1983 Chevy C30 Van Pathfinder 4WD

Chevrolet Other 1983 Description

I am offering my 1983 Chevy C30 1 ton 4 WD van for sale. When the van was new it was shipped to Pathfinder in Southern California for the 4 WD conversion. It was then sent to the North Slope in Alaska for service on the Alaskan pipeline. It was purchased by the second owner in 1993. It was used in both Alaska and Oregon. The previous owner used it as a wind surfing van. I purchased it non running. It had likely been sitting for years in a barn. It was towed to to a mechanic where the oil was changed and the gas tank was drained. It was also tuned. I had it transported to Kansas. Mileage is unknown since the odometer does not work but it reads 46,543. It does have a Hobbs hour meter that has registered 1964 hours. I am the third owner . Currently, it is in good running condition. It has not been restored.
The interior is original and worn as seen in the photos. The ceiling and sides have been insulated and covered with carpet. There was plywood glued to the floor. This was removed to check for rust. Other than the glue, it look new. Radio does not work. Steering has been repaired with layers of fiberglass mat then covered. Spotlight works. It has a Caterpillar heater in the back that is plumbed into the cooling system. There is an extra industrial seat that is not installed. Interior height is around 6 feet. The total exterior height is 9’ 6”. Glass is good but there is a quarter size bulls eye on the right side of the windshield. Emergency brake does not work.
The body panels are original including the doors and hood. The paint has faded and oxidized. It is the second paint job. It was done without much care. Door gasket were painted. Both door have popped open and damaged the leading edge. There is bondo in those repairs. There has never been any significant body or frame damage. There is no significant rust. The panels are solid as well as the frame but there are several small dents.The van is remarkably rust free. There is only bondo around the door edges. Evidently, the roads in Oregon and Alaska are not salted. In Kansas, it would have been rusted through within 10 years. I have not seen an old van in this good condition. The tires have good tread but they are old and need to be replaced.The fiberglass topper is solid without breaks.
The engine is a 350 with a 3 speed automatic. The gauges work. It holds good oil pressure and doesn’t overheat. The speedometer works. It starts easily and runs well . The transmission shifts without trouble. I’m not familiar with the older 4 WD units. The Pathfinder shifter is between the seats. It is tricky to shift into 4 wheel low. With the engine off, I could shift to neutral then 4 WD low. I locked the Warn hubs and creeped up our steep gravel driveway and it did not break traction so it seems to work well. When in neutral with the engine running, it will not shift into high 2 WD or 4 WD without grinding. I had to turn off the engine and there was no problem. That may be the way they are built. It’s my guess that this was the first time the 4WD unit had been engaged in 20 or so years. The rear end and transfer case have not been serviced. It has a new battery. The brakes work well.
I have a clear Kansas title.
The complete history of this car is known. This is a rare van with a lot of potential. I have other projects and I don’t need this one. Ask any question and I will do my best to answer it honestly. My Ebay feedback supports this. I want this van to go to a good home and I want the buyer to be happy with the purchase. I have many photos and I am willing to take more. I will have over 200 photos posted on Photo bucket. Contact me for the link if it does not appear.http://s389.photobucket.com/user/brdstr/library/Chevy%20van?sort=3&page=1It will be available for inspection by appointment during the auction. Ideally, it should be inspected prior to purchase like any other car. There may have been concerns not mentioned that I have forgotten . The van is sold “as is, where is” without guarantee written or implied. The car will be picked up at my house. I will not deliver. I require a Pay-Pal deposit of $500 and the balance in 5 days. The car must be picked up within 30 days. It will not leave here until satisfactory payment has been made. If you cannot meet these requests, please do not bid. Thanks for your interest.