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Boogie Ready: 1979 Chevy Conversion Van

While old-school boogie vans will never be worth huge amounts of cash, there’s no doubt nostalgia is fueling a newfound appreciation for these party wagons. Coupled with the camping and “living in your van” movement that is still very much alive, I’m sure this 1979 Chevy Van here on craigslist will find a new owner who will customize that stripped-out interior to their heart’s content.

You have to love the old-school graphics that were commonplace on rigs like these, and thankfully they’ve survived quite well. You could recreate them if needed, but nothing beats in-period custom touches like this. The huge window on the driver’s side truly helped these vans feel like home-away-from-homes on wheels, and other touches like mudflaps, fender flares, side steps, and basketweave-style wheels gave them additional style points.

The interior looks quite tidy on this example, with clean bucket seats and what appears to be an uncracked dash. The door panels look very fresh as well, but I can’t tell if the carpet remains intact. Recent maintenance includes new brakes, water pump, and hoses, and the seller claims the 350 runs strong enough to confidently drive it anywhere. Mileage is low at just under 70K.

The cool 70s interior has been stripped out by a previous owner, but the seller does include a picture of how it looked with tables and cushions still installed. The cushions are included, so at least you’re not starting out from ground zero. The good news is most of these interiors feel quite funky (and not in a good way) by this point, so starting with a blank canvas can be a good thing. The asking price is $3K and the van is in Georgia.

Comments

  1. Avatar Bluetec 320 Member

    ‘Cause like a princess she was laying there
    Moonlight dancing off her hair
    She woke up and took me by the hand
    She’s gonna love me in my Chevy van and that’s all right with me

    Like 31
    • Avatar CapNemo

      For sure!

      Like 8
    • Avatar JustTheCaptain

      Been There, Done That

      Like 10
  2. Avatar RoughDiamond

    Oh yeah, the classic van song by Sammy Johns. However, the song never mentioned anything about having an outside viewing window for spectators.

    Like 19
  3. Avatar Rosco

    You need to check out some auction prices on what these old ’70’s vans are bringing. Harder to find and prices have gone crazy recently.

    Like 4
  4. Avatar DAVID6

    😲i have a 72 gm short 3/4 ton
    350 o1o, t400, 410 detroit locker
    & 9 more pre 73, car’s & truck’s
    7 of them r 1 owner’s they all
    need a new home 👍 😎

    Like 2
    • Avatar Steve

      Interested in details.

      Like 0
  5. Avatar Wayne

    I bought a new 1979 Dodge 200 van with a 318 and manual transmission in “Dodge Racing Green” (kind of like a metallic BRG) I purchased it to be my rally car service and tow vehicle. The rear third had a half way divider for tools and spares. The middle 2/3rds was a mattress. Not very fancy, or “hip” but it did the job. It worked well for weekends at Road America also. (Luckily, other family members were parked next to us with their motor home for bathroom and shower facilities.) As by the second day at R.A. The air in the “built it” restrooms would gag a maggot. The van got good mileage (16-21 mpg) and served well for many “stuff” transporting duties. I kind of miss the old van.

    Like 4
  6. Avatar Bill

    Who ever bought that originally had some nasty taste in paint schemes but at least you could get sick on the front seats and not notice it

    Like 5
  7. Avatar bigdoc

    My 1977 Dodge Van was so much fun. That 318 had over 300,000 miles and was still running strong.

    Like 1
  8. Avatar JESSE

    does anybody knows if a 1977 chevy van el dorado camper has a toilet and shower ? thanks.

    Like 0

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