Since 1966, a company called Quigley has been providing extensive modifications to popular vans to turn them from highway crawling people haulers into robust overland apparatuses. This vintage Chevy van is no different, with the Quigley conversion giving it impressive offroad capabilities and plenty of equipment to go off the beaten trail with. Find this 1981 model here on eBay with a 4BT Cummins turbo diesel under the hood with an opening bid of $7,500.
Over the years, plenty of aftermarket companies have converted popular models for any number of reasons, from flower cars to camping rigs. While companies like ASC may have been chopping off roofs in the 70s and 80s, Quigley was converting trucks to become four-wheel drive capable, and given its close relationship with many OEMs, building a final product that felt like factory spec was paramount. This Chevy has some personal touches besides the 4WD conversion.
The aftermarket wheels are one giveaway; the shag carpeting is another. It’s interesting – I wouldn’t have expected a 4WD rig like this to have shag carpeting inside the passenger compartment. This type of vehicle lends itself to a recreational sportsman, or a skiier, or simply someone who takes camping seriously. Regardless of the occupants, changing this Chevy back to stock condition inside won’t be too challenging, and a good opportunity to convert it to a proper camper inside.
There’s plenty of room for storage compartments, beds, and more. Adding in a cooking stove and running water will likely be a project for the next owner, especially if they plan to use the G20 off-road. The seller says there are 180,000 miles on the engine and 30,000 on the transmission, the latter of which was installed at 160,000. With the legendary reputation of the Cummins diesel engine behind it, I have little doubt this rare Quigley conversion will find its way to a trailhead soon.
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This thing looks like it’s ready to fight. I love vans from the 70’s and 80’s, but man, that would be difficult for me to climb into and fall out of.
Looks like a zombie 🧟♀️ apocalypse van to me .
The ice cap keeps melting and soon it will release the virus frozen beneath.
Better get this one fast and done soon…
lil bed in back with water supply and flat black paint and a wench on a enforced bumper as well as bigger gas tank to haul ..
🤪😛😝😜🥺😱🤥
Wouldn’t you want the wench on the inside?
Aye Matie I think you would most certainly want the Wench on the inside and probably a Winch mounted to the enforcer bumper but then again opinions vary. Maybe Pirates tie there Wenches to the front bumper here in the 21st Century.
Goodness. I never thought about the hidden frozen virus!
Yikes!
That also wouldn’t have a TB4 conversation by Quigley. Nice idea though.
Interesting the seller Pimps the 4BT Cummins that is installed in the van yet has NO PICTURES of engine or install in their Ebay auction.
How DUMB is that????
When I was with the GM dealer we sold only one G30 4×4. I think it was a 1980 model. It had a 400 SBC and had few options other than A-C and Cuise. The buyer was a jet-setting dentist and had managed to avoid tasting that one food item that has ruined many a male’s life: wedding cake. In some ways he was like a sailor, with a girl in every port. I do know that whenever I saw the guy he had a different ‘model’ with him. Anyways he sent that van to a shop out on the coast and when I saw it again it was hardly recognizable. I’m sure the conversion cost more than the original van. But he wasn’t short of the cash required to do such things. I often wonder what he’s up to now, and where the van is…
Cool conversion but a 4bt would make that thing an absolute pig! Needed the 6bt.
The 4BT is somewhat anemic compared to the 5.9. It’s a lot more adaptable but limited. You’re going to have a challenge getting transmission and transfer case/driveshaft all installed.
4X4 vans are cool for road use on mountain & forest roads but for real off roading way to bulky and top heavy.
Don’t think offroading so much as all weather. Living in Canada this would be the perfect year round RV as anything with just RWD is useless once we get snowed in.
Kinda drooling over this too as the MPG makes it practical as a daily driver.
Looks like an older video but definitely the same van.
https://youtu.be/paW4e0JaxgE
It’s up on CL too:
https://denver.craigslist.org/cto/d/cotopaxi-1981-chevy-g30-4bt-cummins/6907582222.html
This would be the ultimate camper/off road rig!! A couple of dirt bikes and a trip to the desert might be tha next place she goes!!! 400 sbc would move this pretty well I suspect!!!