6 vans from hollywood and why they’re much cooler than cars
TRANSCRIPT
6 Vans From Hollywood and Why They’re Much Cooler Than Cars
BIGGER, HARDER, COOLER
- There are plenty of cool cars in Hollywood, from Bullitt to the Bandit. Sure these shiny specimens can go fast and look good, but what happens when the hero needs a little more? Enter the sports car’s big brother, the Hollywood van - bigger, harder and much much cooler.
#1 The A Team Van
1971 GMC VENTURA
- In the original TV series this van was played by a 1983 GMC Ventura cargo van. Its boxy angles and sporty exterior made it an instant classic and one that catapulted sales of General Motors staple van into space.
- In the 2010 movie incarnation of the series, the producers considered using a more modern incarnation, but instead went with an even older 1971 GMC Ventura. Thankfully in its 25 year production the looks changed very little, and this model is almost indistinguishable from the original.
- 2 ‘crazy fools’ from the UK have painstakingly recreated the original 1983 GMC. Liam and Jerome Brett now offer van hire for big events, so if you have a wedding coming up and don’t fancy getting on no plane, this is surely the only option.
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THE A TEAM VAN
#2 The Italian Job Morris Minor
1954 MORRIS COMMERCIAL LC5
#3 The Mystery Machine
SCOOBY DOOBY DOO
- Another example of a van being far more than just a mode of transport, and being as much a character as Scooby or Shaggy. The Mystery Machine is a staple of the fantastically popular cartoon series and is instantly recognisable to anyone who watched Scooby Doo as a kid.
- Unlike the other vans in the list, the Mystery Machine has the benefit of being in a cartoon universe, which gives it some handy extra features. Its walls are filled with electronic hardware, it has an attachable satellite dish, plenty of useful objects are packed into the back, plus there’s room for a mystery solving team and their trusty dog.
- Whether it’s the 1960 Ford Taunus or the late 1980’s Chevrolet they used in the live action films, this fan favourite has inspired many van fanatics to transform their vehicle into the trusty mean green mystery machine. Taking all forms from a limousine to the classic campers, this may be the most popular van on the list.
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THE MYSTERY MACHINE
#4 Cheech and Chong’s Big Green Van
#5 Ghostbuster’s ECTO 1
WHO YOU GONNA CALL?
- When are trusty vans aren’t solving mysteries, fighting crime or getting half of the United States high, what else would they be doing other than chasing ghosts? Ghostbusters’ Ecto-1 is as big and scary as the ghosts it’s busting.
- This monster started life as a 1959 Cadillac Miller Meteor Ambulance conversion, but was modified by Dr Ray Stanz to be able to fit 4 Proton Packs and go a lot faster. In Stantz's own words, it needs "suspension work and shocks, brakes, brake pads, lining, steering box, transmission, rear end... new rings, mufflers, a little wiring...."
- In the upcoming reboot director Paul Feig has decided to alter the classic Ecto-1. Keeping with the classic stylings of the original instead of a modern incarnation, the new Ecto-1 looks to be a modified 1983 Cadillac Superior Hearse, rather fittingly for a ghost-busting vehicle.
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GHOSTBUSTER’S ECTO 1
#6 Breaking Bad’s Crystal Ship
THE CRYSTAL SHIP
- Anyone who has given some time to this breakthrough series will know that the RV plays a central role from the very first episode. The mobile meth lab, or “Krystal Ship” as Jesse later nicknames it, is a worn out 1986 Fleetwood Bounder.
- With as little in the way of style as Walter White, the pleasure comes from seeing this old hunk of junk play host to the antics of the mismatched pair, becoming as much of a character and developing its story to the point that we cringe at seeing it crushed in the third series.
- This just goes to show, even the most unsuspecting of vans can become an icon, with a few crooks, bullet holes and drug labs.
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BREAKING BAD’S CRYSTAL SHIP
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