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1964 and 1965: Pair of Chevrolet G-10 Panel Vans

The “Chevrolet Van” referred to the G-10 series of panel vans that GM made  from 1964-66 (first generation). They replaced the rear-engine, air-cooled Corvair Corvan and Greenbrier and were offered in passenger and cargo van configurations plus a chassis for custom applications. These were mid-engine vehicles with the motor placed between the front seats and were rated at half-ton capacity. The remains of two of these vans from 1964 and 1965 can be found together and sold as a pair from a field near Bozeman, Montana. They’re available here on craigslist for $1,950 OBO for the duo and brought to our attention by Nicholas T.

These work horses came with a choice of two engines, a 153 cubic inch inline-4 (90 hp) or a 194 cubic inch inline-6 (120 hp). We don’t know which engine can be found, if any, in either of the seller’s vans. A 3-speed manual transmission was standard and a 2-speed Powerglide was optional. These vans were noted for their single-piece flat glass windshield, which is a good thing and are easier to replicate as neither of the seller’s vans has front glass now. They were simple in design and execution as to maximize the hauling of cargo, tools, equipment and even people. They could be ordered with or without windows and side cargo doors and a heater and right-front passenger seat were optional.

We can’t distinguish between the vans as to which one is the ’64 vs. the ’65. So, we’ll refer to them by color as the Yellow Van and the Orange Van. Interesting, but it seems the side doors of the two vans have been switched with each other. Neither of them will come with a title, but the seller is agreeable to making a delivery (depending on how far, I suppose). If you bought them, what would you do with them? Try to make one good one out of the two?

Yellow Van

This one reminds me of the “dog” van in the movie Dumb & Dumber, although all the fur here is on the insides. It looks as if this van was a big-time hippie hang-out back in the day with all the shag carpeting (BTW, where’s Cheech & Chong?). Outside, it’s dented in the front and rear, including bumpers, and the headlights are missing. One of the back windows also looks to be gone. There is likely to be some rust, but whatever might be would largely be surface. There are small “opera” windows on each side in the rear, which were probably added in time for the trip to Woodstock.

Orange Van

This one looks to be the most basic of the two vans. It’s also dented in the front and rear and the headlights have also taken flight. Some rust or other body damage work has already been completed given the primer on the bottom half of the passenger front door. This was a cargo van given the completely open and undecorated storage area. The seat covers are all but gone but everything in back looks reasonably intact. If the two vans went to Woodstock together, this one could have carried all the musical instruments and supplies!

Comments

  1. Avatar Plymouth arrow guy

    The Van’s decided to swap doors.

    Like 3
    • Avatar Steve Clinton

      The poster ad a 50% chance of getting it right. BAHAHAHA!

      Like 0
  2. Avatar Steve Clinton

    That gold shag carpet must be worth $1950. by itself!

    Like 1
    • Avatar stu

      Imagine….all you need is rug shampoo and time on your hands to make these babies gleam?

      Like 0
  3. Avatar Richard Haner

    when I was 19,I bought one of these no window vans..mine being a 66….It was done with the same orange shag on the interior…The 6 cylinder in it was had grown tired though…and I had just inherited $2000 from my grandad,a ton of money to me at that time…(1976) so I went to the wrecking yard in search of a motor…What I found,was a low mile Z28 motor and wheels off a 70…so in and on they both went…Even with the 3 speed on the column rolling in 2nd gear,it would smoke the tires and pull it sideways….but eventually the little 3speed just couldn’t handle the power and it started to sing…so down the road it went…wish I knew where that one ended up…

    Like 2
  4. Avatar gary englert

    would you consider shipping them to me

    Like 3
    • Avatar George Kochis

      Would you sell just the side door latches ?

      Like 0
  5. Avatar Dave Mathers

    Those will NOT buff out!! LOL

    Like 0
  6. Avatar Wayne Thomas Member

    I had the privileges’ of driving one of these with a column shift 4 speed. I didn’t believe what I saw. The van belonged to a man at the Ball field in my daughters younger days back in 1980. It was special built and ordered and retired from South Central Bell fleet of trucks. Yes a Muncie 4 speed at that.

    Like 0
  7. Avatar man ' war

    I heard a guy refer to these vans as ‘bricks on wheels’. He had a grey one with smaller rear windows unlike the bigger ones which most have (or no windows). I also had a red one like the one here. I bought mine for around $1400 in 2011, and it was a driver with a straight six 194ci engine. It ran good. The only issue was the 3 speed which I had rebuilt at AMMCO which cost me around $1300. But after that no issues with the trani. I sold it for $1950, and it stayed up here in Colorado. I believe up in Glenwood Springs. The new owner painted it black with lots of pin striping, bagged it, nice wheels, new carb it looked like, rhino lined the floor from front to rear, paneled the walls with white and black paint. I tried to buy it back in 2014, but $4500 was not enough. lol.

    Like 1
  8. Avatar chrlsful

    fella hasa 8 door one, pretty rare I’d say.
    90 inch WB, lill different on the windshied surround than the 2nd gen.
    The brake master is under driver’s floor like the early econoline. This hasa solid frnt axel like the T-buckets.

    These & the dodge spit window are all represented at vintage van dot xxx.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOZHJ7TC8fg

    Like 0
  9. Avatar kenB

    1975. Austin, Texas. I had to report for my Army service in Ft. Bliss in El Paso 500, miles distant, in a week and I had no car. Bought one of these for about $200. It smoked, needed a windshield and had no rear bumper. A local welding shop knocked a bumper together out of steel channel and welded it to the mangled mounts….all for $35. Getting a windshield was no problem.

    Couldn’t do anything about smoking engine. Threw away most everything I owned except for a few boxes of car books and old issues Road and Track and Sports Car Graphic magazines that I still have.

    Bought 6 quarts of oil…..the really cheap stuff. I used all that oil in about 60 miles! Finally got into a rhythm…..add oil, top up radiator, drive 30 or 40 miles, rest,….add oil….add coolant…..drive 30 or 40 miles….etc etc. Probably used 20 or 30 quarts of oil.

    Made it to Ft. Bliss, signed in on time. The post MPs were always stopping me and hassling me over this “suspicious” van until I complained to their captain. Then they left me alone.

    A ring and valve job in Juarez for $99 cured my smoking and a junkyard radiator cured most of the overheating. Months later, got T-boned by a taxi, ending the car’s the car’s life.

    I loved the styling, the simplicity and, believe it or not, the handling. The three on the tree would hang up once in a while.

    Then I was off to Germany. My next five or six cars all had the blue and white roundel (sp?) of BMW.

    Like 1

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