Truckin’ – November 2019

• TRUCKIN.COM [3 9 ] NOVEMBER 2019 -

A^ Dedica

tion^ With

Style^ an

d^ Grace

C

ody^ Reynolds^ is^ the^ youn

gest^ of^ Bill^ and^ Vangie

Reynolds’^ three^ children.^ H

e and^ his^ brother^ Bobby

were^ especially^ close^ to^ the

ir father^ when^ they^ were

growing^ up.^ “My^ dad^ belon

ged^ to^ a^ van^ club^ called

Budman^ Vans^ and^ would^

spend^ a^ ton^ of^ time^ in^ the^ ga

rage,”^

Cody^ tells^ Truckin.^ “It^ was^ th

ere^ that^ I^ first^ learned^ how^ to^ t

urn^ a

wrench.”^ Vans^ were^ integra

l to the^ Reynolds^ family.^ In^ fact,

Cody

tells^ the^ story^ like^ this:^ “I^ wa

s conceived^ on^ April^ Fools’^ Da

y at^ a^

van^ show.”

In^2009 ,^ Bill^ was^ diagnosed

with^ cancer^ and^ Cody^ got^ th

e

idea^ to^ purchase^ a^ van.^ With^ the

help^ of^ his^ brother^ and^ father,^ h

e

created^ something^ that^ would^ r

eplicate^ his^ childhood.^ Searchin

g

for a^ van^ can^ be^ quite^ difficult,^ b

ut with^ the^ help^ of^ his^ friend^ Ch

ad

Luellen,^ Cody^ found^ an^ ’^83 Che

vy G^20 that^ had^ been^ sitting^ in

a

storage^ container—since^1986.^

When^ Cody^ went^ to^ take^ a^ lo

ok

at it,^ he^ discovered^ the^ conditi

on wasn’t^ great^ and^ tons^ of^ pa

rts

were^ missing.^ For^ $^700 ,^ he^ wa

s able^ to^ take^ the^ project^ home

for

the^ Reynolds^ boys^ to^ start^ on.^ T

he^ entire^ front^ end^ of^ the^ van^ w

as

missing,^ so^ the^ first^ step^ was^ re

turning^ it^ to^ stock.

Cody^ located^ a^ ’^73 van^ he^ inten

ded^ to^ use^ as^ a^ parts^ van^ from

an^ old^ fire^ department.^ The^ fr

ont end,^ doors,^ and^ bumpers^ w

ere

all^ installed^ to^ replace^ the^ m

issing^ pieces.^ The^ original^305

in

the^ ’^83 was^ OK,^ but^ it^ had^ a^ bu

nch^ of^ emissions^ additions,^ so

the

350 from^ the^ parts^ van^ was^ in

stalled,^ with^ Bobby^ and^ Bill^ add

ing

a cam^ and^ aluminum^ intake.

Cody^ was^ next^ up^ to^ bat^ with

the

suspension.^ Up^ front,^ he^ had

to Z^ the^ front^ clip^ of^ the^ unibo

dy.^

The^ front^ suspension^ was^ bro

ught^ to^ Chad^ Luellen,^ who^ ad

ded

custom^ control^ arms^ and^ na

rrowed^ both^ sides^2 inches.^

The

transmission^ crossmember^ h

ad to^ be^ rebuilt^ and^2 ½-inch^ d

rop

spindles^ were^ added.^ A^ two-l

ink with^ a^ Panhard^ bar^ was^ ad

ded

to^ the^ rear^ with^ bags^ over^ the

axle,^ and^ a^ ton^ of^ sheetmetal^ w

ork^

was^ done^ to^ the^ front^ wheeltu

bs so^ the^ van^ would^ lay^ out.

TEXT^ AND^ PHOTOS^ BY^ PHIL^ GO

RDON