What's the Future of Vans?

Do you guys think there's going to be a future for vans in the U.S.? Are crossovers taking over the market, or are they just a passing fad? Who do you think has the best current FS van? What about minivans? Is there, or is there going to be much of a custom scene for them?  

I have tried twice to answer your questions but evey time hit the review button to double check my responce the board defaults back to the log in screen????????  


its a "Van Thing" a life style you have to live to understand

It seems like people are leaning more and more towards fullsize trucks over vans, even though vans have the advantage of an "enclosed" bed. We've had a van since day 1... now we have a 97 Ford van that we bought new. We're considering a pickup truck, but again, losing that secure storage area is definitely a downside. We've put 3 dirtbikes in the back of the van, without having to worry about leaving the car out of site to go eat.  

Wookee:
I have tried twice to answer your questions but evey time hit the review button to double check my responce the board defaults back to the log in screen????????

Sorry Wookee. We're having some issues with our forums and their speed. If it's taking too long, I'd stop the page loading, and refresh. Sometimes that takes care of it. I apologize for the inconvenience, and I assure you it's being worked on.  

I think full-size vans will be around for quite a while, if for no other reason than there's a demand for them for commercial purposes. In terms of minivans, who knows? It seems Chrysler is the lone domestic holdout that still believes in them. The Japanese and Koreans are still making them, but there's no question they're diversifying into crossovers.  

Yes, I believe that vans have a good future.  They are making a comeback with the earlies and mids in big demand. Vanning is strongest back east but is growing in the midwest, south , Canada and Europe. Right now vans are extremely popular in Japan and there are clubs in Australia, New Zealand and China. Websites like www.vannin.com, www.vcvc.com, vintagevans.com , showtrux.com and inlandvansberdoo.com have made it possible for vanners all over the world to communicate and collaborate which is proving to build the interest in vanning once again. We are seeing more and more vans being used in TV commercials and in magazines such as Truckin, Hotrod, etc. While full sized vans are probably the most popular there are a great deal of customized minivans appearing at vanins.  
Mike Cook
Vice President
Inland Vans Berdoo
2008 Route 66 Hall of Fame Inductee

The answer to this is really simple right now. Full size vans - the 2 that are left will remain as long as contractors are still buying them. Once that market drops, they will be gone.

Mini-vans - Moms don't even want them anymore. The SUV is being replaced by crossovers for economy.

A custom scene - custom vehicles have been around as long as vehicles themself. Ever seen a model "A" with skis on the front and track on the back. Man (and woman) have modified everything to meet their needs. As far as a scene for any van in todays market, it is all up to publications, kids, and vehicle enthusiasts. Custom Vans today need to be built from scratch. You can barely find anything that can be bolted on. The after market companies will not make products if nobody is buying them. The custom van will live on in the garages of the backyard customizer. Even some very big named customizers have done vans, not as much interest in them as we "vanners" would have liked to see.  

as long as there are vans
there will be vanners and vanning
-whats the future of vans? - or how about vans of TODAY?!
it's hardly a "passing fad" .. it's a thriving lifestyle!
vanning is the future and our history  
vanning is alive and well like any other vehicle enthusiast group
who tries to preserve , enjoy , and share creativity with others
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the misunderstanding that "vanning" is dieing or dead is only caused
by lack of media coverage and support from fellow vehicle enthusiast's
who do not like or have no interest in vans or feel they are not a "worthy"
group of vehicles for shows
IMO
we should be one great big happy automotive world
vans,trucks,boats,gokarts,cars,motorcyles they are all fun when they run
(i just like vans most)-
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so .. Vanning history keeps happening all the time!
for example here are a few west coast vans that recently attended the
35th west coast nationals in california
there was even a sprinter there !
(one or two vans Truckin has seen before were there too !)
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new "old" vans are found all the time in garages,barns storage
lots are being restored ,many are being customized
many are driven everyday  ...
even newer model vans are starting to be customized and interest is steady
my point is there are still lots of vans and vanners
there always will be as long as vans exist
and we're STILL here











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also this year in July in Ohio we had the Van Nationals
this pic is of 44 of 46 vans that were in attendance out of 600+ total VANS
that were there ! (whats so special about these 44? they were ALL build before 1970 ! ford,chevy and dodge in that count as well!)

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oh and i can not forget to mention for you special effects fans of the future?
we even have a vanner who should be working for sci-fi movies and special effects-
Skyler is one amazing guy with an imagination that is endless behind his skills!
this is a radio controlled flame throwing transformer van he built!
strong enough to tow a trailer full of vanners and with him sitting on top!
each time we see skyler we never know what he's have next he created to amaze and entertain everyone with



 
it really is... a VAN thing!

How about this for a reply to your ?  In 1971-1972 while stationed in california in the Marine Corp, I bought a 1962 econoline van and with hardly any money customized it and drove if for years. Eventually I sold it and moved on. I never forgot my good timin van days and a couple of years ago I came across a 65 econo for $400. I bought it and the whole thing has started all over for me, and I'm havin more fun than ever with it.  But the real story is that a few months ago my 24 year old son came home from the Navy and came to my house, looked across the yard and saw my van and said "thats the coolest thing I've ever seen pops",. A week later he bought a 64 econoline and has rebuilt the engine and is using it as a daily driver.  His friends think its the baddest thing they have ever seen.  I hope this answers your question about the future of Vannin.  

well said, and a mighty fine example
vanning is ,was
and always will be.... alive !
Happy New Year of VANNING !  
it really is... a VAN thing!