Is this GMC Vandura cooler than the iconic A-Team van?
by Ciprian Florea, onLifted trucks and SUVs are insanely awesome. You can drive them just about anywhere and you can even race them in snow or sand. But you know what’s better than a lifted truck or SUV? A lifted van! If it’s a GMC from the 1980s, like the one recently showcased by Yasid Design, it’s even better.
If you’re not familiar with the GMC Vandura, it’s a full-size van that General Motors produced from 1971 until 1995. It was part of the third-generation Chevrolet G-series van that GM first introduced in 1964 and discontinued in 1995, when it was replaced by the Chevrolet Express.
The Vandura was sold with a wide variety of engines, including inline-six, V-6, and V-8 units. In the 1980s, Chevrolet also introduced a V-8 diesel.
The GMC Vandura became famous beyond a simple utility vehicle in 1983, when a customized version was featured in "The A-Team," an action TV series about former special forces members that worked as soldiers of fortune while trying to clear their name for a crime they didn’t commit. A 1983 model year version, the A-Team van featured a two-tone, grey-over-black paint job with red stripes and red wheels.
The van seen here is also a 1983-model-year version, but it’s completely different. For starters, it rides on big and wide off-road wheels and on a suspension lift that provides massive ground clearance.
It’s fitted with a bullbar and flood lights on the roof. It also features a winch and tow hooks. It’s the kind of van that will make you forget about the Jeep Wrangler on any Moab trail.