Vans were a big thing in the Seventies but what if they gained popularity a decade or so earlier? Given the lack of pollutions controls and insurance penalties there could have been muscle versions vans for each of the big three. For example a Plymouth Vanacuda has a nice ring to it.
Maybe you are more a Chevy person and this Camavano might have greater appeal.
The Ford version is maybe a little less successful of conversion. Stangvan?
If you will excuse mixing and matching of eras the Mustang II grill fits a little better along with some other custom touches. What van would combination would you like to have seen?
The Camavano actually looks pretty good.
That was my thought too.
The very thought of dropping a big block anything in a 60’s van, given their handling, braking and “your knees are your crash protection” is absolutely horrifying.
I think you meant “terrifying”. You would be horrified when your knees actually get crunched.
Holman Moody built an FE powered Econoline for Ford’s Falcon rally team, in addition to a few 289 Econolines. They were used as mobile workshops during events.
Chrysler should have put the Deora into production, and added a van version (the show car was built off of a Dodge A100, after all). Woulda, shoulda, coulda…
Seconded. Move to adjourn.
A coworker had a 60s Chevy van with a built 327 with a tunnel ram. His continued survival was a minor miracle.
personally I like the idea of a European sports van, say an Alfa Romeo van with a twin cam engine and a 5 speed, or a Sherpa Vitesse (they did build small numbers of Rover V8 powered Sherpas but these used low compression Landrover spec engines)
The Ford Transit was available with the Essex 3.0 V6. Because it was longer than the usual V4 it had the same ‘pig nose’ used on the diesel version. Would have been faster though…
https://www.flickr.com/photos/38389354@N07/4436939696/in/photostream/
Sadly I think the engine compartments of those engine-between-the-front-seats vans couldn’t fit a V8. But then you could pretty much spin the back wheels with a base Falcon six in those already even without the extra V8 weight up front. I think the unloaded weight distribution was about 70-30 already.
If you were really into it and could actually find a nice one today you could however put a modern six in there and do burnouts all the way from 0 to 100. I drove the Chevy version for work back then. I got nervous even typing that last number.
The Dodge A100 came with an optional V-8, at least in the long wheelbase version. The attached image listing engine options came out the the ’68 Dodge brochure.
My ’66 A-100 (short WB) had the sweet 273ci LA V-8 mated with the A727 Loadflite trans. A poly 318 would not have fit. Valve covers pushed against the doghouse insulation. Valve adjustments (mech lifters) required seat removal and doghouse disassembly. It also made spark plug changes easier.
The Chevy was also available with a V8 at one point. They are mid engine so the weight distribution isn’t that bad.
I drove a ’67 Chevy 108 delivering for a TV repair place. 283/PG. Loaded it was OK. Unloaded it was scary. Driving down an Interstate on wet pavement it hydroplaned and did a 360 in the middle of 55mph traffic. I’m still amazed that I’m still here to remember it. Of course the cheapskate repair place owner didn’t spend money on tires so that was a factor too.
It wasn’t a mid-engine so much that it was a front engine along with a very front driver. With no cargo I’m guessing 70%/30% weight distribution.
I’m glad the first example was made into a Vanacuda instead of a Vanlenger, because I can’t imagine what it would look like with a sad face.
I like the Econoline with the Mustang II front end. The Cobraline! A modern V6 or a turbo 4 from a T-bird Turbo Coupe or a Mustang in the engine room would work nicely, With all of those vans, I’m sure there’s modern solutions to the ‘60’s braking and handling issues. You’d want something up front for better crash protection as well – I wonder if anyone has worked that out for themselves?
I’m going to have to throw on my pedantic hat on this one and point out these are pony vans, not muscle vans 😁
The Vanstang II looks sharp, I like it substantially more than the Mustang II. I wonder if any chassis/suspension hop up parts can be shared with other cars on these, it would be pretty cool to make an American version of the VW Van with Porsche engine swaps
I’ve heard of people swapping Subaru engines into old VW vans, but in my mind they’re just begging for a Porsche plant…with the appropriate suspension and brake upgrades.
They are leaf springs and straight axles so nothing in common with cars suspension and steering wise.
To my eye the Vanacuda’s the winner here. It’s uncannily plausible!
I think the Dodge Vanacuda with a Hyper-Pak equipped Slant 6 would be an epic win.
That’s a fun thought, perhaps more so because it would just about require the driver to sit on the carburetor.
Hopefully the driver has gas.
Too bad AMC didn’t get into the van craze. Vanbler anyone?
How about Vanbassador? Rambler Amerivan?
Slightly off-topic, but I was recently gifted this ’74 Chevy van. I plan on shoving a healthy 383 stroker Chevy small block into it, with the engine made more for brute torque than high-RPM screamfests.
Oops- picture didn’t post the first time.
It’s likely too large, try reducing to 1200 pixels max or if you get the four choices menu use one of the two smaller options.
Are those Van pictures of “real” vehicles, or are they photochopped images? Not being insulting, but merely curious; it seems hard to imagine grafting Mustang, Cameron, etc. trim into a van.
They are just as real as Donald Trump’s gentle and sensitive persona.
The title “What If” should make that pretty clear.
Then there’s the modern equivalent (and electrified, to boot): The Ford Transit Connect Mock-E:
Lol. Well wrought.
Haha. Nicely done.
Back when I was in the Auto Repair Industry, I hardly ever saw a Big-block GM van. Big-Block vans were almost always Mopar (and still not all that common.) I liked them–something different from usual.
‘Course, this was years after the ’60s vans were made. I’d have worked on mostly ’70s–’80s vans.
No idea why Mother Mopar was throwing B/RB engines in vans, when GM seemed reluctant to go beyond the Chevy 350.
During my GM dealer days, I did see a small number of factory-built big-block vans, in both the old G platform as well as the newer Express / Savana models. They were all 1-ton models though. Tune-ups and intake reseals were loads of fun-not.
I would guess if you checked the right boxes on the order form, you’d have had a very stout family hauler, but it wouldn’t have been aerodynamic enough to beat similarly equipped cars on Cruise Night. Might have been fun to drive tho. Imagine a 440 in a Dodge A100!
What was the best “handling” van at the time for ride & steering? Which might have been fun to drive?
The Corvair Greenbrier. Hands down.
Hideously Modified Corvair Greenbrier Van
http://www.oddimotive.com/hideously-modified-corvair-greenbrier-van/
I’ve posted these pix before, but the subject matter is close to my heart, to wit: my ’69 Sportsman A -100 w/ a transplanted 340 c.i./727 auto combo.
Very nice! Any further photos of the interior or installation? I take it this was V8 equipped from the factory with an LA 318. Any steering, brake or suspension modifications? The road wheels really set it off nicely. Did you change the wheel bolt pattern from 5 on 4″ to 5 on 4.5″?
It looks like the photo was taken at Ohlone College in Fremont at one of the old Mopar Alley shows.
Actually, it originally had a 225 /6. A simple reversal of one of the motor mounting pads allows for the V-8 installation. The wheels were a simple bolt on. It has a custom three row radiator, and a transmission cooler, I have other photos, but most are not digital; these date from the mid 80’s. I’d like to restore it and get it back on the road. I did find another digital picture of it as when I first bought it.
Thanks Moparman.
I logged too many miles in mostly Ford Econoline vans in the early 1960’s and they were serious death traps no matter what engine was fitted .
There was no shortage of V8 conversions, all were mighty impressive but not suited for actual use in any way .
All that being said I still like the damn things .
-Nate