Buyin a 78 shorty

So, I've been driving past this van in my neighborhood for 2 years. I never even stopped to look at it, but I went a couple days ago, for some unknown reason. She's a 78 1/2 ton with a 283 slant six. This van has no windows, a home made three speed auto to stick conversion(with two shifters, one for 1st and reverse, and one for second and third.) This old guy named Pete, smae name as my best friend, who look like he could be this guy's grandson, owns it and we went for a ride. Standard drum brakes, standard steering, mechanical choke. He showed me under the hood, brand new radiator, brand new exhaust, brand new suspension. The van only has 77,000 kms on it. That's right, you heard me correctly. All I have to do is wait until spring until he sells it to me. The guy's getting too old to drive or he'd never sell it, he told me. He was goin to scrap it in the spring, said he thought nobody would want something like that anymore!!!! He saw how much fun I was having driving it and he told me I was doing fine, except I was going too slow.
He told me to pull over so he could show me how to do it. He got rubber in two gears! He promised me he wouldn't sell it to anyone but me, because I could give it a good home. I asked hime about money, but he said "Don't worry about it." I'd pay whatever he wants for it. All I have to do is weld in a couple of patches in the bottom of the side doors, and she's golden! I could drive it as is and pass a safety test today! The frame has been coated by him for its whole life in tar!. I couldn't find a weak spot anywhere, and I looked hard! I don't think the guy's got any kids because he looked so happy to see me when I asked him about his van. He knows I know what it is. I can't wait. I'm gonna store my 97 integra until my two week old 1st born son is old enough to help me restore it. It would look good on a trailer behind this van in twenty years! Pete then said "You ain't seen nothing yet. Come in the garage." After seeing his van, I didn't know what to expect but I was not prepared for what I saw. He has a 1976 Monte Carlo with a 350 V8 with a four barrel carb on it and posi-trac! It only has 20,000 kms on it. I'm talking not even one rust pit on the crome bumpers. It look right off the assembly line perfect. Original deep blue paint which is flawless. He's got the bill of sale for both cars! He's the original owner of both! I said to him "Pete, uhhhhhh, I'm going to buy your van, but, can I buy that Monte too?" He looked at me and said "Awwwww, I kinda want to put this one in the auto trader." I don't blame him, that car could go for ten of thousands of dollars! I'm gonna try and work on him. If that happens, I'll have a 97 Black on Black Acura Integra with 263,000 kms on it that runs like new and looks better than, which i've had for 6 years since college when it had 17,000 kms on it. This summer I bought my wife a black 1995 Nissan Pathfinder XE with 130,000 kms on it(for 6 grand after the money we got from a car accident) and it's loaded with tire carrier, bull bar and dark tint, running boards, auto locking hubs, the works(my family car), this van and this Monte. It's a good thing I have parking for two cars in my garage and five on the driveway.
Sorry I got carried away. This post was originially about the van. It's got leaf springs in front and back. If I'm not mistaken, I can take the leaf in front and hang them under the axle, dropping the front end and do the reverse in back to pop it up in back, right? Also, you can adjust the tie rods and ball joints to off-camber the fronts, right? Also, the van is dark green with black along the bottom, black rims and the knock-off cop car hubcaps. I want to put a detective's search light on it and a whip antennae for a cb. :naughty: I envision some serious road trips with my wife and kid. Very cool because my dad always had vans and I grew up riding in one, and the 25th aniversary of my family's trip to New Brunswick in a van is coming up soon. We didn't have a car till I was twelve and even that was a 1967 Ford Meteor that was painted Gold Flake with a black painted top.
Oh and before anyone asks, no I won't tell you where he lives. All this and I just got a big raise at work, my son was born, and me 29th birthday was three weeks ago. Woo-hoo for Gurgus. I don't mean to be smug or gloat but, damn. Some first post.

Thank you, Gurgus out.