was based on approximately the 1967 GMC van. Some say Chevy. And a little Dodge box vans that were first-generation about a 318 V8. I don't remember your butt but in mine all the runoff for scrap and it ran and drove. It had no rest and no one's interested in buying it. It's been a good $200 investment back then. The conversion vans going into the 80s and early 90s with the big side windows. I think you did an episode on that and how the big side windows were ruled unsafe. I really like this episode thank you
I remember in Duluth MN. there was a few custom Van's, there was one called Mr. Jinks , there was another custom Painted as a tribute to the Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald..
Had a '92 FORD E-150 Tiara Motor Coach Conversion. That thing was a luxury coach. Cost new in '92 was $96,000. Took 2 cans of Pledge just to polish all the wood in it. Tiara was 1 of the top conversion companies. The van was actually the President of Tiara's personal van, and he put in every option he could fit. Power mirrors weren't available on the '92 Econoline, so he used Chevy van mirrors. I found this out when I had to replace 1. I got that van for $500 in 2008. Sadly I had to let it go to the salvage yard due to rear end locking up. 1 of those huge regrets in life.
My father had 2 Ford vans one from 1978 and one 1982. The first one was almost liked a camper with a sink, a little fridge, and a wardrobe in it. The 2nd one was a conversion van. The 2nd one was a little bit nicer. In the late 80’s my parents got a Dodge Grand Caravan in silver grey. My mother drove the minivan more than my father.
My dad had a 1978 dodge sportsman 200 4 wheel drive. Brown two tone paint with tan interior and brown curtains and 360 v8. That thing musta been rare because I haven't seen one like it since. Miss that van. It was very reliable
@@WisdomOverWicked777Rules - Really? I have 4. Two 1967 F250. One 1969 E300 short wheelbase. One 1982 E150. all four in good condition, great running original motors and transmissions, radiators and all original trim. I like the three brands and had owned and enjoyed 1960's impalas and caprice and chevy trucks, but Fords are my first choice because they have lasted longer without problems.
@@WisdomOverWicked777Rules -I feel sorry for your bad experience. I am a mechanic and always check the cars I buy and I offer according to the condition, if the vehicle has problems but has potential I buy it, I got my first F250 more than 30 years ago, I had rebuilt the motor for this guy and he sold it to me two years later, In 2009 I bought the E150 beautiful van from the original owner and months later the second F250 also in great condition and 3 years ago the E300, but this one needed lost of cosmetic work. Now is almost impossible to find something old at affordable prices
@@WisdomOverWicked777Rules I'm gonna start loking online, I'm in southern California.Would love to drive across the country. It's worth paying a couple of hundreds for a good car inspection, If the vehicle is good you'll save maney and headaches, if it has problems, you can negociate the car price, in either case you'll never lose.
For the longest time I wanted a G10 van thought it be so cool but never pulled the trigger. As of later my father was gifted a 2001 astro looked great but started leaking coolant but it was hard to see where it was leaking..found out what a dog house cover was and said nope scratch the idea.
That’s it brother you found the Achilles heel right off, I still suffer from doghouse back 😂. Took me 3 hrs to put plugs in a Ford with the 5.4 Triton, already a pain in the ass motor. Had to pull the fuel rail bla bla but yeh, Doghouse, no thanks ✌️
I'm glad I got to experience the '70s & I just recently sold my 1976 Dodge California Custom Shaggin Wagon 360 4 bbl, dual side pipe exhaust, dual moon roofs, tear drop portals, CB, 8 track, shag carpet, mini bar, Cragar SS mags with white letter BFGs, wood paneling all thru, mood lighting & used to be water bed but converted to regular bed! Lots of 'great' memories - PEACE LOVE n HIPPYNESS ✌☮
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Well, if you sold your Van, I could only hope you made off with a bundle and put the dough to good use because nothing beats a Custom Van.
@@christopher5585 As in recently it was 8 yrs ago but I had to sell because I was moving back to Georgia & unfortunately it was one of the casualties of not being able to come & I still miss it! Only thing that sucked was the gas at 10 mpg but of course I did like to put my foot in it every now & again to hear that 4bbl open up & those side pipes crackle 😇
Custom vans are not dead. They are making a massive comeback!! The revival is due to nostalgia of the good days when we were kids.
Yeah, and lots of cool examples in Southern California.
I have one and a lot people approach me and want to buy it now for some reason.
I might have mine up for sale in the next few months. Black California no window shorty. Oversized cam Chevy 350 V8 looking to get it on some new meat next month and run some test drives. It was a barn find and nearly perfect no rust, just a ding in the driver's rear panel under the tail light.
I just bought mine three weeks ago, a '91 Chevy Conversion.
Really wish the van would make a come back they are so awesome its really neat to see a old van decked out rolling down the street
In 1975 I bought a brand new Ford E150. I ordered it with full headliner, swivelling captains chairs, and 2 tone paint. My cousin was an interior designer so he furnished out the insides. It would hold it's own against some of the vans of today
When I saw the pic of the van in your thumbnail, the 1973, Sammy Johns song CHEVY VAN immediately came to mind! Thanks for sharing!
Completely ignored the 71 thru 79 Chevy van which was one of the most popular van styles of the 70s.
I'm starting to see more and more 70s custom vans at car shows....
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My dad use to customize vans in his shop in our back yard in the 70's. He did it as a side hussel. God I wish I had pictures of them. I remember him doing 5 of them. One of my favorites was a Ford he did. He put a bed in the back and behind the driver's seat he put a cabinets with a mini fridge and sink. Then he put in 3 custom captain's chairs. It was red and white on the outside and he did some custom airbrush down the side. He also out a sunroof and 2 moon windows on each side in back. God what great memories this video brought back! Thank you for making it!
Love the old custom vans of the 70s
My dad started one of the first Van conversion companies in Elkhart Indiana in 1972
Nice
Im an 80s raised kid but with love for the 70s era. I own a 75 E150 Custom ( 351w / 5.8l /v8 ) and a 79 Chevy g20 ( 350 /5.7l /v8 ) both daily drivers.
Vanner for life :)
Seeing the positions of those steering wheels is crazy. So different than todays cars ! Must’ve been so different to drive
"When this van's rockin don't come knockin"
"Gas, grass or ass, nobody rides for free"
@@ShakespeareCafe My GF brought all 3 on dates in mine, chick magnet supreme in the day. Parents did care much picking her up...
How did this go without a single image of the A-Team van ?!😡😤
I pity the fool!
Back in the early 70's I bought a used 68 Dodge van with a slant six engine. She had wide slicks on the back with Cragar mags on all four tires. I paneled and carpeted the interior and installed a great sound system. I didn't have my drivers license yet so my friend taught me how to drive on empty beach and wooded areas that weren't developed at the time. My friends and I had more fun with that van, going to concerts, partying at the beach with the stereo turned full blast, and just cruising around town. Great memories...
This was a great video, a concise summary of the models and trends of the time. I was just given a neglected 1982 Dodge B-250 van that had low milage (58,000km = 36,000 miles) with the 225, 3.7L slant six, 3 speed auto and a wheel chair lift and spent its life at a retirement home. After rebuilding the carburetor it is reliable enough to be a daily driver. I find it interesting which vehicles make it 40 years into the future. It seems more common for people who retired in the 70's or 80's to buy a fully optioned truck or Camper Van that is barely used as they age. However most of the utilitarian trucks and vans get driven into the ground, so seeing those vehicles especially the mutli-window passenger vans is becoming less and less common.
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I loved my 70's Dodge van, maybe some of the best times of my life.😊
Mine was a 1977 GMC Vandura. I did all the customization, port hole windows, carpet on the floor walls and ceiling. Sink, icebox, bed and port-a-potty cassette toilet. My girlfriend and I drove it across country and get-a-ways on the weekends for years. We're married now and retired we reminisce about our van. But now we travel in an RV. Great video, thanks for the drive down memory lane.
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I remember some very cool shaggin wagons from the early 80s. A guy a few years older than me had one all decked out complete with an insane stereo for the time along with tables that collapsed into a bed & more shag carpet than should be allowed in one vehicle. My mom told me to hang out with him but my sister wasn't allowed anywhere near him or the van. Typical 70s & 80s double standards at its best!! She used to say how I could get away with anything under the sun & she would get grounded for just thinking about it!!! How times have changed.
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If it wasnt for my custom van,I wouldnt have a son..that was 42 years ago,and I now own 2 full custom vans..so much for the van craze dieing..
Owned a 1963 Econoline. Was just 17 years old, it was the early to mid 70's. I was very into cars and was quite able
I managed to put in a 289 V8, I put in a larger doghouse I had made from a sheet metal shop, and used an engine mount that I fabricated myself. I used a larger radiator, and it had real cool exhausts, and with that cab-over design, driving it was awesome. I am now 66, and miss that old van.
I guess the 289 needed a wider doghouse?
@@MisterMikeTexas Yes and a little bigger rad. Had the doghouse made at a sheet metal shop.
Absolutely brilliant thanks for sharing. Our Aussie version of the panel van was a little different with the Holden Sandman, Ford sundowner together with the Escort and Valiant drifter panel vans being the most popular. Even now I’d still love to do a 70s American style van but they are really rare here and very hard to come by.
I had a drifter van….sold it for $600 in the 80’s. Probably worth 30 k now
@@barsixful I had a 1974 Kawasaki z900 in original condition which my first wife made me sell I got $2000 for it in hindsight I should of got rid of her and kept the bike. Now the same bike sells for $25k to $30k.
I was in the custom van business in the Metropolitan Detroit area in the late 70's and 1980's. 😎
Man.....I miss those days.
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Growing up in South Louisiana in the 70s the whole family would go to the river on the weekends in the good times van .We had several of them in my family .We did a lot of camping on the river dad and uncles riding enduro bikes me and cousins swimming in the river, grilling on the sand bar river banks....they lived up to their names.....Good Times!! 👍
Have owned many vans, but my '74 Dodge B200 was my favorite, V8 318, Hedman hedders, Thrush sidepipes, wide
ET mags, and 3 on the tree. Good times.
71-77 Dodge B Van; the Best !!
Hey bros, really enjoyed this one, I spent my high school years in the back of a 4 wheel drive Dodge van!!!
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Informative and fun video. I came of age in the 1970s and remember those wild, custom vans well.
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In many cases the custom van was the reason many required mini-vans later ! I my self bought a station wagon. Lol
Good video. Pretty accurate portrayal of the times.
Glad you enjoyed it
The 1970s Dodge Street Van with the short wheelbase dominated Ford in van customization.
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This is why I bought the 118" wheelbase Ram Promaster....it has more of the look of 1970s short vans but with a gargantuan amount of room inside
Great !
In '74, a guy moved in down the street and we became friends (me, 17, him just turned 21).
Hid daily driver was a '61 style panel type Ford Econoline with full mopar drive train (383 mag, 727 and sure grip).
He didn't do the conversion but this was a beast ! He later installed a quadrophonic stereo with 3 sets of speakers so full quad in the front and the back. He named it Medusa.
Fave memory was a trip back from southern San Mateo county on 280 crossing the Doran bridge, at like 10:00 at night doing about 100 MPH with the engine box open, 383 screaming. High times ;)
Thanks for the memories !
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Holy crap what memories. I bought a 69 Ford 2nd gen E100 EX phone CO van, repainted and a new motor, sky jackers air shocks portholes, buckets baby moons and drag slicks. Did paneling, shag, bed, cabinets, fridge and giant "Quadrophonic" sound blaster 8 track & CB. Was a senior in HS pumping gas and no worries, other than having time for my cheer leader GF...
Yep, one of the most memorable was parked in the mountains late at night next to a creek with my GF who said "I on my period", who cares I say... Learned so much that night.
My brother had a Chevy van just like the one at the start and end of the video. But his was red and white. I had a 2000 GMV Savana 1500 hi-top conversion van.
I'd love a van Joe. Thanks for sharing the info. Make sure and subscribe!
Love it. If I had a van I would make it really cool.
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I love van conversions. I like vans in general...just a cool way to get around.
The 70's never did get the respect it deserved. Always put down.
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On "Hawaii Five O", a citizen referred to a custom Chevy Van of interest as a "roach coach". I'm sure bags of weed and Zig Zag paper were common companions in those rides.
We spend a lot of time in a friends Chevy cargo van which was carpeted ceiling walls and floor. For some reason my memories are a little fuzzy of the time in that van
I had a new 74 GMC and it was very reliable as my 82, 03 and 13 Ford Econolines. they were great vehicles and I miss them!
If this Van is a rockin don't come a knockin
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Learned to drive in the late '70s on a 1971 Ford Econoline Club Wagon in Seafoam Green belonging to my dad. Absolutely bare-bones model, not even a cigarette lighter, just a blanked-off spot where it would be. I think the only option was the automatic trans. No power steering, with the engine and front seats totally on top of the front wheels, made for quite a workout when parking.
I always liked the custom vans.There was a show with dozens at a shopping center by the Town's school.I guess to catch the next couple years of buyers,and all the dreamers too.I still want a similar van today.Now with more of a camper set-up.
I had a 79 Chevy Nomad in the early 90s. Was so much fun to take to festival concerts.
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Boogie van, Shaggin’ wagon, Fake Fur palace, ahhhh, the memories. 😆
I had a brand new 1979 as a teen I turned it into a show van I put 400k miles on it traveling all over the US and Canada I regret ever selling it 15 years ago.
Boca Brothers you got to remember the "Artie Grindle Tropic Traveler Vans" Orlando/ Winter Park FL. He was big in the 1980's and 1990's selling his customized vans in his crazy/ wacky TV commercials. He retired in 1999 when he was just 44 years old. He lived a great adventurous life in his retirement , which sadly ended way too soon. He certainly knew how to keep the tradition of the" Cool Van" alive. RIP Artie Jr (1954- 2015)
Can you imagine how much it would cost to fuel up one of those shitboxes today?
Bought a new E 150 in 1978 and still have it 351 with 4 in the floor lived in it , winter spent in Key West other time all over the Beautiful U.S.A. 225,000. Miles all the repairs I have made.
I loved those Vans from that era and custom trikes I was a loyal reader of VAN WORLD magazine And understand the free thinking social anarchist of the day Fred Blumenthal
Friend had an old e150 van that we fixed up the interior with paneling and blue shag carpet..lots of banging at the drive in!!
I owned a 1978 Chevy Beauville G20 Van back in April 2009 until the end of January 2011😊❤👍
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I fully participated in the Van craze and beyond . Drove several Dodges for years then got a Chevy Astro van. These days I'm in a pickup but still considering another van. Guess it is still in my blood.
Love it I just got a 94 ford hightop conversation.
Watching this video reminds so much of the summer of 1973 cruising Van Nuys Bl on Wednesday nights.
Best time ever!🌴🚗🚙🛻
The GOOD times! Thanks for sharing the info. Make sure and subscribe!
Back when we didn't care about safety and played in the back as kids. I loved vans!
I Like GMC Vandura Rally Package From The 70s 80s And Early 90s ☺😎
Frito Vandito, lol, that's a good one. And you guys did your homework on this vid, nice work. And about all I would add is that in the Seventies, vans were legit for people with active lifestyles and their gear, everything from motocross bikes to hang gliders and whatever else we could find to get our kicks in the great outdoors. And I was the happy owner of a mini-truck at the end of the Seventies and that worked for me, cheap transportation and easy to haul bikes to the track. And it'd be interesting to see you document the van life craze. My Dad, as a retiree still on the road, started doing it in the Eighties in a GMC Suburban.
Which brand of mini-truck?
@@SpockvsMcCoy A '73 Ford Courier and I got it in Vallejo in '79 as the second owner. And its first owner lived in Petaluma. And I rebuilt the engine in the early '90s--I just followed the steps in a Haynes manual and used my childhood model-building mojo--and, with a friend, sprayed it Corvette White with the side slabs in a teal used by Chrysler as an homage to '50s cars in those colors.
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Had a 75 Chevy cargo van. Bought it brand new. Made it look so sexy.
💕 love ve these ol wagons
O yeah I remember the van ins checking out all the custom vans fun times
Another great video! I learned to drive in a 78 dodge custom van my dad owned, moon windows and shag carpet. Dodge was the best!
If I ever got the money I would love to get me a old van such as one of these and fix them up 70 s style.
my buddy has a 74 dodge maxivan with a 510 hp 408 stroker in it . its still has the original white paint , side pipes and centerline rims with huge mickey thompson N50 tires in the back . its badass
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I remember asking an older man about his van , his response: if that van could talk, I'd call it a damn liar.
🤣🤣
Cool 😀, my Mom made me a van cake for my 8 birthday in 1982
Wow Michael. Thanks for watching. Make sure and subscribe.
@@ThisOldCarChannel Thank you, I am, and welcome 😀
In the 70's they'd say "If you like art, watch this "Van Go".
I remember having a van art kit in the early 80s. I think it was called "Little Van Go"
Cool Video , I had a 69 Ford Van that I did a mild custom job on . Side pipes , kicking Stereo , overhead console , etc etc ! Miss those days. Had some great times with mine
😎 . This was back in the early 70s .
Same here… 71 Ford Econoline, sidepipes,chrome wheels, tires larger in back than front, custom stereo, couch in back… a party on wheels for me n my friends! Great memories..
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I had a 63 Econoline. It had a 289 V-8 shoehorned in between the seats. Headers, and Thrush Side Pipes. Cragar SS Mags Painted Bright Yellow with Black Pinstripes.
Three on the tree. Leopard Patterned headliner front to rear. That thing could wheelie in second gear if you didn’t twist the u-joints. I remember it had a Cadillac Am Fm with a power antenna in the back corner. I put a Craig Powerplay 8 track player, wired it through the Caddy Radio and had a twin VOX 15” Speaker box from my Bandmaster Amp. It was big fun. Of course the Obligatory shag carpeting. A bed across the back and an Icebox. I recall it was REALLY hot in the summer with all that motor.
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Yep cool I bought a brand new 76 E100 window less cargo van with a 351 W automatic and customized it with help from my brother full blue shag with a nice stereo,cb radio swivel buckets black out grill air craft landing lights,fog lamps,fiberglass fender flair’s,flat chrome 10” chrome spokes ,adjustable E’s ,rear air Gabriel’s chrushed velvet pillow chair ect it was a blast to own and drive! Often had to trade my buddy for his car to pick up my date as most dad’s would not let me leave with their daughter in my hotel on wheels as they referred to it!
I got my 73 dodge b300 van with a 318. And I can't wait to build it up!
Vans and station wagons equal fun!
True that! Thanks for watchng!
Snuggled with Isa on a rainy spring day!
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I miss my vans
I love the video and gave a thumbs up for you. I also own a 82 Dodge van custom conversion.
Thanks 👍
@@ThisOldCarChannel
You are welcome.
Vantastic! 🚐
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I’ve owned two full-sized Chevy vans ! One was a 1985 & the other one was a 1995 both where G20 .
WANT TO SEE MORE ''OLD'' VANS LIKE THIS...I SAW A VAN THAT HAD A STICKER THAT SAID ''IF YOU SEE THIS VAN A ROCKIN' DON'T COME A KNOCKIN'' WHEN I WAS A KID....LOL
Had a 71 Chevy Van I semi customized myself. A lot of great times
MY 2001 VWJETTA 2.0 l HAS 326.000 miles on it and running great!
My first vehicle was a 1969 Ford E200. Today I drive a 1987 GMC Vandura. I have owned other vehicles but Vans are my favorite.
Great video!
Glad you enjoyed it
I just want a Rampside Corvair. I think it is the most useful design ever!
I had a 1975 Ford econoline with a300 straight six good on gas very reliable was a great truck.
First vehicle, 1977 dodge B200 tradesman maxivan. 360 2bbl/727. My dad had bought it brand new because he owned a tv store/car radio installation shop. It was striped when he bought but he added a second bench seat, put far out gold shag carpet in it and made bench seats for the rear with foam rubber cushions that could be thrown on the floor for a place for us kids to stretch out on long trips. 1987 I turn 16 and get my license. I was every dad's nightmare come true. Show up to pick a girl up for a date, they look out and see the van and you could just see the horror in their eyes. lol Sadly the van came to a end in 1989 when the oil pump gave out unexpectedly and rounded the cam. Had many a good times in that van BUT it wasn't my last van. Mid 90's I bought a 1986 dodge conversion van from a uncle. 318 2bbl/904. I had dual exhaust installed and threw raised white letter tires on it. Had the 4 captains chairs and the rear seat that folded down into a bed. Had a absolute ball in that thing too. Eventually traded it in on a jeep xj. If I ever find another 77 B200 maxivan with all the side windows I might just have to get it.
*If This Van's A-Rockin'...*
Please call 911 because I'm probably having a seizure.
2018 6.0 liter Express 2500 cargo in my driveway right now....at nearly 70 ...I have not been without one for well over 45 years. Never owned a customized one ...too busy working ,but
there is nothing like the utility of a full size van ... a trip to the lumber yard to get stock up to ten feet in length does not turn into a hurry to unload if it starts to rain once back to the house ...you simply go in have a coffee and relax until it stops raining .
I owned pick up trucks ...they got nothing on vans ..especially 4wd vans.
Magic mushrooms sell really well as a van nowadays. With all those so-called legalize pot dispensaries. Scooby-Dooby-Doo was based on approximately the 1967 GMC van. Some say Chevy. And a little Dodge box vans that were first-generation about a 318 V8. I don't remember your butt but in mine all the runoff for scrap and it ran and drove. It had no rest and no one's interested in buying it. It's been a good $200 investment back then. The conversion vans going into the 80s and early 90s with the big side windows. I think you did an episode on that and how the big side windows were ruled unsafe. I really like this episode thank you
Excellent vid.
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I remember in Duluth MN. there was a few custom Van's, there was one called Mr. Jinks , there was another custom Painted as a tribute to the Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald..
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Had a '92 FORD E-150 Tiara Motor Coach Conversion.
That thing was a luxury coach. Cost new in '92 was $96,000.
Took 2 cans of Pledge just to polish all the wood in it.
Tiara was 1 of the top conversion companies.
The van was actually the President of Tiara's personal van, and he put in every option he could fit.
Power mirrors weren't available on the '92 Econoline, so he used Chevy van mirrors. I found this out when I had to replace 1.
I got that van for $500 in 2008.
Sadly I had to let it go to the salvage yard due to rear end locking up.
1 of those huge regrets in life.
The 1974 Dodge Tradesmen van was on the movie 'Smokey & The Bandit" built in Fenton,Missouri plant #2 North U.A.W. Local 110
I've hauled at least a million newspapers in my van.
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My father had 2 Ford vans one from 1978 and one 1982. The first one was almost liked a camper with a sink, a little fridge, and a wardrobe in it. The 2nd one was a conversion van. The 2nd one was a little bit nicer. In the late 80’s my parents got a Dodge Grand Caravan in silver grey. My mother drove the minivan more than my father.
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Bong hits and sweer,sweet lovin ❤️
My father had a couple Ford Vans one from 1978 and 1982. They were custom built vans.
My dad had a 1978 dodge sportsman 200 4 wheel drive. Brown two tone paint with tan interior and brown curtains and 360 v8. That thing musta been rare because I haven't seen one like it since. Miss that van. It was very reliable
Tradesman not sportsman
You need to update this...The van craze is live and well!!
Love it!!!
Ford Econoline all the way!!!
Thanks David!!!!
@@WisdomOverWicked777Rules - Really? I have 4. Two 1967 F250. One 1969 E300 short wheelbase. One 1982 E150. all four in good condition, great running original motors and transmissions, radiators and all original trim. I like the three brands and had owned and enjoyed 1960's impalas and caprice and chevy trucks, but Fords are my first choice because they have lasted longer without problems.
@@WisdomOverWicked777Rules -I feel sorry for your bad experience. I am a mechanic and always check the cars I buy and I offer according to the condition, if the vehicle has problems but has potential I buy it, I got my first F250 more than 30 years ago, I had rebuilt the motor for this guy and he sold it to me two years later, In 2009 I bought the E150 beautiful van from the original owner and months later the second F250 also in great condition and 3 years ago the E300, but this one needed lost of cosmetic work. Now is almost impossible to find something old at affordable prices
@@WisdomOverWicked777Rules I'm gonna start loking online, I'm in southern California.Would love to drive across the country.
It's worth paying a couple of hundreds for a good car inspection, If the vehicle is good you'll save maney and headaches, if it has problems, you can negociate the car price, in either case you'll never lose.
my uncle had two dodge conversion vans they were bad ass.
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"Maximum fornication "🤣🤣🤣 That was awesome, I nearly spit out my coffee on that comment 😅😂🤣😄 Awesome video Bocas'❣️❣️❣️
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@@ThisOldCarChannel Already did 😉
“If this van is rockin, don’t bother knockin!”
For the longest time I wanted a G10 van thought it be so cool but never pulled the trigger. As of later my father was gifted a 2001 astro looked great but started leaking coolant but it was hard to see where it was leaking..found out what a dog house cover was and said nope scratch the idea.
That’s it brother you found the Achilles heel right off, I still suffer from doghouse back 😂. Took me 3 hrs to put plugs in a Ford with the 5.4 Triton, already a pain in the ass motor. Had to pull the fuel rail bla bla but yeh, Doghouse, no thanks ✌️