Operation Evo: A Quest for Greatness Pt. 2

Here is the most recent sale going towards my quest for greatness! A 1979 Chevrolet Beauville Camper Special with 118k miles! As you can clearly see, it is a specialty market vehicle that has absolutely nothing to do with my final goal; a Lan-Evo. I purchased it in late March with the intent of using it for a few weeks on a camping trip with my significant other and my newly created spawn, and then turning it around for a quick profit. Unfortunately, as this was a "dual purpose" purchase, my room for profit was slightly less than the equation I had in mind when I started the story. So, lets see how I did!



I bought the van for a cool two grand, and spent just over $200 on fixing a leaking vacuum modulator, a safety inspection, and a smog.  In total, I was in the van about $2,200.

Before detail

When I finally got my hands on it, the first order of business was to take out all the old parts and camping equipment the previous owner left behind. After clearing out everything that wasn't to be sold with the van, a thorough cleaning was in order. You would be surprised at what a good detail can do for an older vehicle. By the time it's done, it looks like a completely different van! The van itself was in good condition, although the repaint from 1998 was fading pretty badly, showing its old age. To make it more desirable to the general public, I conditioned the tires, deep cleaned all surfaces, and sprayed under the hood to get rid of all the cobwebs and dust from years of use.

After detail

Most people, when shopping for a car, would like their purchase to be in near-stock condition, and that means making sure it is as close to perfect as possible. The cleaner and straighter the car, the easier it will be to sell. If you notice in the pictures, most of the extra chotsky's have been removed, as the previous owners personal touches would not be as appealing to the new owner. (Nor would they want to use someone elses old mattresses or blankets)

Meet Buttons, the vans mascot. (spare tire cover)

In the end, I sold the van for just over $2,600, meaning my profit was approximately $400 after owning it for a mere three months. I feel that I could have held out for slightly more, but a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, as they say. (Not to mention the guys were totally cool and were taking it to Burning Man in Nevada) So my good ol van made me a few bucks more towards my ultimate goal of the 03-05 Evolution. On to the next one!