Russell's '66 Sportvan Deluxe

thanks for the pics

I went to San Marcos today and bought an engine,
http://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/pts/5710582333.html
After talking to the owner I think I got a really good deal. it has about 1000 miles on it since being rebuilt, a mild cam, roller rockers, new carb, Mallory electronic ign. coil, starter, water pump, Edelbrock Performer RPM manifold, etc. it's a '64 283 with '69 power pack heads.
Not a race motor but I think it will be real nice in my '66.
Pictures soon.

If it runs half as good as it looks, you're Golden!!!

Saturday I cut the doghouse away from the floor, removed linkage, wiring etc. and yesterday I removed the 230. I need to do some cleaning and trim the sides before putting the new engine in.




Here is a better picture of what I bought.


It's a 283 with mild cam, later heads, roller rockers,MSD ign., Edelbrock performer RPM manifold and carb, new starter, water pump, fuel pump.
Not a Hot rod motor but should run nicely in the Van.

Well, that makes it easy to remove the old straight 6! Nice progress. Now is the perfect time to unbolt that crossmember and get it all cleaned up.

I got a few things done, engine is in, trans is hooked up with new clutch plate,

I also put the radiator in. I tried using the original radiator support,(after an hour of cleaning it) but I didn't like where the radiator fit with it.


I ended up cutting and drilling some 2" x 1" aluminum angle iron for the sides using the mounting holes for the stock support, they fit nicely with the radiator much closer to the fan. It also fits under the new doghouse well.




I have spent more time cleaning parts than putting this thing together.
It took 50 years to get it this dirty, it's gonna take a while to get most of it clean.

The previous owner had moved the parking brake, I guess to install the gauges.


A lot of work went into that modification.
I was able to replace it to the front of the doghouse.

Well worth the effort, Russell. Nice work!

After a couple of days and a trip to the wrecking yard I was able to get my throttle linkage put together using parts I had here and drilling and tapping the frame for one of the swivel brackets and made a support bracket also attached to the frame above the clutch rod mount. I relocated a hole and bent a rod and got everything working smoothly with full throttle and 3 places to adjust the rods.

You are happy I told you about the 69 van, I bet!!!

Glad you could use the linkage for your van. Good use of the parts at the junk yard.
I am working on the carburetor... almost finished with the idle adjustment.
I am learning about patience as well.

it's alive!



I found a low mount alternator bracket on ebay, I don't have holes in the heads for the upper style mounts. I hooked up the distributor, wires, hoses and manifolds, added some new wires and after putting a little gas in the carb it fired right up!
I need some more wiring an exhaust and a lot of work on the doghouse before it's drivable.

Great Progress! Looking sharp!

I'm getting so close to being able to drive it, it's just that "one more thing to do" has been going on for days, I re-routed the wiring and eliminated the plug in the engine compartment, ran new wires to the starter and regulator and alternator, relocated the horn relay and added more wiring. I also cut a hole in the floor to ad a tunnel for the radiator, also cut the front out of the doghouse after stripping a couple of coats of bad paint.


I'm also making a rear section to fill the hole's caused by the different shape of the later style doghouse.

I made a cardboard template and then bent some aluminum for the tunnel.


I don't have a brake so I have to make all the bends with a hammer, vice and some angle iron. not exactly easy.
I also made a new battery box which will mount under the passenger side since mine used to be inside the Van behind the seat.

It still needs the exhaust and more tweaking on the doghouse etc.
I am also going to put in a door for checking the dipstick. (oil level)

Nice job on the fab work, your getting closer

You're hard work is paying off. Great work!

I put the passenger side exhaust together and started it up to turn it around, now it won't shift gears???
I drove it 1 day with the 6 cyl. and the clutch and tranny worked fine.
i used the flywheel and pressure plate from the 6 cyl. and put a new clutch plate in, the center of the plate was a little different where the splines go on the shaft but didn't seem to be a problem?
After getting the trans. mounted to the engine I had almost no pedal, I've adjusted it almost all the way out and it doesn't have any play right now but still won't shift into gear while running?
I put it in gear and started it with the clutch in and it wants to creep, if I let the clutch out it feels like it's grabbing. I did get it turned around but had to turn it off to shift into 1st or reverse before starting it.
What did I do wrong??????

A friend of mine said the clutch disc might be warped from sitting in the Van all those years?
It is easier to burn some of it off than to pull the trans and look for a problem...................So I did.
I started it in gear and drove it around the block a few times, I put it in second gear and feathered the clutch to wear it in some, revved it up and down and worked it in.
It is actually shifting well now and disengaging as it should.
I finished a few things and now have the doghouse in place, the tunnel is mounted, seats are mounted and I cut a piece of sheet metal for the rear of the doghouse to sit on.

I need to take more pictures.
I have the mufflers and pipe coming from the manifolds but I need to get someone to make the bends over the rear end and out.
It sounds really healthy but louder than I want it right now.

I also have the battery mounted under the passenger side. I will have to relocate it if I ever get a step for it.

Of course the battery I had was too tall after mounting the battery box so I swapped it for the one in my Ghia which was a lower height.
Today I spent some time working on some more of the lights, I got the interior lights working, the back up lights hooked to a toggle switch and the license plate light.
I don't like the one that's on the Van right now and I do have the stock light to replace it with.


The back up lights were full of dirt and rust and needed a lot of work to get them working, I even had to replace one socket because one rusted off from inside.

Good to hear you got clutch problem fixed .
I got a side step here in Indiana(from CA(Thank's 108 Vanguy). Shipping would be $$$
Looking good

Vanagain gave me a step assembly just missing the step itself, it is really rusty! I might be able to clean it up and or fabricate a few parts for it to work.
I've been working hard to get it running again I really haven't had time to mess with it yet.

More pictures of where I'm at now.




I have the doghouse, tunnel and floor pieces sitting where I want them, I had to re-do the drivers front seat mounts yesterday, it has no track and I wanted it closer.(more holes to fill)
Now I get to take it all apart again so I can weld the floor, holes in the doghouse, add insulation and cover everything. WOO HOO!!!!
First I'm gonna drive it some!

Excellent!!!

I like those seats of yours too!

I went to a local muffler shop and they were able to do my exhaust pipes over the rear end and out at the rear corners on Friday, sounds much better.
I've been able to drive it around some and tweak a couple of things, today I mounted a prop for the engine lid and made a cover for the master cyl. floor hole.
I know these are hard to find so I made one using aluminum and some pop rivets.

I found a roll of tape the right size of the hole, I traced the circle onto some aluminum and cut out the circle with a jigsaw and cut a couple rectangle pieces for the tabs.

I bent a tab, drilled and pop riveted it to the cover plate and put some "door edging" plastic around the edge.

Then set it in the hole and used a self tapping screw to hold the other tab to the floor,
I think it came out nice and will keep the air out while driving with easy access.

Excellent work, Russell! I was trying to think of how to make one myself when I change over to a dual master cylinder. Nice simple design and looks like it will do the trick nicely...Thanks for the ideas!!!

I dropped in on Russ yesterday. His master cylinder cover is a nice, simple design. I have a stock cover but the rubber on it is so hard, I'm afraid if I ever pop it in there, I never get it back out.

Vanny, were you thinking you have to enlarge that opening? I did the swap to a 2nd Gen master cylinder. I still can access it through the round hole. it's a little tight but I think I'll leave it as is.

Yes, that's what I was thinking but I'll just wait and see what it looks like after the switch to a dual master.