So many car shows, so many cars, so many photos taken. I still have approximately two hundred pictures from car shows from summer 2012, and have not had time to write them up for CC. New job, less time for CC; you know how it goes. So, new plan: I’m going to highlight some of the most memorable of them over the next month or so. We’re technically in spring right now, so let’s celebrate the upcoming car show season with this retired Rampside.
As you know, the Rampside, along with the Econoline Pickup, was meant as a challenge to the VW Type 2, but neither truck made it to the end of the decade. The 95/Rampside/Greenbrier were replaced with the more conventional Chevy Van–but alas, not in a pickup version. They might have been more practical, but they were not as cool.
Yes, you are looking at a vehicle that was in daily use through 2001, though I imagine during the last decade or two it had a pretty easy life. It was displayed at the great Geneseo Car Show last year.
This one still bears the bumps and bruises of forty years of service, but that made it all the more endearing to me. It was not clear whether Davis Oil Company was a gas station or an oil distributor, but clearly, this was a good truck to have when you needed to load 55-gallon drums–just not too many, what with the varying bed heights…
This tri-tone Rampside was the first one I’d ever seen in the metal, and hopefully it will not be the last. For more information, the full CC on the Rampside can be found here.
My gawd. I remember how those would come back into the shop under warranty and fistfights broke out among the mechanics.
“No way am I taking that piece of %$## this time. I put in 18 hours on the last one and got paid for seven. Give it to the new mechanic Herbie. I ain’t taking it. Fire me if you want”
To which my reply was always, and I mean 100% of the time, “Okay, come and pick up your final paycheque tomorrow.”
No mechanic in my shop turned down a job, no could he be too proud to change oil. If a guy wants gravy jobs all the time, he can go find them himself.
Service departments in the late 60’s dont compare to
anything you see now…
What takes 18 hours on a Corvair? You can drop the engine and put another one in in a couple of hours.
On a Greenbriar?
Any 7 hr. job.
I liked the engine design in this american vw better than the german one. The last generation of corvair took me all over new england back when a buddy and I were in sub school. He thought my 66 beetle was tiny (it was) so we took his 66 or 67 corvair convert. It was comfortable, kept up with traffic, was economical, and looked good. If I could take a couple things with me (EFI/electronic ignition) I would be happy to take a time machine back to the sixties any time. This time I would probably buy the corvair over the vw. Then I was in newfoundland and didn’t have a choice as I recall. Possibly I did but the vw was very popular there.
” If I could take a couple things with me (EFI/electronic ignition) I would be happy to take a time machine back to the sixties any time.”
Amen to the part about fuel injection! As much as I enjoyed my Corvair, syncing carbs was never my forté…and it seemed to be something that was needed frequently.
Multiple carbs are like the one you had a crush on in school, but could never get a date with…a wonderfully romantic fantasy, but a bitch to live with on a daily basis.
At Clark’s Corvair you can find a GM TBI conversion kit for the Corvair. EFI is an easy update. Time machine might be a little harder-maybe try Wired magazine?
That’s a very recent thing, and I wondered when Clark’s would finally offer a “turn key” kit. When I sold my Corvair (five years ago), it was still pretty much a DIY affair.
To Wstarvingteacher: When in Nfld, ever make it to the Change Islands?
I was in Newfoundland in 65-66 at the Naval (air) Station at Argentia. Never made it off the island till I left. Drove to the Ferry that went to Nova Scotia (Gander Newfoundland) and through New Brunswick/Nova Scotia. Thought the country was beautiful the whole way. In a couple weeks I’m flying to Maine and taking a rental to NB/NS with my wife. Even though the Mounties and CF guys I knew seemed to badmouth Nfld., I have had a soft spot for Canada and things Canadian since I was there.
Nfld is a beautiful place. Love it there.
Funny, in a couple of weeks, I’ll be leaving NB for a camping trip in Maine. 🙂
Kind of an odd time of year to be visiting this area. The snow has just melted (mostly), the syrup is drying up, and the weather is not quite warm enough to not have to wear a jacket.
I’d recommend coming to Moncton, NB for the Atlantic Nationals car show in mid-July. There are around 2000 cars to see and lots of activities all weekend.
DIL is a travel agent. Wife turned 70 in December. This is a present (hotels/plana). December was out of the question. When june hits we lose our school age granddaughters who take care of our animals. Google says May temperature is 30’s to 50’s in Nova Scotia, just like a Houston winter. May was the only choice. I would have preferred July but prices and hotel availability change is large. I think this is real neat. Have not been to the maritimes since 66 and looking forward to seeing them again.
Still see one of these in traffic occasionally in Albuquerque, NM.
The ferries from NS to NL arrive at Argentia, or Port aux Basques….not Gander.
Bring your sea legs….and Dramamine…!!
btw, the Change Islands are up near Dildo Run Provincial Park.
Colourful place, Newfoundland….
You are right about Port Aux Basques but 1966 was almost 50 years ago. They could easily have gone to Argentia but didn’t. That is a pretty long drive but pales compared to the 7k miles I did in the next 35 days.
Anyone out there heard of the Targa Newfoundland (auto race)?
It’s held in late summer, and I hear it’s fantastic..!!
Believe it or not, I live in NS but have yet to get there for it. One of these days….
It would probably make a great article for CC.
Targa NF has been well documented on utube. Want to run it? Entrance fee is about five big ones.
Every picture of the ramp-side of the Rampside I’ve ever seen shows the ramp down….what’s on that door that stops it from getting so scratched up in service? And what’s INSIDE that door that holds up all the weight without bending? How much weight does it hold? Can you roll a vending machine into it, for example?
Follow the link in Tom’s piece to the Rampside CC we did awhile back, and photos show a big fat rubber lip over the top edge of the ramp. The rubber lip is what rests on the ground. As for your other questions, I have no idea.
near Dildo Run Provincial Park.
Uh…what?
I wonder how high the bed floor of any new pickup would compare against this vehicle. This always seemed like such a useful/novel design.
I think Davis Oil was a distributor – I’m guessing that this is the same company, still in existence:
http://www.davisoil.com/about.html
Roger on the Dildo Park. On Change Is., the call a little river separating two parts of it “The Tickle”, lots of funny names out that way! My great grandfather is buried on the Island, his wife, for reasons unknown to me, is buried in St. John’s.
In the days you were in Nfld, the roads on the islands were not paved, only having been paved about 20 years ago.
Bob and Tom radio, out of Indy, has had a lot of fun with Dildo, NF. Dildo, NF has not been able appreciate B&T’s humor. Cap’n Dildo has been a B&T staple for many years.