Jalopnik
Apparently, the custom van fad of the '70s never died in Japan. But what if you want all the style of a vintage American full-size, but you need the efficiency and small size of a Japanese econobox? Well, do what these guys did, and convert the front end to look just like a Dodge or Chevy Van. Auto-Otaku found these custom creations at the Japanese Mooneyes Street Car Nationals, a gathering of all kinds of American iron in the land of the rising sun. Besides the vans, there were also a couple JDM rides transformed into old Chevy Suburbans, as seen above. [via Auto-Otaku]
The Japanese Convert JDM Boxes Into American Iron
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12:00 PM on Mon Apr 28 2008
By Mark Arnold
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77 comments
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I had a bad dream last night where I was going undercover to bust some meth-heads and heroin addicts. But the weird part was that the old Brit-pop/dance group EMF were the ringleaders and the lead singer was a dwarf. It really messed with my head, just like seeing these pics.
AAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!! They're ADORABLE! I jsut want to tussle their hoods and rub under their front bumpers and go "a-shucka shucka shucka"
Put one of these in the back of your Dekotora truck and you will quite literally rule the automotive universe.
Those Suzuki Suburpin's are funky!
The micro-Suburbans are awesome!! Are they Scion xB's? I didn't know they could look that good.
Where's the GMC in A-Team livery? Japan needs more Baracus...
"My van's helluva cute fool!"
@CornedBeefAsh: Unbelievable!
If Scion owners were cool they would be doing this.
Yawn. Let me know when they start converting kei cars into replicas of Vegas and Camaros.
The Crownamino is a noteworthy piece too from the link...
(Not the same one, but close!)
I don't why, but these vehicles creep me out. It's like an alter universe, reminds me of a Twilight Zone episode.
It would have been cooler if they turned those Miniburbans into proper 3-doors.
[www.cascadeclassiccars.com]
Spied: The GM backup plan for reaching CAFE goals if the Volt doesn't work.
Who knew that there would be a cool fad in Japanese custom car culture?
I really like these.
As much as I hate trying to make a vehicle look like a different (existing) vehicle (e.g. Fierarri), these are just too campy to take seriously. I would drive (any of)them.
And I must say that they did a better job of a mini retro 'Burban than GM did with the HHR.
i feel like i'm looking through a fisheye lens.
if i saw one in person, i'd probably trip and fall.
Damn. Yet ANOTHER reason to buy a first-gen Xb.
My resistance is growing weak. Help me!
Very cool
@CornedBeefAsh: so... umm, COTD is done early today? Nice work...
64 kinds of awesome. I bet these would sell like hotcakes as NEV's. All the retirees cruising Arizona's gated communities imagining they are 16 again.
And I thought the VW conversions were cool!
[www.terra2imports.ca]
I would give my left testicle for a pint-sized A-Team van.
@Lieutenant LT БЯд╒╒ ®: And I was dead serious about that dream last night. Those tweakers were making me crawl through HVAC ducts to get to their secret stash. At least I didn't have to listen to their music.
Most awesomely bizarre thing I've seen all day.
@NICKNICK:
That's not helped by the fact it looks like the shooter used a relatively wide lens to shoot these cars. They're small and distorted!
So minivan joke would be too obvious?
Those vans are truly bitchen. Is there an US source for the body kits? I reckon that some of the Scion xB-boys would definitely go for the mini 'burban look.
That '72 Chevy is speaking to me.
@dculberson: They'd be Toyota bB's but that's basically the same thing.
These things are amazing and SO DAMN CUTE. I like the 4-lug Fuchs-like wheels on the green bB a lot, too.
Take a look at the Auto-Otaku link. Many cool cars including this Volvo... [farm3.static.flickr.com]
...as well as this Mazda Luce which has to be my new favorite 60s Japanese car [farm3.static.flickr.com]
Damn I want one, and to think I was gonna buy a HHR
very cool
Those are GREAT!
[jalopnik.com]
I loved this Honda converted to look like a Dodge.
I'll take mine in blue, with extra chrome and a roof rack, please! I'm digg'n these...Toyota, take note!
Sweet!
That's so creative and so damn cool. I love it.
Vern Troyer is so happy right now....
Mooneyes. I guess there is some sort of Japanese/Rev. Wright connection.
Do Want!
A friend of mine just backed out of buying a new xB that had major hail damage; the cost of the repairs weren't much less than the discount they were offering...but what a perfect candidate for such a transformation!
These are actually kind of cute and US automakers ought to start cranking out miniatures. I think Americans would buy "babies" of their cars. We buy every other kind of cute overload crap.
But..."Mooneyes"? Seriously. "Mooneyes?" = Western?
Doing the follow the link - google it I came across this.
[www.blow-net.co.jp]
Holy coolness.
The 69-70 Chevy front end matches the Cube perfectly. Finally the the Japanese van tuners came up with something I like!
Mini-Murdervan for me plz!
Some sick perverted deeply hidden part of my soul realy likes these?!??.
I love `em. They did good.
Just so we're all clear here, for those who didn't follow da link, the Mutant Suburbans are not xBs, they are Suzuki Lapins. Although I would be confident such a conversion could be achieved with the Scion, those little Suburpins look pretty sharp.
As far as I'm concerned, they blew it. Where are the electronic wizards? The buxom viking she-warriors? The aurora boreali and other such cosmic wonders of the airbrush?
Wanna know WHY these are cool? 'Cause they got CHROME! Real, honest-to-God, blinding, shiny things CHROME- not some plasticky, egg-looking rubbery Jar-Jar-tongue front ends.
I say the new 'Stang, Charger, and Camaro could use a chrome-strip looking bumperette on them, which would more realistically look like their forebears.
-W
@CornedBeefAsh: You're unbelievable
jesus christ superstar!
I have mentioned this in at least two posts before about compacts... these things f us sub compacts in the a!
"wut, wut? in the butt! I said wut, wut, in the butt!"
@Starlton Heston: are you Samwell Heston or Starlton Butters?
Perfectly proportioned for filling up at $4 per gallon.
@POИTIFF POLAЯ: I stand corrected.
Either way, I desperately need to be driving a Miniburban.