by Vanadian Tue Jul 05, 2011 10:28 pmI was on my way home from school in the late 70's/early 80's when I kept hearing the strangest noise. La Cucaracha My friends and I decided to follow it to sse where it was coming from. We were on our pedal bikes and the closer we got to the noise the closer we got to my house. As I pulled it to the drive way there was my Dad with a big grin on his face. I said, "did you hear that trumpet noise? Who's Van is that?" Then he got in the Van pressed the Horn and it all became clear....
We had had started to become Vanners! This is a pretty good replica of the Van I found in our driveway. I still have scars on the my calves from those side pipes when i stepped out of the Van at the zoo and stood against them. My Dad built a custom interior with a bar and a bus heater and a three way flip seat and a bed in the back and custom swivel passenger seat and an overhead visor console. He converted it to propane/gas Hybrid $0.11/litre if I remember correctly! When I turned sixteen the Van was mine. It handled solid , fish tailed around every bend, it was private, and abnoxious. Hockey, Parties, Skiing, Holidays, Concerts, Etc. The practical diverse convenience of this type of vehicle can not be duplicated. This taught me a very important lesson that I will never forget. NEVER LET YOUR DAUGHTER DATE A GUY WITH A VAN!
The only thing that I didn't like was the the damn La Cucaracha horn when someone would cut me off! I would be so angry laying on the horn and they would smile, laugh and wave!
We had had started to become Vanners! This is a pretty good replica of the Van I found in our driveway. I still have scars on the my calves from those side pipes when i stepped out of the Van at the zoo and stood against them. My Dad built a custom interior with a bar and a bus heater and a three way flip seat and a bed in the back and custom swivel passenger seat and an overhead visor console. He converted it to propane/gas Hybrid $0.11/litre if I remember correctly! When I turned sixteen the Van was mine. It handled solid , fish tailed around every bend, it was private, and abnoxious. Hockey, Parties, Skiing, Holidays, Concerts, Etc. The practical diverse convenience of this type of vehicle can not be duplicated. This taught me a very important lesson that I will never forget. NEVER LET YOUR DAUGHTER DATE A GUY WITH A VAN!
The only thing that I didn't like was the the damn La Cucaracha horn when someone would cut me off! I would be so angry laying on the horn and they would smile, laugh and wave!
however my friends never asked to borrow the car for their dates. 
I see a 1965 GMC Shorty with an auto and its already converted to a V8. It has custom wheel fender flares made from metal and cool paint. This is pre digital camera and I forgot to take a picture of it. I take it for a mechanical inspection and they tell me it's not worth $5. I really want this Van but I'm worried that it will not be able to be road worthy and the price was too high for me to consider. FEAR and lack of know how, money and time scare me away. This is all pre internet for me and without networks like this I'd be Screw'd. A few years pass and I'm still have a jones on for a Van. The internet is now more accessible to me and I start searching the words Van 1965 etc. I have no Knowledge of what year Van seems to be calling me, but I have encountered that 65 GMC. I remember A guy in high school had a Black forward control Van, all jak'd up in the ass end, I couldn't remember what kind, but I remember how cool. I now know it was a Dodge A100 Panel shorty, still not sure of the year though. After a while I decide that I think I'll go with a chevy, most likely due to my Impala. Anyway I find one in Saskatchewan. I drive to Saskatoon in my Dodge Dakota with my dog and $1100 cash. There are so many crickets on the road I swear it looks like Dirt being churned up on the road. I must have killed thousands of these things. When I get out of my Truck to walk my Dog, there are twice as many Mosquito's as crickets and they are very aggressive for some Alberta blood! I Drive to a field, meet some old farmer, and he starts the 1966 90 Van, tells me it has no breaks, I couldn't care, I try to give him $1000, he says no, I Paid $1100 and couldn't be happier. This thing is a shell, it is so bare bones that I cant believe how simple and raw it is in this state. I ship it back to Calgary where I have big plans for this little fellow. Anything is possible
[/url]
