The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Can you help identify this van?

Chris Ryan is trying to figure out what year and use his van is.

Here are two nice big pictures

Rear view

Front view

I'll let Chris know to check here for any questions you have of him about it.

Thanks all.

Peg

that looks like a prison transport van

I believe it to be an early Gruman-Olsen van on a Chevy chassis.There should be data tag riveted to the dash panel on the passenger side.Too styled to be a Divco Van lol.I'll look in my books.Be back to ya.

Whatever it is, its cool. Especially, if you add a bed, a fridge full of beer and a lava lamp. Maybe some beads too. Oh, and get the local kids school to paint it. Sweet.

I'm back,Couldn't find what I wanted to find but I still believe it is a Grumman(two m's)Olsen van called a Kurbside(yea with a K)from the 60's.Most of them had a 250 six,with a powerglide.Some of the later ones(after 1969-70)had the 292 with a 350THM trans.Chris Ryan,look for the data tag and let us know.

I agree with the others. I think its a grumman.

Cliff59

Another voice heard:

That van is a pretty standard step-van setup. The chassis appears to be a 3/4 ton, or possibly a 1-ton without dual rear wheels, from the late 50's/early 60's era, and the step van body could have been made by Grumman, or any of several other specialty coachworks outfits. There should be a body ID plate somewhere around the driver's seat, maybe under the dash or near the driver's door latch. It's not uncommon for the body to be dated one year newer than the chassis, allowing for construction time after the basic chassis was produced.

I'll nudge Chris again again. He may not check in here six times a day like many of us!

Peg

I don't know what it is, but it is neat.

-W

Thanks very much for the feed back I will check for the Plate that some of you are talking about.

The grill screen has an airplane stamped on it with the words lynair van

also look for this van in the swapmeet section soon.

1964 Chevy Shaggin-Wagon

I call it my magic bus

I agree late 50,s early 60,s. If it has the stovebolt engine it,s 62 on back. If it has the later 230-292 it,s 63 up.

Hello there,
What do you mean by stovebolt engine?
Something tells me if you tell me what it means I will be able tofigure out why the site is called stovebolt.

Rookie

Well, start by reading this recent thread . If you're still confused, welcome to the monkey house.

Basically "stovebolt", when applied to an engine, refers to the inline, 6 cylinder engines that Chevy used in their cars and trucks from 1929 to 1962 (though you'll also get some arguments on the dates as well ). On the other hand, the Grand Poobahs of this site have declared any pre-72 Chevy or GMC truck (regardless of the engine) to be a "stovebolt". Since its their garage, we purists try not to disillusion them

Thank you Jeff!



Peg

It is a hack job on a 1958-1968? Chevy Olson By Grumman Parcel Deliveries The 1952 sits on a 3/4 ton.PM152-22 GVW Max 7000lbs.
Body Weight 1080 -1470lbs. Wheelbase of 104"-125"
Maxx

NOOOOOOOO........ You guys are all wrong! That's the van from the TV show "SWAT" from back in the '70's.

Sand through that paint and see if you can find the original paint and maybe a company logo or name. Someone saved it for a reason. It may have some regionally significant, nostalgic value.
From the '30s up until '69, Helms Bakery sold fresh bread daily in residential streets throughout southern California. They were a sponsor of the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles and used the name, Olympic Bread.
[img]http://www.lilesnet.com/paul/Memories/images/helms1935_2.jpg[/img]
They used these trucks up until 1962 and switched to a Chevy Panel Truck. They closed up in 1969.
There is one of the early Divco coaches in the Peterson Hot Rod museum in LA.
I read that a restored early truck is worth a lot of DOUGH.

Why did people wear so many uniforms back in the 30 through the 60s? I mean the gas station man, the bread man and even the Good Humor ice cream driver looked like a policeman.

and while I am on the subject. I notice that in old photos of the 40s and 50s every man in the United States wore a suit (even in the summer).
I drive my old plymouth in the summer and even with the 4-40 A/C, it can get down right HOT. How in the world did they drive, and work in the south with suits?

Cliff59

Summer-weight fabric. And sweating.

Back then most any blue collar worker was in uniform, especially if they were in the service industry. Served many purposes. Gave the worker some pride. Gave the public a secure feeling. It let whoever you were dealing with know where you worked and what your name was. Back then most blue collar workers had a lot of pride and loyalty. Usually you worked at the same job for life, from high school until retirement. Attitudes were a lot different than now. You were happy with who you were and what you did. This really changed in the 60s and 70s with all the individualism and self-expression that came out of the hippie movement.

Most of the aircraft plant workers didn't have uniforms, but wore either a dark green or blue chambray shirt. That's where the term blue collar came from. Dad was a liasion engineer with Boeing. As an engineer, he had to wear a white shirt and slacks to work. But he also crawled around inside of airplanes to investigate problems, right alongside with the mechanics. Mom would throw a fit almost every night about the grease stains and tears in his clothes.

Suits were worn by executives and salesmen. Your appearance was expected to be immaculate. I recall mom looking out the window at someone coming to the door. If it was a stranger not in a suit or uniform, she wouldn't answer the door.

Around here a lot of men would remove their jacket before getting in the car when it was hot, but as soon as they stepped out the jacket went back on. You got used to the heat, few homes had a/c, and even fewer cars. Swamp coolers and fans to help stay cool, but the swamp coolers weren't much help when the humidity was up.