Goodguys 2022 Goolsby Customs Next Generation Overall Winner!
Congratulations to Conner Wick for winning the Goodguys 2022 Goolsby Customs Next Generation title with your 1967 Chevy G10 van! We’ll see you and your vehicle in Scottsdale, Arizona November 18-20, 2022 at the 25th Speedway Motors Southwest Nationals!
It’s a story that started around 2010 when Conner Wicks father, Craig, drug this 1967 Chevy G10 van home from a scrap auction to pull some parts off it. Conner at the time was just a mere 7 years old. Upon closer inspection Craig decided that the van was in too good of condition to tear apart, so instead it sat in storage for 10 years. 10 years after 2010 puts us in 2020 and we all know what happened there. And that is really where the story of “Kermit”, this ’67 G10 van, starts.
In the early months of 2020 when there was nothing to do, no where to go, and a seemingly unlimited supply of time on our hands, Conner (now 17) suggested to his dad that they hit the road in an old vehicle for a road trip. The vehicle of choice for Conner was the van. With the help of his friend while dad was out of town, they drug it back out of storage and worked up a plan.
Out came the old 6-cylinder engine and in went a small block 350 topped with a Holley Sniper EFI unit and a set of double hump heads. They backed the reliable engine with a turbo 350 transmission.
Next up was an altitude adjustment which came in the form of a 5-inch drop front and rear – Conner fabbed a custom ladder bar setup for the rear in conjunction with a Ford 9-inch housing, and up front a 3-inch drop axle was installed as well as another 2-inches taken out of the leaf springs. 15-inch wheels wrapped up the stance with Real Rodders Wheels out back and US Mags riding up front.
Additional custom touches are seen inside with green metalflake panel paint on the door panels and center console, as well as a fresh coat of grey paint on the dash. 1964 Nova gauges were installed in the dash and a T-handle Mr. Gasket shifter controls the drivetrain. A row of commercial airplane seats provide seating for the rear passengers.
In total Conner (with the help of some friends and his dad) got the van back on the road in just 10 days – and just in time for the road trip with dad. Like many projects that are still in the early stages there’s more on the “to-do” list for Kermit, and we can’t wait to see what Conner has up his sleeve next!
Photos by Will Rogers
