This 1989 P-30 isn’t the oldest step-van GMC made – that honor belongs to the Dubl-Duti, launched in 1940 under the Chevrolet nameplate. The Dubl-Duti utilized a pick-up chassis, Chevy’s Thriftmaster six-cylinder, and a body built by Divco. Meant for step-on, step-off delivery service in urban areas, the Dubl-Duti popularized a configuration that Pack-Age-Car and Divco had initiated years before. Gradual modernization brought this boxy shape into being; later, GM sold its P-chassis business to Workhorse Custom Chassis. Workhorse still makes vans, though the new product is an electric vehicle built for last-mile delivery. Meanwhile, vintage vans have been used as the raw material for customizers to create food trucks, mobile service shops, even RVs. Today’s example – formerly used by Seattle Lighting as a service truck – is available here on craigslist for $8500 in Auburn, Washington. Thanks to Jack M for the tip!
This example is powered by Chevy’s 350 cu. in. V8, settled in the doghouse centered below the dash and paired with an automatic transmission. The seller notes it measures 14′ from stem to stern. Thanks to municipal ownership, the truck was maintained at regular intervals. And according to the seller, this van has only traveled 14,700 miles since it left the factory.
The interior paneling is new oriented strand board, and the body is aluminum. While the chassis and other components may rust, at least that body will remain solid. Owners report that the driving experience is primitive, though: the engine heats up the cabin, ventilation never seems adequate, and the doors rattle mercilessly. The good news is that modern components and renovation can fix these issues. This early Kurbmaster, made by Grumman on a Chevy chassis, has been updated to the nth degree.
Step-vans, bread vans, milk vans – they’ve all got fans! Collectors tend to pay up for early, rounded, Art Deco bodies, but there’s space for everyone in this hobby. This dealer specializes in sales and restoration of classic step-vans; here on Classic.com, you’ll see that early Grumman-bodied vans can sell in the tens of thousands. What would you do with this P-30 if it dropped into your driveway?
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Check out this Dodge panel truck I found on FB marketplace
How time marches on but some vehicles never seem to age. It seems that these vans looked like this one back in the 60s. Well, they were a tad more crude. I remember when GM offered a 3-53 Detroit Diesel engine in these. I never actually saw one but some of my colleagues in other communities did. I still wouldn’t mind coming across one with that screamer in the bay.
I’m curious as to how they actually handled.
For this truck, it would be a great truck to run a popup store, or use as a gopher truck for parts. I sure wouldn’t use it as a storage shed.
How did they handle? I felt they were quite neutral and predictable. After all they are the basis for Class A motorhomes. My association with these were the ones we performed durability testing at proving ground. One was a 30-series bread wagon with a 6.2 Detroit and a 4-speed, slow as molasses but easy and comfortable to drive for an overgrown oaf like me. The other was a P4 motorhome with a 454-Hydra-matic and dummy body. Front compartment was standard motorhome with big cushy seats, stereo and air, rear was empty cargo space for ballast bags and a roll up rear door. Both drove without the drama associated with short wb trucks. Most drivers preferred not to drive the cargo van because it was noisy and crude over the block road. Although it lacked air conditioning you could drive with the door(s) open.
I’d make a cool little camper out of it myself. Nice ride!
This is cool Michelle. Personally, this has such low miles and is a great price, if anyone has ever looked for any kind of used box truck. Yes it’s older, but that 350, which may very well be hooked up to a THM 400 is very bullet proof. I’d absolutely make a camper out of this. Now this has me thinking…… Thank you for sharing the link for that old Kurbmaster. I’d leave the 6 and 4 speed in that one, just like they did. Really nice job on that conversion and it shows you what you could do with something like this.
Definitely a good buy for anyone who needs the versatility of all the cubic feet. Our Fire Department had one back in the 80s. The hazmat team needed one for the utility value for carrying response materials. I drove it once back to the station from a work party on a foam storage building we were working on. I was off duty and I can’t remember how my own vehicle got back but it was fun to drive and was a rather impressive truck. It handled about as well as you could expect from a big empty box and was so new it didn’t have lights and siren or the radio installed yet. Plenty of power, good brakes, decent seat, as wide as a pumper and all aluminum being a good thing, too. Our fire apparatus in those days were steel bodied and prone to severe rust. Good price for a low miles, well built Grumman Chevy P 30 model. Municipal buyers had found good value in these. Cheap to operate and maintain.
Craigslist ad is down to $6500, real good price in my opinion, those low miles are from sitting at a job site. Ton Chevy chassis so parts are readily available, Mills Supply in Ohio has all the body parts you could need. We have an ’85 P30 w/ Union City body, 16′ load area w/roll up door that we run to the farmers market. Aluminum body on a ton chassis stops and steers great but you have to hang on to it like a cardboard box on a windy day!