One of the ultimate expressions of classic vehicle ownership has to be through classic van life. The van culture that we still see support for today was born in the 1960s and 1970s wherein vans emerged as commercial workhorses and then became the ultimate rolling expression of one’s personality. While today’s vans may be more used for overlanding expeditions rather than road support at a Harley rally, the value proposition remains the same: space for friends and gear and instant accommodations should you need some shuteye on the road. This 1967 Chevrolet G10 “Sport Deluxe” van is in great shape for an unrestored example, and is listed here on eBay with bids to $14,600 and no reserve.
This G10 is a great alternative to the overpriced and underpowered Volkswagen Microbus of the same era. Now, I’m a VW guy and love the old air-cooled models, but after a certain point, they really don’t make any sense from a cost/value perspective. This particular Chevy seemingly has just as much room inside, and while it’s not a camper conversion, you can easily make those retrofits yourself over a few weekends. Cabinetry, a stove, better floors – all of this work is being done seemingly on a daily basis by hobbyists who want to take their van life on the road. You could easily make this G10 more livable without having to jeopardize its originality.
Perhaps the beat feature this Chevy has going for it is its 283 V8 that’s stowed up front. The transmission is a two-speed Powerglide automatic, so it will both get out of its own way and be an epic Friday night cruiser on the strip. The seller doesn’t disclose any recent maintenance, simply confirming that the Chevy runs great. Of course, you’d like to know more, but it may just be that this G10 will need to stand on the merits of its presentation, which showcases an incredibly clean interior and a decent-but-not-amazing exterior that was repainted ten years ago in its original colors.
The underside looks just as good as the top layers, which no evidence of major corrosion or even surface rust. The seller notes this G10 is a southern truck by birth which may help to explain why there’s not a lick of surface rust to be seen, a condition that simply doesn’t exist once you go a few hours north. The G10 poses a conundrum, as the interior is the best part of the van and also the place where you would most likely customize it to your heart’s content. Which path would you choose – get your camper van kicks somewhere else and leave this Chevy alone, or create the ultimate modern road trip vehicle with all of the conveniences of home inside?
I’d keep it as is and love having it to drive. These old forward control vans are my favourite of the van body type in general. With there were a body on frame instead of the unibody design. My beat up ‘69 has a 327 4bbl in it. It’ll get out of it’s way too!
My ex-brother in law was a maintenance mechanic at AO Smith in Milwaukee. He was one of the last to be laid off when the frame biz went under, and the maintenance dept. had a van just like this they used for just in the plant The plant at that time occupied like 15 city blocks. He was able to buy the van, it had like 3,000 miles on it. This style Chevy never made it big with the “shaggers”, Dodge had that role, but later, the song “In my Chevy van”, meaning the next generation, they became a big hit. In the “who cares” dept, I hated every one of these “cab forward” vans I ever drove. Most became tool sheds out back, it’s amazing to see one on all 4 wheels. Make no mistake, it’s a box and will handle like one.
The “shaggers” and the guys with the don’t be knocking if this van is rock’n stickers usually kept far away from window vans.
Are those Ford mirrors?
Look like they’re aftermarket to me.
Similar to the factory ones on a ’77 Toyota pickup.
…in a van…down by the river…Chris Farley would be proud……
A buddy of mine had a 1961 Econoline that was a real bear to drive. Are these Chevys any better? Would this even have power steering since it’s a v8?
My dad had a van like that, it was a green GMC tho. I never saw it run, but it was my and the other neighborhood kids’ playhouse/spaceship/big rig the summer I was 4. Front cab only, no kids allowed in the rear compartment (dad was in the glass business); the back seats had been removed and used as back porch furniture.
Sweet looking Chevy van. I’ve always loved the 1967-69 Chevy van.
As a teenager, I drove a ’69 Chevy van, owned by a company I worked for, part-time. A six cylinder fittewith a three-speed manual, it grabbed rubber in all gears. The van, the only Chevy in a fleet otherwise composed entirely of Fords, was such an exceptional performer, that I would argue with other young drivers about who would drive it on any given night.
As it turned out, that van remained in service for many years, eventually turning more than 200,000 miles of the roughest handling imaginable. At one point, a piston failed. The mechanic simply fitted a stock replacement, and the thing ran for several additional years.
Some things make such an impression, that you never forget. In relating this story, I reach back more than a half-century. That Chevy van was one of the most remarkable vehicles I’ve ever encountered, and I’ve owned more than forty.
When I was in the Navy in 1969, there was a boy with the last name Kuken from New York who had a Chevy Van that was customized with bed and other items. He parked it by the Barracks Parking Lot and slept in it. Another interesting one I looked at one time after I moved back to North Ga was one of my friends. It was an old Bell South item he had purchased. It was special ordered with a Muncie 4 speed shifted from the 4-speed shifter on the Column. Didn’t believe it until I seen it and drove it.
Several years ago, I had a ’68 Chevy ‘108’ window van. The previous owner was an avid hunter who owned a body shop so, he painted it camouflage with the same colored curtains. Just two seats, the floor and walls were shag carpet. 6 cylinder w/3 on the tree, I never checked gas mileage but oil mileage at the time I parked it was a quart to 60-75 miles. The 3 years I had it, it never had windshield wipers and because I used Rain-X, never needed them except during freezing rain it would’ve been nice. Not that the heater and defroster ever worked well. At most, I hauled 8 motorcycles in it, taking precautions to keep handlebars from breaking windows.
Other Chevy vans I’ve owned over the years were ’74, ’77, ’78, ’84 and just bought a ’81 1 ton 3 weeks ago, a rather unique one. It has a generator to power 110 outlets as well as high voltage test equipment. It was owned by a local REC (Rural Electric Cooperative). It’s a ‘high top’ equipped with 4 flood lights as well as 3 spotlights. I’ll need to have help disconnecting and removing the high volt stuff without messing up the 110. It’ll be a good swap meet vehicle.
hada ’69 back in the day a lill like this – brk blue (the utilitarian) no chrome or windows. Used asa lrg co’s service van, I was 2nd owner & as a teen did small ‘knock out’ (removable) mods. Used as home’n business it worked really well till the i6 snapped a Crod. On interstate (different rules) I lost it to storage fees as I just began college and life turned ina different direction.
Now I really luv the preceeding gen, the 1st (’64/6). Greenbriers’n these were made simeltaniously at least one year (see the orange 1/4 way down pg):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_van
here’s nother:
https://vintage-vans.forumotion.com/t61763-engine-and-body-progress#274766