Brent's Van (uante)

Coming along very nicely Brent! Can't wait to see the finished product. Thanks for the inspiration!!!

Just a matter of a day or two and it'll be painted.

Here's a spray-out of the color. The part is of a sample paint I had made up from the paint code at the local auto paint store and the card is what this shop made up from the same code. It's a little darker which is fine with me!

This is 1965 Navajo Beige. That will be for the main part of the van and dash and the top and bumpers will be 1963 Corinthian White (Van's original color)



Looks like they just about got all the prep work done. Just some minor details left.

Very nice!

It must feel Fantastic to be soooooooo close to the finish line with the paint. Can't wait to see the finished product!

Hi Brent,
You asked once about a Navajo Beige Econoline. I meant to reply but forgot. This post made me remember. This is my friend, Trish Robinson's 65 in Navajo Beige.

Thanks for the pic Duane...that looks like what I want. Is the top of the van white, or is that just the lighting?

Looking great Brent. I may be picking up my new 67 club wagon next week end.

That sucks that you have to get a new van cuz of that fire Bruce. Makes me want to take every precaution against that happening.

It's solid Beige.

I like it!!!

I picked up a Battery box top at the junkyard today!
Also got a set of pop out windows.

There's another battery box top and bottom '65 Econoline style
if anyone needs

Well after a year of searching I finally hit pay-dirt with the help of my girlfriend Amy for suggesting I contact local newspapers, the Central Idaho Post newspaper in Grangeville ID - Editor Dorothy and Clyde the retired Fire Department Officer who saw my article about looking for an "In-service" picture of the van.

From Jan 30th 2015 Central Idaho Post



From Jan 17, 1963 Idaho County Free Press



From Feb 21, 1963 Idaho County Free Press



Clyde said he was going to keep on searching for other pictures after the roof rack and large side antenna were installed. But from what I can see on this picture, it had a loud speaker up front, a siren in center top and original mirrors!

VICTORY:cheers: congrats on mission complete! I sure hope they fixed the wiring issue

Yeah Dude came out and replaced the burnt fuse

The Navajo Beige is on! Monday the top gets painted White and Wednesday (or so) after the windshield is put in, I get to pick it up! I'm liking the color...I was worried it'd be too light, but its not.

It's looking great. Glad you were able to find an original picture of your van. That's something everybody hopes for but rarely achieves.

It was lucky to be able to find it. I think if it wasn't in a small town, it wouldn't have happened. I'm still hoping Clyde finds more pictures. Maybe one of the inside with all the equipment or a regular photo of the outside with the rack on top.

It was actually Texas John from this site who gave me my first lead. I was told by the seller, a car dealer from Oregon, that he thought the van was a dry cleaners van from Lewiston ID. Texas John was the previous owner living in that town, but when I found out he owned before the car dealer, I asked John and he said, "No it was a dog catcher van down Cottonwood or Grangeville way. An Idaho title search verified it was owned by the City of Grangeville.

Finishing the paint job, that's a fun time! And then, once you get it home, you get to start putting all the parts back on (carefully)!

So white on the roof, dash, and bumpers. What about the grill?

Did they paint the entire inside too? What kind of paint? Single or two-stage?

Single stage paint with White just on the roof and bumpers. Didn't want to do the dash that way after all. Not really even sure about the bumpers...might chrome or something later. I didn't have the inside painted as its going to be rhino coated on the floor and paneled inside. Putting it back together is going to be a trick, especially the window mechanisms in the two front doors. I've lost sleep some nights thinking of that! lol

Finally Back!

Picked up the van last night and got it home. Pictures show it hooked up to the tow bar, but that didn't work so well do to a configuration problem, so I just drove it.









So next is putting it back together and rhino coating the floor inside

Looks great! You've come a long way with that van in short order.

Your van is coming along nicely. Keep those inspirational pics coming.

Awesome!!!! Your face says it all, one happy dude!

Congrats Brent, that looks Great! Can't wait to see all the pieces go back into place...Maybe start with the door handle so you don't have to stick your fingers where they might get cut up and bleed all over that nice new paint job!!!

Looks great Brent one step closer to being done.