Preface Part II: The Starting State
The Panel Van's condition– June 1999

Well this is it-- The ol' Panel Truck. This picture was taken June 5, 1999. As you can see, it's in pretty good physical shape-- Considering it's been left outside for 43 years. The lines are straight, the body fittings are more or less in place and in good order. There are small patches of rusted-out metal along the bottom of the right door, rear fender, and front fender. The left side's bottom edges are relatively intact. The paint, as far as I can figure, was originally solid GM Jet Black-- believe it or not. The top was brushpainted white, I suppose to deflect the searing heat of Santa Cruz Summers. (It gets up to almost 85°!) Those little dots behind the door are fridge magnets with pictures of pies on them. Karen's (my sister) contribution. The right side of the car is her half. The hubcaps are from a 66-69 Chevy truck, but hey, they're hubcaps.

Here are some more views of the beast. Click on the thumbnails for a bigger picture.

What can be seen-- even in the thumbnails-- is a truck that's in good, drivable shape, but one that needs attention pretty much everywhere-- in some places a little, in other places a lot. The horizontal surfaces on the body, along the top, are down to thin primer and are getting veneers of rust. The grille is pretty rusty, and the emblems are shiny but pitted. About the only nonstock items showing are the taillights. The outside rearview mirrors are dealer accessory, and I mentioned the hubcaps already.

The interior. it's not apparent from the picture, but the paint is is pretty good shape. Those white crescents in the corners of the windshield are where the layers of glass are separating. It's equipped with a deluxe heater system that's completely disconnected and assumed leaky. The blower works. One can make out the rearview mirror (from a '62!) held fast with a C-clamp, The patchcocked domelight to the right of it, and the red nylon cord on the glovebox (used to jerk it open!).the passenger seat was an RPO (Regular Production Option). Seat Belts? Hah! it was 1956, Baby!

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