Custom vans were “a thing” in the 1970s and into the 80s, a big thing. I was never lucky enough to have a custom van but I had a Dodge van, or vans, for years just for basic transportation and for a cleaning service that I owned after high school. This 1974 Dodge B100 shorty custom van can be found here on craigslist in Lake Forest Park, Washington and the seller is asking $5,000.
Overall, this van looks great, at least compared to what my ’74 Dodge van looked like. Mine was rusty and dented before I got it and it didn’t get any better over the next few years being used as a year-round vehicle in snow country. I found an old photo of it a while ago, it looks pretty good for a former Sears delivery van! A couple of years after that photo was taken, someone cut a corner too sharply and literally ripped off the left fender. I ended up fastening a turn signal mounted on a bent piece of sheet metal and I never did fix the fender, so it only had one fender for the last few years of its life.
The seller says that this cool custom shorty van is “period correct” which I take to mean that it was done in the mid-1970s. It was parked in 1990 so it’s been off of the road for three decades now. It was used to tow a race car before being put in the garage in 1990 so it’ll need work in order to bring it back to operating condition again. Dodge offered the “Street Van” a couple of years later which was basically a blank slate for customizers.
My van had a three-on-the-tree manual that we converted to a floor shifter but we had to put it in backward in order to get it to fit, so it was literally theft-proof. This van is much nicer, having an automatic transmission. Mine was a bare-bones delivery van with a metal dash, this one appears to have a nice padded dash and the seats are nicer, too. The cargo area looks like it may have been used for storage over the last thirty years, but like everything else here, it could probably be cleaned up and it would be fine. I built a little padded bench over the right wheel well and a 3’x7′ padded bed over the left wheel well for camping, it worked great.
My van had a 225 but this one has a 318 cubic-inch V8. They say that it ran when parked, as you expected to hear, but it’ll need some tweaking now for sure after 30 years. Have any of you owned a Dodge van from this era? If so, was it a work van, a family van, or a custom?
Definitely a neat period piece, but looks like it’s going to need a lot of work. Clearly the recent interest in old vans has had a big influence on the seller with the asking price. At $5000 I don’t see this one going anywhere for another 30 years.
Except it’s already pending sale. ;)
We have bought this van and I am now proudly driving it everyday while the weather holds out. We will be doing the interior this winter.
I’m the one selling the van. Thanks again Barn Finds for sharing this CL post and the nice article about it here on your website. We already have a very interested party that wants to ship it back east for restoration! :)
Hey Danny,
Super cool vintage van! Love the distressed graphics!
Any idea which race team this van supported back in the day?
I see the IMSA sticker in the windshield and the TOW 34 plates.
Were you connected to Honda Specialties?
Would love to know more about the history of the van.
Greg Marshall the ex-owner of Honda Specialties and a good friend of mine. I helped him sell the business when he got out of it. That van was his shop tow vehicle for years.
Glad you have an interested party, but have to agree with Rosco that there are much better examples available at lower prices. No expert, but currently own 3 70’s Dodge vans and am very familiar with the current market and what’s out there.
please please please tell me where i can find a shorty B series dodge with cragar mags and a small block V8, that’s not completely rusted out, for less than 5 grand…cause i’ll buy that in a heartbeat.
This was a steal at that price.
Look closely at the photos and there is a lot of rust. A pillars, drip rail, around windshield, door openings, front fenders, etc, etc. Another concern would be the trim tag on the door pillar that has been removed and installed with incorrect, generic rivets. Why? Grille and steering wheel both appear to be from a newer model as well. $5k is too much and probably why it’s been listed for so long.
Actually there isn’t very much rust at all. It has been garaged for a very long time. It’s actually only been up for a couple weeks now. And during a hard sale time it sure has the attention of most enthusiasts. Along with a potential buyer that wants to ship the car back east because of how clean the body is. Just waiting on a shipping service to complete the sale.
Steve, the steering wheel is correct,(I have a 72′), but I changed it for a “TUFF” wheel. Window cranks may be for a later model, mine have a large base and the van is missing the arm rests. The dash pad and bumpers may of been updated. Chrome bumpers were a Sportsmans item, but possible a Tradesman option.
None of that was rust it was just black dust there is no rot on this van.
People really don’t get it. That van was garaged in dry storage for over 20 years. And we don’t have rust problems here like in other parts of the USA.
I had 1977 Dodge Van that was customized. I loved that van it got great mileage with the 318 that was still going strong at 300K. It was fun to drive but I was in the Navy and got orders overseas so I had to sell it it was hard to do.
Scotty,
I had a 73 B200 van with 318 automatic. Bare bones inside. Bought new, promptly began to “customize” it. I put on a set of slotted mags (big rears, little fronts). Then, the “had to have” bay window on drivers side. Finished out the inside with pecan wood panelling. Shag carpet? No, I needed the van for dual purpose….to haul my 73 Maico to all the motocross events. Unload the bike, lay out the bed roll and I was all set for the weekend. Great fun. Thanks for posting this and triggering those great memories.
Dodge dealer I worked at in the 80’s had a shop van SWB, 360 and auto. It had the barn doors and one time I parked it on a curb and the side door popped open.
Hard to believe a vehicle in Seattle, regardless of being garaged, has no rust. Once the new owner pulls the old flooring and carpet out and has a good look underneath, I’m sure they will be in for a big surprise.
Ummm…unless water gets in & pools up/gets trapped, rust is not an issue in the region. A lot of times, too, the interior plastic is in pretty good shape. Last “Vintage” rig I bought up here is a ’76 Valiant. 318, all beige, solid quarters, floors, trunk, fender bottoms. 88k on the odo, bought a battery & registration, got it running…out about $250. You should see my ’76 Travco. Talk about a big Mopar!
Ummm…the difference with this one is you can actually see the rust. Everywhere! Take another look at the photos. I looked at a couple of ’70’s vehicles in Seattle / Tacoma area a few years back that had rust so bad the frames were rusted through and broken on both.
floor was solid paint on the floor looked brand new
I bought a 1975 “Shorty” new. Silver Tradesman, slant 6 auto. trans. Put on headers and side pipes. Many people said that it sounded like a VW van.
First thing I put on wheels and side pipes
Perfection.
I would not pay 500.00 dollars for that pile of s**t.
I have a few dozen of these type vans, going thru the pictures this van doesn’t seem to be rusted in the usual places. Should be a good buy for someone. Wonder what pile of sXXt Michael would pay $500 for?? A rusty Bronco?
Duaney, look closer at the A pillars, drip rail, front fender area, and around windshield. Rusty wiper cowl area guarantees rust around windshield which is a big deal! Pretty much all the usual places have rust showing! Look at the rear bumper and area around it. Seller posts no pictures of floors in any door openings which is common for rust. How does it look under the battery tray? Bet it’s rusted!
Your loss
Let the haters hate. We know the condition it was in.
i have driven these old dodge vans for decades!!.. oldest was a 74.. used it to haul music and band gear, stuff for the farm, Porsche and vw parts,clean it out and go camping.when the one you are driving kacks out ,buy another for a few hundred bucks ,change plates. and go!!i still have some behind the barn…have a 77 hi top home and park conversion that was all legal . and another home and park that was gutted for hauling a sound system.. time for a gig , don’t forget to switch plates…po po finally got me for doing that with vw jettas, so i had to clean up my act,wish you dodge van guys would come by and salvage what i have left…… i hate to scrap them..my ad is on kijiji Ontario Canada under dodge vans and parts. still driving a 99 goat for farm and music work..
Sad time for me. Bought my first vehicle in 1972, during my High School senior year, a 72′ Dodge Sportsman Royal Maxi B-300 Van. It took me on dates until I found my wife, fishing and hunting trips with my buddies, raised my family and took vacations. Put a 340 motor in it and added some other fun stuff to it during it’s life time. Restored it in 1990 and had some more fun with it, including attending car shows with it. 2005 I bought a new 2500 RAM Cummings and after 2 additional year, I parked the van for good, due to body started to rust. Last week, I sent it to the scrap yard, after trying to part out the good stuff, but had no takers. Did keep the 340 and tranny, for my next project. Vans were and still are “KOOL”. Best of JOY to the next owner of this van.
Not sure were all the rust everyone is referring to. I see a 45 year old van, which appears to be original paint, except for the add one painting, with only surface rust, due to paint deteriorating over the years. The rear drip rails is the first place to succumb to rust. I see a little possible over the side doors, that would be an easy fix.
Yes, there is surface rust. There is also a lot of real rust. Really doesn’t matter at this point, as the seller apparently has a buyer and is just waiting on a shipping service to complete the sale. Good luck to the new owner. FYI- chrome bumpers were available on both Sportsman and Tradesman models.
No rust at all Terry your right.
Looking beautiful Brian!!!
Looks good cleaned up. How about showing close up photos of the areas that were mentioned as rusted? That will show everyone your continued “no rust” comment is correct.
Good to know. I guess when the seller said “Actually there isn’t very much rust at all” he had no idea of what he was talking about. There’s NO rust.
Jag you have no idea what you are talking about. The van was super solid and the new owner is very happy with the purchase. Your opinion doesn’t even matter here…
Danny, before criticizing my comment maybe you should read the Seller’s actual comment posted on Apr 6, 2020 at 11:00am that states exactly what I was referring to. It says “Actually there isn’t very much rust at all”. Try and keep up.
“Sale pending”? Doubtful. But if so, hopefully the new owner has tons of time and cash to throw away on this since it’s going to need everything. Sitting for 30 years but it apparently ran when parked! Wow!! Never heard that before! Guessing the current seller/owner parked it in running condition in 1990?
It sold fast and looks better than ever. The joke is on you. ;)
No rust just like I said.
this sucker just popped up for sale here in western massachusetts, in worse condition than in these photos, for $7,000.00…and i’ll bet it sells. i’m fairly skeptical that it does not have rust, the particular trouble areas in the B series vans are not super easy to photograph, and big surprise the seller has no photos of those areas…also curious that they brought it to the east cost and never did anything with it, just to sell it off again.
Not our problem. And no clue why the new seller is now selling it. You should ask him.
We have bought this van and I am now proudly driving it everyday while the weather holds out. We will be doing the interior this winter.
Brian, just keep your eye on the drip rails and rear doors for leaks.
Very Happy