GMC Vandura
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Manufacturer | Chevrolet |
Also called | Chevrolet Sportvan |
Production | 1968 to 1996 |
Assembly | United States, Canada |
Class | Commercial vehicle |
Body style | 3-4 door van |
Layout | Front-engine, rear-wheel drive |
Engine | 4.1L I6 |
Transmission | 3-4 speed automatic |
Wheelbase | 110 in (2,794 mm) (SWB) |
Length | 178.2 in (4,526 mm) (SWB) |
Width | 79.5 in (2,019 mm) |
Height | 79.4 in (2,017 mm) (SWB) |
The GMC Vandura is a pickup truck from the US automaker GMC, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Motors. The GMC Vandura is famous for the US television series The A-Team.
History
The GMC Vandura was produced from 1968 to 1996 For 1971 GM introduced the third-generation G-series vans and used unibody construction by 1978 model was again updated and by the 1980s the first diesel a 6.2 L V8 engine became available along later in 1988, larger 7.4L V8 fuel-injected engine. This was then replaced by the GMC Savana. The GMC Vandura was built identical to the Chevrolet G20 (colloquially also called Chevy Van), but is considered a luxurious and higher quality model. The Vandura was built as a medium-sized truck, as a vans or as a minibus, the minibuses of various outfitters (Explorer, StarCraft, 707) were converted to conversion vans. These are nowadays sporadically found worldwide and are individually beautified or even remodelled by many owners, so that each van receives its unique note.
The Vans designs are characterized by the following designations:
- G10 ("1/2 tone"): rear-wheel drive; short wheelbase and middle wheelbase
- G20 ("3/4 tone"): rear-wheel drive; average wheelbase
- G30 ("1 tone"): rear-wheel or four-wheel drive; medium wheelbase and long wheelbase
For the G30 there was a short and a long, optionally with mechanical differential lock, for the G20 there was an optional automatic differential lock.
There are basically two different roof variants:
- Lowtop: conventional roof
- Hightop: raised roof
The lowtop roofs offer no great variation possibilities, in contrast to that, the hightops have evolved over time from various roof constructions.
Gasoline
The heart of a Vandura is usually a 5.7-liter V8 engine with 3-speed manual transmission, or option for the 2-speed Powerglide automatic or the 3-speed Turbo-Hydromatic automatic . Furthermore, there are also the following variants:
- 4.3-liter V6
- 5.0-liter V8
- 7.4-liter V8
Diesel
- 6.2-liter V8
- 6.5-liter V8 diesel
- 6.5 liter V8 turbodiesel
Trivia
The GMC Vandura is famous for the US television series The A-Team. In this the 83er GMC Vandura unites the four series heroes and offers beside Mr. T alias B. A. Baracus a high recognition value. The vehicle was already used before market launch. Their now infamous black van is used almost constantly in their war against the villains. BA Baracus, played by Mr T, is their ace mechanic all he needs is some welding equipment, fortunately always to be found in whatever barn, they are hiding in. He can change the van into almost anything the van has been armour-plated, smashed through roadblocks, used as a battering ram, and even doubled as a cannon, firing melons through a grain chute.
