One of the most noticeable features of the 1970s was the rise in popularity for domestic vans, particularly custom vans that were essentially party wagons in the hearts and minds of their happy young owners.
A subset of the Seventies van craze was their conversion to RVs (recreational vehicles) by companies that were able to build them into camper units.
A 1979 Chevy G20 at a summer car show caught our attention because it was an excellent example of an RV conversion van.
Jim Sutherland
The fact it was a G20 van meant it was built on a ¾ ton chassis, so it was able to handle larger loads, including a tall fiberglass roof that gave it more inside room for its passengers.
The ’79 Chevy van’s owner at the car show was Sandy Hampshire and he is an RV technician by trade, so Sandy was a good fit as the latest owner of the RV.
Sandy discovered the van about 4 years ago and learned the Chevy RV had been off the road for about 13 years at that point. Most car guys will encounter many complications when they attempt to resurrect a parked vehicle from a lengthy storage because excessive rest is typically a recipe for disaster when it comes to internal combustion vehicles.
However, Sandy told MyStarCollectorCar his experience with his ’79 Chevy G20 RV was mild, considering that 13 years had elapsed since it was last on the road. The initial process involved fresh gas, air in the tires, and a battery to fire up the van and move it to his place.
As mentioned, Sandy is an RV tech, so he was able to repair issues with the Chevy RV conversion’s storage and holding tanks, some floor repairs, along with reviving its fridge unit after he became its owner. He also took care of the van’s short list of mechanical problems, so he replaced the master brake cylinder, tires and valve cover gaskets to make it ready for the road after a long hiatus.
The entire process was done quickly because the vintage RV was in excellent overall condition and Sandy had the right skill set to complete the tasks.
Sandy’s main reason for the project was to provide a solid RV unit for travelling, camping and fishing with his son and the opportunity to revive an affordable vehicle like his 1979 Chevy G20 conversion was a perfect solution for him.
He told MyStarCollectorCar he has encountered many people who have attempted to buy the van from him, but he has rejected them outright every time. In Sandy’s words, “I won’t sell because I can’t replace it because RVs are a very expensive investment these days”.
There was a large collection of adults and kids around Sandy’s 1979 Chevy G20 van conversion because his vintage RV still does everything right, including the fact it provided plenty of shade from its canopy and cold refreshments from its refrigerator on a warm summer day at a car show.
Most importantly, Sandy’s RV provides priceless memories for him and his son every time they hit the road together in it. Another reason why it is not for sale.
Jim Sutherland
BY: Jim Sutherland
Jim Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer whose work has been published by many major print and online publications. The list includes Calgary Herald, The Truth About Cars, Red Deer Advocate, RPM Magazine, Edmonton Journal, Montreal Gazette, Windsor Star, Vancouver Province, and Post Media Wheels Section.
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