While we may think that a bunch of social media influencers somehow discovered the very profitable niche of becoming “overlanders” who drive expensive campers across the country with seemingly no actual income stream is a new thing, camper conversions have been with us for quite some time. However, like so many other times when something old becomes new again, the original concept of taking a standard Chevy G20 van and making it into a miniature camper was seemingly better the first time around. Check out this 1985 Chevrolet G20 “Get Away Van” here on eBay with a Buy-It-Now of $12,999 and the option to make a best offer.

I often get a bit nostalgic when I see vehicles from my youth that are now either tired beaters or already restored into minty time capsules commanding big prices, numbers that I would have previously not thought possible. The funny thing is about the “new world” of conversions is, like everything else in life, it has seemingly become something reserved for the well-heeled among us. If you check out the prices for fully kitted-out Sprinter conversion vans, you likely have to take a step back and collect your bearings as to how a truck that is otherwise used by plumbers and couriers is suddenly a $50,000 (or higher) acquisition. The original Chevy G20 conversions were certainly among the pricier vehicles on the lot, but sold right next to S10s and Cavaliers, which somehow made it seem more accessible.

The G20 also wasn’t intended to sell exclusively to upper-crusters and bored yuppies just looking for a way to boost their Instagram account views. I can remember friends whose parents bought these G20-based conversions often bemoaning the fact that they were being picked up in a van, despite the fact that it was oftentimes kitted out with a TV and VCR. Truth be told, I would have loved to have had one of these as a kid, as it would have made road trips on vacation way more enjoyable. This “Get Away Van” has just under 70,000 original miles and while it has some tired cosmetics here and there, the condition of the interior is very encouraging in terms of how it was potentially cared for. I tend to think the faded cosmetics on the outside is just the result of not being garaged full-time rather than any indication of neglect.

The front passenger compartment is in equally nice condition as the rear living space, although the covers on the seats could be hiding rips and tears. Regardless, the running gear will be cheap to service and parts availability is still quite good. If this were mine, I’d live with the slightly tatty cosmetics and perhaps even take the old-school approach of applying some clearcoat over the faded paint and graphics to ensure those decals survive for the long-term, as they perfectly capture the spirit of adventure that came standard with conversions like these. Although the seller doesn’t spell out the variety of camping-friendly features this G20 is sure to have, the baseline condition looks good enough to take a chance on if you’re not a local buyer. The Chevy is conveniently located in Chicago if anyone is up for a fly-in, drive-home adventure.