I've got a 1962 Grumman-Olson Kurbside step van, built from the factory on a Chevy P30 chassis and drivetrain with a 235 motor, and 4 speed manual transmission. I've been told it's a bit of a rare bird in that it has a full sized, wooden roll up door in the back (incidentally installed by a local garage door company according to the plaque mounted on it) as opposed to doors.
I bought it as a runner a little over 4 years ago, but I've had to do a ton of work to it since then, as the previous owner literally smoked way too much weed and did all sorts of half-baked (pun intended) work to it.
Here's a list of almost everything I've done over the last four years. It'll be a pretty long list, so bear with me.
I replaced the too small radiator that was previously put in it, finding out that the hoses were basically folded in half (thanks, previous owner! LOL). Of course, I replaced the hoses while I was there and installed a new electric, pull type fan. It works well as is, but I want to find and install a short shaft water pump and pulley so that I have enough room to install a shroud with the fan. That should make it much better. I don't have space for a push style fan.
At the same time, I also removed the heater core to have it repaired by a local old-timer that still does that type of work. I still haven't reinstalled it, but hope to do so within the next month, or so.
I have replaced all of the door handles and locks with OEM replacements from Mill Supply, all keyed alike because the originals had no keys.
There was no glass in the driver, and passenger doors, so I used some really thick, yellow plexi as windows, as well as replacing all the felt channel, and other window related accessories. For now, they are static, but I'll eventually install regulators of some sort, and make my own door cards. I'm going to use what's left of the yellow plexi to make sun visors.
I replaced the original seat which was falling apart and had no seat belt with a Vevor forklift seat which has a tilting back, folding arm rests and, more importantly, a lap belt. I used the original tilting seat post but had to build a new base for the seat to mount to.
I replaced the inner and outer front wheel bearings (it took weeks of searching for the outer bearings. I finally found the only ones available at the time in a shop somewhere in Europe. I needed two, so I bought four. We all know how that goes), and replaced the drum brake shoes front and rear. The wheel cylinders were in good shape and the brake lines were new. I also installed a new OEM master cylinder BUT it's only a single circuit. This winter I'd like to buy, adapt and install a dual circuit setup, for peace of mind and safety.
I had the original emergency brake band clamp relined with new friction material and reinstalled it. It basically clamps around a spinning drum on the propeller shaft. I'm surprised at how well it works!
The glove box piano hinge was rusted solid, so I popped all the rivers, soaked it in EvapoRust, had a key made for the original lock, and re-riveted it in place.
The only gauge it had when I bought it was the temp gauge. I bought the triangular gauge cluster made for an old Apache and installed it. I believe that's what was originally intended to be there. For now, I've got the fuel gauge and Speedo hooked up on the Apache cluster.
When I first bought it, it only had headlights hi/lo, and tail lights. When I decided to look into installing turn signals and wiring up the brake lights, I took a look at the wiring harness and saw what a nightmare it was from the P.O. doing all sorts wacky things to it. It had live wires going to nowhere and nothing, some about 6 feet long and just coiled up and zip tied. Other wires that were split from one, to two, them back to one, back to two and then down to one again. I have no idea a)how this thing ran, b)didn't keep blowing fuses and/or c)didn't catch fire. The P.O. had mentioned it had a parasitic draw, but didn't know why. I found out why HAHAHAHA!
I ended up tearing out all of the wiring and building a new wiring harness from to back. I wired up the headlights, tail lights turn signals, running lights, radiator fan, starter, alternator, ignition system, fuel gauge, external temp gauge and horn. I had searched for two years to find the correct horn button and was ecstatic when I found it.
I still need to wire up all of the gauge cluster lights, interior lights, and the temp gauge on the cluster to replace the external temp gauge. Once I do that I'll replace the external temp gauge with a tach. I'm also going to convert the Ammeter on the cluster with a volt meter, and hook up the oil pressure gauge. At that time, too, I'll reinstall the heater core and wire up the blower to a 3 position switch I have with built in resistors as opposed to just on/off as it was originally hooked up. I still need to paint the blower box. I plan on using gold metal flake on that.
It had been running really rough since I got it so, after looking into it, found out that one reason was vapor lock. The P.O. bypassed the original gas tank and installed a small, auxiliary tank on the front bumper. It would get incredibly hot in the sun, of course. I dropped the original tank and saw that one of the baffles had come undone and fallen into the bottom of the tank. I was able to set it back to upright and spot weld it into place. I couldn't find a pickup tube and sending unit for this tank, so I ended up using a pickup tube I had that was the right length and shape, and then spot welded the sending unit with float from another setup onto that pickup tube. I had to rebend and shorten the arm for the float but now have it to where it works and reads true. I painted the tank metal flake silver, installed a new sending unit gasket, filler neck hose, locking gas cap and repaired and reused the original tank straps with new insulators installed. That took care of the vapor lock. It's a good feeling to be able to see the gas gauge doing it's job.
Another running issue I had was due to the P.O. having installed a Pertronix electronic ignition, but using the original 1.5Ω coil with ballast resistor, rather than a 3Ω coil with no resistor. The secondary windings were failing giving me intermittent problems. I got a Pertronix 3Ω coil and installed it, which took care of that issue.
The final issue I had was realizing that the exhaust manifold gaskets were all blown, as was the donut seal on the header pipe. When I sprayed soapy water on them it looked like a Rave because of all the bubbles.
When I removed the intake and exhaust manifolds (they're bolted together), I saw that my exhaust manifold was cracked, and one of the exhaust ports was canted because of the crack. The entire thing was nowhere near flat, or straight. I planned on trying to repair the crack, but decided to see if I could find a replacement first. It took a few weeks of searching till I found one, because I have an updraft carb. Seems like lots of stuff on this P30 platform is hard to find. The replacement I found was in much better shape than mine. No cracks, flat, and true. I cleaned, painted and installed it using a Remflex gasket, painted the header pipe and installed a new donut for that, then rebuilt the exhaust system using a new muffler from Rockauto, and various tailpipes, turns, and tip. I can happily report that now it runs really well, and dependably, and it sounds really good out of the exhaust. What a good feeling!
Just the other day, I installed a NOS, rebuilt, dual stage fuel pump. I didn't know that was a thing (I'm new to rebuilding old four wheeled vehicles) until I stumbled upon it. After installing it, I ran new vacuum hoses from its vacuum pump (that's the second stage of the dual stage) to the Trico windshield washer co-ordinator valve that was in the engine bay. The internals of the valve don't work anymore, so I used two new, external, one way valves for the vacuum from the pump, and from the manifold, and then up to the wipers. Now, my wipers work really well at idle, and also at speed. No more stopping wipers when the RPMs increase. I absolutely love that. I do have to rebuild the passenger side wiper motor, though, as it doesn't work as well as it should. Also, I bought and installed NOS wiper arms and rubber wipers. The top hat seals that go over the shaft for the wipers were crumbling. They're no longer available, so I had a friend 3D print me a set. Those fit perfectly and are working well.
I've replace the original headlights with LED headlights that look vintage. The headlight rings are currently off a Bel-Air. I have Chevy style ones to replace them with. I also replaced the headlight aim adjusters, as mine were broken from age. I replaced the original running lights with NOS ones that had functioning bulb sockets. I've since learned you can buy replacement sockets.
I had the carb rebuilt at a local shop in Albuquerque known for their carb work. I had them do it since they had all of the parts on hand and could get it done in a day. I drove there dropped it off, and drove it home the same day.
When I got the Grumman, the carb had a motorcycle style come filter on it. Someone in a Grumman group I'm in was nice enough to send me an original oil bath air filter housing. I cleaned it up, brazed some rust holes, painted it it, made a mounting bracket for it and installed it. I replaced what looked like horse hair air filtering material with stainless scrubby pads I got and hooked it up to the carb. It now drives with more torque and power than before.
I redid the wooden floor in the back and installed e-channel and two motorcycle wheel chocks. There was a lot involved with that. Originally, there were wooden strips, about one inch wide and one inch tall, running from front to back, with a one inch gap in between them. About a foot of the center section of those were missing. I needed something to screw the wood floor to, but didn't want to screw into the aluminum of the bed so I cut 2x4s and ran a few width wise from front to back. I then screwed those into the existing screw holes that were already in the floor from the missing wood strips, and screwed 4x8 particle board to the 2x4s and remaining wood runners.
I'm getting ready to remove the front bumper that's on there (it's off of a Stingray) and that auxiliary gas tank I mentioned earlier, to install a stock, Chevy bumper. I need to make mounting brackets for that.
I think I've listed just about all of the major work I've done up till now. I have a ton more work I plan on doing. I'll post all that as I get it done.
Thanks for all that stuck around and read all of that. I'm looking forward to asking all sorts of questions, and posting my progress. I'm definitely having a lot of fun with this project.
