Vannin' Home Forums General Discussion Readers Rides Norcal Wing added to The Street Van

No, That wing you have is the only one that was made by that company that I know of, and I have been around a while. there was a wing that had lights in it years ago , Miss Behavin' had one. Not by Odyssey but another company. Maybe Imaginary Glass but it is all under the bridge now days as all are gone. I can find out for sure if you want because I am good friends with John ...Miss Behavin" builder. and it is one of the two wings from back them that have the double lights on each side

OK...Wings 101...class is in session! Grab a beer and a notebook...

The wing in the Miss Behavin' pic is a DB Design wing. DB stood for Dennis Braid and that wing was available lighted or not. It was a universal application, and made both in ABS plastic and Fiberglas. It was also marketed at one point by A&E Mobilaire, who also made iceboxes and other plastic RV stuff

The wing on the Black Chev is a TriGlas wing, made in Alabama. They offered a visor also, and a fiberglass raised roof that had a very odd window configuration. The wings are Fiberglas with a plywood reinforcement in an unfinished underneath. They are brand specific.

Odyssey wings had long tapered struts that extended about 30 inches along the raingutter. They were hard to ship, so later designs were shipped 3 piece, and you had to pop rivet and glas the seams. Saved money by being able to ship UPS, but had to spend the savings at the body shop. They were brand specific, and in later years another company offered the exact same style, but with spots for 4 truck marker lights in the back edge.

There is a brown Chev on the thread that has a NorCal wing on it. NorCals were the first van specific wings on the market, manufactured by Imaginary Glass out of California. The Norcal sits in the rain gutter, with a perfect roof contour molded in. They are brand AND WHEELBASE specific, since short and long roofs are different. Early Norcals had some cracking problems due to the fact they were molded in 2 pieces and assembled hollow. Later ones were solid, filled with sprayfoam, and have steel plates molded it so they can be mounted from the inside invisibly.

Due again to shipping problems, Imaginary came out with the NorCal II. It was about 10% smaller, sitting up the roof a little ways, and not quite so big front to rear. They were never as popular as the originals, but look really good on Astros. They were universal fit and UPSable...

Class dismissed, thanks for playing!

Thank you for sharing your knowledge Howard

Good info Howard....well put!

Wow..cool Howard that's a lot of great info...the wing Donnie has I picked up at a swap meet in Randolph Ohio for 20 bucks a couple years ago,it went with the purchase of my old StreetVan,,, the guy I bought it from had no idea what it was used for ........

Hope that helps...especially for those swap meet finds in the future...The Norcals are labeled in the glas on the base of one of the legs. Hard to see sometimes, but it's there!

......

OK I give I did know that's how I got mine because Joe had Imaginary's mold for a while and he cracked one out for me, but did a J&J trick on it and made it better but never sold one for himself. I know that Odyssey wing now that you mentioned it Howard. Did you have one on one of your old vans ...Maybe a red van I don't remember the make ???

some pictures to go with Howard's explanation

Odyssey wing


Odyssey on a dodge



Nor Cal on a dodge





For those paying attention to details.The mounting configuration on the Nor Cal on the Stallion was changed so the wing could be removed so it would fit in Mike's garage

.......Wookee