What Van "Specials" would you like to see?

Wow, impressive bout one of your Econos in F&F Nice one man!

Yea, I know that they have to write what will sell, but I just thought it would be interesting to maybe have a 4 or 5 page bit in one issue about trucking and vanning scenes from around the world, get their readers from different countries like myself to send in images and information from shows and meets.


American vans and trucks in the UK are a massive scene on their own really, and it's more a case of they're a part of the American vehicle scene and not the vanning or trucking scene.

I may live in the UK at the moment, but I haven't lived here my whole life - I'm half Canadian, half English which is how I got into Truckin' magazine to start with, one of the periods when I was out there.


And yes, the Transits are HUUUGE!! AFAIK the largest van on our roads is the Mercedes Sprinter, and that is just excessively large most the time!!


But as you say, we may have different views on vans but they sure are brilliant!! ^_^  

I think a spread about vans around the world would be interesting but I think the wildly customized vans in Japan would steal the show from the European vans. Those Japanese vanners go all out with crazy body mods that look like something from the future. They will spend $50,000.00 on an audiovisual system and not blink an eye. Not to mention $30,000.00-$50,000.00 for a paint job. I have read that they often spend over $250,000.00 customizing a van. One of my vans( the one that was in Fast and Furious) was featured in their largest van magazine a few years ago. Are you familiar with Dice Magazine??? It is a British mag generally covering motorcycles but they have had several spreads about Americans vans, specifically vans from my van club. They will be doing several more including a story about my club and how we started the van craze of the 70s. We are in the Hall of Fame for that and a few other things.  
Mike Cook
Vice President
Inland Vans Berdoo
2008 Route 66 Hall of Fame Inductee

I know of Dice magazine but never read an issue of it to be honest. Be worth reading when your clubs in it though

Yea, I know about the japvan scene quite well as I used to be in the import tuner scene (still am) and love how outrageous the japvans can be at times!! Not my taste at all, but appreciate the work that goes into them and they're fun too with all their AV stuff!! LOL  

Yeah, if you guys haven't seen it, we did a web-exclusive on the Vans of the Tokyo Auto Salon. Enjoy!    

The Van special I would most like to see is eVANt coverage... Of coarse the obvious is the van show but also the other things that vanners do at runs, the games the bands the brotherly side trips together like to a junk yard or a brewery/winery...  I know at Keystone this coming weekend they have a winery trip planned to a local winery LongTroutWinery.com... just so happens that the Wine makers are ALSO vanners!   and like they always say, sex sells... well some edited pics of the night shows etc...    I truely believe that if Truckin' would do this every 2 or 3 months the sales would go up as would the attendance at van runs!    JMO!  

Having just bought a sub-70,000 mile 78 Ford Econoline Club Wagon Chateau, I came here looking for inspiration toward customizing my van for dual purposes as a tow vehicle for my road racing ans as a camper to live in during race weekends.

While looking at many of the gallery photos from past van gatherings and shows, it occurred to me that most of the really nice customs followed a basic formula of minimalist- single-purpose specificity in their creation. Perhaps this attention to specificity is what gave organizational thrust to the admirable creativity on display.

I found most of the show vans did one thing well -- party place; music central, lounge lizard, sex pit, etc.

Some of us, though, are challenged with dual- (cross-?) purposed needs, e.g., coming up with utilitarian storage and tool cart hauling is rough-use circumstances,  while wanting to keep a more genteel RV customized aspect lending itself to sleeping over comfort during the weekend.

I purposely didn't buy a cargo van as I needed the creature comforts of a conversion model, yet the utilitarian nature of a hauler. This slightly customized-for-camping passenger van got me in the ball park.

Any thoughts I once had about hiring a semi driver to tow a sizable toter home and trailer combination will just have to wait until such time as daydreams actually come true.

Meanwhile, I am satisfied to have acquired a hard shelled alternative to sleeping on the ground secure in the knowledge my 5.8 liter van will pull me and my stuff  better than the aging Volvo turbo sedan.

For me, I'd look forward to creative solutions to multi-purposed vanning depicting practicality and comfort as compatible themes in search of do-it-yourself solutions within reach of amateur race-dude budgets and time constraints.

Unfortunately I know lots about making the thing run, turn and stop, but little about lighting the interior, or getting the wet dog smell out of the convertible sofa-bed the seller tossed in with the sale.

Vans like mine need to drive right, look great, load/off-load and haul my heavy-duty stuff, then empty out and instantly convert to a changing room, driver's lounge, evening dinner cantena and slumber chamber.

Got "special" ideas for that?

Heck, in the winter off-season, Id even offer my rust-free Chateau as your restoreable/customizable article ***  

I want to see that duely  with scoop treads wrapped on the rear wheels  

Mike, don't hate, appreciate! Just because something's not your particular bag doesn't mean you need to bad-mouth it. Besides, the Transit's probably going to be replacing the Econoline here in the near future anyway!

I totally agree I'd love to see some blowout coverage on some custom classic Econos, but I think there's room for Euro vans, as well as others from around the world.  

Not hating Ed, just giving my point of view which is shared by most vanners in the USA.  I think if I lived in Europe my views might be different. Like I said crazy-c and I have different opinions on what constitutes a van but we share the same love for our vans and vanning. I respect his views and he respects mine and in the long run that is what all vanners do. Hope to see you this weekend at the Route 66 Rendezvous. There will be some "new" vans there and some very nice panels.  
Mike Cook
Vice President
Inland Vans Berdoo
2008 Route 66 Hall of Fame Inductee

I'd like to see more of Van Events so that more People will get involved with these Great Events.  
Van Promoter & Van Ethusiast
Info On future East coast events
www.newenglandvancouncil

From my point of view any coverage is good coverage. I like many of the ideas offered. It would great to see a spread done on vans from around the world. Early Econolines have always been my favorite so that would be awesome. As mentioned many people don't want a show van and since vanning was started on personal reflection it would be cool to see some dual purpose vans. Tech articles like bagging a van would be much appreciated. (With detail) Basically the sky is the limit. A monthly corner on project vans would be awesome too. There are many being built. And yes VW are cool these days. Just check out the price that they are bringing on eBay.

Keep on Truckin!    

A van special in Truckin' would be a real gift to me so any coverage would be good.

I have to say that I would like to see a bit of the events covered. It would be a real treat for the hosts and it would be good to let the new generation and the "lost" generation know what we are all about.

As for the trucks... I have to say I like variety. So an all van issue with a bit of Dodge, Chevy, Ford and even a bit of VW would be good. And a nice mix of classic, not so old and recent vans would be great!

Keep up the good work!  
----- Mathieu -----

"Electric Avenue", my '79 Ford.

Here's an idea, this Wednesday Nov 11 there will be another Cruisin' Van Nuys.
Wheels of Confusion Van Club will be there in force and have lined up 15 vans for this. They will be meeting in the Rydell Chevrolet parking lot around 7:00 PM. 6001 Van Nuys Blvd. Van Nuys,Calif 91401
If your into custom vans this will be the perfect opportunity for you to check a very nice selection of early (60's) and mid (70's) vans. These cruises have been very good photo ops. It could be a good idea for a special feature.  
Vannin.com staff, showtrux.com/paneltruck.com webmaster
Member Van Azur, ACVQ, OFV, National Truck-In Board support staff and occasional contributer to this fine magazine going back to 1982.