just picked up this 1969 Dodge A100 Pnl Van today to use as my new daily driver. she has been off the road since 1986 and has only recently been pulled out from under a pile of rubbish in someones backyard. it seems to run pretty well. i plan on just giving it a tune up, replacing the tires (dryrot) an d starting on the minor body fixes for now. who knows what it will become after that.let me know what you all think. im open to any suggestions.
i think you need to sell it. get rid of that ugly thing now! just kidding i like it. ive wanted a older van for awhile just cant find one i like.i like yours. some cragar ss and some color and good to go. ken
i never really cared for vans before but they started growing on me recently. there seems to be allot for sale here in Vegas. all for under 2k i just went with the dodge in the nicest condition.
its got a 225 slant 6 with the a 3 on the tree manual. i have been looking pretty hard to find a pannel that is this free of dents. most of the vans around here are of the window variety or if they are pannel vans they are beat to hell (in general)
mine was a 6, w/ 3tree too. I remember delivering some signs one cold rainy morning in the middle of a parade staging area...people all around. I heard a "poof" sound under the engine cover as I started to leave. Opened the cover... fuel leak and fire...flames hitting the ceiling...'bout shit my pants...grabbed the fire extinguisher...put it out...tightened the fuel line and drove away before I opened the windows to let all the smoke out...I don't think anybody even noticed...ah memories. Damn I sound like an old fart! Anyway, again...nice score!
My uncle had a new one for his dry cleaning shop. It had a 273 with a "bolt action" 3-speed. You just don't see those anymore, and I include the Chevy's and Fords from the same era.
Good score! I was watching that one, but I already have my panel, just as you said, lots of dents/dings/holes. Great site for info and shared interests, http://vintage-vans.forumotion.com/forum There's a Yahoo group for them too. Not as active, but lots of knowledge... There is also a thread here for earlys, and a big one on Econolines. Hope you bring it out to Mopars At The Strip (MATS) in April http://www.moparsatthestrip.com/2007/home.shtml Mine won't be ready, but I plan on attending.
thanks for the info fellas. im quickly realizing that some parts are going to be a challenge to find but thats part of what attracted me to these old vans. i took her on her maiden voyage today of about 20 miles. this was the first time the van has driven more then a few hundred feet since 1987. everything went well with the exception of some shifter binding into 2nd and stalling any time i had to stop quickly(the carb needs a rebuild badly). its pretty interesting seeing peoples reaction to seeing this faded old van on the streets.
i have been doing alot of resto work to the drivetrain to make it reliable at the moment so there hasnt been much to look at. i did however do a quick job on the seats because i was tired of half the seat falling out with me when i got out of the van. here they are
hah ya it had green shag in it when the previous owner (he is on here) picked it up. he did some clean up work to it before i bought it.
ya i am planning on keeping the wheels and tires the same. might go slightly wider with the rears but im sticking with the same style bias ply tires. here is how it looked when the previous owner bought it.
That thing is titties ! I have a 69 that is pretty much all original except the jeep wheels, you dont happen to have those original caps,and maybe want to sell them do ya ?? This baby could use them....
well i have been driving the van allot so i have not had too much time to work on it. i have done a few things here and there. the first of which is install a recessed license plate box that i bent up from some 18 gauge. the pictures with the brown primer contain no body filler. i really try to take my time when welding so that in the end i rarely need much filler. there will be allot more to follow, i.e. rust repair and paint. i am also still debating engine choice, right now it has a slant 6 with 3 on the tree. i am going for a mild Gasser kind of look from this van. if you are wondering what the pink thing is on my right hand/ arm, its a cast (i have a broken hand at the moment but it hasn't kept me from my projects)
Love the van. Only thing I don't get is that you're in N Vegas, but you put a shiny new NY plate on there.
haha i was waiting for someone to notice that. I am a SSgt in the Air Force and although i live in Vegas and own a house here, i am a legal resident of NY. so all my "classic" vehicles newer then 1967, i register in NY to avoid dealing with the smog laws here (huge pain) i have heard that they are changing it soon though. until they do im going to stick with my system.
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