Across the country in a vintage van

[chastin]

This trip involves my wife ,me, our '70 Chevy g10 van and my '69 triumph. We had been talking about a cross country trip for a few years and finally decided to set a date and do it.
First some background on the van. I found it on Craigslist cheap. Drove up to North GA drug it out of the woods. It was a little rough but a '70s survivor with tear drop Windows and shag interior. Perfect!

Got it home and had it on the road within a couple weeks.I do pinstriping and handpainted signs, so I wanted something for car shows and swap meets, but also use it as a daily. Drove it for a couple years, blew up an engine, swapped transmissions, and a bunch of other stuff.

After a while we decided to make it a little nicer and more comfortable, so we tore it down and started addressing the rust issues. The lower half of the cargo doors was replaced with new metal, replaced the rockers, fixed a bunch of rust around the windshield and some other small spots. Luckily my dad owns a body shop, so I was able to do all the work there with his help.

We initially tore it down around Thanksgiving with plans to head west in April, but I'm slow and this stuff always takes longer than expected for me.
Keeping it period '70s style.
April came and went, and the van still wasn't ready. We started considering other,more modern vehicles but by the time we spent the time and money to outfit something for a trip we could have just finished the van. So we pushed on.
After a few weeks of driving the van to work the bugs out we figured we were ready enough. June 17 2016 we loaded up the Triumph and some bicycles and headed west.......finally
[URL=http://s54.photobucket.com/user/chastinzkustomart/media/IMG_20160618_182315870.jpg.html]

 

[chastin]

Any money that we had saved ended up being spent on getting the van ready,so the trip was gonna have to fund itself. We had arranged a few jobs beforehand. Our first stop was onlyna couple hours away in auburn,al. We spent our first day of the trip lettering this '53? Willy's for the owner of a music store
From there we headed to ocean springs,ms. We painted a couple small signs and rode bicycles
While in ocean springs I was checking fluid levels in the van and noticed the alternator bracket had cracked, I had been running this bracket for the entire time I had owned the van and had put thousands of miles on it, figured it just had enough. I had no luck finding one at any local parts stores , so called a friend in town who had a welder. We drove to his place he let me weld it up and off we went. Slept at a rest area that night
Our next stop was Lafayette,LA. This was the last arranged job we had, but we should have enough money to make it to at least California. We stayed in Lafayette for a couple of days painting and eating boudin. We stayed at the shop owner's fish camp on the bayou a little ways outside of town
From here we headed on west to austin, Tx.

 

[chastin]

We spent a couple of days in Austin. Hung out with friends,swam in Barton springs and rode bikes
We had done many trips over the years from Georgia to Austin, and spent much time in between, but we had never driven further west than that so for us this is when the Trip was really beginning.
We drove most of the day and and into the night we stopped for gas in big springs,Tx. We noticed a pretty steady stream of coolant pooling below the van, after some checking we found that our not very old aluminum radiator had sprung a leak. There was a Walmart near by so we decided to sleep there and deal with it in the morning.
So we jacked the van up and started removing the radiator. As I was doing that I noticed the alternator bracket had broken again, this time shearing off a bolt in the block. I got some jb weld for aluminum to try and patch it long enough until I could get it fixed properly
While my sketchy jb weld patch job was drying I starte trying to sort out the alternator issue. Thankfully the bolt didn't shear off flush with the block, so I was able to get some vice grips on there and get it out with no problem. Now I had to fix the broken bracket. I hopped on my bicycle and found a parts store. But no luck on a replacement bracket. I was hoping to find a shop that could help me fab a new one up or at least weld it back up,but being Saturday I wasn't having any luck. As I was riding around I spotted this Mercury down a side street,
This guy has to have a welder, sure enough he had one out back, so a few minutes later I had it welded up and headed back to the Walmart where Lauren and the van awaited. Got everything put back together made sure the alternator was aligned properly and continued on
At this point i should have stopped and really put some thought into the alternator issue, probably should have ordered a better built replacement, but that would mean having to wait in west Texas for a few more days and we were ready to continue on.

 

[chastin]

out next stop would be Albuquerque. we drove most of the day and saw some great old signs along the way in New mexico

we made it to Albuquerque late that night and decided to stay in a casino parking lot. As we pulled in the van started overheating, our jb weld patch had finally let go, it did longer than I expected.
Got up the next morning and got to work. I discovered that the electric fan had quit working and traced it to a faulty relay. I called around and found a radiator for a '70s chevelle which is what the van currently had in it since no one makes one for this van. Also noticed the front tires were getting pretty bald. I hoped they would had gotten us to at least California, but they didn't. So we fixed the fan relay and limped it to the parts store to get the radiator, then on to the tire shop. I was gonna replace the radiator in the parking lot of the tire store while they mounted up the new tires.

I removed the electric fan, belly pan, fan shroud and old radiator. When I went to install the new radiator it wouldn't fit, I should have measured it before hand but I didn't. Oh well. I called around and found another radiator at a parts store, but it had to be ordered and they couldn't give me the outside dimensions, after some cross referencing on google I figured it was worth a shot so I had them order it. We camped in another parking lot that night. Got up the next morning, limped it to the parts store picked up the radiator,and.....it was too big. I did measure it beforehand this time. So we went to a nearby Chic fila to use some wifi and get Lauren some sweet tea, a rarity outside the south. After some internet searching I found a street rod parts place in town. Called them up and they had a universal gm type radiator in stock, I had the guy measure it and it would work! Drove across town to that place got the radiator, we weren't allowed to work on the van in the parking lot, but there was a Walmart across the street so we set up shop there

Radiator fixed! We hit the road heading toward the Petrified Forest. We drive for a few hours, seeing some of the craziest landscape we have ever seen. We both grew up in Georgia and have spent most of our time in the southeastern part of the country so we both amazed at all of this stuff

 

[chastin]

We had been trucking along for a few hours now. The new radiator was seemed to be doing well and the new tires felt good. It was getting later in the evening and we were getting close to the Petrified Forest, when we started smelling something burning, it smelled electrical, then smoke starts to fill the front of the van. I pull over quickly and start to diagnose the situation. I discover the wiring in between the relay and the electric fan is burnt and the fan was fried. Apparently the ground wire for the relay had worked loose. While checking all this I notice the alternator bracket hadn't broken but the bolt had sheared off again, this time flush with the block. The engine is an early 283 so it has a low mount alternator, the bolt that broke is right beside the harmonic balance at the very bottom of the block.


Were only maybe 10 miles from the Petrified Forest exit so we attempt to limp it there. We make it maybe 3 miles and it starts to overheat so we kill the engine and pull to the shoulder. We let it cool down, add some water and attempt to crank it up. Nothing, its cranking over no problem but not firing. I check for spark. Nothing. I'm tired. Before we left on the trip we had just changed our insurance policy to include towing, so we decided to use it and called a tow truck. Lauren prepares supper and I start calling parts stores to find an electric fan.

A good attitude is key in any trip in an old car, it could always be worse

we wait a couple hours for the tow truck to come

 

[chastin]

A little side note on the Triumph. It wasn't running well when we left on the trip but I knew it was something simple and figured we would have plenty of time for me to sort it on the trip. Well the working on the van took up all of that "spare time".


We were towed to Holbrook,Az and had the truck drop us off in a shared parking lot of both an O'reillys and a tractor supply, I figured between the two we could fix about anything. I was able to run a hot jumper wire to the distributor and get fire again. There was an rv park behind the parts store so we ended up staying there since we needed to do laundry and really needed a shower, the wifi was a bonus too. We treated ourselves to some Yoo Hoos and Netflix.


Got up the next morning, Oreillys didn't have a fan in stock but the carquest a couple miles away did, so I jumped on the bicycle and rode into town. Picked up the fan and headed back to the van. Before it could go back in I needed to get the sheared bolt out






Got some E Z outs and had it out within a 10 minutes. I replaced it with a grade 8 bolt. I then fixed the wiring to the distributor, replaced the fan and relay and made sure I had a good secure ground. All that took the better part of the day.
had to contortion my self in between the radiator and the engine in order to drill the bolt out


Once all that was done the van was ready to continue on, but first we headed into the town of Holbrook and check out some stuff. We stopped at a couple little rock and gem shops and were about to leave to head on to Flagstaff. The van won't crank. I check the battery with my multimeter and its reading good voltage so it must be the starter. ( I later learned that they can read good voltage but still be bad) I swap the starter with a spare that I had brought, but no luck. I strap my battery and starter to the Triumph, get it running and ride back to the parts store we spent most of the day at earlier.

They replace both for me, I head back and now am good to go.

 

[chastin]

Oh yea forgot to add, at the last breakdown spot while in Holbrook we kept seeing cop cars fly through town with their lights on, found out later there was some type of hostage situation at the courthouse. Crazy

We made it to Flagstaff that night and stayed at a Walmart. Usually when we camp at a Walmart there is maybe 1 or 2 rvs there, but this one was like a campground campers,vans, and rvs everywhere. We woke up the next morning and saw this incredible rig from South Africa

I'm sure the rig and its owners are well known in the overlanding community. A map of their travels:


Since replacing the starter, I'm having to turn the key a couple of times before it will engage. We decide to swing by the parts store and diagnose it in the parking lot there. I check all the wires and connections going from the battery, ignition switch and starter, everything is good. I remove the new starter and have the guy at the parts counter check it, he says its good. I decide to replace the ignition switch. I replace it, but it still doesn't fix it, oh well its still running, so ill just deal with it.
From here begin to head towards the grand canyon.



We read about a gas station on the way that you can park overnight at, so we decide to stay there for the night. We run inside to get the ok from to park over night, they tell us to pull around back. Go back outside, van wont crank, dead battery. We get a jump and park in the appropriate place for the night. We have a Honda eu2000 and the cheap battery charger setup for it, so I put the battery on charge for the night.
Morning time, we get up and start figuring out why its not charging. Turns out I had forgotten to wire up the exciter on the new alternator that I replaced alongside all the other stuff in Holbrook. Oh yea and the bracket that I had rewelded a few days ago in Big Springs,tx had started to crack, I figured it would, its cheap chrome plated steel from Mr. Gasket. I call the oreillys in Flagstaff and have them order me a new one, it will arrive the next day. We were determined to see the Grand Canyon so I rigged up a temporary fix for the bracket


And off we go! We spend the day at the Grand Canyon, neither one of us had ever been, so it was that epic first time experience. We drove around, took a bunch of pictures, rode bicycles and ate lunch on the roof rack overlooking the canyon.

 

[mtnbike28]

Great report so far - glad you stayed positive, great looking van!

 

[Buddha.]

Looks like a good time!

 

[dwh]

Those things just were never intended to have V8s. I've had three; two 68s and a 69. One of the 68s with a 'vette 327 in it. With the straight 6, they are perfect. But with a V8...

Yikes! The hotness!

With a little judicious bending here and there, the belly pan can be made to scoop a lot more air and divert it up toward the radiator. It does help.

But then...so does driving with the hood open...

Also, when dumping the clutch to show off that V8 speediness, the most likely thing to go wrong, is that the input shaft on the pinion gear will snap and the driveshaft will first hit the ground before coming to rest sticking up through the brand new hole in the floor.

Don't ask how I know that.


Seems like your shakedown cruise is going well. Should have the bugs worked out about the time you get home.

 

[chastin]

That night we stay at a $10 campground south of the canyon. We set up our Arb awning and room, it started raining so we cooked inside the room



About 2 am we were awoken by what we thought was something large right outside the van, rummaging through stuff. Thinking it might be a bear or something we peek out the teardrop bubble window, but don't see anything. after a few minutes of silence I step outside to check things out. Nothing, everything is in place and no trace of any type of animal. Oh well, we lay back down, a few minutes later we hear it again, this time I realize its not outside, its in the van! I slowly grab a flash light and spot a large rat in the middle of the floor chomping down on our bread. I spook him and he runs off, I check everything and make sure he's gone for good. Figured he got through the fresh air vent up front. The rest of the night was in eventful.
We head back into Flagstaff that morning to pick up the new alternator bracket, get it replaced and head out of town. Next stop is Southern California.



The van did ok driving through the desert it ran a little warm but never started boiling over. We made it to Barstow that night and stayed at a truckstop. Got up and drove to a Lowe's to use wifi so we can figure out our plan for seeing Los Angeles. While in the parking lot a guy by the name of Mike saw the van and enquired about getting some pinstriping done on his Harley. After all the break downs, and parts store visits our funds were really low, so this was perfect. We followed him a to his place in Hysperia and got to work


After we leave his place we stop to get gas, the fan belt starts to whine. I open the dog house to discover ANOTHER broken alternator bolt in the block. We are only a mile or so away from our Mike's place so I give him a call and he lets me use his shop to fix it. The last time this happened it only took about 10 min to remove it, so figured it wouldn't take too long, WRONG. 7 hours.

I had replaced the bolt with a higher grade bolt, which made it harder to drill. I ended up breaking a pilot bit off in the bolt then while trying to get it out I had drilled too far and actually pushed it into the water jacket in the block, creating a coolant leak. I end up having to drill it oversize to get the bolt out. All of this is right beside the harmonic balancer, so its almost impossible to drill straight. I use a helicoil which ends up going in crooked, At this point I was almost in tears, we where over 2000 miles away from home and we had been working on this van everyday for a week and a half. I ended up having to use a bigger helicoil and redrill the bracket. We put some gasket sealer on the end of the new bolt to keep coolant from leaking and made sure the alternator was straight. We were good to go. We couldn't thank Mike and his family enough for spending their Saturday on 4th of July weekend running us back and forth to the parts store and laying under the van helping us sort all of this out.

We treated ourselves to our first InNout burgers and slept at another truck stop

 

[warejn]

That's a great adventure, keep it coming.

On a side note I just finished getting a broken exhaust stud out of my 70 vw bug. 7.5 hours, one broken drill bit, one broken ez out and a pike of wrecked drill bits later it is out. I took a dremel with the smallest chainsaw sharpening bit and bored it out.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[chastin]

We made it to LA. We had heard about a van gathering in Hollywood, so we went to check that out.


We ended up camping near Santa Monica alongside the PCH. We cooked in the van and got to watch the fireworks that night.

From here we started heading north. No real plans, just drive up hwy 1 for a ways.

 

[Daydreamer1969]

Sounds like a great adventure. Your to blessed to be stressed. Enjoy the ride.

 

[Choff]

Wow, got to love what you guys are doing!!!!
I have been vanning for a long time and still do.
I also had a van sim to yours a 1967 chev van in the 70's painted yellow with spider web around the belt line.

Its great to see the barter system still works in todays world.

KEEP ON TRUCKING !!!

Choff