Short, Ugly, Old, Fat, My girl Vanette

Yea, I laughed at first also....., but what the hell, bought it anyway.

Gave a couple hundred bucks. It would scrap double that. What year? He said 1953? but I am thinking 55?

I am not a rust person and expected it to be worse than it it is. Not much at all. Doors work great. Floors are good factory oak in the back. . Ford 6 cyl engine runs! and a granny 4 speed. Worst issue is someone added rear windows at one time and the rear door(s)? are missing. Front windshield is cracked. Tires? Need a front bumper also.....Wonder what the top speed would be? 50? Spent its whole life in Macon GA.

Would have brought her home, but there were some other cool cars in the way. It is amazing what is out there. I drove down this road for 10 years and never dreamed what is just 100 yards off the road.

I double dog dare you to buy a box truck. I don't want to be the only ass.

I have not a clue of what to do with it....Sell? Fix Sell? $2013 Challenge? Diesel Swap? 460 BBF and do smokey burnouts in the DQ parking lot? Grudge race Mondo? What would you do? Short Sweet Old Fat Vanette.

More pix please!

I think a vintage delivery truck could be a cool project.

Short, old, fat; maybe.

Ugly? NFW.

914Driver wrote: Short, old, fat; maybe. Ugly? NFW.

My thoughts exactly!

I love old and weird, throw in utility and its a rolling stripper.

Has that thing been for sale for a little while? It looks familiar.

I think I know a guy with a perfect donor drivetrain/frame.

It looks as if it has a '56 Grille.

I think it looks cool, I'd Fix it up and drive it to the local cruise night.

MrJoshua wrote: I think I know a guy with a perfect donor drivetrain/frame.

Would it fit in a Divco?

I know where there is one I'm gonna have to buy one day.

Clean it up and use it a a parts chaser.

I would upgrade the driveline to support 60-65 mph cruise speed, should be as simple as swapping the rear end out for one with numerically lower gearing. If the stock 6 cylinder ever goes, swap in a 300 six with EFI. Use for hauling parts, cruising around in, whatever.

Kenny_McCormic wrote: If the stock 6 cylinder ever goes, swap in a 300 six with EFI and pass it on for generations to come

FTFY

I'm in Macon, so I keep looking at the background trying to figure out which road it's on....

If it's a standard Ford 3 speed manual trans, I've got a manual 3+OD out of a 78 Granada that I'd let go real cheap - it might get you a little top end, and it would certainly get some economy. I grabbed it when I had an F100 years ago and I can't seem to let go of it even though the truck left over a decade ago. It just seems so useful....

Great find, that thing's AWESOME. Get it in good running order without a repaint and use it for parts and home repair runs.

Please add that to your garage so I can vote it up!

wow.. was/is that an Iveco in the background? been a while since I saw one of those fiat trucks..

Good find on the vanette.. while I doubt it would be a good ZAV.. I think one on a 4X4 chassis would be fun

SVreX wrote:

MrJoshua wrote: I think I know a guy with a perfect donor drivetrain/frame.

Would it fit in a Divco? I know where there is one I'm gonna have to buy one day.

I was about to say I wants me a Divco but that may just be cooler. But if you ever have to buy that one and then have to sell that one....sigh....you know where to find me :)

I'll just leave this here...

And...this:

There's a huge thread on the HAMB about step vans, you can probably find some good information and get some ideas there: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=282902

That is just too cute.

The 223 will probably run fine for a long time.

Front glass should be flat glass, that makes it a non-issue. Should be under $100 at a glass shop.

I'd camperize it myself, I have no desire to run a taco truck or creepy ice-cream van.

Shawn

Would look pretty cool cleaned up, that's for sure.

Kenny_McCormic wrote: I would upgrade the driveline to support 60-65 mph cruise speed, should be as simple as swapping the rear end out for one with numerically lower gearing. If the stock 6 cylinder ever goes, swap in a 300 six with EFI. Use for hauling parts, cruising around in, whatever.

I like that idea alot and will look into a EFI 300 6. What transmission do you think?

mad_machine wrote: wow.. was/is that an Iveco in the background? been a while since I saw one of those fiat trucks.. Good find on the vanette.. while I doubt it would be a good ZAV.. I think one on a 4X4 chassis would be fun

Yers that is an Iveco, If I was smart I should get that also...it is cool.

MrJoshua wrote: I think I know a guy with a perfect donor drivetrain/frame.

I have given it some thought....Leaning toward keeping it all Ford for sentimental reasons? Is that odd?

SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote: It looks as if it has a '56 Grille. I think it looks cool, I'd Fix it up and drive it to the local cruise night.

Here is the VIN if we can translate the date?

Sigh.

Dammit Gasoline, you have me rethinking my whole 'tow rig' thing yet AGAIN.

That is a nicely rounded box of cool. The GRM in me says patina'ed parts/tow vehicle. The business side of me says convert to a food truck - maybe java or cupcakes or whatever the hipsters are munching on and sell it on (unless you want to be in the mobile food bus).

Curmudgeon wrote: Sigh. Dammit Gasoline, you have me rethinking my whole 'tow rig' thing yet AGAIN.

Not just tow rig, Think of how many hot chicks we could pick up and put in the back?