Why isnt anyone restoring custom vans?

[adauto]

Ahh yes the van craze days. I went through that phase myself. Admit it sure helped getting laid. I had 3 differnt vans over the years, my first was in my last yearof high school. For my woodshop project I made a bed for my van. Raised lots of eyebrows till the shop teacher saw I was serious. Still took crap for it the whole year. But I had classmates who understood the concept so to speak. Did up the upolhstery nice with storage cabinets underneath. It still resides in my mom's basement!! 

Even back then with vans MA did some pretty wierd $hit. I had a 68 "doorless" for awhile. Talk about a low production vehicle. There were NO side cargo doors (hence doorless). In those days MA also had a few units with side cargo doors on both sides! Mine was LWB/V8/727 witha bunch of mods  and an Earl Shieib paint job!   

[LeeBoy]

Another cool van from the day

[LOREK41]

sweet van i like it
here is my next build

[nvrbdn]

looks good.

[Richard Cranium]

 Quit yo Jibber-jabber! If I ever catch you acting like a crazy fool again, you're gonna meet my friend pain!



I pity the fool.

[downie519]

Here is the thing. These vans are being restored and are still being customized. Check out showvans.com, vannin.com, americanvanclub.com

[nvrbdn]

glad you rekindled this thread. i just picked up a cargo van im puttin together right now. i will check those sites out.

[Musicman]

Last year the wife & I were invited to a camp out beside a river up in the mountains about 10 miles from anywhere. The beer was flowing, Bands played all night long thanks to a portable generator, just a big all night party really... Half the vehicles that showed up were part of a Van Club from the New England area. A lot of old school customs... we even had one of those old VW Camper vans with the pop-up roof camped right next to us... Bright frigg'n Lime Green with a White top and trim... it was actually pretty cool. 
Like most folks here, I hadn't really seen any of the old custom vans around either, so this was a real treat as well as an eye opener.

[nvrbdn]

it was alot of fun vannin. i started in 76 in california when i lived in victorville. was in a club called "passin thru vans".thats when it was huge and would have 1500 vans show up to a weekend party. now days a regular van run will have 50-75 vans and the national event will have 500 if lucky. but they are still fun.

[BigBlockSam]

1500 vans

yea, i remember those days . i went to a couple of Van Nationals and they had about 2000 vans . wild times  and very little sleep 

[nvrbdn]

heres a few pic's the first is my tire cover on my pink floyd van.

[nvrbdn]

mean chopped dodge

[nvrbdn]

another early dodge

[nvrbdn]

more, notice the 77 style charger/cordoba front end on the dodge van

[nvrbdn]

more

[nvrbdn]

more

[doctor4766]

Here in Oz we had lots of custom vans in the 70' and 80s.
Most of our breed were based on the same models you could buy in a sedan, station wagon or ute though,not purely a van model on it's own.
And we called them panel vans or PV's for short.
It was a parent's worst nightmare if their daughter was dating a bloke with a panel van. Especially when the PV donned stickers like "If this vans rocking, don't come knocking" & "Don't laugh,your daughter may be inside"

Here's a link to an story done by the ABC (Australian Bradcasting Commission) back in 1977.
Enjoy.

http://www.abc.net.au/local/videos/2011/05/09/3211117.htm

[Fred]

I remember those days only too well..............sigh!
It always amazes me that they never really made a comeback............not sure you can do in the back of a ute what you could in a panel van.

[troy.70R/T]

Far out man 

[HalfastJav]

Over the years, I've had a lot of vehicles. Back in the 70's, along with my muscle cars, I also had a dodge van with a custom paint job.

Used to go to "truck-ins" and "van-ins" all over the place. Had a great time.
Got drunk, stoned, screwed. Not necessarily in that order.

Everyone is restoring antique cars, muscle cars, classic trucks, even station wagons, so I
was just wondering why no one is reviving the old custom vans.

I have seen one dude at the All Mopar Spring Roundup in Wa state that had a badazz Dodge Van totally retro w/beer fridge wood floor diamond tuck panels, C/B and tons of chrome...... since then....nada.

I like the Vans and Trucks too.

[bobs66440]

Here in Oz we had lots of custom vans in the 70' and 80s.
Most of our breed were based on the same models you could buy in a sedan, station wagon or ute though,not purely a van model on it's own.
And we called them panel vans or PV's for short.
It was a parent's worst nightmare if their daughter was dating a bloke with a panel van. Especially when the PV donned stickers like "If this vans rocking, don't come knocking" & "Don't laugh,your daughter may be inside"

Here's a link to an story done by the ABC (Australian Bradcasting Commission) back in 1977.
Enjoy.

http://www.abc.net.au/local/videos/2011/05/09/3211117.htm

Cool video! Thanks 

[68coronetGLwannabe]

This is as restored as mine will probably get. Still a blast to drive.

[djcarguy]

back in the day ,the ladies were hot and hairy,ready willing and able......hot bodys ,hairy as long pretty hair.....now day yes their are hot and hairy,but the hot is from hot flashes and the hairy is on their faces and other parts unshaved ,and not the pretty long hair of younger years.....and now they are ready willing and able to divorce ya,if you want to spend money on a van or ask them to have sex in avan.....  and maybe ready and able to kill you or drop dead while trying to have sex in a van......hahaha,,,good luck

    have my  78 tradesman  custom since 92 and now have a 67 econoline-supervan  with bunk and wood ceiling rest carpet and curtins...dj

p.s. van was fun with x wife ,,not big hit with single gals now days???

[nvrbdn]

This is as restored as mine will probably get. Still a blast to drive.

well i absolutely love your van. that thing is very cool.i wouldnt be afraid to take that rolling museum to a van happening right now. (er not right now since they are done till spring.) they do a big event for "lets get snowed" and a big hall party for "groundhogs day" here in illinois.

[nvrbdn]

a few more