GMC Vandura I photos

Produced from 1964 to 1966, the first generation of GMC's compact van line, initially marketed as the Handi-Van and Handi-Bus before establishing the Vandura heritage, was General Motors' answer to the growing compact forward-control van market. Sharing its unibody architecture with the first-generation Chevrolet ChevyVan, the vehicle featured a cab-over configuration with the engine mounted centrally between the front seats in an insulated doghouse. The lineup included panel cargo vans with double side cargo doors and rear barn doors, as well as windowed passenger configurations. As a first-of-its-kind model for the brand in this class, it introduced lightweight unibody construction and flat-floor utility. The engine options were solid Chevrolet-derived inline-six engines, starting with 194 cubic inch (3.2-liter) and 230 cubic inch (3.8-liter) units, with later availability of the larger 250 cubic inch inline-six. Power was channeled to the rear solid axle via a column-shifted three-speed manual transmission or an optional two-speed Powerglide automatic gearbox. Sold exclusively in the North American market, this first-generation platform provided nimble urban delivery capabilities before giving way to larger, longer-wheelbase configurations in subsequent iterations.