I was due for a new daily driver so I started searching all over the country for someone selling a Kubvan, the only car I've ever wanted in my adult life. A few months later I tracked down one for sale, from a guy in TN that had a couple more and just needed to get rid of one. So I managed to buy it from him, get a great deal on getting it shipped out to California. It's got pretty low miles, and as far as I can tell it's been sitting most of it's life.
The day it came home:
Every corner of this thing was either filled with wasps or ladybugs, so we've been calling it the "Bug Box":
The wiring is absolute spaghetti but I've been gradually getting it cleaned up:
And avert your eyes, purists, but the big flat panels needed a chalkboard paintjob until I find something better:
So far I've replaced all the brake lines, master cylinder, misc coolant hoses, started insulating, redone most of the wiring, added a stereo (some old TV speaker and a $20 amp from Amazon), replaced the fuel tank sender, engine thermal sensor, had to get brand new locks, and strip down and reassemble the door latches.
I still need to:
-Figure out how big I can go on the wheels and tires without doing a lot of body and suspension work. I had to call around to a dozen different places to find an 8R13 that wasn't a trailer tire.
-Replace the fuel lines with Viton so I can run a higher percentage of Bio
-Do the 3 Speed Automatic to 5 Speed Manual swap (I tell people it does 0-60 in "eventually")
-Get a single folding bench seat
Then in the way long term I've got some plans to engineer a diesel-electric hybrid system, but that's not until I can save up enough to but a few grand into it.
Overall it's been treating me well, driving and repairs have both been a pleasure, and it should serve me well for years to come. Getting it insured ("OK, how about we call it a 1980 WV Other?" "Does it have seats?"), and getting the VIN verified by the DMV ("Oh, you really wanted us to work today I guess". Took him 3 tries to get the paperwork right) were both an absolute riot.
