Custom Vans are Back! Chevy/GMC Van Upgrades - The New/Old Van Craze - Stacey David's Gearz S16 E8

There was a time when vans ruled the custom scene! They had slick paint jobs (sometimes with wizards), crazy interiors, and even crazier engines. Then, like the lightning from a wizard’s wand, they disappeared, and the world of vans returned to boring service vehicles. Well, like it or not -- Vans are back! That’s right! Vans are emerging as the new custom vehicles on the car show scene! But where do you find cool parts to turn that dumpy old phone service or laundry van into a sweet street machine? Hang on to your sliding doors, cause Stacey has a few tricks up his sleeve to take some common parts and use them to breathe some new life into the faded glory of van culture. The Great Van Redo starts now on GearZ!

Featuring:
LMC Truck
Steele Rubber
Hot Shot's Secret
Cornwell Quality Tools
Sharkhide
Holley
Woodward Fab

[paulnewman]

Stacey is one of the main reasons that car shows took off in the early 2000. He is a legend, glad I found this channel

[Brandenlytle]

Its too bad these shows are only around 8 minutes of actual show, the rest is more advertising, always been a fan of stacey david

[slickz]

I have fond memories of watching you on tv with my dad as a kid. Seeing your videos make me feel closer to him then ever. Thank you Stacey.

[johnglielmi]

In the 80's I worked with my cousin making Conversion and Custom Vans. He passed away but he was very big and gave back to the community of Bensenville IL

[michaelcouey]

I really wanted to follow this project. 5 minutes of van discussion and 20 minutes of sponsored commercial discussion is going to turn this into another lost series I'm afraid

[erikgonzalez]

I’m 31 years old watched Stacey since I was a kid loved tools and cars since young now I had no idea he’s on YouTube!!! Wow what a treat still love cars and especially vans I can’t afford one of these but drive a ford van for work and don’t mind the commercial

[JohnDoe-lsvd]

The van craze saved my Drivers License. I went from a hopped up 67 fastback Mustang to a 76 Chevy van(needed for job)in 1980. I always miss that little pony, but still have my CDL. And now I'm building a 1985 GMC Value Van! Keep On Truckin ✌

[BradleyBellwether-oyqi]

My son and his friend couldn't push my Sierra up the driveway. So while they were gone, I did it myself by using the front driver side wheel and a 2×4. I just kept kicking the board under the wheel, so it wouldn't roll back.
When they got home, they wouldn't believe I moved it by my self. 😂 So I rolled it back down the driveway and showed them how to do it properly.
Once it was all 3 of us each on a tire, it took less than a minute to get it back to the top. They were *_really_* glad to learn that trick!
The main reason rolling it by the tire works so well is that you're maximizing torque by applying it directly to the wheel. So, instead of pushing the whole weight of the vehicle to move the wheels, you're pushing the wheels to move the vehicle. Basically, it's not much harder than if you were just trying to push the rolling frame without a body from the bumper, by yourself (which I'd done before learning this trick).

[stevenwhite]

Thank you so much Stacey for picking me to be in this episode of WAYWO. Just a little more background on the 1925 Gerin (pronounced Jerr-Ann) Aerodyne, in 1922 when Jacque Gerin applied for the patents he was only around 24y.o., it had a lot of innovations in automotive engineering. Hydraulic shocks, hydraulic brakes, independent suspension front and rear, rack & pinion steering, a adjustable steering column, conical valve springs, roller rockers to name just some of those innovations. The body was never built, just the main platform, drivetrain, and exoskeleton. The engine and drive train were removable with just a few bolts holding everything together on a slide rail. His thoughts were that if there ever were a issue, the customer would bring it in for service and he would have another engine already to go, slide the engine out and a new one slid into place with very little down time. Germany was interested in his ideas and design and lent him a bunch of $ to fund it but we believe it was too advanced for it’s time as well as too cost effective to build so Gerin dismantled the car and yes, hid or destroyed a lot of the key components to make the car work so no one would steal his ideas and the car and himself went into hiding. During World War II the Nazi’s were looking for him and the car as he owed Germany a lot of $ but was never found luckily and the car resurfaced many years after the war in another country and exchanged hands with private collectors twice until 2015 when my boss purchased it and the restoration began to finish it to Gerin’s vision. It is quite the unique and historical automobile. I’m honored to be given the opportunity to be the one of the ones completing it. Thank you again for showing it on your show.
Steven

[codyfastenau]

I’ve been watching you since the speed channel days in the early 2000s I was 7 8 9 years old man always been a HUGE fan I’m so glad you made a YouTube channel and still teach and inform people keep it up man thank you for all the knowledge

[jimmy_midnight_special]

Stacey, you're the best in the business! You have the keenest eye for detail. I saw you at Power Tour last month, but couldn't get over to say hi. Big fan. Keep doing what you're doing!

[neo]

The van part of this commercial pretty much ended at the 7:30 mark. All was done was the grill removed.

[RexCars]

Vans Are BACK !!! ( for 2 minutes out of 24 ).. Arrggg... EVERY time i watch one of his his shows.. At The End I ask my self WHY...

[VantasticTelevision]

Vans!! 50th National Truck-In is in Sterling CO July 5-9, 2023. Maybe see you there in that sweet yellow rig!

[jamesbrown]

“It’s close enough you can make it work.” Although I appreciate Stacey David’s confidence in my abilities he’s clearly never seen me in my garage.

[pugmalley]

Part of having a van was that it wasn’t a pick up truck. So trying to make it look like one is stupid. Those Chevy/GMC vans of that era we liked them cause it made us feel like we had an A-Team van. Wish GM would bring back the Astro van.

[martinharris]

Vans have always been the best canvas for customizing. Huge blank canvas outside, huge scope for interior themes, plenty of mechanical and body mod potential. Only limit is your imagination!

[zackeriedawson]

I grew up watching you once a week. On another TV channel. Now I do not watch it cause your not on there. I love these makes me fill like a kid again. Thanks for these videos. Subscription engaged.

[TheREALOC]

I just bought a 91 Chevy Cargo van that I'm going to rebuild, mine was originally a School District work vehicle and it was a 8" wide window and a 16" wide window in the sliding door that I'm going to take out of the door and use in the back where the portholes usually are, I'd like port holes but it's going to cost me less to have those windows cut down and replace the metal in the door and cut out the slots for the 8" windows. The van now is like a Powder Blue/Periwinkle color and I kinda like it, I think I'm going to repaint it that color as a base and go with blue/purple stripes/scallops. The only thing I haven't figured out yet is what I'm going to do with the inside because Wood Paneling is getting absolutely outrageous to buy.

[calaboot]

Definitely makes me feel old seeing stacey with white hair. always a pleasure watching your show. I learned almost all my fabrication skills from you!