I thought I would tell the short version of my silent quest for an A100.
When I was about 30 around 1993, my first job as a painter apprentice was working for a rather difficult guy named Eric, and for one of his two work vans , he had a 1969 A108 14 window van. Baby blue, slant six, 3 on the tree. The upside of working for this jerk was that I got to drive this thing, and I even took it home at night sometimes.
Well after a year or so, the brakes needed work and he, being a rather odd guy refused to spend the money on a brake job. I even offered to do the brake job for him, but as I said he was weird. Eventually it landed on the street outside his shop. I offered to buy it from him, but he, being a weird and grumbly guy, refused to sell it to me. I guess he thought my offer was too low or he had some fantasy he would do the brakes himself. I don't know. Then the city started placing notices on the van, and I offered again to buy it. Of course he refused.
Well one morning the van was gone, the city had towed it, and I sort of read him the riot act, about how he could have at least gotten 1000 bucks out of the thing by selling it to me, but now he has nothing. He just grumbled.
So ever since then I have been on a low key search for a Dodge A100 window van. I have had many leads but usually the roof was shot or something. I have finally lucked out. 30 years later!!
Neal Zimmerman, Eugene Oregon
PS - OOPs! That wasn't a very short story
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