PJ's 1970 G20 Project

Hi Everyone, This is my 1970 G20 I bought in November. I've been tackling lots of little victories on it. The gas tank was the worst of them. This van compared to most I've seen is really rust free (other than rocker panels) I've been patching it up as I go along. Nothing a angle grinder and my Lincoln Wire feed welder can't handle. Real projects I break out the thermal-arc.

So far I've replaced all 4 tires, all 4 shocks, Front Sway bar end links and bushings, all soft fuel lines, fuel pump, tank sending unit, Filler and Vent hoses, Welded in patches to the rear leaf spring frame perches to rear support, repaired previous owners bandaids to the electrical system, Shift linkage bushings..... I did more too.

I am one of only two in my area with running driving examples that I've seen.




This was taken the day I bought it.

Welcome to VV. Great looking van.

Nice Van, do you have the 6 or a V-8?

250 I6
3 Speed Saginaw
12 Bolt Rear 3.73 gears
3K lb Axles/springs front and back.


Its a double nickel truck and gets 14mpg.

Thanks Guys. I've wanted one of these for a good 15 years. I kind of gave up looking and was looking for a 60-66 suburban or chevy panel truck, then this magically appeared at the auto auction 3 miles from my house.

I finally got to the Water Works on the van today. I bought all this stuff months ago, Water Pump. Thermostat, Belt hoses, ETC. and while I was there I replaced my damaged valve cover with the Mercruiser one I bought on ebay. Did some Eastwood Black Wrinkle powder coating on it. Now the you have to take off the air cleaner to fill the oil but it works. and I like it.

Someone replaced that water pump before it was still like new inside. The thermostat had seen better days and 195 degrees is a bit HOT next to my leg. I know it will mess with the heat rating of the spark plugs but I opted for the 160 Degree stat.

I  was at a Car Show last weekend. Lots of neat stuff. My old turd cleaned up ok.


This was photo taken by one of the Members of the Gas Guzzlers Car Club. Dave Smith



I added an Electronic Temperature Gauge. I never liked having just a light. This is operating temperature after about an hour of driving. Another one of my custom brackets.

Nice, keep up the Great work! You still sound excited about it and that's what makes it all worthwhile!!! Fun when you get to add your own personal touches to a project...

By the way, my initials are also PJ, I used to own a Jeep and called it PJ's CJ (Kinda corny but I liked it!)

vanny wrote:Nice, keep up the Great work! You still sound excited about it and that's what makes it all worthwhile!!! Fun when you get to add your own personal touches to a project...

By the way, my initials are also PJ, I used to own a Jeep and called it PJ's CJ (Kinda corny but I liked it!)

Thanks!! This will be one of those projects that will take forever, but I would like to keep it drive-able while I work on it.

One wheel down Four more to go. I couldn't take the tons of runs on the previous owners' rattle can job. This is powder coated.

My friend that owns the local Pull it junkyard she caught me at a car show.

Looking good, I'm in Union County, NJ not too far from you, you're right, only about three known G-vans running in NJ, a bit more in PA....

,,,in case you have not changed it yet,,,,,a rubber hose and plastic fuel filter is not too good running over the exhaust manifold,,,,,,,I just got done  using a piece of brake line  from the fuel pump to the carburetor,,,,,,

Scott wrote:Yes, definitely get that fuel filter moved, a doghouse fire isn't pretty. Also, stay away from the glass filters too. You might consider putting back by the tank. It may make it more difficult to check it, but it sure has a lot less chance of starting a fire.

Great idea!
I have a V8 in mine and the previous owner put the glass fuel filter by the fuel pump, doubt it would be a problem, but you never know....
I also keep a fire extinguisher in mine. It looks cool and serves a purpose

Does your van have a fusible link to prevent electrical fires?

Van is getting a hard fuel line I want to bend up with a P-Trap near the carb.

Don your line is nice but allows too much heat soak. If I do TBI it wont matter because all the lines will be changed. And I do not drive this a lot and all my electrical is in good order with fuse links in place. And its well insured.

,,,with the radiator fan blowing on it? cool gas constantly flowing through it,,,,,nobody ever complained to me of heat soak,,,,and thats how they built the vans,,,,,

donivan65 wrote:,,,with the radiator fan blowing on it? cool gas constantly flowing through it,,,,,nobody ever complained to me of heat soak,,,,and thats how they built the vans,,,,,

Apparently you don't know the term heal soak is for when you shut the engine off.

Adding a p trap will prevent the fuel from boiling out of the lines. I saw it done on a couple old stovebolts.

The engine is hot when it is shut off,,, the carburetors bowls are vented to the atmosphere, heat is the problem, we handle it by placing an auxiliary fan on the bellypan which cools the engine, the radiator, prevents the gas smell, cools the doghouse, thats our solution to heat soak....  



and we are getting off track,,,,,we are here  to help people,,,,,I tell him that rubber fuel hose and plastic fuel filter should be changed to metal and what I did,  then you tell him you would not  do it because it promotes heat soak,,,,you are confusing the issue,,,,we are just talking about a fuel line,,,,,a plain old piece of $5 brake line you bend and screw into the fuel pump and carburetor,,,one step at a time,,,,,,we like to hear about modifications and upgrades to our vans, show us what you plan on doing to modify a fuel line,,,,

donivan65 wrote:

I tell him that rubber fuel hose and plastic fuel filter should be changed to metal and what I did,  then you tell him you would not  do it because it promotes heat soak,,,,you are confusing the issue,,,,we are just talking about a fuel line,,,,,a plain old piece of $5 brake line you bend and screw into the fuel pump and carburetor,,,one step at a time,,,,,,we like to hear about modifications and upgrades to our vans, show us what you plan on doing to modify a fuel line,,

Obsoletely right on here, I'll take a heat soak problem any day over a engine fire!! For the life of me I can't and don't understand why people are so lazy not to bend a hard line for fuel and instead stick their neck way out to cause a fire by using rubber and glass is just plain stupid!
Why would any one use brake line instead of fuel line, am I missing something here?

It's hose because it won't have a mechanical pump in another year anyway. For something that gets driven maybe 1k miles a year..