Now, this may look much like a vintage Dodge van that some stoner accidentally had shipped to the other side of the Pacific. But give it more than a passing glance, and you'll notice that there appears to be a Toyota Hiace van somewhere in there. Our Japanese skills are limited to what gets translated into English by BableFish, so we're not too sure and what the rationale was behind this, but we do know for certain that this thing is totally awesome.
[Dream Factory Blow]

We have received the sad news that Greg of Akron, creator of some of the most super-cosmic custom vans of the Van Era, died last week at the age of 66. Since he was such a crucial cultural icon, we think the US Postal Service ought to issue a special commemorative stamp with some of Greg's artwork; email them and join the chorus of demands for the Greg of Akron postage stamp! – Murilee Martin

Greg of (Grego) Akron [Akron Beacon Journal]

Related:
JC Whitney '75: Hauntingly Beautiful Vinyl Van Murals By Greg of Akron [internal]

Hang on to your mood rings, swingin' studs and feathered foxes, because Murilee's got himself a 1975 JC Whitney catalog! And within that catalog are some wonderful things that make me get back to work on the half-finished time machine in the basement. For example, look at what $7.95 or $12.95 would get you: a genuine stick-on vinyl "Exotic full-color mural" featuring a "special airbrush technique" for the look of "expensive, original hand painted scenes!" But, best of all, these hauntingly beautiful works of art were created by Greg. Yes, the Greg. Of Akron. Now, one might quibble that JC Whitney's lo-fi black-and-white printing on pulp paper makes it a bit hard to actually feel the haunting impact of these murals, but I'm sure they were jaw-dropping in person. Sadly, Greg of Akron no longer dominates the landscape as he once did; the URL below is one of the few references I was able to find for him. – Murilee Martin

Flying Eagle Van By Greg of Akron [Cap'n Scurvy's Treasure Chest]

Related:
Here, In My Van, I Can Play The Last Tape [internal]

We've previously lamented in this august congregation of pixels that the custom van movement has been brought to its knees by the tuner and SUV crazes, as well as the return to traditional-style hot rodding and customizing. But the Krauts? They've got the smarts to go the distance and they're not letting the van thing die without a brawl. RSL Tuning's got a package for the VW Multivan that brings a certain updated B.A. Baracus badassness to Volkswagen's mover of people and cargo. All it needs is a red stripe, a wing, and some kind of Bauhaus-style push-bar to be the perfect crime-fighting vehicle for a group of GSG-9 special-ops types on the lam.

VW Multivan Made by RSL Tuning [The German Car Blog]

Related:
Here, In My Van, I Can Play The Last Tape [Internal]