The 21st century needs a huskier dose of the van in its cultural diet. There’s evidence that we’re getting there: “Boogie Vans” from the ’70s have reemerged, the Chevy Astro has a cult following, and I’ve seen diecast 1/64 scale versions of the original Caravan on the pegs at my local department store. For the ultimate in van kitsch, however, maybe we need to go all the way back to the ’60s, when this stylish Chevy Sportvan was built. It’s listed here on eBay and the seller (located in Kemah, Texas) says that it’s a one-repaint original with 52,000 miles, and it looks as if that may be true. Are you ready for the van life?
Like most vans, the Chevy was designed for versatility; you could carry a lot of cargo or a lot of people. The Sportvan Deluxe was the top-of-the-line people carrier in the world of Chevy vans, and it shows. The color coordinated turquoise interior is fantastic, and it will seat seven, according to the brochure.
One of the selling points of the van was its maneuverability; with a 90-inch wheelbase like our feature car has, the Sportvan is a mere 171 inches in length, about a foot shorter than a ’68 Corvair. Because vans were born to be customized, this one has a CB radio for when you’re eastbound and down.
Unfortunately, there was no such thing as a hot rod in the van catalog for 1968. Three engines were available, two sixes (230 and 250 cubic inches) and a V-8 (307 cubic inches). This one has the midlevel 250 with 155 gross horsepower (125 net). The truck catalogs in the ’60s often listed the more realistic “net” horsepower rating along with the more common “gross” rating; because trucks are used for hauling loads, the more realistic rating gave buyers a better idea of how much engine they needed based on the loads they carried. Behind the 250 is a fully-synchronized three-speed manual (with a column shifter). Driving a three-on-the-tree is fun as long as you don’t try to rush things, although the placement of the clutch pedal may be an acquired taste that some may not acquire.
With several days left to go in the auction, the high bid for this Sportvan is already up to $12,900, and the reserve has not been met. How much is it worth? It’s hard to say, because a clean Chevy van like this one doesn’t pop up for sale very often. While it won’t be cheap, there’s no reason not to use this economical hauler as a fun cruiser for you and six friends when the nice weather returns. The van life looks pretty good from here.
Oh lord! We had a ‘69 with a v8 backed by an automatic. A couple of weeks in, the engine started moving around under that center cover and pulling the accelerator -revving itself up. My father (the nuclear engineer) diagnosed broken motor mounts. He had my mother (brave woman) drive it very slowly to dealer and the salesman, thinking this little lady doesn’t know what she’s talking about, got in the thing and stomped the gas. The engine rolled, accelerated, and he found himself rocketing at a line of new cars. He stood on the brake and yanked the key just in time to prevent disaster.
Yup, they replaced the motor mounts.
I didn’t know the 69 bad motor mounts also included the vans! Chevy answer to the problem was using chains through the bracket to the wishbone frame! ‘ 69 was a bad quality year for many cars because of the auto workers strike.
My ex-brother in law worked as a maintenance man at A.O. Smith in Milwaukee for years. When Smith got out of the auto business, a major builder of car frames, the unibody killed that, they downsized considerably. They had a van just like this for interplant maintenance. It had like a couple thousand miles on it. They were going to junk it, but I think he got it for nothing. For some reason, Chevys never made it as a shaggin’ wagon. Memories of Corvair vans probably held these back.
HoA:
“Shaggin” reference made me laugh out loud. You’d think you had been surfin out in Malibu with Gidget :)
It;s a beautiful van and I never had much love for the Corvair……much rather have this. Wonderful that the seller has kept it so squared away
eastbound and down…we’re loaded up and truckin’, we’re gonna do what they say can’t be done….
“This is Sheriff Buford T Justice and I’m tail-grabbin’ your a**s!”
Definitely not many of these “see through” vans left! I had a ’74 Club Wagon and tinted the windows for my “extra curricular” activities, which by then, meant camping with my wife at a racetrack.
yeah, my ’68 (or wuz it ’69?) was ‘no window’. May B the newest vehicle bought (to date, only 2 yrs old) I cut in jalette’s (6 or 8 horizontal crank out glass panels) windows for each side, put in pull out bed, etc. Asa 19 y/o I used it for work, travel, living. Doing again I’d make more stealth w/o the (“hippy”) windows. May B only the triangles behind the driver’s & passenger’s head (right side = driver’s view @ intersections, driver’s side – just to balance it out).
No windows & 8dor (yup, do the cheb roadside doors) could B great for me 50 yrs later. Might even paint ona sign for a generic service company for each side. No more workin van, a bit of a sleeper (the 292 i6 & a 4L60 for the OD) to actually sleep in. aahahaha BUT…
no what I’d like better? course not. And it would B the (3yr?) 1st gen cheb van. Cheb was the only company to make 2 very different vans simultaneously: the ‘G’ (cheb & GM) and the Greenbriar (corvair van). Imagine havin a ‘rampside’ & one of these 8dor/no window both in the stable at 1 time?
nota rampside
https://corvaircenter.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=728874
no 8dor pic but is 1st gen (a frnt view really shos da differences)
http://fantomworks.com/14742/fcf-1964-chevrolet-g10-panel-van/#google_vignette
for fun:
https://vintage-vans.forumotion.com/f4-g-van-general-discussion
I had a ’69 108 window van with a 307. Some kid I met advanced the timing enough so I got 15 mpg as opposed to 12. A friend and I put our dirt bikes in the back and went up and down the Pacific Coast before joining the real world. Once I got back to civilization I cut out white contact paper letters, “STAR TRUK” imitating the graphics from the TV show starring Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock. I plastered the name on the rear quarters and drove around town like that.
23 year-old me did a lot of things that would embarrass 74 year-old me.
You ride right over the axle in one of these, and it’s an adventure. They just feel and drive different . If you go over rail road tracks or in an out of pot holes, it feels like you’re going exactly where that axle goes, up, down, and over. I had a ’69 Handi-Van cargo unit.
I drove one a few times that was a work truck and it had pretty worn front spring shackles. Man that steering was jinky because of that. I later owned a75 Chevy Beauville van and it was light years more refined that those early vans were.
It’s got one of those fm converters!
Rarely seen today, and quite cool. In good shape. Accessories plant this van directly in its era: CB, FM convertor, West Coast mirrors, stick-on thermometer. I suspect driving this would feel completely different from anything I’ve ever driven, with the through-the-floor clutch, three-on-the-tree, and the driving dynamics noted above. Plus not having any crush zone.
Nice hope the new owner keeps it original
Cool van. I’d leave it as is.
Thanks
Aaron
I’d just leave it ….
This is one of the nicest I’ve seen
Lovely looking Chevy Van. I’ve always loved these old-school vans.
My dad had a ’67 108 longer wheelbase. It had a 283/power glide. Also his,was red and white with a red interior