New '68 Handi Owner

Hi All,

New to the site and a new van owner. Always loved vans and finally had a chance to pick up a '68 Handi-Van last month. It's a bit of a odd bird as it's got windows on the passenger side and panel on the drivers side, best of both worlds?!? It's got a 230ci, 6 cylinder with 8k miles in it that was taken out of a '64 Impala. 3 on the tree manual. Drives nice, engine runs solid, Saginaw transmission was recently rebuilt and feels good (although finding 2nd can sometimes be challenging, anyone else experience this?). Had the kingpins replaced and a leak in the brakes fixed but otherwise I'm mechanically healthy!

Cosmetically this vans got a nice old yellow exterior paint job but the interior shows that it was originally "Medium Green" (I think?). Sadly the previous owner went to town with a can of yellow spray paint and "touched up" any areas where the paint had worn off. As well as spraying the bumpers primer white. No big deal, just wished he would have left it the way it was. There's plenty of wear and tear on the exterior but the interior is even more "original" aka: pretty beat up. I plan on using this van as a daily driver to take me to work and back from the train station at the end of my commute and will have it parked overnight so I am not really looking to do too much to her cosmetically. But I do want to fix up a few things and was wondering if any one here might have some suggestions?

I haven't been able to track down a owners or parts manual for '67 - '70 Handi-Vans. Does one exist? Or am I better off getting my hands on a G-10 manual instead?

Can anyone help me locate a windshield wiper arm or arms?

Can anyone help me locate the rubber strips that seal the doghouse compartment? Also, can anyone recommend a product for insulating the doghouse?

Thanks for reading. Great site and community, glad to finally take part!

Clay

Still trying to figure out how to post pics in the gallery, in the meantime here's a picture of my van:

http://www.mediafire.com/view/dn0bum0wyl8rcb1/68Handi.jpg

Welcome to VV..!!!..  ..If the passenger windows were factory installed then you have a "RARE" Display Van.. Most everything you need the info is available here keep checking G Parts for sale and post in G Parts wanted for the parts you need others will chime in..  .................I could not get the picture to come up earlier but I see it now "Defently Factory"

Welcome to the V-V!

Joe, that looks very factory to me... Morbank, if that's a GMC display, you have something that is very rare indeed. Only a few hundred out of the full 250,000 came that way...

Now, paint a bad-ass mural on that thang!


The GMC's are identical to the Chevys in every aspect, I've crashed a Chevy and now own a GMC, see no difference in them.
Your best bet is to pick up the Chevy Truck 10-30 Service and Overhaul manuals, that will cover 99% of maintenance items easy enough. Should set ya back 20-50 for the pair.

Wiper arms are petty standard parts too, however I cannot be sure.

Dog house insulation is something I have yet to do, the others should have some ideas.

Welcome Clay!!! If you click on the search tab at the top of the page and then type "doghouse ", you'll see many different threads with lots of information. If you can't find what you're looking for, just ask. Display vans are cool! D
elivery vans sometimes had these so they would have a sight line on the curbside and could display the business name on the panel side.

Thanks for the feedback everyone!

Display van... Interesting. I saw a half panel, half window model in the '68 Handi-Van brochure advertised for "Utility Companies" and wondered what it was about a half panel, half window layout that would help with utility companies??? Now thanks to Vanny, I don't have to wonder any more!

As far as I could tell the VIN # only confirms it was a panel van.

GS10GPB18817: Van, Inline 6 engine, 1/2 Ton, Panel, Assembled in Pontiac Michigan, 1968, Serial #:18817

G Parts, thanks Joe.

And thanks for the tip on the "Chevy Truck 10-30 Service and Overhaul manuals" Xelmon.

Clay

Hm, so they were slotted into "Panel" category for production break-outs. Would've thought that they were Custom models.

And production says that it's a 1/2 ton? Isn't your rig a 6-lug?

I dug around the production # books - aka the whole 5 of them - and found these numbers.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwGexGywNWi6UV9XWlJPNGwwRFU/edit?usp=sharing

Edit: Just download the file, googs drive does a horrible job displaying it.

I have a original GMC Van "Parts Book"..Tell me what you need and I will take a picture of it or give you a part number it has every part used to build a early right down to all the nut & bolts...  ....

To Xelmon:  Do these Chevy numbers include GMC vans too? I can't recall offhand if my van has 5 or 6 lugs. It's at the locksmith getting new door locks so I'll have to wait till Monday to verify... Unless you can tell from this pic I have of it up on the lift? Looks like 5 to me.

http://www.mediafire.com/view/11383o1nfnokjfa/68Lugs.JPG

To Joe Van:  Thanks! I'd love to have some part numbers for the exterior and interior cab if you have it?

Clay

@ Mor: The salvage yard guy I got my van from essentially said that GMC's were included in those figures, he mentioned that 10-15% of those Chevrolet numbers were GMC. I cannot confirm either of these statements beyond hear-say, judging by how many are out there, I'd believe it.

Ah, yeah, those are definitely looking like 5-lug axles.

Fortunately most of the parts & numbers have been discontinued really the only use for this book would be to see how something was from the factory or to see what parts you need if something is missing or does not work or is broke like a window regulator, or throttle/transmission linkage, its got exploited views of everything dash, motor box, body, chassis, shifter linkage, motor, transmission, rear end, body panels, If you need a picture of how it came from the factory..PM Me...Joe..  ....

@ Xelmon, so does the 5 lug make my van a G15, or G10?

@ Joe Van, I understand. Just thought it might be helpful if parts pop up on eBay with part numbers. I'll be in touch.

Thanks,
Clay

@ Mor: My understanding is that it would be a G15 per GMC numbering. For the common parts though, I'd just search by Chevy G10.

Welcome...a so called "Display Van" was used by utility companies and service businesses like plumbers, they were usually outfitted with storage shelves and bins along the drivers panel side and the main purpose for the curb side windows was to let light in to find parts.  One might ask, why wouldn't they simply open the doors to do this?  These vans came with a small folding swing away passenger seat, or none at all and the driver/serviceman could access the back and get what he needed without having to exit the vehicle and unlock the doors while getting the parts they needed, hence the need for side windows....plus as Vanny said, it probably helped find house addresses too...Very popular with the telephone companies...Ford and Dodge built similar models...as for doghouse seal, several aftermarket stick on strips are available, look on eBay for 'D' channel weather strip like this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-45M-x-12mm-x-10mm-D-Shape-Rubber-Seal-Noise-Strip-Weatherstrip/351100281554?_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D23491%26meid%3D699849f0e80e4a2ba8bd7349ff9a1915%26pid%3D100011%26prg%3D10073%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D10%26sd%3D400495357289
works great, low cost, can also be used for the doors, you can also use trunk seal for something like a Nova but cost more.  For the doghouse , Jegs sells foil faced heavy jute heat insulation like this:
http://www.jegs.com/i/Thermo+Tec/893/14130/10002/-1
 There are also several stick on under the hood insul sheets, again, eBay has several like this, I used this on the sides with the heavier Jegs stuff on the lid.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HEAT-SOUND-Shield-FOIL-INSULATION-BLANKET-MAT-PAD-CAR-1/251333509999?_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D23491%26meid%3D838c3c6891374130ba4750dfbed962f4%26pid%3D100011%26prg%3D10073%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D10%26sd%3D230838652964

For the wiper arms, scour the parts listings here and put a wanted ad in the parts wanted page, many folks here have parts vans for things like those or they know of vans in bone yards that have them. I have bought many parts from junkyards across the country, most are more than willing ship parts anywhere. Also, there maybe several replacement arms for other GM vehicles that fit that can be found at a junk yard. Many times parts vans come up on eBay too and you have to ask the seller if the arms are there and they will sell them, most times they do, they may be listing the van as a whole or other parts. Also, register at the 'other' vintage van site just for Chevy vans called, Vintage Chevy Van Club or VCVC, google it, there are extensive parts listings there and many members who are not members here. Just put a wanted ad for anything you need.

Wow! Thanks for all the great information and tips Vantasia!

My van currently has two mismatched bucket seats so I wouldn't be surprised if it originally had the small folding swing away passenger seat, or none at all.

Also, anyone know which hubcaps my van would have had? The '68 brochure I have shows a chrome dog bowl with top and bottom black circles and red GMC letters.

http://goo.gl/XMfimw

But I also found a painted "Argent Silver" version for '68.

http://goo.gl/YP76gU

And were there certain models that had chrome bumpers vs. painted white?

Clay