There is a humorous saying that a vehicle from General Motors will run like garbage for longer than most cars will run. I have no idea how true that is, but anecdotally, I have seen GM vehicles clocking in crazy miles despite constant misfires, low coolant, and oil that was last changed during a Bush administration.
As Brian wrote, poor General Motors has been having such a tough time with its L87 6.2-liter V8 that the feds are looking into it. Cheap Bastard:
Given the massive bloat these vehicles have seen over the past decades is it any surprise they’re now suffering from catastrophic heart attacks?
Ouch. Data:
This could negatively impact GM’s reputation for running badly longer than most cars run.
Plaid Seats:
In completely unrelated news, GM will be announcing its first ever GM Peace Prize winner tomorrow.
The Bishop made a futuristic EREV tribute to the conversion van. I just have to give today’s last COTD for VanGuy, because I love comments like this:
Conversion vans haven’t gone away. Yes, there’s fewer of them—lots of the conversion companies folded during the great recession—but you can still find plenty of new ones. It’s just that six figures is a lot to ask for a market that’s even more niche than it used to be.
I drove a conversion ’97 Econoline-150 for 7 years and I have no idea what you’re talking about with “absolute crap to drive.” They’re certainly not fast (although even then, I’m sure you could get a new Express/Savana one optioned with the 6.6l L8T 401 hp and 464 lb-ft, they claim)… but mine was comfortable as hell.
A lot of newer ones have some of the interior features you’ve already highlighted. If you want to look at examples, you can look up Paul Sherry Conversion Vans (just happens to be the nearest specializing conversion van dealership I’m aware of near me).
Used conversion vans near original condition are getting hard to find for a variety of reasons. I’ve mostly intuited these so I welcome correction, but:
- Decreased supply since great recession (fewer conversion companies around).
- Decreased demand (luxury good, high fuel consumption, etc.).
- #VanLife craze during early period of COVID drove general van demand through the roof, and a conversion van would likely be easier to work on in the interior than a typical one).
- Anyone looking for “a van” to use for cargo can just grab any old passenger or conversion one and rip the seats out.
Some states restrict commercial traffic from certain roads (such as New York’s parkways) but with loopholes that encourage using vans with windows for that purpose.
Ultimately, I think even an EREV just might not get the range desired for conversion vans, aka one of the ultimate road/day-trip vehicles. Getting 500 highway miles to a tank was a point of pride for mine, 33-gallon tank be damned.
And in spite of everything, I’m still hoping to acquire another sometime soon, because I cannot properly convey to you the feeling of a heart full of love when you’re driving 6+ of your closest friends in a luxurious space all your own.
Conversion vans rock, and until we get better battery technology, I think electrifying them in the U.S. is a fruitless endeavor. (I’m open to the idea broadly! But as road-tripping vehicles, I think they need a higher standard. But getting 500 miles out of one of them would probably put the Hummer EV battery to shame.)
Have a great day, everyone!
Top graphic image: GM
I can attest to the older SBC being able to run longer broken. Never really noticed, but drove the snot out of a 327 that seemed to run very well, but found out one cylinder had wiped out a lobe back in the 70’s when the Hotter cam was installed. found it out when removing the heads after dropping a big block into the car.
I really wanted to be a ford guy for some reason as a kid. Bought a few in high school and used GM for winter beaters, but with the weird engine generation and even same engine, but different year variations at ford, I certainly came around on the benefits of GM designs at the time.
But it was the way the Fords tended to not run at all when one or two cylinders were down that seemed to support this saying. Also I think the Ignition systems were just more junky in other stuff and the HEI made it so things ran, even poorly, but I could be wrong.
COTD!
I really hope GM figures this out. I’m not a big fan of their bloated, IMO dangerous trucks and SUVs but I applaud their efforts to make the engines in them as fuel efficient as possible.