What is it? I have no idea, but the seller says this GMC van is the result of a 20-year work in progress. It appears the work is far from being complete, but what is done shows off a custom front end, wildly flared fenders, and really not much remaining of the original van it was based on. No word on whether this creation has any history with the vintage van scene or if it’s been stuck in a garage since its inception. Find it here on eBay with one bid to $4,500 and no reserve.
The rear end is also completely customized, and the seller says the fender flares and ground effects are “all metal.” I wonder, then, what that makes all of the other new bodywork? In addition to being chopped “4-6 inches”, it also appears to be lengthened by a fair amount as well. The paint is an attractive combo of white, red, and crimson, but what is that custom channel in the middle of the back end? It looks like a place to mount wheelie bars, but I’m not sure.
Seeing those inner arches tells me you could stuff far wider rubber and wheels underneath the rear fenders than what’s currently mounted. The problem with wide fenders and flared arches is you have to then find the appropriate-sized rubber to make the wild look complete, and that kind of equipment is usually quite spendy. In addition, the axles should be reinforced to support the crazy offsets that will be looking to shatter wheel bearings at every opportunity. The interior is also incomplete, so your work isn’t limited to the outside.
And what is going on with that dash? It looks like a custom enclosure, potentially with digital / LCD screens. The driver’s cabin is rough, with the doghouse missing and stains in the carpets. The seats are from a different model and don’t match particularly well. Still, if the bodywork is well done, you couldn’t possibly re-create it given the hours likely invested in this custom GMC up to this point, but the trouble is this: will another buyer feel as passionate about the design path taken by the original builder? With the interior complete, I’ll bet this would get a lot more eyeballs from potential buyers. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Patrick S. for the find.
Looks like one of the silly pictures on the clickbait ads, “35 of the most amazing newest cars ever seen”.
Hey, you got a link to that?, sounds awesome!
Picked the right name for it. Looks like the dog house is in the back amongst the other crap.
Will the “chocks” be included in the sale? Lol
Whoever bid $4,500 on this make it easy on yourself and just throw the money out of a moving car-since you will be throwing it away anyhow,,,
Twilight Zone? More like Acid Trip.
It was a labor of love by whoever built it. What’s unfortunate, is that it was out of date when they started and is even more so now.
Steve R
This is the result of 20 years work? Gott im Himmel!
I think it was meant to read “Off and on for the past twenty years, but mostly off.”
GMC Parade of Prollynotgonnafinishthis….
It appears to be made of chicken wire and paper mache. My brain hurts now.
Twilight Zone ? Nope from that frontal view it looks more like it fell from the star ship enterprise.
Okay dog house slang is the front end (fenders and hood etc.) but we get it the inside engine cover is in the back.
Looks like if this van’s a rockin get out as it’s about to deconstruct.
This to me is a labor of love and should be used as some kind of business advertisement but what honestly i am a loss …..other than an episode of tiny homes 🏡
Hmm.. set it on two poles 20 feet up with
1) “RV. sales and repair” scripting of your nearby busy highway and no needs to finish…. 😆
2) local old folks home on a pole again but eight feet off ground stating “turn right here seniors your home”. (Get it off the ground so no one there tries to drive it having a senior moment )
3…..turn here for recycling
Dont know what part of the country you are from, but doghouse always for decades has been the engine cover where I am from.
For the right price, I would soooo daily drive this thing. It isn’t worth what it would cost to make it “nice” again. However, get the interior de-funked, go over mechanics, and have fun with it!!
looks like the shuttle from Star Trek, too bad he didn’t finish it. it has potential to the right person. I just don’t think we have a lot of van lovers out here.
Forget about putting it on the road, just use it as a stationary billboard.
This is a time machine, not a van.
20 years you say. Well bless his heart
Scenes similar to this were played out monthly in the pages of Truckin magazine and others of the day. I had done some work with them back in the day and such customs were commonplace. Kolor Me Kustom was a big builder and several others. Owner of KMK Vini Bergman went on to form Ultra Limo where they built over the top limos including the Guiness record holder longest limo.Seller notes all metal b/c many were “all bondo”…
I’ll give whoever did the project an “A” for effort, too bad they didn’t have much in the way of a cohesive design thought out before hand. If you like the way it looks and have the willingness to finish off the interior then by all means pull the trigger on it. Keep in mind it’ll be even harder to sell than it is now when you’re done, upside down doesn’t even come close to describing where you’ll be financially!
I was hoping the interior would be something special, what a disappointment. He kind of wasted 20 years, but atlleast he tried.
I think the tubs in the rear,ruined some of the space potential,
and were not needed.Back in the 70’s these were very popular.
this could be really cool,but someone will have to make it a labor of love.
pretty wild,but needs a lot,hope someone can get this van a rocking again…!!
it looks like a knock off of a HotWheels Deore van from the late 60’s
If you close your eyes and listen very carefully, you can hear the plastic filler cracking.
Let’s be a little kind- seller says “all metal”.
came here looking for the ubiquitous double axles for the rear – left disappointed with a narrowed rear….would love the see the drive shaft this thing must have installed for it work..
The unmitigated gall of someone building their dream with out consulting the general public! Just terrible for them to do what they wanted.
Looks more Battlestar Galactica, original series, than Star Trek.
I think it’s ugly as heck but to each his own
I could’ve sworn I stopped doing meth???????wtf is going on
Wtf ,I’m going back to bed
WTF- meaning ” what the funny”?
Van Gogh Away (please)
wow………
It does appear that this could be a van like a 15 passenger (think church bus) van like I have…Dodge 3500; they are this long. Still a lot to love if this were in a movie !!
Interior was removed to tub it, then garage interior and other parts were in burned to the ground, everything lost.
Thats a bummer. Do you have any pictures of it?
This is a mess.
Listing on eBay ended November 9th by seller.
This van is in my garage as I bought it a couple weeks ago. Yes it’s built with metal not fiberglass. Has small block, auto, narrowed 9″ Ford unfinished. The front end is old fashioned hydraulics! Interior is empty other than those HUGE tubs. 4″/6″ chop, passengers front door along with both back doors welded solid. The roof is a solid 1 piece shorty. Digital dash and Daytona Beach bumper stickers finish this machine off. Won’t take much to get back on the road
Any progress, it is such a cool van?