Vanning.com logo
Boxdin
Site Navigation


Advertisements
Recent Posts
Good day
by lukester - March 28th 2024 12:26 pm
Crazy mods
by MufflerMan Mike - March 28th 2024 9:38 am
Lew Greger
by MufflerMan Mike - March 27th 2024 5:15 pm
1987 G20 Gypsy
by SDMickey - March 25th 2024 9:39 pm
Featured Links


Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Rating: 5
Page 1 of 11 1 2 3 10 11
Radical Rickshaw
#668952 August 20th 2014 12:53 am
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,578
Likes: 2
Munz Offline OP
veteran
OP Offline
veteran
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,578
Likes: 2
Truckin Magazine March 1978 Volume 4, No.3

During the daylight hours Dennis Brickner has his hands full with his catering business. But when the work is over, he likes to hop in his much modified van and just truck. Recently Dennis decided to take a vacation so he and Yosemite Sam trucked to Seattle for a show, then headed down to Southern California, stopped at Vegas and headed back to Detroit. Dennis couldn’t believe all the compliments over the CB, or people taking pictures of the vans while they were driving. Throughout the trip people just couldn't believe there were vans like this on the street. No matter what Dennis builds he likes to drive it too. His 76 Chevy has definitely got the hours put into it. The Paint Pit in Connecticut Yosemite Sam’s in Detroit and Dennis did all the body work with features such as chop top, rear doors leaned forward, hand fabricated grill section, sunken taillights and metal flares. And all the wild candy and pearl lacquer paint job is Yosemite Sam’s Paint Shack. Inside is fitted pine, button pleated black velvet, done by Mel Fender and brass antiques.

[Linked Image]

Fast forward 36 years ...... I saw the craigslist ad as some of you did so I called and got the story about the owner selling this van and other vehicles to the new buyer of his home. I called the following day and found out that it was true the van was left in the house and the new home buyer purchased the vehicles too. I contacted the buyer and it turns out he did this just to make the house sale happen and wanted to sell the vehicles so I grabbed my dolly, tools, tires, jack, cash and headed to Detroit. Here is the van as it appeared in the add and when I got to the house.

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

I must admit I was pretty discouraged when I saw the van in this condition, leaned on it but didn't budge and noticed animals had been residing inside of it for years so I wasn't 100% sold. While I was looking at it I was talking to Eddie Smith (66 No-Dice) on the phone in FL and he convinced me to drag it out of the garage and get a better look at it so I did and this is what I saw..... [Linked Image]
When Eddie said drag it out of the garage he wasn't kidding the 2 front wheels slid for about 2-3 feet before they broke loose. This might be the 1st time this van has seen the light of day in 20-25 years.

I have owned this van for about a week now and let me tell you this may have been a show piece at one time but it has really been let go as you can see by the photos. I have begun to tear down and repair the motor just enough to get it running and see what it needs. The carb is rebuilt, new plugs, wires, cap, fuel pump, fuel, line and other small items. I will drop the tank this week and clean that out too. Everything needs to be overhauled but the best part of this project is I have LOTS of G-van parts just hanging around ....literally hanging on the garage walls as art. The chop portion is in great shape other than the windshield frame and that is a G-van flaw to begin with. I have found a 76 donor van already so I have a good start on some wiring, suspension and body parts I will need.

Here is is ready to go on the dolly for the 10 hr trip home.
[Linked Image]
Notice Justice hanging on the lawn in the shade.
[Linked Image]
There are some cool Yosemite Sam touches done to this van like, custom grill, custom paint and full belly pan, unfortunately the body has been painted over but the paint is still in the door jambs and on the belly pan.
Here is the belly pan, if you look close in the craigslist photo you will see it hanging off in the back so I had to remove it from the front of the van so I could crawl under it and disconnect the drive shaft.
[Linked Image]

Here is a photo of the van washed up and with a factory grill on it. I think I'm going to use the stock grill and hang the 200+ lb Yosemite grill on the wall.
[Linked Image]

The plan at this point is to get it running, redo the suspension and brakes, clean the crap out of it, rewire it with another wiring harness and cleanup the wood interior. When all this is done I will start looking for someone to do the body and paint and or advise me on what I should do. The body itself is pretty good but front door bottoms on the inside are shot, 3 of the 4 flairs need repair and 2 of the sunken parking lights are showing their age. It also needs door glass because this van had acrylic side glass from the original chop in 1977 and I believe that is what caused the problem with the door bottoms.

I've been wanting an old custom showvan for a while now and although this van is far from show worthy at this point it has great history and most of the fun of owning a custom van is building, restoring and driving it.....Right? So this van will see plenty of all of this.

I want to thank Lee for posting this add, my brother Mike for inspiring me to get up there and at least look at it and Eddie for convincing me to get this van into the light of day.

I would also like to thank Paul and Savilla for meeting up with me on the way back for a bite & offering me a overnight stop and also reuniting The Radical Rickshaw with custom vans and vanners again!!!
[Linked Image]

And shot out to Dave Astro Hufstader who makes this all possible. Thank you Dave.

LET THE FUN BEGIN!!!!

Last edited by Munz; August 20th 2014 12:56 am.

Munzvan@aol.com / Runnin Wild Truckers / I never met a van I didn't like.
[Linked Image]
AdSense long
Re: Radical Rickshaw
Munz #668957 August 20th 2014 6:07 am
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 6,014
Likes: 1


Vanthropologist
Offline


Vanthropologist
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 6,014
Likes: 1
Great post Munz ! Very happy that you acted quickly and got the van out of limbo. If you could another shot of it say 3/4 front and rear of it cleaned up that would be good.

Re: Radical Rickshaw
Munz #668959 August 20th 2014 8:18 am
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 3,750
Likes: 13

Offline

Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 3,750
Likes: 13
No, thank you munz :-)


90 Astro - "The Grey Ghost" - Haulin Ass, Not kids.

E-Z Vanners and West Vanners
Council of Councils Board Member
National Truck-in Board Support Team

[Linked Image]

"No matter where you go, there you are."
"If you can't do something smart, Do something right"
"There are three kinds of people in the world, those who can count, and those who can't"
Re: Radical Rickshaw
Virtual #668960 August 20th 2014 8:22 am
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 3,586
Likes: 1
pooh-bah
Offline
pooh-bah
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 3,586
Likes: 1
Dang Munz she cleaned up pretty Nice ! Great story as well . I have doors for you to look at if your parts van doesn't work out.
And all things considered with your work hours you have got alot done so far . And as far as the rust above the windshield im sure we can handle that !



[Linked Image]
Re: Radical Rickshaw
c1run1 #668966 August 20th 2014 9:30 am
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,389
old hand
Offline
old hand
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,389
Nice save Munz...Congrats!!!! Look forward to seeing it at an eVANt someday..cheers


Live to Ride******Ride to Live

1982 Chevy G20
1998 GMC Savana
1973 GMC Motorhome


[Linked Image from i1247.photobucket.com]
Re: Radical Rickshaw
Munz #668968 August 20th 2014 9:44 am
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 751
old hand
Offline
old hand
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 751
Congratz!!
That is one sweet and grateful Van man.
And great thread, awesome story and cool pics
5 stars
keep the pics coming!!!!

Re: Radical Rickshaw
Munz #668971 August 20th 2014 10:02 am
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 18,536
Likes: 135
Supreme Master
Offline
Supreme Master
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 18,536
Likes: 135
Great save man.


[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

Arianrhod:2003 Chevy Astro
Black Magic: 1985 Dodge B-250
Serenity:1985 Chevy G-20
The Outcast:1983 Ford club wagon
Luna 1974 VW bay window transporter
Freedom:1990 Ford E-150(parts van)
Outcast Vanners van club
Support your local 2%
Re: Radical Rickshaw
Munz #668972 August 20th 2014 10:12 am
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 6,256
Likes: 164
Master Metal Sculptor
Offline
Master Metal Sculptor
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 6,256
Likes: 164
Great save. This will be a fun rebuild to watch so keep the pictures coming!!!

Re: Radical Rickshaw
Munz #668980 August 20th 2014 11:03 am
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 941
J
old hand
Offline
old hand
J
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 941
Yeh look forward to seeing how it all turns out!


UK member of Nova Vans and
California Street Vans
Page 1 of 11 1 2 3 10 11

Moderated by  Astro 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Donate


Upcoming Events
discovery
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 17 guests, and 8 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Newest Members
TheDrunkenGunsmith, Jac, LOVclassics, ZenMuffin, Milkman530
12724 Registered Users
Top Posters (30 Days)
SDMickey 129
CatFish 25
frscke1 25
Wedgy 21
Forum Statistics
Forums68
Topics35,746
Posts537,916
Members12,724
Most Online177
May 8th, 2013

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.4