It has been suggested that I should leave my comfort zones of vehicle hunting and dig through locations other than the deserts and the High Plains areas of the country, where the metal is awesome and the older vehicles are nice and preserved. Fair enough…it’s low-hanging fruit to go car shopping in Phoenix, I know. And what better place to take a swipe through Craigslist in the search of a cheap-car project muse than where my hind end is camped at this weekend? Vehicles are plentiful in St. Louis if you know where to look…and so long as you look for rust with a fine-toothed comb. While not as bad as the Chicago, Illinois and Missouri both have pretty solid infestations of tin worm to deal with, so you either have to be handy with a welder and patch metal or need to be very picky with what you are looking at for your next low-buck project.

Be patient, though, and you will be rewarded with a gem out of a rough field. Take this 1984 Chevrolet G-20…how can you say no to a van like this? It’s not so stock that it’s boring, and it’s not so modified that it evokes some rather creepy imagery when you look at it. The 305 shouldn’t be troublesome and a fresh transmission should help with any worry you might have about mechanicals. Besides, it’s GM…cheap and easy if you aren’t happy with the power or want more.

The fold-down benches fold into a bed and the forward area appears to be unmolested. The shag carpeting on the walls…well, that’s up to you, Chief. We’d be a bit more concerned about the two spots of paint that need to be retouched and the bubbling on fender, and sourcing a new headlight bezel. Then we’d worry about interior upgrades…a mini-fridge and an upgraded sound system and you’d have a great track-to-track travel rig! The $4,500 would be a solid investment, too, considering the van subculture that is seeing a resurgence lately!

Craigslist Link: 1984 Chevrolet “Chevy Van” G-20