We Need More Vans!

Thank you Vanners-

Posted August 9 2010 09:42 AM by DanWard-Editor
Filed under: Editorials, About Features/Should-Be Features, Upcoming Truck Events, Trend Observations, Truck News , Chevy, Blessings and Beatings

Attention Vanners— We need more custom vans.

Looking through our files, we need updated, fresh, and current custom vans for 2011 features.

Does your van have what it takes?

• Get a Free Quote

• Find a Local Dealer

We just received our subscription and newsstands figures for 2009-June '10 and the Van community has spoken...our numbers are up!

We want to say "Thank-You," but we need your help.

Most of the vans we have in our feature files appear to be straight from a time capsule and we need more current Vans to photograph and feature in 2011.

I've been working with Doug Nykanen, from Showtrux.com fame and he's provided us with great Van show coverage that will appear in issue 13, but we need more content.

If you think your van has what it takes to be featured in Truckin', send an email with photos to dan.ward@sorc.com.

Thanks again for the support and we look forward to providing you with custom vans for years to come.

Reader Comments:

1. To attract a younger generation of vanners to carry the vanning hobby into the future, we are going to have to start seeing more current 21st century styling.
Twenty-first century vans need to roll on a set of 22's or 24's, no more white letters out. The next gen custom van needs to deflat it's pneumatic suspension, tucking deep and laying out on it's rockers. Let's swap out the shag carpet, knotty pine wood cabinets, fish aquariums, mirrored ceilings, octagon wooden steering wheel for some brushed aluminum, carbon fiber, white face instrument clusters, and leather seats. Remove the Muntz Blue Light 4/8-track tape decks for a flip, touch tune, monitor, head unit with GPS, Sirius radio, bluetooth, iPod, a number of flip down monitors extracting from the ceiling, coax speakers, crossovers, and eight 12-inch subwoofers with enough amp power to vibrate the brain inside your cranium. The exterior airbrushed mural paint schemes need to become a memory and substituted with monochrome and two-tone candy, pearl, metallic hues. Vans must undergo a sense of transformation to maintain their perpetual motion into the future.

Bob Ryder - Posted August 9 2010 04:56 PM

2. First off thanks for your continued interest in vans and desitre to run more features.
But it's damage control time ... I wish we could have had both of you come to the Nationals to see the 589 vans that were there. One of our visitors who has worked for both Porsche and Tesla at their head offices in the U.S was amazed at the ingenuity of vanners. You can't just go out and buy a lowering kit for a van. Some retailers won't even sell you a kit if they know it won't be used specifically for the vehicle on the box.
In car culture these days there is a huge movement towards traditional hot rods. I guess we have the same thing within vanning or it was always there. Oddly enough much of the interest we have from the younger generation is for the old school look. But that doesn't mean that vanners aren't building state of the art vans as well. There were plenty of late model vans at the Nationals with the latest bells and whistles sporting 20"+ wheels. However going out and buying a brand new late model van is not in the cards for most. Put a 1976 and a cookie cutter 2010 Chevy van side by side and ask anyone what they prefer ... styling went out the window a while back. The manufactures gave up on recreational vans years ago as well. Ford most recently pulled the plug on a gathering that was supposed to happen this week celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Econoline. We hope something can be done at some time to celebrate this milestone.

It's tough to build a feature worthy van and enjoy vanning at the same time without being forced to trailer it. Running a set of $4-5k 22"-24" 600 miles to an event could be a major ad-van-ture given the current road conditions. One of Astros featured in Truckin' a while back is currently off the road due to blowing out 2 of the 4 custom designed 20" rims.

When vanning and Truckin' first started out we had many people build feature type vans that never went to any events. At that time building a kickass van pretty much guaranteed you a spot on the cover or inside a van magazine. Nowadays that's no longer a motivating factor as nothing is guaranteed. We've only had a handful of recent features lately.

I'm hoping to get both of you out to the 2011 Council of Councils in Buena Park , California Feb 19 2011 to visit with us and maybe even have a Q&A session with the vanners. We will have some of the top vans from California, Arizona, Nevada and further afield from old School to likely the most amazing van built in recent times that is a true engineering wonder and called a game changing vehicle of any description by many. Also the 39th National Truck-In will be in Old Washington Ohio July 13-17 2011. As close to the epicentre of vanning culture as you can get. It's pretty much a given that there will be over 600 vans there.

Showvans1 - Posted August 10 2010 05:13 AM

3. Doug-
Thanks for the feedback.

I understand it's tough to sink money into a van that is also used as transportation, however, in your show coverage from the Van Nats I did see several trailers, so that must mean that some of the "higher-end" or more extravagant vans rolled in behind something else, right?

I'm not asking people to scrap their current van, only update it and make it fresh again. Don's "Pirates of the Caravan" is a great example of this.
His van had an amazing, custom paintjob, had 16s for crying out loud but still looked good, he had a simple billet grille, and a wild, one-off interior that fit the theme.
That's why his van was featured. Any custom enthusiast can appreciate that quality of work.

I understand everyone has their own taste in style and mods, but feature vehicles come down to what we think is current, relevant, and worthy.

We want to run more vans and we want to show vanners more support, but we all need to be on the same page.

DanWard-Editor - Posted August 10 2010 07:46 AM

4. Bob and Dan,
We as vanners appreciate the support. I buy a copy of truckin' right off the rack everytime it has a van in it. Even if it's just in the reader's rides. The money I've spent now on shelf copies, I should have just got a subscription. That will be soon.

On the issue of the updated look. Not all vanners are into slammed vans, and air bags. I'm not really a fan of what I see in truckin' but anytime you put a vanners van in the mag I will buy it. There are quite a few vans out there that fit your criteria however as doug said, the trend we see of traditional rods and customs coming back, the same is happening for traditional classic vans and that is what a lot of vanners like.
I'm 23 and have been vanning 3 years. I like the classic look of vans. My van sits on 15 inch tires, 295/50s in the back, and 245/60s up front. I did an old school torch drop to bring the front down, and I put a 5 speed from a camaro in it. It's simple i dig the old school look. Never mind the fact that I made my own fiberglass gullwing door since you can't buy them. I also re arranged my 40-60 doors on the side, sealed up the 40 door in place and gullwinged the glass 60 door. Most vanners are fabricators, not bolt on guys. Big wheels and custom paint are nice, but we go a good ways beyond that just in subtle ways. I think you guys need to come back out to the van nationals and get a better understanding of what is out there.

My point is this: obviously it's up to you what goes in your mag but vanners won't buy your magazine if you just put slammed vans that you find at truck shows in it. We want to see vanners vans. Some are current some are classic. Not everyone has the same taste.

As I side note I cringe when I read your write ups on the vans. It seems like you guys always slip in some backhanded comment about vanners being old, or make fun of some of the novelty that was a part of vanning 35 years ago. We appreciate the pictures, but spare the cheesey jokes about AARP cards and time machines. We hear enough stupid stuff from people on the street about the mystery machine and the a team van, we don't want to read it in your mag too.

matchstickBGV - Posted August 10 2010 08:23 AM

5. ""Keep on Truckin""
Great News here.I can't wait to see the New Truckin Magazine.I have to Thank Doug & Ken for doing a superb Job on this Great event coverage to share with everyone.These Guys never stopped.
Truckin We Thank you for giving us the Time on our great culture that has been in the back seat for to long now.Retro man Retro,Everything comes back.You do have to admit that there is really no van stuff to get your hands on these days.I'm one of the lucky ones that still have two custom van shops in the area.East coast vans & custom Coach,They were around in the hay day and they are still around today with nothing new for your custom van.East coast vans is like walking into a museum All the van stuff of the 70's 80's you can still get.I'm out promoting vans with an 87 astro that I've built to Bob's standards and to get the next generation on the van wagon.I did lose space in the van in which you need to have if you are a vanner and sleep in the van.The van was a Journey to build.People Really do Like the astro and relate to the new wave,I'm still getting used to it and hoping things don't start breaking.I'm redoing my 76 Ford van that will be old school & I'm back out promoting the Van culture and I will see what people think of the old school van.

"" Keep On Truckin""

vanmachineman - Posted August 10 2010 09:22 AM

6. I do love the tradition associated with vans and vanners. I do have to agree with Doug that van styling went out the window years ago from the manufacturer. In a sense, I also agree with Bob. Paneling and shag carpet was the way to customize a van years ago, but it also gave the van it's reputation as "shaggin wagons", as the bed was always the main focus of the interior. Nobody except vanners could grasp the fact that vans were built to spend weekends camping in. Back then, customizing interiors was something you did in a few hours so you could make the truck-in that weekend. Today, there are so many new materials available to aid in the customization process, and electronics to add to the "bling" factor as well as convenience. However, like Doug had mentioned above, there are no aftermarket companies catering to the van market. The auto makers are weeding out the van in favor of the SUV. That means that most of the custom vans being built today are vans that have been around for a long time. Classic vehicles deserve classic styling.
Realistically, anyone can buy a kit to install cadillac tail lights in a pickup, but the guys who cut, weld and mold them into a van shouldn't be taken lightly, simply because the van doesnt have 24" wheels, which, to some of us, looks ghetto anyway. Wheels are just a bolt on.
Don Noone's 'Pirates' van is a perfect example of what vanners are capable of. Old school styling in an updated manner. Hours after hours of work and dedication. I agree that this is the caliber of vans needed to be shared in Truckin' magazine. The big wheel guys perhaps will see some of these kinds of vans, and imagine them with bigger wheels and air bag suspension. For us, it just doesn't work with what we build these vehicles for.
Sure, trailer queens are cool and all, but really, isn't that what car shows are for? I mean, if you travel to a car show, you spend the weekend in a hotel room, hang out with a few of your peers and a ton of spectators. In the van world, you travel thousands of miles in your van, sleep in your van, hang out with hundreds of your peers and very few spectators. It's a different world, a different culture, so for us, it's okay to be different. Very few fully customized vans show up at car shows anymore, but those that do get all the attention. Everyone's seen the small import cars now for years, and the dropped trucks also. Vans are a change from the ordinary today, which is why we appreciate seeing them again in Truckin' magazine. I really hope that Truckin' will eventually come to a Van Nationals again.

We're not a better culture, just a different one, and I think the younger generation is ready for something different.

Boot25 - Posted August 10 2010 02:25 PM

7. I am an old school type of guy but I do like some of the modern mods available. That said the idea of anything bigger than an 18 rim sickens me. Modern vans are so ugly I can't stand to look at them. Slamming a van to me is ridiculous.
The van I am building has a 32" screen, 17" drop down and 7" pop up with Flo TV with high end Arc audio amps and Clarion 12" subs(2), 6 Clarion 6x9s, Clarion head unit, 25 farad capacitor, 3500 watt inverter, backup camera with seven inch screen, Gps with it's own seven inch screen,two Optima batteries and a Python security system for the modern guys and gals. A set of train horns will be added along with remote electric door locks.A custom made built in ice chest made from polished aluminum diamond plate that drains through the floor, a built Clifford performance 225 HP 200 ci inline six with two barrel carb and custom cold air intake. Custom dual exhaust. Old style Cragars with Mickey Thompsons for the classic guys as well as tuck and roll seats, custom stainless steel steel dash with white faced gauges including tach, custom grill, nine airplane toggle switches, and new modern dual bowl master cylinder. I am swapping the three on the tree for a built C4 trans with B&M shifter and a 32" shifter with a chrome skull on it for the rat rod guys. The new paint job will be two tone blue and white pearl, maybe a mural but maybe not. It also has a Microwave oven, portable stainless steel BBQ (propane) a gas powered blender for car shows etc. A clear plastic cabinet will hold all the booze, mixers and glasses while a custom made polished aluminum cabinet will hold the microwave and paper plates, utensils etc.. I added a back seat for more seating. So as you can see it has some modern mods, some classic, some rat rod but you can bet it won't ever be considered for a feature. It draws crowds at at car and truck shows now and it isn't even finished. Vanners are like the antique and classic car guys. We like our vans to be like they were 40 years ago when we were kids. I don't see Hot Rod Magazine demanding that cars have to be slammed, have 22" rims and all that other crap. I think people today like to see what vehicles looked like in their heyday just as much as they like to see them all modded out with modern technology. You said sales are up since you started featuring vans well some of those vans were old school like "Alpine Express" for instance. How about a little traditional style vans and then some modern style ones so everyone is happy.
I agree that the snide remarks in some of the features need to go permanently. They are an insult to your vanner customers. Give us the respect we deserve. We put a lot of time and money into our vans.

IMVANISHINGBREED - Posted August 10 2010 10:55 PM

8. I just bought 5 more screens for my van and will get two more probably 17" flat screens so I will have 10 screens total, Six Clarion 6x9 speakers, may add two more, two Clarion 12" subs, thinking of adding three more, two Arc audio amps, thinking of adding two more 25 farad capacitor, 3500 watt power inverter, navigation, back up camera, Wii, etc. Right now I have two Optimas but I am thinking of swapping them out for 6 six volt batteries. This system is in a 65 Econoline so it will never be considered for a feature in Truckin because after all it is just a box

IMVANISHINGBREED - Posted August 17 2010 08:18 AM

9. Mike I'm pretty stoked to see what your finished project looks like. I saw the videos you posted of the motor and the sound of that thing definately makes me wet. What I would love to see is a completely ratted-out Econoline, ragtop sunroof running the entire length of the van, laid out on 20" smoothies. You guys want to build projects the way they were when you were kids; pinstripe, gold leaf, flakes, pearls, you guys literally layed out the foundation of what is cool today. Bring it back with new school style, change the game, again. Think of "The Show" when you're planning your next van build.

CodyKallis - Posted August 17 2010 06:07 PM

10. Thanks Cody, it does sound good for a small straight six. What people need to understand is that vanning is a sub-culture that all vanners are proud of and want to maintain. We are a lot like the car culture guys in that we liked when we were younger. I am sure Hod Rod magazine would never tell a guy that owns a Ford Highboy to put 24 inch rims on it and half a dozen screens and slam it if they want to get it in their mag.We share the same values as the classic car guys. How ever we do upgrade to modern electronics. air bags sometimes and new technology for our motors etc. Telling us we have to use 22+" rims and all that other crap mentioned at the beginning of this thread is like telling a machco muscle builder he has to wear a dress if he wants to get into a magazine. The editors here have no idea what car show people like. They don't go and see the large crowds around every van that enters a car show so they can't know that most of the folks in those crowds are young people who really get stoked over the classic looking vans. For people my age they bring back memories of the good old days of their youth. These old vans are time capsules and we want to keep them that way up to a point. We always thank of the show when we build our vans because that is the best way to let people know we are still here won't go away soon. We are steadily growing in numbers. Truckin say that profits are up since they started featuring vans so to me it is a no brainer that if what they say is true they need to put more "vanners" vans in their mag whether they are classic or not because the are selling magazines for Truckin. If Truckin did what it's readers like and want their profits would go even higher. Right now I think Truckin and Pres. Obama are just alike. They want change and insist on it knowing the folks that support them don't want all those changes. Obama totally ignores what the people want just like Truckin does. Our government thinks they know what is good for us and will shove it down our throats knowing full well we don't want their change. Truckin is just like our government. If it wasn't for vans Truckin wouldn't be here today so they owe the vanners who helped build their mag into what it is today a little more respect and consideration. Just my humble opinion that happens to be shared by thousands of vanners.

IMVANISHINGBREED - Posted August 18 2010 12:05 PM

11. The Council of Councils Feb 19 2011 in Buena Park will be the perfect place to discuss these matters. The Leftcoast Vanners are working hard to make this one of the largest van related events in California in many years. There will have a wide variety of vans there that will appeal to everyone.
It's not a great thing when politics are dragged into any discussion on internet forums.

Showvans1 - Posted August 24 2010 07:04 AM

12. Thanks Doug, you said it.
Soap boxes shouldn't be used to prop up the computer.

DanWard-Editor - Posted August 31 2010 04:43 PM

13. Politics aside, some good constructive comments here.
I think we (vanners and Truckin')can agree that a feature worthy van needs to have updated electronics and materials, but we need to find a compromise on the requirement for 24" rims and currently produced vans. There are plenty of vans out there that come to mind that fit this bill right now and others being built. That's right, even in this economy vanners are building vans. Without support, glory, sponsorship, or off the shelf parts. Because we love it. We breathe it. We live it.
Passion is what drives us, not awards or money. The Rat-rod movement is the fastest growing segment in customizing right now. They have always been there, always done things their way. They did not change to get recognition, people just started noticing their creativity, their art, their passion, and word spread. Vans could be the next big thing. A mix of old school and new. Wildly imagiative, lovingly built and driven. Maybe the public will like to see something different. The Truckin staff looks at vans and sees 70's flashbacks, I think a lot of people will look at vans in your magazine and see the future of Truckin.

SuspendedInDusk - Posted October 18 2010 05:18 PM

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