If you’re a domestic automaker and you’re not Chrysler, you struggled in the minivan market and eventually left. In the early 80s, Chrysler launched the unibody Caravan minivan with front-wheel drive and has stuck with the formula ever since, with others joining the fray with similar layouts. GM and Ford launched body-on-frame, rear-wheel drive minivans (Astro/Safari and the dawning of the age of the Aerostar) a bit later and, despite popularity with plumbers, they didn’t have staying power with families.
GM and Ford would struggle off and on for the better part of two decades to compete in the unibody minivan arena and both would ultimately fail. That struggle was not for naught, however, as it brought some truly awful and forgettable vehicles and names to the market. The worst of the breed were the “dustbuster” GMs called Olds Silhouette, Chevy Lumina APV and Pontiac TransSport, followed closely by the much later, “SUV nose” minivans like our subject car. Forgettable ones? Well, that’s all the others, such as Windstar, Freestar, Venture, Relay and Villager (which, at least, had Nissan involvement for one generation and also brought us the Nautica Edition!).
What we have here is a Chevy Uplander, which was the final minivan attempt by Chevrolet. After two failures and the persistent perception of a minivan stigma, GM decided to attempt to make its minivans look like SUVs by using an extended nose. It didn’t work and all versions are dead now – even if this had been the best minivan ever, it didn’t stand a chance, as GM’s mismanagement, via name changing, led to zero brand value.
For some reason, the owner of this example painted it with chalk paint. It looks like it’s a swap meet van and was used by a multi-colored hair person to transport thrift store finds. Perhaps you’ll find a similar use for it.
Click for Craigslist ad
Claremont, CA area
$2,999
I guess this image is an example of what one could do with this van. Personally, however, I might have used its ‘chalkability’ to write something on it that would bring in customers…
This is the only interior shot and it’s interesting, to say the least.
Owner or customer? Based on the image above, I think it’s the owner.
Ad text:
Thus unique chalk painted van is available for $2999 obo
Detail
Runs good
Great advertising ability
Get your friends to do art in it
Excellent for around town deliveries
$777 below kelly blue book
Has 132,000 miles
A few cosmetic issues
Dent, chip on window
Will go through every issue I know so you are aware of in’s and out’s
Missing 3 rear seats since it was used for cargo van