66 Chevy Rat

Here is what happened.  I was driving to look at an old VW Bug for sale when I decided to take the scenic route through a random small town.  Didn't take long before I stumbled across this 66 Chevy in a driveway of an otherwise abandoned looking home.  I knocked and left a note letting them know I would be interested in the van.  Fast forward 45 days and I am getting ready to go look at a different VW when I got a call back on the note I left.  He had been out of town for 2 months and had to leave again shortly.  He practically begged me to come and take it away.  

Before anybody gets too excited, it is kind of a POS.  It does run and has had several small mechanical things done to it over the last 5 years or so.  Fuel tank, filters, starter etc were all replaced.  The throttle sticks but I was able to drive it home.
 All of the bodywork was done before the previous owner got it and it was not done well.  The rockers all the way around, the fender wells and parts of the floor were fiberglassed in and it is kind of scary underneath.  
 Also I asked about the primer everywhere.  He said it had lots of primer around the bodywork when he got it and he thought it might look better if he hit the whole (95%) thing with it.  
In spite of all of the things wrong with it, this van is AWESOME!  The amount of attention this van gets is crazy.  I figure the best thing to do with it is keep it running well and give it a Rat Rod - Surf Wagon feel.  

Congrats Art! Score!! We've seen lots worse before. We find some vans and some vans find us. I say hang onto it and just make sure it's safe to drive and sit back and enjoy the attention. Some things were just meant to be. Fix it up or just enjoy it the way it is but it's a pretty cool looking ride from where I'm standing!

First off it is NOT a POS. That's a helluva good project van. Many would feel lucky to start with something like that. GREAT score !

Welcome to VV Art. Your van looks pretty nice from what I can see. I have a lot worse sitting in my yard. Keep it on the road, and enjoy the ride.  

sweet deal of a van! i'm stalking a similar econo window van out my way. the house is totally abandoned, and it's sitting back by the garage. I left a message. now I just have to wait.

Good luck Dave! Love to hear stories like this. Great to know there are still finds like these around after all these years.

Welcome and enjoy the adventure.

Vandelay industries,art speaking....  From the land of cheese an rust, that looks like a sweet score.Wish mine looked more like that and less like monroe swiss.  Welcome to the site.

Another one saved!

Welcome in to V-V,Art.Thats not a POS at all,bud.
".....and drove it home." That says a lot.
Nice score,and enjoy your build.

That is a similar story to how I found my first van about 8-9yrs ago. I've always been (and still am) a VW guy but I found a Chevy 108 when driving one day and by hook or by crook, I had to have it. Now I'm onto my 4th van and I am still in love with these old gems. That says a lot too cause I've had a '58 VW bus before these but they don't have the power.

Welcome to V-V!!!!

First off let me apologize for calling it a POS.  Didn't mean to hurt any feelings.  I love this van, I just think it photographs better than it actually is and is a better candidate for a Rat Rod than a restoration.

With that said, the Ratification continues.  I modified this old VW rack to fit and it worked out better than I thought.  I have also started the period cluttering with a Budda and pin-up on the dash.  Also got a Conch Republic flag hanging from the mirror and I have a bunch of age appropriate stickers for the windows/bumper.  Not sure which ones I am going to use or where, but some of them are going to make it on the van somewhere.  Oh yeah, I almost forgot.  A friend got me a Van-Tastic car club plaque I need to find a home for too.  









I am still putting a lot of thought into the interior.  Not sure yet but it will probably involve some combination of burlap and bamboo.  

Question for the experts....
I have the headlight bezels but no screws to hold them on.  Anybody know if I need special hardware for them?

Love that Vantastic Plate!

a pair of screws for each and you should be good to go.

Stainless trim screws, #8 diameter should work.

Welcome To VV..!!!..  ..Nice Score....Looks Good from here Also.  .....

you should probably just send that van tastic plate my way haha.

Looks good nice find, good luck with it.  

I took the van to a local car show tonight and didn't win squat (not that I expected to). The Cougar next to me won the Best of Show trophy.  Afterwards the owner of the Mercury found me to tell me that all night he watched as people walked right past his car so they could get their picture taken in front of my van.  I guess there is no accounting for taste.

You did good ! Getting our Vans out there is the big thing and something we need to do more of.
"Afterwards the owner of the Mercury found me to tell me that all night he watched as people walked right past his car so they could get their picture taken in front of my van."
Hearing and seeing the way people react to them is one of the best and sometimes most fun rewards. I have had the same experience amidst a sea Firebirds, Camaros and Chevelles. Some are okay with it some get PO'ed. Vette owners are the worst it seems to me. But hey it's all fun.

I think it's the fact that they're not as numerous as the Camaro's, Corvettes and Chevelles of the world and everyone has some fond memories of these vans so that when they see them, it's a welcome change from the ordinary! The best part of owning these is the compliments and stories you hear from people who used to own one or drive one for work. Be proud of it and keep showing it off!   

So I had this idea that I would "carpet" the interior walls with burlap.  I put the word out that I was looking for a couple of old sacks to experiment with.  Didn't take long before I got a call offering to give me some on the condition that I took them all.  Now I am up to my eyeballs in jute.  





After sorting them out and ditching the really bad ones I still have at least 75 of them from several different countries.  I guess I will be spending the next couple weeks researching and experimenting with washing (maybe), cutting and gluing burlap.

Anybody know if there is a thread on here guiding the blind through the process of "carpeting" interior walls?