OldIHC

Well, I thought I was done with Metros after my diesel conversion didn’t quite work out as hoped. Just too noisy for long trips... lesson learned.
Anyway, I just bought this shorty that should arrive here next week from Manitoba . Will decide what direction to go with it after getting a good look.
Anyway, if by some miracle, any of you have a spare grill and a front bumper, I will gladly open my wallet.

Awe...nice... does it Run already?

Hi makusg, been a while. How life up Canada way?
kevin

Yes, after selling the last one and regretting it, I honestly never thought I would get a second chance.
As rare as these beauties are in the states, they are even harder to find up here.
My 11 year old son is as excited as I am by the “find”.
As for life in general, a small mountain town in BC feels like a pretty good place to wait out a pandemic. I totally miss my old pre covid ways, but we have done a lot of hiking and camping and don’t feel overly restricted most of the time. My wife thinks the mask i wear is a general improvement for my looks.
Our jobs are secure, school is functioning, and I think we are resigned to the idea that this winter is going to challenge us in many, many ways.
Maybe talking, planning, scheming and blundering along with a metro project will help us feel a bit more normal.
All the best to all of you.

The grill really isn't that hard to make. I took a piece to a sheet metal place and had them bend up strips with the same contour. You can do stainless and polish it, I did steel and had it chromed. Then I took a bunch of nut and bolts and bolted it together. You could spot weld it together, but you can't see the bolts.

My van made it safely across the prairies and is in the Body Shop.
I even tracked down a fine grill from someone who remembered a childhood friend with a grill hanging in their barn... only a 5 hour drive to get it...it has been there for 30 years, untouched and as remembered...
Van has the usual bottom edge rust from sitting in tall grass forever, but frame is good, beltline is good, and no hippy stove pipe holes. All in all pretty complete.
I contacted a wonderful guy in California who is now making rocker patch pieces with the right profile so that will be a huge time saver and money well spent.

The sliding doors seem pretty « welded » in place... I remember from my last van that they were surpringly hard to remove, and packed with debris in the door pocket. That will be first challenge.

Some of you might vomit reading this, but I am honestly considering converting this van to electric. The more I read about it, the more it makes sense to me. We will see.

If anyone has a set of the sliding door handles, it would make an early Christmas for me.

Just a couple pics
The grill with an ILOVE EDMONTON sticker
And a side view of van with Hudson’s Bay stenciling. Only of interest to Canadian history buffs...

Good deal, that's a pretty straight grill

Congratulations on your find! Looks great!

Dean

Just some progress pics...
Van is getting disassembled bit by bit. Interior panels are out.Floor is out. Doors are out. After a good wash the stenciling from the Hudson’s bay company is really clear on the drivers side... might be worth trying to keep.
fair amount of rot around door steps...expected...