custom vans of the 70's and early 80's, love 'em or hate 'em?

JC1994

JC1994

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Does anybody remember them? All those custom paint jobs and interiors... are there still any around? do you love them or hate them? I loved them. I always wanted one but never owned one. My older brother had one and so did alot of our friends, he had a 77 Dodge Tradesman it was really nice and had a built 360 engine and the thing was fast! I think it ran low 14's and it would beat alot of cars on the road back in 1977-1980. lets here some stories and see some pics if you got any. I will try and find some old pics of his van and post them if I can. :)
 
Saw one today next to a garage with collector plates, been sitting. The rear wheels were like 14"s wide, took me back. My brother had a 73 Ford(I think) with the pop-up canvas top, pretty rare I think. It had side pipes and white wagon wheels. He had a Pabst tapper for the 3 on the tree.
 
That's cool...I seen a commercial on TV tonight with a bunch of old custom vans in it. I was so excited that I don't even remember what it was about!! I seen all those custom vans and it was like going back in time!!!:cool: If you could get a pic and put it on here that would be so cool. :D
 
JC1994 said:
That's cool...I seen a commercial on TV tonight with a bunch of old custom vans in it. I was so excited that I don't even remember what it was about!! I seen all those custom vans and it was like going back in time!!!:cool: If you could get a pic and put it on here that would be so cool. :D
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Honda Odyssey commercial. It shows the one van with the fountain in the back.
 
Back in the early 80's i wanted one of those custom vans, i like them.
 
When I was in College my roommate had one. It was wild....

I always thought that they were hot looking. Then the Conversion took over (maybe the purchasers were just mature past owners... Now with families the Luv Nests or Luv Machines had to be more family oriented.)
 
HELLYES, i love them. Theres a Chev van in my junkyard thats got the shag carpet and all...its even got a "sailing ship" steering wheel. its so pimp. I want one too.
 
02LSE96LSC91SE84TC said:
Saw one today next to a garage with collector plates, been sitting. The rear wheels were like 14"s wide, took me back. My brother had a 73 Ford(I think) with the pop-up canvas top, pretty rare I think. It had side pipes and white wagon wheels. He had a Pabst tapper for the 3 on the tree.
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One morning when I woke up his side pipes were crunched up in the middle. He's 10yrs older than me so I was like 9. Seems him and his drinking buddy were smashing though some snow banks at Milwaukee County Stadium after bar close, and got caught up on a icy solid one. I guess it took some rockin and melting to get it off of it. Times were different then. His van wasn't that classic shag mobile, it was kinda a mini camper thing. Still pretty cool.
 
my brothers had full length headers and side pipes too. side pipes were the sh!t I don't think you were considered custom without them. we put wood paneling and shag carpeting in there and there was a circle opening with angel hair on that you went thru to get to the full size bed in back. and a tag on the front that said "if you see this van a rockin' don't come a knockin'" :gr_devil: :gr_devil:
 
Vanning isn't dead. It's very much alive. I'm building a new one right now, a 74 Dodge 360 4 speed.

Check out my cardomain site, http://www.cardomain.com/id/tattooingsc


and if you feel like reliving a bit of the past, check out the forum at www.vannin.com


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Love Them 70' Vans

I love them, in fact I built them back in the 70's and 80's and I just started doing that again, I still own my first van that I bought back in Oct. 1975 a Chevy 3/4 ton 125" WB

The first pic is 1983 and the other is today

VAN 1984a.jpg


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love em my best friend in high school had a chevy camper van stove fridge beds could plug it in just like a trailer even had running water in the sink we called it "the shaggin wagon"
 
My Father-n-law has an old chevy corvair van sitting along with a few other cars in a field in Oklahoma. Those are unusual and would make a cool van custom.

This isn't it but looks like it.

corvair van 2.jpg
 
I remember some beautiful artwork on alot of those vans back then, and every once in a while you'll see one done now that takes you back.
 
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