When did you start "getting into" Early vans?

Was it something you always liked? or something that grew on you?

had my first van when i was 17 and always wanted the pickup version since watching bill golden (little red wagon ) drag race. you do a lot of growing up with a van in the late 70's.......................

First car when I was 16 was a 65 GMC panel Van. ran that in the ground for a few years, kept a soft spot for them and started sorta looking for another about 5 years ago.

been driving them for 37 years.

I got into them the first time I saw a picture of Vanishing Breed... I fell in love! Haven't been quite right ever since! Thanks Mike!

Spent a few years riding on the dog house in dads van as a kid,Had a couple of friends in high school with flat nose chevys.Wanted one when I was 16 and dad said no(gee I wonder why?).Spotted my van in 1985 (company I work for had it) finally got it bought 4 years ago.I wanted one since I was a kid. Bill

First 4 wheeled vehicle was a 68 Chevy 108, so when I was a teen for sure.
I've been keeping an eye out for a while, finally got my Dodge this year.

An older cousin had a 1st gen Econo when I was a kid, watched him customize it, I was hooked!

Great topic,
Rip

I came on later in life. I was always a Hot Rodder , but was bored with the same old stuff I was seeing. Found a few van sites and knew I was hooked

Tend to agree with ya G-man.I've always leaned to the not as popular/mainstream rides,but still kinda cool in their own right.Ya gotta admit,these old vans aren't as abundant as they once were,but everybody draws an eye to them now.
Just glad these guys that are 'Lifers' or 'more seasoned' are here to help this green-horn out.Besides,nobody can erase my memory of ridin on the dog house on dads '63 Econo as a kid. What seatbelts? A forearm worked rather well.

I have had a fondness in my heart for the Econo's since I was a real youngun'... (3 years old) The old man that lived in front of Mom and Dad had a Brown Econo pick-up and when he pulled it out of the garage to clean it up, he would come and get me and take me for a ride up the road right before he put it back in the garage... never really remember him truly driving it, just cleaning and short rides... I have always wanted one of the old Econo trucks and never really found one untill about 4 years ago.... After it was hit and totaled, It has taken me 3 years to find another and get it on the road.... Wow, what a story..... I remember riding in that old brown Econo like it was yesterday.....

One of our friends in High School had a conversion van (party wagon), I spent many a night killing brain cells in that thing. My brother and I were at Whidbey Island NAS in the early 90's and he bought an A100 at a yard sale for $50. The head gasket was leaking so he put a bottle of stop leak in it and we drove it for a couple years and finally sold it off. It was primer black and painted up like an air craft, his "call sign" on the door was "crash dummy".

I've had several vans over the years and still want to get another conversion van... my current '65 is just my latest hot rod

eta: I killed a few brain cells camping in my brothers dodge too, seems like a running theme.

First "car" was a 69 Ford Econoline I got just outa high school, then I got a 68 VW window van, then I got the 67 Chevy van I still have now. It all started in 1972 and continues to this day. 38 years of being a fan of vans.

Born in 1967, I rode home from kindergarten in an A-100 window van around 1972. Shortly after I rode in the neighbor's early Econoline which was black with no windows. In 1977 I rode in my uncle's 1968 Chevyvan 90 and I was hooked on early Chevies. Finally bought my first in 1984, a 1964 chevy. Sold it in 1985 and bought a 1969 in California and drove it home to Ohio. 25 years later I still have it. I feel 18 years old everytime I sit behind the wheel.

My parents moved us from florida to Pa in a 65 econoline in 1968.I learned how to drive stick on that three on the tree.bought my first one in 75 it was a 63 then a 67 long wb heart shaped bed all fake fur in that one.Bought my latest around two years ago its a 61 pick-up 289 c/4 trans 8 inch rear.There was a second gen ford in there somewhere too.

I bought my first early Econoline when I was 16. It was a 64 van, that was 1972. I have owned at least one ever since.
Fred

Father had a 1966 G10 back in 68 and would take my brother and I fishing every weekend in it. I was 6 yrs old at the time and told my father "Someday Dad, Im getting my own fishing van. Just like this one" And 40 years later!.....

Dad had 1st Gen Econoline work trucks. I got to sit on the doghouse because someone had sold the passenger seat. No cargo barrier, over loaded, very hot, very slow, but they looked very cool in black with gold-leaf lettering. I may find some old pics at their place if I can ever convince them to let me clean out their basement

After HS, I wanted to do some side jobs and we looked at a bunch of vans. Remember scanning the classifieds every morning? Found an AZ A100 Sportsman with a 273/727 for $600. Dad replaced the rear axle seals and did a brake job on it. Later on we swapped in a 318. Wish I never let that one go.

Couple years ago I had a little extra cash and wanted a toy of some sort. Even the Darts were expensive, but the earlies were affordable. I was looking for either a Dodge or Ford. Could hardly sleep after seeing the Craigslist ad for the 2 Dodges. Saw the good one and I had to have it. Test drove it. Rather weird, 26 years later and I'm still trying to manually cancel the turn signals. Brakes were messed up, but it was a very happy day...

One of my brother's had a '67 chevy 90 panel van with round port hole windows cut in, and my other brother had a '69 A-108. Both of them were party vans with shag carpet. Now's it's my turn.

In 1976 during High school when a good friend bought one. Tried a couple of times to get one but it didnt work out. Finally got one in 2005.