15 Gloriously Sleazy Vans From The 1970s

These days, if you want a cool ride, you probably wouldn’t pick a van. Rightly or wrongly, they’re mostly associated with soccer dads and soccer moms. It might be hard to believe, but there once was a time when vans were the coolest thing on four wheels.

That time was the 1970’s. In the 60’s and earlier, muscle cars dominated “cool car culture.” But when the 70’s arrived, so too did a 55 mph speed limit and regulations requiring more efficient gas mileage. In stepped the van. As Craig Fitzgerald of Best Ride put it, “If you were going to have to go slow, why not do it in the ultimate example of rolling personal expression?”

A custom van wasn’t just a vehicle, it was a way of life. The bigger size meant more room for your airbrushed masterpieces. The interior was so roomy that you could basically live inside it, or use it for whatever lecherous activities you wanted to. There’s a reason why the expression is, “When the van’s a rockin’, don’t come a-knockin'” and not “When the VW Bug’s a rockin’, done come a-knockin’.”

Times change, and the 70’s panel van eventually fell out of popularity. But today, let’s take a moment to appreciate our parents’ and grandparents’ favorite mode of transportation. It seems very likely that someone reading this article was conceived in one of these vans!