Shane's story

I'm a self employed Locksmith and Safecracker. I use a van.

I had a late model Aerostar with too many miles and too many computer controlled items on it to count. I do all my own repair work I can and there was just too much I could not do on that thing.

It was a cold slushy Canadian winter day about three years ago the van (Aerostar) WOULD NOT start. We tried verything. I finally had to pull all the spark plugs, heat up each cylinder with a propane torch, fill them with ether, replace the plugs and hook up two fully charged batteries before it would go (I was hoping it would blow the motor).

I had been looking for a new van but parking requirements here because of "no on-raod parking" in winter months and a short driveway necessitate a mini van. Anything new at all was SOOOOO expensive and I really wanted an early chevy.

After I got the Aerostar running that day I went for a drive to heat up the van and recharge the batteries. I was drawn to the newstand by a copy of Auto Trader was peering at me out of the rack, so I brought it home.

I was drawing a hot bath to warm up from the cold day we had working outside when my wife barges in with the Trader (she always reads it first), and says "Look Shane, it's one of those vans you wanted; a 1966 Chevy; it's running, has under 80,000 miles, and only $1500".

Well, to make the story a bit shorter, we loaded all the kids into the car (after I got dressed, of course) and went to look at it. A few hundered in cash held it till the weekend and we drove it home. It cost a less than a hundred dollars to put it on the road, plates and all, and it has served perfectly as my service vehicle for three years.

But the many miles I have added since then and the full 1500 pounds of equipment I haul every day all day has caused the old '66 to grow weary. The stock 230 I6 is just not powerful enough when it was new, and even though it runs fine now it is very tired, the tranny skips out of gear the odd time and the rear end howls mornfully at any speed over 65 MPH.

Do I get rid of it? Maybe buy a new van and send it to the scrap yard? NO WAY!!!!! This 1966 Chevrolet G1205 Light Duty 1/2 ton Forward Control Van is MY van. My only van. My last van. It's repairable, enjoyable, distinctive, boxy, recognizeble, and rare. It's a classic. A Vintage Chevy Van! I will drive it as long as I CAN drive.

But it does need some work. Hmmmmm, I have a 3/4 ton 1976 Chevy pickup out there that hasn't been used much for years, but it sports a recently rebuilt Chevy 350 with 4 bolt main. Hmmmmm, bet it would fit in the van :)

So it's beside the house now; between its unibody-boxed in frame rails sits the 350. I rebuilt a TH350 tranny out of a Caprice myself and the 14 bolt rear end from the 3/4 ton is completely rebuilt too with 4:56 gears and a Detroit Locker to boot. It's bit wider, but it'll squeeze in there.

Another few weeks, maybe less, and it will be ready to roll again with Moooore Powerrr! Lots of it! I can't wait to to start it up!

I'll keep you all posted. Feel free to contact me if you want any more info on the swap. yeggster@hotmail.com

Shane
Orillia, Canada