Joe Van's 1966 GMC Handivan

WELL got all the mechanical stuff finished.  Been to a few local car shows for some test runs. 3 trophies out of 4 shows [It drew quite a crowd]. Now Its ready for a TRUCKIN. On to the interior next. 1x4 pine tongue and grove on walls and padded vinyl door panels and head liner.I will be posting pictures of the progress when we get our posting problems figured out. ..........JOE........

COol! Look forward to the pics!

This is one nice looking van indeed. Congrats on your trophies Joe. Here are some more pics. Love those back wheels

That is a good looking van .Bill

THANKS BILLS66.... DITT"O you have a sharp looking van also and the right color too ...................AND THANKS AGAIN BIG W for all your help......JOE VAN..

Super Sharp !! Joe, were those louvres on it already or did you find some to fit somewhere?

Van looks great. Love the louvers. will you be running your wood up and down or front to back??

THANKS DIGZ you have a AWSOME van also. My friend SCOOBY has the twin to yours. He has A 64 GMC HANDI VAN Orange also that we put a 427 BIG BLOCK CHEVY in some years back........ [A BIG BLOCK 454 is in the future plans also for....... RED RYDER]....SHHHHHHHHHH. The louvres were on the van when I bought it from DAN'O he just trimmed a set from a 3rd GEN Chevy van. They fit like the were made for it [perfect]most of the trimming was on the sides.......JOE.................................... DIX I would like to run the wood up and down even tho it will be much easer to run it front to back I am trying to figure out a way without having to put plywood on the walls first any suggestions would be appreciated.If I have to put plywood first I will run it at a angle top to bottom???

Instead of heavy plywood, maybe it could be done by back screwing the T&G to some thin paneling and doing it in sections or something along that line?

THATS a good idea you have my gears turning and the sections would fit together with the groove and would eliminate a lot of screws showing [fasten from the back] and be easer than one board at a time also. Weight of all the wood especially with double wood walls is my biggest concern for the size and wheel base I think theses van's weigh a lot already...... its only 730 pounds lighter than my 1975 3RD GEN Chevy van

Congrats on the well deserved trophies Joe. She's a real beauty for sure!

vanny wrote:Congrats on the well deserved trophies Joe. She's a real beauty for sure!

THANKS vanny its been about 3 months every night and almost every weekend.......... [ except a couple of TRUCKENS] and all of my spending money and anything else I can manage to sell. Extra parts, Yard Sales, and Side jobs, I have a few more grey hairs but its well worth it Hopefully I will have the interior finished by summer...

Joe what i did was install 1/8 in lauwn plywood then used a 3/8 in ship lap wood. I started it just below the inside gutter rail and screwed it in at the center of the grove as far as the wood would allow me. I also kept it up from the floor about 1 1/2 in .by keeping the wood a bit shorter it reduces the amount of bow you need to get out of it when i was done i trimed the top and bottom with the same wood.look at the photos in the next post. there is more in the interrior section. https://vintage-vans.forumotion.com/t20831p15-working-on-thewalls

Small vanning world dix your van and chester's van in south fl is where I got the interior ideas from really super nice job on both of them.I was also concerned about the bows in the wall's too if I ran the wood up and down. That's where I thought run it at a angle but the tongue and groove may not fit together right because of the bow on the sides............. I think the 1 1/2 off the floor is the best idea so far and Digz's idea about the 1/8 lauwn. I am making the door panels with 1/4 in oak plywood so it will work on the walls also (instead of 1/2 in) and I can screw the 1x4 board to it from behind. Also the oak holds up better in the HI Florida humidity I will check out all your photos of your interior. . ...THANKS JOE...

see if you can find a ship lap cut wood instead of toung and grove . the lap will cover the screws. http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/ca/Shiplap.dwg.gif&imgrefurl=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Shiplap.dwg.gif&h=328&w=834&sz=51&tbnid=n22SN-GPs0RekM:&tbnh=45&tbnw=114&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dshiplap%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=shiplap&usg=__gVEXUIvYy_wI95g3Dh4VuFUFNCg=&docid=nhm9sKLj7K5s5M&hl=en&sa=X&ei=FG1sUautE-j00QGJ4YGIAQ&sqi=2&ved=0CEQQ9QEwAQ&dur=1723

Lookin good!

dam nice...

THANKS EVERYONE it's been a lot of work the past few months but it's been well worth it there is nothing better than finally getting your early on the road and driveing around and getting all the great reaction's from all the people.The van has a 307 v8, [210] horse (for now) rebuilt turbo 350, with 2,200 stall converter, rebuilt rear end with 373 gears, duel master, and 3 core radaitor, and a lot of other parts plus almost a half gallon of satin black on the chassis, frame, and wheel wells,and rear end. I still have a ways to go but at least it's on the road. ....JOE....

Found it Joe!!!!

Looking awesome! Good job! Glad she's on the road. We're going to have to meet up some time. Have family in Ocala so down there about once a year.

Dan

THANKS Dan If you want something bad enough and are as determine as I was you will eventually get it...... Dan was the first person on VV !!!! that I talked to when I decided to sell my 62 Chevy Bel-Air and buy a 1ST Gen Chevy van. I kept him posted on all my leads and told him my visions and plans he answered all my questions and gave me advice and even sent a few pitcher's and tolerated all my questions and did not block me..... (not even once). SO for that Dan you and your family are welcome anytime at our home my wife and I will look forward to it just PM us when your ready we will go out for a bite to eat and a drink or two.... .......JOE VAN.and CVAN.....

Had to spend my interior buget on a radiator so mine is on the back burner for now. Cant wait to see pictures and give my brain some idea candy.

One thing about VANNING Dodger 359 is that there is no time limit as long as you keep it on the road that all that matters. I did have a pretty good idea what I wanted to do with the interior but after all the different ideas I got from everyone I am rethinking this again. I will probably start on the interior after our clubs TRUCKIN (RED EYE TRUCKERS) in June sometime. I will be posting pictures from start to finish............................................... PS: The mystery machine paint scheme looks really cool. .......JOE VAN.........

Thanks JOE VAN. Its not everyones cup of tea, but I like it. I have two speeds, slow and stop, so as long and I am creeping, it will eventually get there.

Great looking van JOE VAN..I really like the wheels on there.

Joel

Thanks Joel nothing screams the 60s like the old torq thrust rims . Your van does not look to shabby either!! looks real good from what I can see. ......JOE VAN...........