Hello all you fellow Vanners!
My name is Mike Contreras and I live in Grand Rapids Michigan.
I have been exposed to the Custom Van lifestyle ever since I can remember..
My Dad was and is(as Am I) a Signpainter,Pinstriper & Airbrusher.. I Have spent most of my life around custom vehicles. Vans were always in our garage. Either at home or in the Shop gettin striped and Airbrushed.
Our dad would take us four boys everywhere with him.
Upholstery shops where there were vans,
Body Shop where there were Vans, and other custom vehicles waiting to have my dad's magic applied to them. I have always loved them..
We had a Custom shop around here in Michigan that was my favorite. He always had the good stuff..(Vehicles that is..lol)
In the 70's that place was boomin. I can remember seeing that shop FULL. things outside too.. He had painters, Body Men, Upholstery guys. It was cool.. We knew everyone in the shop.
We would always be askin questions, holding this or that. Or checkin' on the German Shepard who guarded the shop..she always had puppies..(that slept with us in those vans)
Vans were lying around cut in half, made into trailers, Vans with extra axles, taller roofs, Crazy Paint, Chops.
My Brothers and I spent Many nites in those Custom vans, sleeping and watching Tv till all hours of the nite.. Time never meant much to my dad, School nite.. My Mom Knew.. we would be home when we get home...LOL..
At the Auto Shows it was always great too..
Us four boys would rules those shows..LOL.. We used to get to hang late until my dad was done striping on the vehicles at the show. The security guards would ask what we were doing, then someone would always say "Oh their Dad is here Pinstripin our Van, Or Bike.." The Security people would say You mean "ANDY"..lol everyone knew him...
Good times for sure..
So as destiny would have it. I have another Van.
Number 4 or 5. But this one is special to me..
It is a Black 1975 Chevy Shorty w/ a slider and with no back windows. 350/Turbo 350, no air, just a Clean Van.. It was in Michigan most of its life.. about 97,000 on the Odometer that is sitting in the top of mytool box now..
(soon to be back in my happy lil van).
I met a guy who started working at the Custom Shop where I work. He said Man I love that Van. where did you get it?..
I told him How I found it.
3 friends of mine also owned it for short amount of time and told me what parts they replaced, Where they went for vacation in it, who they laid, And how They all wanted to buy it back if I sell it.. Nope!..lol
Now the "Newbie" at work is tellin me about this lil' Shorty he would see. Some van he dreamed about everyday as he would ride his bike home from school.. He asked Many times about buyin it as a kid. they laughed. One day the Van was not there..
The Original owner was riding his Motorcylce and lighting struck a tree which fell, and Knocked him off his motorcycle killin him. The Van then went to his kids, who stored it for a bit, then a good friend of mine whos 65 Ford I striped told me about this Van he had... My Van.. The "Newbies Van"
What the Hell is the chance this was the same van.. He told us about things on it. What the Interior looked like. It sounded cool..But now. It's gutted..
It originally had 20's on it when I got it...I have the Western mags too..
I know 20's on a 1975 Van..
But a Black Shorty all stock with the trim and 20's.
" It did look killer though."
But not what I am used to seeing. Now If I wanted to make a buck it was the time. I purchased it for $2,000 2 years ago, sold the 20's for $1,600 and now have a Very Almost nice Van... for an Investment of $400.. I like those numbers..
I could not leave it alone.
Very Clean it was.
Mine...... not yet.
I needed to spend some quality time with it first, either a California trip, or years worth of Weekends & Late Nights sanding, sewing, airbrushing & stripin'.
I SHould have taken the vacation, But Couldn't.
I had those "delusions of grandeur" we all get.. I could do this, or that, and that. and your friends telling you I would do this...LOL
I am going pretty mild. The Van is so clean, holes for spoilers,visors or any other garbage won't do.. I know why roof haves no holes in them..
THEY LEAK!! I want a Van I can just drive. I have had all the ground effects and other crap ( I love by the way..lol) on my Astro.. Cool they are, But this van is made for road-trippin'. I can do it all, Suicide doors, Air-ride, Chop, change this, Change that..
I just want A Driver..With a Killer paint job, and striped to beat hell...
I have spent 2 years in October workin on it. All original, I wish I wouldn't have taken all the trim off and filled the holes. But I did.
It is bad enough it has a sunroof up front, and some lame-ass galvanized crankup roof vent, with 45 drywall screws and 1 tube of caulk on it.. I will replace both with Quality sunroofs from one of the glass shop we deal with. I have thought about the power slider I saw but as Confucius would say "No Reaky for me prease"
We have put 5 gallons of Urethane primer on it so far. And block sanded it 3 times. I hope it turns out straight. Zip Strip was a good way to go. I see the results of blasting so that wasn't gonna happen.
I just last week got the roof finished and color sanded nad polished. It looks killer. I did the same on the Jams on all 5 doors the week before..
I mixed up some Crazy Olive with H.O.K. Gold Mini Flake over that. Nice Color. Really flips with the PPG Liquid Crystal pearl that I mixed in to the Midcoat...It isn't candy or hav the look, But I can repair or repaint parts easily..
The Next one will have all the goodies..
One nice thing about being a Custom Painter, is that it allows me to be able to afford things I could not probably have without my talent. The Paint Job. The Body Work. I do know what it takes at $65 an hour to get what I have now.. a bunch...
It should be ready soon. I cannot find a few small pieces. I just have to paint the rear Hinges which have an unusual edge on them.Nobody will see it but It looks junky. I know I will have to spend too much time on them also, like I did on the rest of the van..
I have heard so many times, "Nobody see that Sh*t anyway!" Yes they do.. I did. I do. Not on my own stuff. Very rarely do I get to do something for me.. I took me way too much time.
But I hope it will be worth it...
Well there you have it.. Who I am.. I have seen some very cool Vans here, and some great info.. Thanks alot People.. Congrats on all you fine work and fine vans. I am Motivated again...
Thanks. Mike "Mad Max" Contreras.