Vannin' Home Forums General Discussion Readers Rides Vantankerous

Thanks Catfish.
A visit to youtube has solved the mystery.

Here is a test. This drawing is of my van by my friend John Deaton of the Toon factory.

He used to do cartoons for the actual Cartooons magazine back in the day.


Lettercraft Van2 by Mike Duncan, on Flickr

Ok, Here is the inspiration for the van.

IMG_4465 by Mike Duncan, on Flickr

Your $500 craigslist find reminds me of my $600 craigslist find.





Had to replace brake lines, radiator and put some tires on it, but I have driven it as far as Branson MO from Detroit. Most reliable vehicle I own right now.

Yep, that's the one.

Mine has a/c and an auxillary gas tank.
I'm debating whether to leave it or toss it out.
The filler neck coming up in the wheel well looks weird, but I have already bought flares.

Today I sold the bastard for $300 on Craigslsit.
The blue van gets renamed the "Blue Box Sleeper"

Tossed in a 400 for some torque. Gearhead engines dropped it at my door.
New aluminum radiator and a heater core for good measure. All new belts hoses, odds and ends.

I'm going with a stock manifold on phase one.
I looked all over for them.
They were found at a company called Stevens.
800-443-2673

I should be able to throw fire in the block later this week.


IMG_4632 by Mike Duncan, on Flickr

Sweet !

Ok Guys, A little update on what I now call "Vantankerous". Appropriate because this this is stubborn, cold hearted van that has a bad attitude. After 3 mechanics tooling the carb/timing, the 406 has now shown itself to be the screaming tire roaster I had hoped for. These 400's develop all of thier power and torque in the low range. Breaking the tires loose comes easily, but this motor makes this 3 ton beast with 2 full gas tanks seem light. I'm still in the break in period, but whoa, so tempting to tap the loud pedal and produce tire bark at 1500 rpm. I need to check the gearing to see what's in it.

It's s a limited slip rear, so I'll need to switch in a posi, or I'll need a stack of rear passenger side tires. Some times both tires turn together. I never intended to build a raging monster, but I had researched how to move these heavy chevys with the 406. Lightweight small block with the power of a 454.
Hope to meet up sometime if you'd like comparison ride between the 350/454 and the 400. One guy said horsepower is how fast you hit the wall, Torque is how hard you hit it.

I've also done a how to on cleaning rusty trim and stitching a tear in the seat. Bob here is also sending me the headlight buckets and turn signals I need to start the '76 grill conversion.

The holidays are busy, so maybe I can post those videos soon.

Cheers!

NICE WORK !

Love to see a sleeping giant wake up ... The roar, the smell of tires ...Who Ya ! Every body turns their heads to see whats making the ground shake & where is the jet plane going to land.

My '93 came with 265 tires, only got 12K on those tires cause if you touched the gas pedal it would burn out .....lol

I had to put 35's/315's on her to mellow the beast, still WAY more motor than tire !

I am pretty rough on my 4x, its like it wants be be ridden like its in heat & when I do the Bit*h comes out & gives me a white knuckle ride ..... thus the name Adrenalin By The Gallon.

OK Im at the start line in my '92 & always ready to race ..... lol

Gotta love the 30 over 400! I had a mildly built one in one of my old cars and that thing was scary fun. Good luck with yours.