"Jim Spanfeller" (awesomeaustinv)
04/10/2020 at 13:27 • Filed to: None
3
21|
"Jim Spanfeller" (awesomeaustinv)
04/10/2020 at 13:27 • Filed to: None | 3
| 21 |
Back in 1972, twelve GMC Suburbans were built with Oldsmobile-style Vista roofs! These were built for an “Edison Company” (whatever that means), and this one can be found on Craigslist in LA for $5,100.
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
Being a 1970's SUV, it has two doors on the passenger side, one door on the drivers side, and barn doors out back.
Th is one is also said to feature front and rear air conditioning, in case you’re worried about heat (although I suspect the air conditioning may need some fixing by now). The seats also look to be in decent shape, although the door cards have seen better days.
It also appears to have little to no rust, which is always good, plus it runs and drives . The seller says it also has a tachometer, an am/fm radio, a tilt steering wheel, and a 350 v8 . The one downside? I t’s only 2wd. It’s still a darn cool truck, though. Also, the seller provides this photo of the truck outside an amusement park/fair, which may be one of the prettiest of all Craigslist ad photos:
I’m not even a truck/SUV person, but I love that this thing exists.
Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
> Jim Spanfeller
04/10/2020 at 13:35 |
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That is one cool truck. Even better that the seller just drove it around to amusement parks and stuff. Good for him.
Nibby
> Jim Spanfeller
04/10/2020 at 13:36 |
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70s SUVs were amazing
shop-teacher
> Jim Spanfeller
04/10/2020 at 13:39 |
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That’s awesome! 2 wd is good by me. I couldn’t bring myself to ruin it off-road or by driving it in the winter anyways, so it way as well be 2wd. NP.
Just Jeepin'
> Jim Spanfeller
04/10/2020 at 13:47 |
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Am I missing something? Why the hell is something that rare and running so cheap?
HammerheadFistpunch
> Jim Spanfeller
04/10/2020 at 13:50 |
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That would be a seriously cool restoration project.
454 with a 4l85e
4wd conversion
lift big tires, etc
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Jim Spanfeller
> HammerheadFistpunch
04/10/2020 at 13:57 |
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I’d probably even be plenty happy just to leave it stock with the patina... Definitely fix up the interior though, and make sure everything mechanical and electrical is in top-notch working order. Maybe mod the original 350 v8 a wee bit. Either way, it’s a cool truck.
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Jim Spanfeller
> Nibby
04/10/2020 at 13:58 |
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Indeed they were. I wish modern SUVs had more two-tone paint and boxy charm like that...
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Jim Spanfeller
> Just Jeepin'
04/10/2020 at 14:02 |
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It was for sale earlier for $7,500 (which is still not a bad price IMO), but then they dropped the price to $5,100. It’s hard to determine the value of such a rare and obscure vehicle, so perhaps they were just going off of regular GMC Suburban values and assuming there would be little demand for one of these?
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shop-teacher
> Just Jeepin'
04/10/2020 at 14:11 |
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This bodystyle doesn’t have much of a following. Which is weird because this generation of trucks, people go crazy for. You hardly ever see the Suburbans though, and they don’t fetch nearly the same price.
WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI
> Jim Spanfeller
04/10/2020 at 14:12 |
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The roof makes it really ugly. I love it!
Cash Rewards
> Jim Spanfeller
04/10/2020 at 14:12 |
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Edison most likely refers to the old power company, Consolidated Edison, or ConEd. They used to drive around in trucks this color into the 90s at least. Maybe still do.
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WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI
> Nibby
04/10/2020 at 14:13 |
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My Sister’s god parents had the die sel suburban of that vintage in red. I loved it with all my heart when i was like 5.
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Jim Spanfeller
> Cash Rewards
04/10/2020 at 14:21 |
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If so, I wonder what they would’ve been doing with these trucks? Some have theorized that perhaps they were built as tour vehicles, which would make sense, although I’m not sure what a power company would’ve been doing with tour vehicles...
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Jim Spanfeller
> WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI
04/10/2020 at 14:22 |
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I actually think the roof looks cool. I also love it!
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WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI
> Jim Spanfeller
04/10/2020 at 14:26 |
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I don’t hate the windows per se, I just don’t like the hump. It the roof would have been that high from the windshield all the way back, I think it’d look better to me.
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Jim Spanfeller
> WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI
04/10/2020 at 14:30 |
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The hump is there so that the window in the roof can face a bit forwards as well as up, enhancing the vista-ness of the roof. Plus, it looks a bit more interesting to me than just a flat roof. But that’s just my opinion.
ranwhenparked
> Jim Spanfeller
04/10/2020 at 14:32 |
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Could an Edison company just refer to some business based in Kern County - maybe tourism, logging, or agriculture related?
Alternatively, a utility company - lots of Edisons there - Southern California Edison, Metropolitan Edison, Consolidated Edison, Ohio Edison, Potomac Edison, etc.
Beefchips
> Jim Spanfeller
04/10/2020 at 14:48 |
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ready to start your build # overland #vanlife
seriously though that thing looks sweet
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Jim Spanfeller
> ranwhenparked
04/10/2020 at 15:09 |
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The special roof makes tourism seem like the most likely explanation to me...
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Cash Rewards
> Jim Spanfeller
04/10/2020 at 15:28 |
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Observation of overhead lines? No idea
dogisbadob
> Jim Spanfeller
04/10/2020 at 16:48 |
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GIB NAO