One of the sad facts of life is that Chevy and GMC G20-based conversion vans tend to age poorly. Perhaps it’s because they begin getting used as portable homeless shelters by the time their values plummet, or maybe their inclination towards being used for camping trips and cross-country excursions ensures they are always worn out after just a few years. Whatever the reason, finding an example as nice as this 1993 model here on eBay is truly a rarity, which is listed with a Buy-It-Now of $22,850.
This G20 conversion van really does check all the boxes if you’ve been on the hunt for a clean example. Great colors, strong cosmetics, and just over 17,000 miles from new. The seller notes it was purchased by the original owner for annual trips to Florida and the van was parked following a death in the family. It had a similar existence after the second owner acquired it; the G20 is now with its third and current owner and appears to have seen very little use over the years. Check out the rear fog light – it’s not often you see those on domestic vehicles. The spare tire cover is obviously a personal tough, but because I believe in the good karma associated with people who buy a van to take their families on road trips, I’d advise against removing it.
This particular G20 underwent its “R/V” conversion at the hands of Tiara Motor Coach, which included the hightop roof conversion that kicked it up the esteemed Hampton Knight package. I always found the various names and trim lines hilarious – it did seem GM was striving for a medieval theme with its conversion vans. The interior is damn nice, with captains chairs aplenty and clean carpets and ample wood trim. Sure, it’s fake wood trim, but it still looks quite nice and gives this van a more upscale feel than the ones owned by plebes who didn’t spring for the Hampton Knight kit (no offense if you own the Greenbriar Patrician edition).
High schoolers who minds tend to wander to the attractions of the fairer sex (meaning, all of them) will no doubt skip down Fantasy Lane when finding out dad just bought a van that has a fold-flat bed in the back. As a fairly new father, I can promise my daughter a few things right now, one of them being you will not date anyone (with my knowledge, anyway) who shows up with a vehicle christened the Hampton Knight. Sorry – my hat is off to any 16-year-old who eschews the cliched Mustang or Camaro for a G20 conversion van, but not happening. This one is priced high, but as the saying goes: find a better one.
Clean old van, although GM didn’t come up with the model names or trim packages. That was left up to the conversion companies, of which there were many back in the 90’s. GM shipped specially optioned cargo vans to the converter (in this case Tiara) that performed all of the modifications. So Hampton Knight was a Tiara model, not something assigned by GM.
I was working at a Chevy store during this time and we had a neighboring Chevy dealer that stocked hundreds of these things. To each his own, but our store could never sell them and I always thought the materials used were on the low end
Yeah, I’m not sure what the authors attempts at digs at GM were for, GM didn’t come up with the names and these aged badly but what the Ford and Dodge ones didn’t? These all aged badly because they’re plumbers vans with extra bric-a-brac glued on to the walls.
I worked at a Chevy dealer in this time period, too. We were one of the larger conversion van retailers in our region. Did okay with them. I’ll never forget the overwhelming “new car smell” of these vans. Opening up a van that was sitting and baking on the lot, in hot mid-August afternoon sun, the out-gassing of all the add-ons and upholstery was off the chart!!! And depending on the upfitter, some van conversions were definitely cheap on materials used. Others were very much top of the line! This van brings back a few memories! We won’t get into throwing a dealer tag on the back, and heading out for a weekend. *wink wink*
Did you have Good Times vans on your lot?
They had everything in them.
I also remember the smell inside them.
The glue they used was toxic and smelled terrible.
We had one customer that got stopped by the CHP because the tires on the van were to small to handle all the weight the conversion shop put on the van. By the way I worked at a Chevy dealer when these were new also.
Everything has to be thought out for safety reasons.
At least it’s not called the Hampton Wick (look up cockney rhyming slang for the definition) 😉
As a proud owner of a 99 GMC 1500 Explorer conversion with every option and now 31K on it, I can attest to how awful the conversions were done. Ive had all the aftermarket glass pulled and resealed/ body repaired. Electrical is a joke with most of it being replaced by myself. They used very low end materials with no quality checks or process. After having the wheels replaced twice for chrome flaking (as in – it all fell off), I was able to get a quality set of wheels put on it just before the warranty ended. The powertrain and chassis on these GMs were very good – and easily the best vehicle I have ever owned for lack of issues. I did upgrade the suspension to Bilstein shocks and added a rear sway bar (GM never built one for this vehicle!!) What a difference!!
I just tuned the 5.7 vortec up yesterday – first time ever. Engine runs like a watch. I did have to reseal the intake manifold at my own expense at 12k miles! it was already out of warranty. I was not happy about that one. I work for GM and it still erks me to this day. It was a well known issue and was documented – customer service? forget it.
I don’t see anybody paying that kind of money for a van conversion no matter how clean it is.
The low miles don’t help it in any way.
I had a similar 93 StarCraft conversion van. High top, TV and VCR, 4 captains chairs and sofa bed. Unfortunately it was powered,or underpowered by a vortec V6. Traded in a year later for a Mark I II Ford conversion van with the big 300ci 6 cyl
How could you think the 6 cylinder, which ever one it was, could handle the weight of the van, the conversion, and all the people and items you would put in it?
The ford 300 straight 6 would be more than enough. I had that motor in a 91 3/4 ton and it pulled anything and everything.
The 300 ci inline 6 that ford made had no issues moving a one ton truck down the road. They were not fast, but they had power for days. With the right gearing, you could move anything.
Sorry Jeff, but you are going to find out that no matter how strict or how determined you are to manage your daughters life you can’t and you won’t! Kids will do whatever they want to do regardless of you! This is coming from a dad who raised 6 kids! Anyways this is a very nice van!