Recycling a 65 sportvan custom.

Good work DS. Carb looks much better! Let us know how it performs.

Vanny, I'm pretty good with carbs. I buy and sell motorcycles and it seems like I'm inside a carb all the time. Since the van carb is smaller than some motorcycles carb, it was really in the same range.lol strangely enough, without all that extra fuel, the performance went down. On the flip side, I'm not getting 8 mpg anymore, and it doesn't idle like a alcohol burning fuely anymore. The project is really taking shape.

Things on my "A" list are

1) Get that license plate

2) Finish the gas tank

3) replace main wire plug in doghouse.

4) get the locks and ignition keyed alike. ( no door locks right now)

Then I can pick off stuff from the "B" list

1) install a real coolant bottle.

2) put in a glass fuel filter

3) do the king pins

4) build a adjustable drag link and center link. " of coarse replace the tie rods too."

The A and B list are goals to get me to a daily driver status. It's funny, the whole time I'm working on it I just wanna start the metal work for the rust repair. I can't do it all in one day.

I had a few minutes today to sneak off and work on the van. If you remember I had a Gatorade bottle for a coolant tank. As good as it worked it wasn't proper. So I scanned eBay for a good fit. I can up with an 98 accord coolant tank. http://bit.ly/1bJZlu3 The accord tank has a dove tail mount. So I whipped up a mount to accept the dovetail.



Here is the dovetail installed on the bracket.


Here is the bottle installed in the doghouse.


And this pic is for placement


Since I installed the new engine I had been running just water so I could change things without losing coolant. Today was the day to add coolant. I ran the van till the thermostat opened and added a bunch more coolant. Then I monitored the van for well over 40 min on idle and the temp gun says it stays just above thermostat temp. About 165 degrees. Pretty cool. I thought I might see temps rize when I leaned out the carb and installed the hei giving it more spark but that stuff didn't seem to faze it.

That doghouse looks nice and clean. The water bottle tucked in nicely. One daily driver coming right up!

Ya, the nicest part of my compartment was the air cleaner. Now it looks pretty sad. I think ill send it to the powdercoater.

It's getting pretty close to a daily driver.

Hey guys, I have the stock 230 engine and all the spare parts to build another complete powerplant in the back of my truck. I have no room for extra parts so if anyone needs the parts in SoCal you are welcome to them. I'm posting them here first then ill make a general post. Btw, if you are around San Diego area ill deliver the engine.

Today was a prep day for round 3 at DMV. I got Scotty's seat bolted down for the vin inspection. Now it's a passenger bus not a commercial van. Geeesh!

Good luck, just smile and take it any way they give it!  

Thanks. I actually have a really cool DMV. I've done no less that 12 bikes, 3 cars, and took several tests there. I think they know me by name.

It's good to have friends at the DMV! 

Another idea for a coolant bottle I saw at a hot rod show this weekend for you.

Saw a couple of Corvans and a low light Chevy Van there as well.

That's funny!

Makes me want to pee just looking at it! He-he-he!! 

Dirtstar1 wrote:Today was a prep day for round 3 at DMV. I got Scotty's seat bolted down for the vin inspection. Now it's a passenger bus not a commercial van. Geeesh!

Glad it worked out! How'd you end up fabbing the brackets?

Yay! Another major milestone today for the van. After 3 DMV trips, I finally got the plates


Now all my focus will go back to the gas tank.

Scotty, I just cut out some generic plates on the plasma table then bolted them to the floor. Then I cut all the old tabs off your seat and welded them down right in the car. Lol it looks tidy.

Congrats on the plates!!!    

Thanks vanny. It feels good. And non too soon. My 7 on the back window was running out!

Foiled again! I got the heater core that kookiekrisp talked about and when it got here it looked like this...,

Getting the van to run good was just the motivation I needed to get back to the gas tank project. Last night I tested the welds with paint thinner. No leaks. I use paint thinner cause I can still weld on it if I need to and it has the same penetrating properties of gas or diesel. Next I built the gas tank straps. Looks like everything lines up good. Tonight ill paint it with the por15 and install it for the last time. I'm excited to not drive around with a 5gal can giving off fumes in the cockpit.


As anyone else noticed this picture as you enter lowes?

All five of those rides would be great at Cruise Night! I want that wagon....

Nice job on the gas tank BTW

Should that picture be in early van spotting? Lol

That would be a new thread - I Seen a Vintage Picture of a Vintage Van!

Now that mine pretty much drives, when are we going to get all re San Diego vans in the same place ( at the same time)?

What's better than one vintage honda in a vintage van? Two vintage Honda's in a vintage van! Today is our longest trip ever. We are driving up to chino to look at some bumpers for the van. Along the way we are going to ride some forest roads near cooks corner. Total trip should be over 250 miles



Had to make provisions for 2 bikes. I dig the seat mount set up. It's very utilitarian.