My dad special ordered this beast from the factory with an unusual equipment list. For some reason he really wanted that three-on-the-tree shifted manual transmission. He ordered it with no windows and no insulation beyond the front cab area and with painted instead of chrome bumpers. This being the '70s, Dad (with the help of some books from the library) set out to customize the van to his liking. Thankfully, Dad showed some restraint and outfitted the van more as a camper and motorcycle hauler -complete with wood paneling, wall to wall carpet and more insulation than most homes get. It was given to me years later when it cracked a cylinder head with the challenge that if I could get it running, it was mine. The local machine shop just happened to have a pair of 360 cylinder heads laying around for a good price, so it was a pretty easy fix. In its lifetime, the van made several trips from Minnesota to Colorado and back for motorcycling/camping excursions, was a rolling party on wheels while I was in high school, and later was used as a tour van when I was a roadie for a friend's band. The van could haul three dirtbikes and five adults in comfort and once was used to haul a four-piece band, all of their amps, drums, etc. and five of their friends on a roadtrip to play an out of town gig. The van also served as a very large canvas for my brother Tom and I to practice our Bondo artistry.
