# 1970's Custom Vans!!! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 11, 2019, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1970s-custom-vans/827623 "2019-01-11T22:57:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2019, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1970s-custom-vans/827623/1 "2019-01-11T22:57:17Z")
Werent they the greatest? [Link 1](https://selvedgeyard.com/2009/11/22/ultimate-rock-n-roll-on-wheels-the-1970s-van-customization-craze/) [Link 2](https://flashbak.com/days-of-the-shaggin-wagon-a-look-at-1970s-custom-vans-33431/) ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2019, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1970s-custom-vans/827623/2 "2019-01-12T01:51:52Z")
So, which will it be? Grass, gas or ass? Nobody rides for free. The one with orange shag carpeting covering every interior surface makes me think of having been eaten by a Muppet. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2019, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1970s-custom-vans/827623/3 "2019-01-12T02:03:30Z")
If you like them so much,[let’s sing about them!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ux7ueQMQ3tg) ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2019, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1970s-custom-vans/827623/4 "2019-01-12T02:23:51Z")
Man, the 1970s were weird. ---
**Author:** ![feppytweed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/feppytweed/32/4280_2.png) [@feppytweed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/feppytweed)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2019, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1970s-custom-vans/827623/5 "2019-01-12T02:49:40Z")
Thought this was gonna be about the shoes. ---
**Author:** ![BobBitchin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ea924/32.png) [@BobBitchin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobBitchin)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2019, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1970s-custom-vans/827623/6 "2019-01-12T03:14:54Z")
I’ll take a big lifted 4 wheel drive Dodge tradesman, with the “Barbarian chick in a brass bra riding a death lizzard” mural on the side. Don’t forget the side pipes.😃 ---
**Author:** ![lingyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@lingyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lingyi)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2019, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1970s-custom-vans/827623/7 "2019-01-12T04:27:21Z")
So great they made a movie about them! Anyone else remember _The Van_ made in 1977? [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4HHsICvu7k](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4HHsICvu7k) I first saw it in the late 70’s on HBO. Ahhh…good times! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2019, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1970s-custom-vans/827623/8 "2019-01-12T04:29:19Z")
She woke up and took me by the hand We made love in my Chevy van And that’s all right with me ---
**Author:** ![MrKnowItAll](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrknowitall/32/87_2.png) [@MrKnowItAll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrKnowItAll)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2019, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1970s-custom-vans/827623/9 "2019-01-12T04:40:43Z")
I remember when I was a kid that Mom would make us look away, because of frequency of scantily clad women on those vans. Actually, she made us look away for a lot of things. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2019, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1970s-custom-vans/827623/10 "2019-01-12T04:50:42Z")
[Japan does it better](https://www.google.com/search?q=dekotora&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj_j5nQuOffAhVp5YMKHS5cCqcQ_AUIDigB&biw=1408&bih=703). ---
**Author:** ![lingyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@lingyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lingyi)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2019, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1970s-custom-vans/827623/11 "2019-01-12T06:09:05Z")
> [@MrKnowItAll](#): > > I remember when I was a kid that Mom would make us look away, because of frequency of scantily clad women on those vans. > > Actually, she made us look away for a lot of things. LOL. My parents wouldn’t make me look away, but there were sure a lot of lady “pokies” on the old pinball machines (50’s - 70’s) at the bowling alleys and nobody bothered to look twice at us pre and young teen kids playing them. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2019, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1970s-custom-vans/827623/12 "2019-01-12T12:15:35Z")
Shaggin’ wagons! Yes, I recall them … and we’ll just leave it at that, shall we? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2019, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1970s-custom-vans/827623/13 "2019-01-12T13:10:42Z")
Where are the Airbrushed Wizards? ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2019, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1970s-custom-vans/827623/14 "2019-01-12T15:24:44Z")
I always liked the special I always liked the special porthole windows that were placed in the side panels rear. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2019, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1970s-custom-vans/827623/15 "2019-01-12T16:28:56Z")
> [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](#): > > I always liked the special I always liked the special porthole windows that were placed in the side panels rear. Do you also keep your feathers numbered in case of an emergency? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2019, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1970s-custom-vans/827623/16 "2019-01-12T16:46:07Z")
I had a 1972 Dodge Tradesman 300 myself. Wasn’t _too_ tricked out, but it got the job done. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2019, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1970s-custom-vans/827623/17 "2019-01-12T17:06:06Z")
I took the van customizing course shown in the second link. Not a good use of my VA benefits after I got out of the Navy. The only time I ever used what I learned, I installed a sunroof in a 75 Mercedes. It actually turned out okay, I saw the owner of that car about 10 years later and he said it never leaked. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2019, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1970s-custom-vans/827623/18 "2019-01-12T18:28:23Z")
> [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](#): > > I always liked the special I always liked the special porthole windows that were placed in the side panels rear. Remember when this craze moved to things beyond vans. Pinto wagons started getting converted as well: [![](https://images.hgmsites.net/med/1978-ford-pinto-cruising-wagon_100374469_m.jpg) ](https://images.hgmsites.net/med/1978-ford-pinto-cruising-wagon_100374469_m.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2019, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1970s-custom-vans/827623/19 "2019-01-12T18:54:15Z")
Very Groovy! Second link is the best. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2019, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1970s-custom-vans/827623/20 "2019-01-12T19:01:19Z")
My mom had one–Dodge Tradesman 200, bright orange with a yellow stripe around the middle, tasteful (!) landscape mural on the side, porthole windows in the back and roof scoops for ventilation. Carpeted, pull out bed, minimal kitchen built in with cabinets all in that awesome wood veneer. Had a CB radio (Mother Trucker, come back!) that also had a loudspeaker mounted in the front grill so she could let other drivers know what she thought of their driving skills. They’d take that thing down to Baja every year in January and spend a month on the beach, come back all tanned and us kids would be SO envious. We’d go on racing weekends (dad raced SCCA C Sports Racing) and I’d sleep in the van while the 'rents stayed in a hotel and didn’t I just roll a shitload of joints back there and host some parties? Say what you will about the garishness of it all, it was a fun time and a fun hobby. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1970s-custom-vans/827623.md?page=2)