So I may have seen one of the coolest chevy vans ever yesterday...

I was riding my bike home from work and saw in a distance what looked to be a old VW van/bus. As I got closer it had a huge chevy bowtie on the front and was very perplexed. Waited around because I wanted to talk to the owner but no where to be found. Went home and did some research and it look very similar to this one but Silver. I think I'm in love - I had never seen one of these styled Chevy vans before.

Yup, that's the first generation Chevy van (after the Corvair van, that is.) I actually still have a scale model of one that I got when I was a kid. Most of the real vans rusted away decades ago, I can't remember the last time I saw one.

Dodge and Ford had similar designs at the same time.

Cool. There is an equally unusual Ford Falcon van that I see cruising around my area every so often, with a real vintage beatnik driving it, probably on his way to a coffee house for some beat poetry It looks just like this, but with patina.

My brother has had several of them over the years. This one was his first vehicle when he got his license during the 70's van craze. My cars were the 68 Camaro on the right and the 66 Nova (my beater). Most of those flat nose vans were purchased as work vans and so they led a tough life before the van craze and ya they rusted. Yes, you can put a small block in them.

[URL=http://s240.photobucket.com/user/NOTATA/media/68%20Camaro/006.jpg.html][/URL]

They make good trailers too.

wlkelley3 wrote: Dodge and Ford had similar designs at the same time.

Yes they did. One of my good friends Dad had a Chevy version and the engine essentially sat between the front seats......with a cover over it of course.

Op, you make me feel so old! They, and newer vans, were all over the place. Partied in many of them in the early 70s. Lots of fun.

I like the second-gen Econoline van much better than Ford's Falcon-based Econoline of the 60s.

Here's a recent auction.

I used to drive one.

Wish I had it now.

Some came with a small block. Grandpa's was an inline 6 which I hear did quite well with the 4.11 gears. It had a 12-bolt (I counted them when I was a teenager) but I read somewhere once that it was some kind of bastard-child 12-bolt and not the real deal. Don't know for sure.

daeng.

i think the chevies look the best out of the big 3 "earlies"

The Dodge one was available as a pickup too, which is even better.

oldopelguy wrote: The Dodge one was available as a pickup too, which is even better.

So was the Ford.

failboat wrote: daeng. i think the chevies look the best out of the big 3 "earlies"

I agree.

somewhere around 1977 - Great Lakes Dragaway, Union Grove, Wisconsin.

Downers Grove Car Show, Downers Grove, IL - 2012

There are a couple early Chevy's for sale around here. And there is an earlyish ford 4x4 that looks awesome but it's not for sale. If I can sneak over there today I'LL get a picture of it.

In reply to nicksta43:

How much?

In reply to SVreX:

http://austin.craigslist.org/cto/4522922594.html$6500

http://waco.craigslist.org/cto/4516045850.html$1250

http://sanantonio.craigslist.org/cto/4523788389.html$1800

http://waco.craigslist.org/cto/4484997754.html$5500

There are several early Ford and Dodge vans for sale too.

I'm not usually the type to sit and worry about safety. And I do love these old vans but I can't help but shudder when I think about how these things will react in a collision with an modern vehicle. I just don't think it would be very pretty.

Woody wrote:

failboat wrote: daeng. i think the chevies look the best out of the big 3 "earlies"

I agree.

I cannot pick a favorite. I love them all so much. I really enjoy the exaggerated look the pie plates around the headlights give the Dodge A100's

This epic movie smiles upon this thread:

I thought I saw a hatchback, (ducks and runs)

Seriously post up those Fords Nicksta please.