Well, it left the dealer as a cargo van and was taken to a shop that made it a camper, tacky crank out windows, outdoor carpet, and cabinets. When I bought it, I figure the 2nd owner needed to move furniture to Cali, so he tore out the cabinets and paneling, used a crowbar I believe, without removal of the screws that secured it, he bent down the roof supports. Custom came by with friends and installed my hydraulic wheelchair lift, making it where I could get in/out, I took time to drill and install the power lead to it, securing it to the frame to keep it out of harms way. When I was able to get in, I removed all screws and wood trim inside, then jacked all the bracing back in place, spraying rust conversion paint on the ceiling. I had to make some bracjkets for my hand controls to attach them to the dash and pedals, drove it around to get it situated for my trip to east TN. I wound up having to tighten the brake assembly, it was falling apart, then found the master cylinder was bad, so I replaced that. I came up with my own way to bleed the brakes alone, hand controls give you a location to rig up a bungee strap to not only hold pressure on the brake pedal, but push it to the floor when you open the bleeder, holding pressure to drive the air out, unlike a stick propped against the seat.
I drove it to my parents house in Seymour TN, 180 miles, drove great, has expected play in the old manual steering, and requires extra stopping room for the 10" 4 wheel non power drum brakes, but that little V-8 has no problems exceeding the speed-limit. I need a power brake booster bracket from a 68-74 Econoline, gonna be difficult, so if anyone sees one, let me know, thinking about rack and pinion on the steering.



Now the videos on the window repairs by a friend in SC nicknamed Cloudy, he did this to teach on the use of automotive adhesives like the vehicles are put together with today.

YouTube - Mark's Van 1 a 27 Marchweb1

YouTube - 2 Mark's Van Mar.29.web.mov

Skipping on ahead.

YouTube - 8 Mark's Van.mov

He had to replace my neutral safety switch, seems the 87 C-6 one fit my 73 C-4 just fine, he just spliced into where the previous owner (idiot) cut it out to wire it straight. I have to locate why my reverse lights don't work, hope the bulbs are out, wiring straight as they did, it would come on with the key on obviously.
He has the drivers side opening to fill, then to gull-wing the side sliding door, he showed me a hinge, but I told him a stainless steel one would be required in the use he has in mind, but think he's got it figured out.

 

Here it is with the doghouse off, he was checking the neutral safety switch, or lack of.

YouTube - Mark's safety / neutral starting switch????

 

Mark; sounds like you got the van in tip top shape; Can't bring up the video on my work computer will check them out tomorrow; glad to hear the old girl cruise's good. Hopefully we can hang out again soon.

 

Good evening Tennessee! Hope everyone had a great Sunday.

 

Hope to cruise Pigeon Forge this year, not sure if it'll be done and here for any of it, may have to drive the tank.

 

Maples, your up in Muuurfresburo?
I'll have to come up and visit and check out the van.

 

The 73 is in SC, just me and the 99 right now, gotta swap out my battery box, move a subwoofer, and build a deck in the sear, sealing the battery out of the passenger compartment. I found a rear axle for the 99, but needs the shock hangers replaced on it, they met a torch when it was headed to a truck build, I need a gear change in the van, and think my housing is bad too.

 

Thats a lot of work Mark.

 

My 99 was hit in the side, on the passenger wheel, so either the vent is plugged due to a bug building a nest in it, or the hit damaged the spindle, stressing the seal, as I already replaced it last year after the accident, yet smell cooking gear oil again. The 3.55 gears would be great in a truck, but 8,000 lb van needs lower, starting from a stop is rough, burns up gas, my city has a redlight every 100 feet, it's killing me. I'm trying to focus on my 73, modifying it, upgrading and setting it up to make it easier for me to operate it, but the gas guzzling tank is my daily driver, I've had it 8 years, with so few repairs, I can't complain, but it's time. I have little income, and a small budget, but I make do, I've sold quite a bit of stuff that I've collected, but having no one to pass it down to, and not using it, I shift to what's more important, and I sit at home a lot, not going out saves a lot of money.

 

OH man, I hate driving in m-buro with my stickshift. its a pain.

 

I ordered a set of offset hinges to gullwing the side door, the guy who was doing my window removal told me to send them to him, he could do the door, he'll give me a quote when he has it all, he has some rams to open it that he's gonna sell me too. He emailed me the other day, wanting to test out a dent removal tool, he want's to remove the dent up front on the drivers side. Here's a video with the tool:

YouTube - ‪Collision Damage Repairs-How To Repair Your Damaged Vehicle-From Start To Finish-Part 1.‬‏

 

Dang; that's going to be cool as heck; once you pull up to a cruise in or show.

 

Here's the #9 video.
YouTube - ‪9 Mark's Van‬‏

 

 

Hey Mark,
Good evening from north Louisiana! Really good video on your resto. I've enjoyed it a lot. It makes me want to go and rescue my old 72 Dodge Maxivan with the mushroom windows in the back and repair those unholy holes. Glad to see how well it's turning out. It's nice to have someone who knows how to do that kind of stuff. Keep up the good work! Hope to see you somewhere on the road.

William
"Travelin'Jones"