Johnny Barraza was nice enough to sit down with California Street Vans at the Van Nuys Cruise night and give us the scoop on his sick 65 Chevy. I didn't realize this was the same van i had drooled over several times at So Cal Slowride until i spotted the rad day of the dead interior! I got to catch up on the really cool history of this van-enjoy Johnnys story! 

 

"I was 19 years old in 1974 when I got hooked on the "Van Craze". I traded in my 1973 VW Bug for a 1965 Chevy Van that was sitting in a used car lot in Santa Paula Ca. It had been used to haul dirt bikes out to Indian Dunes dirt bike track. I did up the interior with wood paneling and black angel hair, bed in back with a quad cassette player, Cragar wheels and Dunlop tires. Cruised Main St Ventura, partied and passed out in the back! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo Cred: Unknown

In mid 1977 after paying some bills at Santa Paula Hospital, I got back into the the van and started to drive away, a gentleman waved at me so I waved back....then he started to yell at me that there were flames coming out of the bottom of my front tires!  I lifted the dog house and flames shot up into the cab! Jumped out and the van drifted into some bushes. Fire Dept showed up and put it out and I had it towed home. Didn't have the money to fix it so I had to let it go. Sold her cheap and cried myself to sleep.

 

**Flash Forward**

 

In November 2009, my wife was trying to find me something to buy for me for Christmas. She found a 1965 Chevy Van on Ebay up in Salt Lake City for $1700.00 and asked if I would be interested in another van. I was getting ready to retire in November of 2010 and we thought it would make a great retirement project. Looking over the photos on Ebay the body didn't look to bad...some rot in the quarter panels, small dents here and there so we offered $1500.00 and towed it home. ( that is another story) Retired, cashed out my vacation pay and used it to restore El Muerto.

 

All the body work, paint and new motor were done by Matt Noble of Noble Fabrication in Ventura CA. The interior was done by me and my wife ( who did the curtains).

 

The El Muerto theme started with a set of seat covers that I bought at Pep Boys, my Birthday is Novermber 2nd (El Dia De Los Muertos), so I decided "the van needs a theme, lets go with that!" El Muerto is my tribute to all who have gone before me.

 

I did a "Dia De Los Muertos" exhibit at the Ventura History Museum  in 2013.

 

I was honored with the cover and back of the Vintage Chevy Van Club calendar in 2013.

 

We have also won about 14 awards at various car shows, my favorite one is the  'Most Likely to Pick Up Chicks" trophy won at Classics on the Coast, which is held in my hometown of Ventura.

 

Future plans! We have applied for an indoor spot at the International Hot Rod Show in Pomona in January. Looking to do an Altar inside the van at the Dia De Los Muertos festival held at the Forever Hollywood Cemetary in October. Might also do the van run to King City. Other then that, just do as many of the local car shows as possible, and bring as many smiles and memories to as many people as possible-

JT