SINVAN

My name is Craig, I live in Sydney, I am a Marine Engineer by trade and a self taught boat builder. This is the story about my first custom car build.

I have always had a passion for the Holden panelvan. My chance come to owning one in 2002 when I was working in outback Qld and I spotted a WB windowless panelvan sitting in a paddock behind a house. I approached the guy and he said “Yeah mate she’s all yours for $300". Well I ended up taking her home and dreamt about what to do and how to restore her to her former glory.

Unfortunately that was a long dream and the van sat around for years, getting shifted with me as I moved around for work. Eventually I moved to Sydney and I found a place with a really big shed. I need something to fill the shed so I transported the van to Sydney. Well I wasn’t two days into pulling all the gear of it when I noticed that both front door pillar sections where completely rotten. The floors where shot and the roof was gone. I was devastated. I rang around anyone from wreckers to car yards to panel beaters then one guy in Lithgow said “yeah mate I got one of those in top condition and don’t want it” well I ended up out there that night and sure enough, the van was straight next to no rust and in very good condition. I dragged the car home along with some extra parts that he threw in and so begins the SINVAN build.