Who’s lookin for a Squarebody shaggin wagon?

[Grit dog]

The story's this van could tell........

Boy I hope….otherwise the first mfer that owned it had NO game!

 

[MikeB]

I had a long wheelbase 74 Chevy G20 (3/4 ton) window van back in the day. That thing would carry two dirt bikes and all kinds of other stuff behind the second row seat. Body style was the same as the OP's picture, but my grille was probably a little different. Engine was a 350 with Q-Jet, trans was a TH350. I don't remember the axle ratio, but it would get 12-13 mph on a trip, and sometimes touch 14. It had front A/C only, so we kept a heavy curtain up behind the second row seat.

Even back in the late 70s, it held its value. Seems like I sold it for $500 less than I paid for it, after driving it for 2-3 years.

 

[bucket]

I had a long wheelbase 74 Chevy G20 (3/4 ton) window van back in the day. That thing would carry two dirt bikes and all kinds of other stuff behind the second row seat. Body style was the same as the OP's picture, but my grille was probably a little different. Engine was a 350 with Q-Jet, trans was a TH350. I don't remember the axle ratio, but it would get 12-13 mph on a trip, and sometimes touch 14. It had front A/C only, so we kept a heavy curtain up behind the second row seat.

Even back in the late 70s, it held its value. Seems like I sold it for $500 less than I paid for it, after driving it for 2-3 years.

When I was younger and working at the junkyard, we had a '78 G30 panel van for a while as a yard van. It was actually very solid and was a nice metallic blue. One day, it decided not to start so the boss had me yank the driveline out of it. I should have told him I'd just take the van and he could deduct my pay... but hindsight is 20/20. I really liked that van.

A couple years later I got a '78 G10 shorty, it was a full-on custom van. But I apparently hadn't learned my lesson from before. When that van started running hot, I sold it cheaply to the same junkyard I used to work at. I've made some stupid decisions before in my life and those two were some of the dumbest.

 

[rusted nuts]

Ya know ifin Ya'all take the damn bed out of z back n throw in sum of em thar plastick five gal buckets Ya'all could haul 8-10 Amish back thar. Ell Ya might even git 10 and one half back thar..

 

[MikeB]

When I was younger and working at the junkyard, we had a '78 G30 panel van for a while as a yard van. It was actually very solid and was a nice metallic blue. One day, it decided not to start so the boss had me yank the driveline out of it. I should have told him I'd just take the van and he could deduct my pay... but hindsight is 20/20. I really liked that van.

A couple years later I got a '78 G10 shorty, it was a full-on custom van. But I apparently hadn't learned my lesson from before. When that van started running hot, I sold it cheaply to the same junkyard I used to work at. I've made some stupid decisions before in my life and those two were some of the dumbest.

Join the club! I had a couple old pickups back in the 70s and 80s that I'd like back, like an 81 Silverado. And don't laugh, a 76 Ford Courier, which was Ford's version of a Mazda pickup. That little guy would do just about all the "truck stuff" that I needed it to, and get >20mpg while doing it. If Mazda still made those today, they'd fly off the lots, because that size truck is affordable and very usable for tradesmen and homeowners.

But heck, real mini-trucks are dead breed. They've been replaced by mid-size 4dr trucks with tiny beds that sit way too high and cost too much. They're more "lifestyle" vehicles than pickup trucks. I even read where one journalist called Ford's new Maverick "truck" the perfect family vehicle. Yes sir, cramped rear seating, no inside storage, and a 4 ft bed. Just perfect for those family outings!

 

[CheemsK1500]

Join the club! I had a couple old pickups back in the 70s and 80s that I'd like back, like an 81 Silverado. And don't laugh, a 76 Ford Courier, which was Ford's version of a Mazda pickup. That little guy would do just about all the "truck stuff" that I needed it to, and get >20mpg while doing it. If Mazda still made those today, they'd fly off the lots, because that size truck is affordable and very usable for tradesmen and homeowners.

But heck, real mini-trucks are dead breed. They've been replaced by mid-size 4dr trucks with tiny beds that sit way too high and cost too much. They're more "lifestyle" vehicles than pickup trucks. I even read where one journalist called Ford's new Maverick "truck" the perfect family vehicle. Yes sir, cramped rear seating, no inside storage, and a 4 ft bed. Just perfect for those family outings!

The Nissan Frontier was the last of it's kind. The Jeep Gladiator almost fills the void, but the 4.5 foot bed leaves is less than optimal and it isn't exactly an affordable vehicle. The old Scrambler had a similar issue, but it made up for it by having a unibody set up and the potential to be converted a full hard top SUV. A two door Gladiator with a 7 foot bed would be perfect, but there's not enough of us around to buy it for Fiat to invest in the tooling.