1964 Sears van

Tore out the old paneling and subfloor on the 64. Surprised to see the interior walls and doors still the original color. The floors look good but it did take a good hit to the lower driver side rocker at one time. I'll see if it can be fixed or else I'll swap in the other rocker I was going to use on the GMC.
When I jumped inside it felt like I was standing in a rowboat so I crawled underneath to find all 4 shocks were missing. Found all the electrical switches and at one time someone even labeled all the wires under the dash. The wiring looks good through the engine compartment and rear but will get rewired after I get the engine in. The original headliners, kick plate and floor mat are still there to. In the ash tray was a title from 1982, it was owned by a doctor then.

There are also a few pictures of my poor rusty GMC. I was out of commission for 4 years rebuilding my knees and shoulders so it sat and rusted more. I'll figure out what to do with it after I get what I need off it for the 64.












This crap came out of the side door!

Interesting to see the how the inside cargo area structure is different from the Econoline. Your GMC doesn't look too bad in the pictures, is it really rusted that badly?

This is what the GMC looks like. Rust through on the roof, both top door pillars and down the sides and I haven't even pulled the windshield yet.
I just don't have the experience or money to have it repaired, thats why it was cheaper to get the 64. It was wishful thinking I could repair it when I first got it but you live and learn.

If you look at the straight line under the windshield photo (5th one) I think it had a nose job at one time...you can see a seam line?

For a DIY attempt that creased floor line might be tackled with a little heat , a hammer and some blocking with a hydraulic jack. Had a little bit of that on mine starting out, maybe not quite as severe.
The GMC does look rough. I'm guessing a lot of interior side rust in the upper door rails and pillars. Hard to do easily. The Chevy looks pretty darn good in some normally bad areas.

One thing we can say is the "Pink" house insulation does not hold moisture or cause any rust..!!!... ..Looks Great..

Yeah Richie, the GMC is beyond anything I'd want to tackle as well. Too bad...stupid rust.

Way beyond my welding and fabricating skills Brent. It was bad when I got it and got worse sitting for 3 years.
Digz, your are correct, the top and sides of the doors on the GMC are gone.
The only rust on the Chevy is where the PO sanded the side when attempting to fix it. I might cut out the panel behind the rocker under the floor and try and see if I can get it to pop back out so it could be saved. Otherwise I found a guy that could weld in the new rocker if I cut out the old one. The van may have been in the desert most of its life thats why its clean. Keep you updated.

I picked up a complete engine from a 64 Nova that was supposedly just rebuilt (with paperwork) and a 3 speed transmission that was sitting in a garage in Oregon since the 70's for my 64 Chevy. Have a backup from the GMC if needed.  

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1967-1968-CHEVY-VAN-V8-SAGINAW-3-SPEED-FULL-SYNCRO-TRANSMISSION-/172192883456?hash=item28177ee300:g:k-IAAOSw3mpXKTxD&vxp=mtr#shpCntId

Nice motor.  This came up before, notice that the Nova block has the dipstick in a different position than the van engines, its forward by the fuel pump, a little harder to reach when put in a van.  One poster even had both holes open after a re-build, turned out the plug in the casting popped out so the hole had to be plugged with a bolt and epoxy! Good deal on that tranny too!

Thanks Vantasia, The motor is just for practice. I plan to clean and rebuild the 250 from the GMC. Took a chance on the transmission because it was a good deal so what the hell.
I have been power washing and cleaning the underside of the 64 one handed because I damaged my elbow last month and can't lift anything heavy for 3 more weeks.
Last week a LA city building inspector shows up an tells me there is a new city ordinance and I can't store/park or work on them in the driveway even if they are registered and insured. They have to be in an enclosed area away from the public view to work on them. I now have less than 60 days to move them or I will get fined.
I only work on them 4-5 hours a week. So the plan is to push the Chevy into the garage and hopefully get all the parts I need off the GMC before I get rid of it, if I can't get that done in time I can insure and license the GMC for a few months. This is the time when you call your buddies for help and find out who your really true friends really are ...keep you posted.

I made a gate on one of the backyard fence panels and now ready to push my vans under the covered patio. The garage was plan A but went with plan B because there is more room to work on both of them there unseen by anyone. The next step is to push them in on Sunday if I can get everybody who offered to commit. Pizza and beer for any local vanners who want to help. Leaving for Northeast PA next week and wanted them moved before I go. That will make the wife happy and also get the city off my back.

The city can kiss my behind....the vans are now enclosed in my back yard. It went pretty smoothly with the help of some local VV members. Many thanks go to Turtle13 (Robert), 66 Beachcrusier (Jose) and a teamster friend Steve. Only took about a half hour each to line them up and push them in and no one got hurt, mainly me. Not much room now but as soon as I strip the GMC it will be gone. There will be plenty of room then to work on the 64.
My neighbor agreed with me and as soon as it cools down we will move our fences out closer to the street so we can have more room in our back yards and get rid of the dead area between our houses. Going to pour a concrete slab in that new area so I'll have a permanent enclosed place to store and work on it. I can then finish the landscaping and no more mowing weeds. I'm sore but happy with the results.

Glad to hear you got your vans moved & city off your back.

So had a little time and got the front end up in the air and already noticed a few things wrong. I’m calling the bent piece the steering arm, is that correct name for it, can it be repaired? They also started to lower it but I wanted to bring it back to stock by using the leaf springs from the other van but if that bent arm can’t be fixed I will have to swap the whole front suspension. Check out the way the U bolts are attached, are replacements available? Going to check the rear leafs this weekend.

Thats the center link,,,,,it turns if you loosen the clamps at the tie rods,,,,,,its not too tough,,,,you could try and twist it down and jack it back up to being straight,,,,,,it dont have to be perfect,,,,,as long as the toe in is set correctly,,,,,you could leave it the way it is,,,, if ,,,,,the toe in is set right,,,,,,that bar is threaded on the ends and its job is to move the tie rods in or out to set the front end alignment,,,,,,

Thanks Don, i'll try what you recommended. I found out the van hasn't been on the road in at least 15 years so I don't know if it was ever driven that way.

Mine is a little bent up from hitting things but a mechanic was able to set the alignment fine with a few bends in it, as long as its in range so to speak, the more its arched, the shorter it is between the end links for proper adjustment.  There are wedge blocks that go between the springs and axle, looks like yours may be missing in an attempt to low the front end a bit? Compare it to your other van? Correct pictures Doni?

,,,if I had a bent center link, I would turn the bend down,,,,,you might have to tighten the clamps to keep it from spinning back up , then put blocks between it and the springs and jack it up,,,see if it wants to co operate,,,,it dont have to be perfect,,,,and you will have to check the toe in setting,,,,

He is right about the wedges,,,,,those are Caster Shims,,,,part of your front end alignment,,,,made to lean the axle and front tires back,,,,,,kinda like forks on a bicycle or motor cycle are,,,,to help keep the van going straight and nor wandering all over,,,,,

Maybe I can just crawl into the doghouse and jump up and down on it until its straight???
Anyway, I wonder if there is enough room to get a 4 x 4 across the frame and use a bottle jack from the top? Of course I don't have one but just thinking out loud.

Well Rich, unless you put on a lot of weight since last we met, you aint gonna bend that pipe,,,,,and you dont want to push down on it,,,,it probably bust the ball joints out of the tie rod ends,,,,how did you get the van up on blocks,,,,you must of had a jack,,,,,,what dont you like about my plan,,,,,bring it if  you are gonna come down for the van meet on Nov 12th  at the beach by me,,,,,,or give it to one of the LA guys coming down like my buddy Renee, Rattlesnake 66 on here,,,,,,I can bring my tubing bender with me and work on straightening your pipe while everyone else is partying on the Beach,,,,,,,

Don, you have your hands on soooooooooo many vans out there and pretty much everywhere you go:D ...You are the Van Man!!!

Hey Rich, those Jackstands dont look too safe to be messing with that center link,,,,,,you can also take it off and bring it to a muffler shop and they can straighten it,,,,,looks like you got a lot of other things to do before that center link,,,,,,

My center link was also bent like that, I took it off with the tie rods. I pulled the tie rod ends(which were also bent where the threads met the center link) and replaced them with new ones Available from A&E truck equiptment after using a large hammer to straighten the center rod. I placed it on a old dog blanket and used a wood block as not to make flat hammer marks where I hit it.

I was kidding when I said I was going to jump up and down on it. I do like your original plan and will try that first. Yes, I have a lot to clean up and swap over but that center link was the only thing I didn't know how to tackle.
Not sure what jackstands you are referring to. There are no shocks on the van so if its the bricks, they are only holding the axle up. There are 2 wood cribbing stands I made up front with a 4x4 on top going across the frame. If I can get the 12th off I will come down to the van meet at the beach. You don't have to bring your tubing bender, I will get it to work so we can just enjoy the beach.