As a youngster I watched this, SOME of you might remember. It impressed me so much, that when I was older it hooked me on Vans. I'm not really into the artistic stuff, but more into van exploration. We often take road trips to remote areas in Northern Minnesota or over to Wisconson.
Well wolfpaw518...... that vehicle from Lost in Space is the ultimate TMW van! I offer homage. As far as what started my love of vans..... my Dad and Uncle had either panel trucks or vans for their business. I loved the space that they offered. Later on when I became older I loved them for camping, and having some privacy with my girlfriend... then the initial van craze exploded and I really had to have one!
Penny and I got a '56 Chevy Panel around 1969 that I drove to work and we used for camping. Carpet in the back and a rattle can paint job. That old panel was a part of the family for more than 17 years.
My buddy had a 74 dodge van. It wasn't a custom but cool just the same. then another friend and I would always talk about them. After seeing some custom vans. I decided I had to have one. I take a good amount of road trips. And a van would be great for that. Haven't found my van yet. though i Have found quite a few that I really like.
My buddy had a 74 dodge van. It wasn't a custom but cool just the same. then another friend and I would always talk about them. After seeing some custom vans. I decided I had to have one. I take a good amount of road trips. And a van would be great for that. Haven't found my van yet. though i Have found quite a few that I really like.
My interest in vans started when a car I was driving was totaled by a guy driving amid 90s Dodge van. He ran a red and ran full speed into the driver's fender of the Olds Cutlas Calais my Mom had just inherited from my Grandpa. The Olds was a total loss but the Dodge van had a scratch on the bumper. I took one look at the damage to both vehicles and decided I wanted a van.
As a child, I had a Matchbox Microbus to play. Later, working in the office of our local VW dealer, I sometimes had to drive our Bus singlecab flatbed. At the main-office, I once had to bring a Volkswagen LT28 (size similar to a G20 regular wheelbase) back to the storage-spot, and was hooked. Every time, I got a chance, I drove our LT.
Later, I was touring with my modelrailroad criss-cross through Germany to meetings and shows, and I needed something to sleep and to carry the fragile models.
So, I bought my first Vanagon Multivan (similar to the Vanagon weekender), and was hooked. I drove the Vanagon for more than 22 years, had for 4 years a G20 305/350 and another 4 years a Vandura 250 with 350/400. And since 2003, I drive the Highway Bully, a 89 Vanagon Panel Van and plan to do this as long as it's possible.
It started with needing one to tour with my band in. I love the way a van drives and their ability to carry a lot of gear and/or friends. 4 Chevys, a Dodge, vanning.com, and a handful of truckins later I think its the most fun I've had in a while.
For me it started with a love for the flat nose trucks like the COE. I recall as a young child sitting in them at my grandpas car lot in the late 50's and then when the vans arrived in the 60's they fit my idea of cool. I started driving in 1971 and my second or third vehicle was an old Econoline. From there I had a bunch of early vans. By then they were rusty due to the great Ohio weather so I did graduate up to the newer models. Attended the 3rd nats in BG and the rest is history.
When I got out of the See/Bees in 62 I bought a 55 Chev Panel. Loved it for camping. In 78 I Joined a company selling Leather Products At Van Shows. In 79 I bought a new Chev Van with every extra you could get. the rest is history. Now I'm restoring a 90 B150.
I remember building the plastic van models in the 70s. To me it was just a big part of the culture of the 70's along with great music, great tv and clothes! LOL I'm a fan of the 70's period, nothing better then cruising in my van jammin to some "Slow Ride" and the best part is they are just bad ass to look at. In and out!
Mine probably was way back when , my dad and a friend had a garage and body shop , a guy came in with a 70's light blue ford no window van , with 10in wheels and white fender flares , said he needed the flairs painted as quick as possible , I think the cops were looking for him lol , and being I was about 13 , I just thought the van was so cool , I remember telling my self , Im going to own one some day lol
Mine started!! Well I got my licence in 73, had a 69 Datsun pickup, I had bought when I was 15, and tricked it out, until I got legal to drive. Drove it for a year, hit a freakin stopped train, on ice (might have been drunk!!)I had been seeing these cool vans all over town, Just thought they looked way cooler that the hot rod cars. Well, I found a 67 chevy 108, with a 6 cly. three on the tree. Sitting at a refrigeration company, with the name on the side. I bought it for $500 bucks, and the venture began!! I was approched by a guy named Dennis Bergstrom, who was starting a club. And I have been SICK ever since, with VAN FEVER!!! I drove the 67 to the 75 Nat's, the day after we dropped a 350 LT1 V8 in it, worked on it all the way there, but made it!! The next year I drove my new 76 Ford shorty to Bowling Green. 15 vans later, with 4, in the barn now, Life is so GOOD!! I have 2, 76 Chevys, 76 Dodge, and an 01 Ford Diesel, no more room. I'm a Vanner!
For me it was building street racers. The last car I built was a jet black Buick Skyhawk with the uneven firing V6 and the first Borg Warner 5 speed. Built it to the hilt and one day while running between Ft. Leonard Wood, MO. and the Lake of the Ozarks on back roads (could make the trip in 30 minutes back then) I heard a tire hitting an inner fender well strut on tight curves. Was told it was because of the unibody and should get something with a frame. My neighbor had a custom van (lite Brown colored Ford from Kansas called "Sundowner") and I thought to myself "Self, why the hell not. Can't be as expensive (sure, right) as building super cars". Bought my first van, brand new 78 Dodge B200 and started attending truck-ins with my neighbor, I think the first one was S.L.T.A.'s Mini Truck-in. Fell in love with it and kept on going to as many as I could and spent the winter building my 78. The Voyager 1 was created and vanning got stuck with me.
I'd have to say that the vanning bug started to bite way back when my Grandpa came home with a '68 Chevy sportvan for his business. I was 5 or 6 and we'd travel all over the area, cleaning beer lines. Then, after I'd moved to Sprongfield, IL, my Dad and I used to go bow-hunting in Wisconsin. We'd sleep in his Plymouth maxi and hunt right from that spot. Then, when I moved back to the Chicagoland area, I'd had a series of cars and found that sleeping in a VW bug, wasn't the most comfortable thing to do. I was customizing my Baja Bug and buying parts from Great Lakes Recreational Products, and came in contact with Howard Furtak. I traveled with him in his van for several years before finding my first van, a 1965 Chevy with a coating of house paint rolled on it, for $300.00, and I ain't been right since! There ya go! Hey, you asked! LOL!
As a kid in the seventies, I grew up loving custom vans. Was too young to understand they went out of style. When our second Chevy pickup died, my dad found a '73 Club Wagon church van. I BEGGED him to buy it. I loved that van. We had until we bought the '93 G20 I have now. I never thought I was overly gaga about vans until my brother, as an adult, started recalling how I acted over the old '73 when we got it!
I was a young E-3 Airman in the US Navy, assigned to Naval Air Station Oceana, in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The year was 1971. One of my assigned duties weekly, was to drive a 1967 Dodge Van to NOB Norfolk with test equipment to be dropped off & retrieved. I fell in love with that morning drive & Van! I looked forward to each and every time I had to go!! I came home all excited, and told the "Little Lady" I was married to at the time, "We have to get a Van!" She exclaimed, "NO WAY!" She did not see things my way, and we parted our separate ways in 1974. One week later, I bought my 1969 Chevy G-10 Van! 37 wonderful years later, She is still in my possession! I never would have thought??!! lol I attended my 1st Van eVant, VanFair East (Butler) 1974! Many Truckins later,I still seem to have just as much fun as the "First"! If those interior "Walls" could talk?????? lol Way too much fun!!!!!!!
Dad needed to replace the old Ford Falcon back in '72-73 and while looking around went to a lot full of vans. In it was a Mid Chev SWB cargo in white with a heart shaped porthole to the bed and a icebox with marbled mirror face. Everything was covered in white bear fur. Cragars ans side pipes finished the exterior with subtle gold pinstriping. My sister talked Dad into being more practical and we got a Country Squire 9 pass wagon instead, but I never forgot the van!!
My dad would take us to the ,INTERNATIONAL CAR SHOW ASSOCIATION (I.C.S.A.) i liked the cars but the Vans with the interiors and murals had a lasting effect on me .
As a kid I spent allot of my spare time in the early 70's building car models. I read Hot Rod mags to get realistic ides for paint jobs on models Then I ran across this picture in Hot Rod.
I started paying more attention to vans being driven in my area and fell in love with them. In 79 I put together enough money to by my 1st van. Joined a van club and the rest as they say is history. What a long strange trips it's been. I have loved every minute of it and have NO regrets....
My grandparents had a 77 Dodge shorty winder van that he used to tow his travel trailer with. I would always go with them on camping trips. I'll never forget going with him to Montgomery Wards to have the cruise control installed. This was the early 80s.
I met a good friend in high school who had a '74 Econoline and he was a vanner with Rainbow Vanners out of PA. I liked his van, but for some reason never pursued buying a van. Not sure why. Anyhoo, I bought my first van in 1997...a 1970 Dodge A-100. First evant was the '05 Nats and I've been hooked ever since.
when we were stationed in England i started looking at van magazines. as newly weds and being in the military we moved quite often so it really was a way to move some of our stuff and since we didnt make much money it was a way for us to escape and sleep on road trips. as the children came along it was the best way to travel to our different assignments comfortably as a family.
I always had something going on in the driveway. Started in HS with a 65 Beetle and a body off restoration in milk crates and then my best find a 79 Volare Wagon...North Carolina barn find. (I won't mention the imports I got distracted by in between). After being forced to use the Volare as a work wagon I finally got things going enough to get my 89 g10....and then my 95 g10, Kept both for awhile with the hope of redoing the 89 but once again life took a left turn and after it sat for too long I let it go. Now after a forced medical retirement I couldn't even think of getting rid of the 95 so it sat off and on for 3yrs.
What I'd have to say started me was vanning.com... After I lurked for over 3 yrs and saw there were lots of folks in retirement and disabled working on their vans I decided to get off my ass. With more time then I can handle sometimes I made a commitment to the 95 to "for once in my life" do what I always did. Wrench in the driveway and leave something the kids would fight over when I'm gone.
So I've only just begun and I'm stealing ideas and experience like a whore in the night to keep a dream alive.
Ok, for my real story. I wanted an Astro in high school, and my dad said no. So after i graduated i was dating this girl who had a souped up little Dakota pickup, and we were riding through the back alleys in Chatham one afternoon and saw this baby blue window Astro for sale. 700 bucks. no number so i knocked on the door and asked the guy about it. Ran great etc. Went to the bank and got the $ bought it on the spot. I painted it midnight blue with SS stripes and it had a bed, full black velour interior, neon lights etc. I took it to the WNNS/Valco Cruise for Charity in springfield that september and There i met John Rolando. He introduced me to the rest of the Vanatics and invited me to one of their club meetings. The First truck-in i attended was Hy-rollin in October of 2001. Ive been hooked since.
Back around '77 a friend bought an old van from the phone company he let me sit behind the wheel and I remember looking out at the mirrors on each side and thinking I gotta have one of these.
It's been in my blood since birth. My grandpa had a '69 Dodge, then a '75 Ford window van he gave to my dad which we used to go surfing in. He kept his last, a 1986 Ford window van until his death. The 1975 went to me and I learned to drive in it. Then my dad conveniently forgot he gave it to me and sold it a week before my 16th birthday. Was he afraid for the girls??? So at 18 I got my 1977 Dodge which I restored and kept for 7 years - I still regret selling her. I finally got back into it as my wife kept questioning why I would drool and stare every time a cool van went by. I love my '75 Chevy and don't plan to make the same mistake twice. And one day I hope to own my grandpa's 1969 Dodge as well. He sold it to a neighbor down the street who keeps it like new to this day. I've left some notes over the years, but now that my grandma is in a retirement village I don't see it anymore. So just in case, if you live in Northridge,CA and bought your old Dodge from Wallace Andersen and decide to sell, let me know.
I liked the fact that the van was much like a jeep, the custom-ability is only as limited as your imagination will carry you.
When I was about 6 years old my dad had a brand new E350 with the 460 that he used for Snap-On tools delivery van and I remember helping him paint the sides with the Snap-On logo and some added side stripes the interior wasn't anything truly special but the fact my big bro, lil sis and I would be in the back of the van horse playing on our way to Vegas from Tonopah, (when it was frowned upon, not necessarily illegal) not to mention the smell of "skunk" of which I will never forget.
But lastly, I think it was the purchase of my 88 G20 that got me hooked. When I found this website I never truly understood the meaning of "vanner" but soon realized that everyone here was more than helpful in my troubles. Thus I consider these mysterious "vannin" people my new family that I have yet to meet.
I've started surfing at age 11. Age 26 I flew to South Africa, Bought a 73 VW westfalia.
After two weeks of living from the van traveling from it, I was hooked.
Bought my Dodge van when I returned to US years later.
Been avoiding being a 'responsible' consumer citizen, ever since, as White picket fences and children and 40 hour work weeks living hand to mouth were never my dream,
Keeping a woman happy, I always saw as a futile and pointless endeavor.
I never thought about it that way.I just tried to be a decent person and found a woman who made me happy. Nuts and bolts and amps and volts are way more fun than women. To each their own I guess.
Stop me if you`ve heard this. lol. I had an Anerican car workshop / sales in the Uk, just north of London. A friend called me and told me he knew of a 1976 Chevy Shorty - only 4 years old then - but it had some accident damage - actually hit by a train I found out later., he assured me it would be well worth repairing.. I wasn`t up on vans then but decided to take a shot at it. Hooked up the trailer to my 1976 Olds Cutlass Supreme made the trip to Hastings and brought it home.. Remember this is all pre internet...Did a bit of research and found a Chevy dealer in Cleveland Usa had the parts I needed, bumper, grille, chassis member, mudguard etc. I faxed him my list and next day I called him and confirmed the order, I asked if he could recomend a reliable shipping company. He said there`s one right across the street we use them all the time. I got a name and number and called them, spoke to the manager and asked if he would be interested in picking up the order from the dealer and shipping it to me in Dunstable, Bedfordshire. WHAT!! he shouted down the phone.. that`s where my wife comes from... Heres a pic of the finished project - I called it Shazam.. And thats how I got into vans..
Been around vans forever,dad and uncle. My big brothers friend had a 75 shorty Dodge cargo silver with mural of an hombre and donkey taking a siesta.I have owned astros for a while starting in 1990. I bought a full on rusty custom in North Carolina it was tan with a brown hash stripe,gull wing door, Nor Cal wing mudder flares ,6 lug slots.looked like a pirate ship inside and smelled like scurvy..lol.it had round port windows on the back doors with louvers built in . I should have kept it but I sold it to purchase two more vans..I am in deep now with councils and clubs,trying to reignite the true spirit of Vannin.
My mom and dad had a silver Chevy window van that mom took when she left dad and drove us cross country in. When my step dad came in the picture, he had a rusted ass Chevy cargo (and had the Hurst shift doctor van before that one). We still would drive the silver van back and forth for a couple years. I remember picking the rubber off the window trim.. In 85 they bought my uncles 79 G30 and sold the silver van. That became our cross country hauler. I would always draw hot rod van pictures with spoilers and fat tires, dreaming of having a van. Haha. When i was coming toward driving age, i started asking for the 79...wasnt happening, but i kept trying. 20 years later they finally let me have it and its mine now. Haha.
I needed a tow vehicle for my autoX cars and love the JDM dajiban thing, so I picked up a used Dodge church van with a sliding side door and single rear door.
Grew up with a couple different Astro's that were my moms. We road tripped those all over the place. Also did trips with my dads crew cab trucks and an RV. My wife and I wanted to do a big road trip in 2018, and have an extra vehicle we could just get in and drive for weekend getaways. I though about getting one of those tiny Pod shaped RV trailers, but ultimately decided we didn't want to deal with using my truck for towing. I didn't want the hassle of unloading and reloading my work gear, and Aly didn't want to tow anyway, so van it was! So we got our B250 and love it. It's been some work here and there, head gasket blew on that big trip last year, but it still made it most of the way before we had to rent a Uhaul to get it back home. Fuel pump went out last week but no big deal, just picked it up from the shop for that. Looking forward to putting a ton more miles on that 318!
I grew up in various dodge caravans. I could be considered a little off beat. Back in high school I found some Glen-L plans for "RV's" basically converting a LWB Chevy, Ford, Dodge. That captured my imagination; time and money never met in the same place till now.
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do what I always did. Wrench in the driveway and leave something the kids would fight over when I'm gone. 
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