The seller of this 1982 GMC 2500 Vandura, Zimmer equipped van suggests, “Wanting it to go to a good home“. Heck, it already looks like a good home! It certainly well represents the era, there’s no doubt about that. I’m familiar with the old Mark III van conversions, as well as Sherrod – both Florida operations, but a Zimmer-prepared version is a new one for me. With that thought, let’s look this one over and take a trip back to the early ’80. Located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, this tricked-out GMC van is available, here on craigslist for $7,000, OBO. Thanks to PRA4SNW for this tip!
If the Zimmer name is familiar to you, it’s with good reason as that’s the company that started out making travel trailers and eventually moved on to ostentatious customs, such as the Excalibur Quicksilver and the Golden Spirit, a custom that was designed to weakly resemble a Mercedes SSK. But unbeknownst to me, they also had a Cordele, Georgia-based recreational vehicle division that worked their mojo on full-size Chevrolet, GMC, Dodge, and Ford vans. In the late ’80s, Zimmer entered bankruptcy though the van conversion business continue to operate for a spell longer. Zimmer reorganized, under new ownership, and got back in the custom car business but it appears to have closed its doors for good about three years ago. The Zimmer Registry will tell you a bit more about the company, its history, and its product lineup.
Said to have experienced only 54K miles, our subject van is powered by a 155 net HP, 305 CI V8 engine which makes the rear wheel connection via a three-speed automatic transmission. The engine is not photographed – that would entail removing the interior engine cover, but is said, “Starts right up, runs great, shifts great, and stops great“.
Mentioned are some exterior dings and dents, but considering how “busy” the exterior is, no detractions are noticeable and it looks pretty good – that is if you like busy…It’s got it all going on with running boards, a roof access ladder, chrome steel wheels with white-stripe tires, chromed wheel arches, and of course, the geometric paint job – inconspicuous, this van isn’t!
Things really start to happen inside. It’s not just the explosion of fabrics and shades, it’s the layout which includes, “Captains chairs on every seat so they all swivel, eating trays and ashtrays on every seat (oh yeah!), rear bench seat folds into a bed, …even has a full sink setup for the back behind the bench seat”. The entire environment definitely looks clean and comfy – hardly the van interior that I remember from my college years…
Yup, you can drive your house with this set-up and it looks like it’s good to go. It’s a bit of a showboat but the price seems reasonable for what’s here so my guess is that this home will find that good new home that the seller is looking for pretty quickly, wouldn’t you agree?
Zimmer had nothing to do with Excalibur, that was a car company started by Brooks Stevens
You are correct, I meant the Quicksilver. Post updated.
JO
I had a 1985 custom van with that drive train, 12mpg around town 15 mpg hwy at 70mph. No more, that’s babying it, but nothing compares when taking a trip, the view, comfortable captain chairs. You can drive effortlessly for hours.
Two words: Shaggin’ Wagon.
305 seems kind of an odd choice for this big box of plush comfort on wheels. Seems like it’d be better suited to a 350.
and gone before i could check out the kitchenette.
hey scrapyard at least it didn’t have the big block. i always cringed and whined whenever i had to pull the doghouse to work on any bigblock van. i always seemed to leave a pint or2 of blood in there
The style and low production remind me of the Shelby vans that Dodge sold a few of…
This van was built during peak malaise Era in the USA and the big 3 they couldn’t make a engine with power & get it to pass stupid EPA regulations so the customer had to suffer, does this sound familiar?
The EPAs regulations were (and are) not stupid. Do you like to breath? They had to start somewhere, there is a learning curve to everything. Are you old enough to remember the air quality in a city around 1970? It had to be done. Yes, the cars ran poorly, but we had no choice, none at all.
I remember those van conversions from the early 80’s …you could very nearly catch air if you were laying on that bed while on a rutted highway…plush but lacking a matching suspension
I think it was under priced for what it is if those miles are true this thing would get you at 200,000 more miles easy hope the new owner takes good care of it
I hated vans and the Chevy topped my list for the pure reason. I worked in body and fender when there were 10 BAZILLION of these guys motoring around. I learned quick of fender replacement on these and ALL those damned stripes and fiberglass whatevers that no two were the same it seemed and next to impossible to find. Then age mellows you. I left body and fender and handled all the disposals for a tow company. Around 2002 a 1977 Nomad rolls in. It had been a one owner now old leaky exhaust and no back brakes, a single filled out form would send it to it death at the west side shredder. Not really up on vans but this one sported aluminum slots with chevy center caps, lots of fake and real wood. A rear seat and cargo are nicely laid out, chrome and trim galore, full towing package and a 400 small block to pull and push everything along. 20 plus years later it’s still doing a fine service. These are great to drive long distances. You camp, tow, and most anything else. Now as 90% of these have gone on, I have come full circle and love the things. Very easily maintained, a breeze to work on mechanically. Indoor storage is a must though. Mine now only goes on recreational jaunts. This unit here should relieve the same……ride on.