1971 GMC Vandura: Begun

"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura) 11/13/2016 at 19:20 • Filed to: None

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Not an auspicious beginning, mind you, but I did take spray silicone to all of the door latches and rollers and opening and closing doors is now much easier. And the van sitting in the driveway makes for handy storage. I’m off the week of Thanksgiving and I am hoping to get the inside cleaned out.

People say we teachers teach because of June, July and August. Well, they’re wrong. We also teach because of April and November and December.

S65 > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 11/13/2016 at 19:27

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What are you going to do with it?

shop-teacher > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 11/13/2016 at 19:49

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The whole week? Nice! No such luck here.

Tristan > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 11/13/2016 at 19:57

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A can of Barkeeper’s Friend and a blue Scotch-Brite pad would do wonders for the looks department.

Urambo Tauro > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 11/13/2016 at 20:01

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I know that lubricating those parts might seem like a little low-priority thing that should wait for later in the project, but fact is you’re probably going to be opening and closing those doors several times before it’s done. Might as well make it a pleasant experience instead of a constant irritation.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > S65 11/13/2016 at 20:02

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Drive it daily, drift it a little, go to parking lot autocross events. Van has a straight-six and three-on-the-tree. 80,000 miles, purchased from original owner who special-ordered it new.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Urambo Tauro 11/13/2016 at 20:03

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Yup, totally. Likewise, the interior and the engine compartment are going to be thoroughly clean before I try and start it. I’m not sure spray silicone is the best lube, probably needs some grease and some light machine oil, but it’s a start.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > shop-teacher 11/13/2016 at 20:04

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Yeah, but you’ll likely get it in other places like a shorter year overall.

comes over to help work on your car and only drinks beer > Tristan 11/13/2016 at 20:04

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BKF on paint? Love it in the kitchen, but would have never thought on a car.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Tristan 11/13/2016 at 20:05

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I think I already have a can of polishing compound somewhere. First steps are clean-up and general aesthetics. Not any sort of restoration, just make it look not deserted.

shop-teacher > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 11/13/2016 at 20:06

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True. For the first time ever we got out before Memorial Day last year. Won’t happen this year unfortunately.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > shop-teacher 11/13/2016 at 20:10

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I have relegated the calendar to the scrap heap of crap that I don’t waste time worrying about. How many years have you been teaching? You’re in Chicagoland, aren’t you?

Tristan > comes over to help work on your car and only drinks beer 11/13/2016 at 20:39

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David Freiberger did an article on it in HRM a few years back. I intend to do an Oppo writeup when I try it out on my Studebaker... I just need a bit of free time. It’s great for doctoring up old, wasted paint. Just abrasive enough to take off the chalky layers of oxidation without leaving scratches in the paint beneath. It’s like polishing compound, but way less work, and you can scrub right over rust.

Tristan > comes over to help work on your car and only drinks beer 11/13/2016 at 20:56

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I did a small quick test on the back end of the fender for example.

comes over to help work on your car and only drinks beer > Tristan 11/13/2016 at 20:58

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Wow...learn something new every day...Thanks! (doesn’t have a car that would benefit from it now, but files it back in the brain for forgetting later.)

shop-teacher > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 11/13/2016 at 21:13

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The only reason I care about Memorial Day, is I always go to the Indy 500. This year I would’ve been able to stay Tuesday if there had been a double rain-out. That happened the first time I went in ‘97. I only saw 11 laps of racing on Monday, and then I had to go home.

Yeah, I’m in Chicagoland. This is my 12th year. It’s weird, because I still feel like I haven’t really been teaching that long, but I’m by a long shot the veteran of my department. It’s nice to have no feelings of worry now when I get observed.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 11/13/2016 at 21:24

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Now, is that just bad paint or are the blue parts covered in velour?

fintail > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 11/13/2016 at 21:24

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Have you been to any Chevy/van forums with the serial number and tried to see how early it is in the production run, and how it compares to other survivors? Can’t be too many older than this still in existence.

I suspect some elbow grease will work a miracle on the exterior. No clearcoat, so maybe rubbing compound, polish, and wax. Full day’s work, but worth it.