Jalopnik
Though we'll probably never have a "Maximum Van Day," yesterday's hard-living QOTD got us thinking about vans and vanning. Though the idea mostly died out in the 1970's in this country, the spirit of the van has lived on in Japan and in the hearts of anyone that owned a Supervan 2 matchbox car. Whether it's something small like the Mitsubishi Town Box, the gigantic and world-destroying A-Team GMC or Julie Nimoy's Silhouette, vans are rad.
Personally, we took a long trip in our grandfather's turquoise Ford Windstar around Texas that was a lot of fun (a seven passenger van easily fits 15, for the record). But that's not quite our style. We've been waiting for US import laws to change, and money to fall from the sky, so that we could buy our own Mitsubishi Delica Exceed from Japaoind and drive semi-off-road through the Hill Country with our cold ones chilling in the built-in minifridge. Dare to dream fellow Jalopniks.
Comments
you're kidding, right? sooooooo easy - VW Transport, circa 1950 - 1967. doesn't matter whether it's a 23 window Samba or a doublecab work truck, they kick everything else to the proverbial curb.
[jalopnik.com]
/discussion
Van Morrison or any Vanagon Westfalia.
Either a new Winnebago-converted Sprinter or a mid-90's Chevy Conversion with a Quigley 4wd Conversion.
- R
I have to go with a mid-sixties Chevy Greenbrier.
A jacked up 3rd gen (late 80s) Mistubish Delica. Turbo diesel, 4wd and manual and badass looks...what else do you need?
The Renault Espace F1
[www.supercars.net]
Favorite:
[jalopnik.com]
Second favorite:
[jalopnik.com]
Forward-control vans rule.
@Unevolved...?: Original is 80's cool,not so cool when people try to do this to a Ford Transit.I pity the fool that does that.
Daihatsu Hijet.
Sooooo easy...
+ Watch video
Supervan 2 FTW.
my matchbox, my heart.
a golden v8-powered hope upon my breast. freedom.
Any mid-sixties sub-minivan sized Ford, Chevy, or Dodge van.
Type 2 natch. Wait that's a bus.
Van Helsing.
A Commer with the wheels that you could barely see.
Have to be the pea green chevy panel van (late 70's I'm guessing) that my parents used as a honeymoon vehicle. I'm told my sister was conceived in that van. Even if she wasn't, it's a good trashy story.
In second place to the Hijet? The conversion van my high school girfriend drove for a while. I will not sully my formative years with any suggestive suggestions.
Any mid-60's Ford or Dodge (they looked a lot alike). Like this Ford, perhaps. [image.truckinweb.com]
1989 or 1990 Dodge Caravan Turbo with a five speed. Ive owned a hanful of these and they are just a great sleeper. The one I have now runs about 14.3 at the track and makes a great tent while camping too!
@Unevolved...?: There should be no more comments after yours...
This post is (un)officially closed
Mazda Bongo van.
Just because it sounds like the name of a chimp.
From the pages of Jolopnik:
[www.jalopnik.com]
I've got a friend with 2 of these. They're pretty cool. Not my favorite but they are definitely his. I'm working up to mine.
Least favorite is van Damme,the guy is too full of himself.
I always had a soft spot for the mitsus and toyota space vans from the 80's. My friend's mom had one, had mid row captain chairs that swiveled to face rearward, curtains, rear bench that folded flat, and a table with cupholders. What else could a 16 yr old want? Oh yeah, I also like the Mazda MPV 4WD.
Right now, for work, I drive a Dodge Van. Biggest piece of crap evar. I have driven many, many Dodges over my career, and they all suck. Badly. We are now in the process of getting Chevys, which seem to be of better build quality... we shall see. I was hoping the company would spring for a Sprinter (Turbo diesel please), because those rock.
Late-'80s Dodge short body with 318 and 4-spd manual. It was hard to go anywhere without leaving a single two hundred foot stripe on the pavement.
1984 Toyota Van LE 5MT. And yes, I'm the original owner of the one in my garage :)
I can tell you my un-favorite is definitely the Honda whatchamacallit after their "Slow Ride" ad trying to ride on the coattails of the classic 70's vans. I'd like to pimp slap the fool that came up with that ad. Actually it would be a great ad if it weren't so sacrilegious.
@layabout: If you think he's bad, what about Van Diesel. Terrible.
I nominate the Transit that Sabine chucked 'round the Nurburgring.
The Daihatsu Hijet. Hands down.
This is my favorite van but just because it's in my driveway. It has a sink, fridge, and microwave in it. The stuff is useless as tits on a tomcat. I've never used anything but the fridge and it's out of freon now.
But it's a great dirt bike hauler and it's gone 240K so far. And the two bench seats in the back face each other and turn into the biggest bed I've seen in a van. Too bad I'm married.
It's a tossup between the recent PCH candidate:
And CalTech's autonomous 4x4 from the '05 DARPA Grand Challenge:
Extra Points for trying to take out the media:
I have to agree with Omaxem, the Williams Renault Espace F1 is the best van ever. Second the A-Team GMC van, both kick the A$$ of my Honda Odyseey.
@boognish:
good call, i just saw one of those 80s mitsu's on the street last night. such funny proportions, totally scifi.
that or that 11 second, 14lb. boost 80's caravan
I'm not even sure WTF this is... There appears to be a van under it though.
Back in the day when I had my GLH I remembered a guy who had a 12 second caravan. I believe it was a '88 or '89. The funny part about his van was he used it to pull his 9 second Daytona. He would unload the Daytona and park it in staging, then he would unload the family, food, and tools from the van and park it in staging....
Then I came across this: [videos.streetfire.net] and now I feel reborn!
@Omaxem: @chazt:
Yep, Renault FTW!
Pre-apocalypse, I'll take a Nissan S-Cargo. When the Zombies attack, I'll need a VW Vanagon Syncro.
The Dustbuster Vans
or a 440/4spd Dodge Tradesman.
Turbo 5spd Caravan?
@mytdawg: Obviously all the wings & spoilers are needed for downforce due to the vans huge power.
I like the Westfalia VW Eurovans a lot, but if I had to drop everything and buy a van tomorrow, I'd probably get a Mercury Nautica Villager. They look sharp, and seem to have a more normal driving position.
I once had to take a day trip from Detroit to Cleveland in a Villager with 4 other co-workers and it was a pretty comfortable ride as I recall.
Basically, any mildly customized Japanese van.
@SundaySunday: Holy schnike's! Re-reading my comment, I'd better lock my office door. The Prepositional Phrase Police will be knocking soon.
I like these: [images.google.com]
A van with TRACKS!
A bright red MKII Transit that belonged to a friend of mine. He swapped a clapped out Escort & some drugs for it. It had a tweaked Capri engine and a chrome emblem on the rear door that said 'SuperVan' & was scary fast...
1967 Dodge A-100, long wheelbase...which is all of 108", window van. 318 hooked to a three-speed manual and a 4.11 posi rear end.
It's a wonder tires on that truck lasted more than 8K miles, with me at the helm....
The only things it lacked, which I wanted, were: disc brakes, A/C, and a wicked, Uluru-class 'roo bar.
Otherwise, I loved it. Amazing how many teenagers you can put into one...rendering braking more of a theory than reality. Also, it belied it size/shape in 0-50 runs. After second gear, it was a dog, but you're gotta love a second-gear chirp from a forward-control monster.
I'm partial to this one also. Didn't like the movie but I did like the van.
Supervan 3 FTW!
My father built the original Cosworth HB F1 engine, before the silly V6 went in there.