The Multipla has me thinking vans today. It’s getting very hard to find the classic late seventies’ style vans with the colorful factory or original “art work” of that vintage. And of course, nothing can top the over-the-top Sandman and friends we met from Australia the other day. But I live in hope; meanwhile these are relegated to the Outtake pile until I find something like this. Actually, this Starcraft is more eighties, but I do have a couple of genuine seventies vans to share:
In the meantime, I’m relegated to also-ran van status. This Dodge parked at Eugene’s Time Warp Motel has a nice wood-grain stripe and porthole.
And her’s a nice crescent-shaped window in that preferred spot by the back bad. Don’t want too much light to come in; just enough to see what we’re doing. BTW, like so many cars and vans, the almost immortal Chevy van of this generation started out with by far the best grille. I really pity the poor designers that were forced to keep coming up with “new” variations every couple of years.
Oops; almost forgot I had this Dodge too. Decent, but not quite ready for the big times.
(In reference to the first picture.) Someday we’ll find it, the rainbow connection, the lovers, the dreamers, and meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee…
Lookit all the lights ya needa 350 just to run the illuminations. Saw someone tooling around in a Chevvyvan tother day but in primer hope hes a CC fan and sees these. Quite a few older US vehicles around here no import duty has helped but $10.00+ gas keeps most parked up.
I haven’t seen any good mural painted vans lately but did come across this one with disco era styling
http://www.flickr.com/photos/daveseven/2733498197/
and with flames
http://www.flickr.com/photos/daveseven/4851496424/
and a bit off topic but a 70s 4×4 conversion
http://www.flickr.com/photos/daveseven/5378974005/
My first vehicle was a 1980 Dodge Maxivan with shag carpet, wood panelling and caption’s seats in the front with a rear seat that folded to a bed. Sadly the exterior while bright orange lacked any further groovy touches. The colour did earn it the nickname Cheese wagon.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/daveseven/134593248/
The top Chevy could be anywhere from 1985 to 1991 in age; the bottom one much earlier, 1971-75 or so. The year-to-year grille changes on these vans sometimes correlated with those on the full-size pickups, but the vans often fell “behind schedule” in looks since GM couldn’t be bothered to update both vehicle lines at once.
My brother-in-law had a conversion van like the top Chevy, in probably the mid-90s. Then gas got expensive, my niece got to be about 16, and he got rid of it.
Nice Malibu at the Time Warp, BTW.
Drat… I was hoping for a Gen 1 & 2 Econoline 🙂
but seriously, thanks PN. Loving your prolific pace!
I’ve got more of those…but it’s a different era.
I love those 70s vans, especially the short wheelbase Chevys. A friend when I was in high school back then had a business customizing basic vans for a couple of the car dealers in the area. Did the whole interior upgrades as well as some really amazing mural work on the outside. I just wish I had saved some pictures.
Vannin’ Documentary…