With Easter Sunday upon us, it seems slightly cheap to post a vehicle that is dubbed a “shag wagon” by the seller, but perhaps he’s just referring to the acres of shag carpeting inside. The van in question was, at one time, a standard short wheelbase 1981 Chevrolet G20 van, but obviously, it’s a long way from home in terms of how it left the factory. If the gullwing doors weren’t a strong enough clue, there’s plenty of other details to feast your eyes on. Check out the “Golden Ticket” van here on craigslist for $15,500.
The interior has been completely redone, with the walls covered in fluffy white fur that looks as soft to touch as the critter that gave its life to make this happen. OK, it’s doubtful that any animals were harmed in the creation of this van unless those are leather seating surfaces we’re looking at. Now, what’s surprising is that the builder of this van didn’t opt for the standard rear bench / convertible bed in the back, as we typically see. Instead, it appears to just be a sort of uncomfortable-looking bench that I guess would be good for lounging on at van meets.
Honestly, I can dig the fact that the builder concentrated on the exterior over going crazy with the captain’s chairs and hidden beverage cabinets inside. There are fender flares, a front air dam, custom paint and graphics, roof visor, aftermarket wheels and tires, side-exit exhaust, and more. The front end is completely blacked out with zero proof there are actual headlights in the grill, and there’s a huge roof-mounted rear spoiler. The louvers on the back glass are a must-have, and obviously, the gullwing-style side door puts it over the top.
If you live driving around pretending there’s a big shaggy dog lounging on the dashboard, your ship has come in. The front buckets have been re-done in an attractive pattern, and the dash sports aftermarket gauges and a steering wheel. The shag “motif” continues to the door panels, so this truck is not a great choice for wallflowers. It’s difficult to even put a price on something like this, but at the end of the day, a short wheelbase G20 will always be in demand. Would you rock a G20 called “The Golden Ticket”?
I think I’m in love. That. Is. Awesome.
It won’t be white inside very long. The THC in the smoke will discolor it pretty quickly.
Surprisingly empty inside. Where’s the TV, 8-track, oak cabinetry, decanter set and bed? With just the bench seat and nothing else, they might want to rename the van “The Friend Zone”.
You need to catch up on your Kama Sutra. Plenty of options there.
Would like to find equipment to make my 79g20 sliding door go straight out. Help!
Shaggin’ Wagon has certain connotations in Australia. The white ‘fur’ looks like it’s been coated with contact glue and chucked at every possible surface.
All I can think of when seeing this is “Dumb and Dumber”,
except that the fur’s on the inside.
Funny, all I can think of is playing “The Candy Man” from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory!
The door panels and dash coverings remind me of those HORRID furry steering wheel covers that I have seen on several (women’s) cars. As a matter of practicality, there is no way that interior can be kept clean! I personally am not a fan of black wheels, but as Sly Stone said “different strokes for different folks”! GLWTS!! :-)
Why would they make the side door like that? Do you have any idea how many times I bumped my head on the minivan hatch? Sliding door worked fine. I “dated” a gal that had a custom Chevy van, miserable POS, really, from a time when when it really was hip to be square.
Just wait until those struts decide they can’t hold that door up and take out your legs at the calf.
Duck!!
The golden ticket is the prize everyone is hunting for in the story Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. If this van wants to be period correct, it requires chrome wheels and chrome side pipes.
Shorty Cevy vans were always cool. As far as ‘shagging”, it’ll have to be done on the floor though, and that interior probably has to be sheared twice a year.
Better include a lifetime supply of lint brushes with this rag van!
Needs an 8 track in dash and in the rear, CB, portable TV w antenna, to be perfect
This thing is hilarious, gotta love it.
The only things these were “Golden Tickets” for were unwanted pregnancies.
Awesome Van!
Sorry Moparman, got ahead of myself!!! Black wheels and sidepipes should be chrome.
Why in the world would you cover everything in that horrid white?????? Get rid of the bench, add a fold out bed, put in a fold down 32″ flatscreen, add a mini-fridge and a fold out table, and a couple of ceiling cabinets, lose the black wheels and side-pipes, and then we’re talkin’ “Golden ticket” Where could you possibly go with this the way it is except maybe your driveway on a dry sunny day??????? Just Sayin’
I had a 1977 G20, 3 on the three, 6 cylinder. It was a radio station van with large windows so you could see the radio host and a desk. I painted a simple wide stripe around the whole van to cover their logo and swapped a couch for the desk – done. Mine had nearly the same flares and front air dam. She looked great until rust set in. The side and rear doors rusted fast, so they were replaced with these same fiberglass hinged doors. The inside carpet mounted exactly the same as on the OEM steel door so the whole job was super easy. I mounted the struts so the doors swung as high as possible. Worked great for me and I am 6′ 1″.
The Golden Ticket is pretty cool. She was shortened, so the sliding mechanism became worthless necessitating the hinge-up doors. The interior is nothing special in my opinion, but that is an easy weekend with some carpet, vinyl, padding, staple gun and labor.
I put 150,000 miles on mine. I wonder how a shorty drives…?
This is kind of like Chip Foose re-imagining a Porsche. Most of the components are right, the concept isn’t horrible, but somehow the execution isn’t as awesome as a period correct version of the same vehicle. I had a custom Dodge Maxi-van back in the late 70’s that I poured a lot of thought, money and sweat into. Giant bed in the back, captains chairs, a keg cooler (drinking age was 18 back then…), lots of rail-style cupholders, an overhead console with a killer Alpine stereo and amps, lights, CB, etc., a giant sunroof, sidepipes and a massive Holley carb, and lots of places to stash..um…whatever I needed to stash. This truck looks like some kind of recreation…like a movie set version not really intended to be used or lived in. Oh, and I don’t think this has been shortened. I think the sliding door had to go because of the fender flares (not a problem if the side doors are the swing-out variety)…somebody made sliding door extensions that allowed you to clear fender flares back in the day. I like the exterior, but the inside just seems like a cop-out.
I have the same feeling about this van, and many of the recent van creations.
It feels like they are created by someone who “thinks” they have an idea of what a 70’s – created van looked like. To me, they need shag carpeting on the floor (never the walls), wooden paneling (every room in our house was paneled in the 70’s), and seating of all types – whatever was available.
Plus, all of the items that Skippy mentions.
My brother brought home a shagged out Econoline back in the ’70’s. Dad called it a “Sin Buggy”. LOL
The inside needs a haircut.
lill portable table there by the rear bench? An air bed, use the couch as a ‘nite table’? Mow dwn the white fur (1/2 inch) and haul in (& out) fridge, camp stove, etc?
Mine was a lill more perminant yet the bed could haul out the back 2 dors. Used it for hauin (income) and lodgins. Got to travel, explor and make a lill cash to do so. ’69 van in ’71/4
Toke?
Located in Jacksonville, FL
As someone who has been to a VAN FEST in the 70s this is pale in comparison to the actual 70s style. Fun fur was around but not this long. I would have to agree the wheels and side pipes need to be chrome.
I like custom vans. But, this one is not one of them. Not for me. Renovate the inside again and let me see what ya got.
Does an inflatable sheep come with it?
That interior is a joke, and was a joke in 1981.
Looks great on the out side. What went wrong on the inside? The shag would have to go for a new interior with no white included.
i had a 1979 g10 chevy, 3 on the tree, 305, sunroof , custom tube grill, paneled walls, shag carpet , rear bed, overhead console, killer stereos, drivers side glass, custom wheels, giant tiress, tach, gauges, vinyll doors and ceiling. went from n.y. to mexico, calif,canada, florida two engines two trans and three rear ends kool, kool, kool