What got you first interested in Vans??

Hi all,

Well I was born in '73 so was too young to be actively involved in the van scene during the late 70's and early 80's, but always begged to be taken to shows and bought whatever magazines I could find on Vans.

The thing that really kicked it off for me was growing up at The Gap in Brisbane, and in 1981 we moved into a house where the neighbours had two sons who were 17 & 19; the 17yo had a bronze XW panelvan with big slotters and the tailgate seemingly permanently up, and the 19yo had a ZG Fairlane-fronted blue XB van with slotters, spoilers front and rear, shaker, gear drive and 351 top loader combo. As a kid I thought those vans were awesome and couldn't wait to get one of my own. Once they realised I was van-obsessed and knew a bit about Vans, I got taken a bit more seriously and they'd take me for a spin around the block every now and then which was pretty cool. Funnily enough, two of their mates had a '68 Dodge Charger R/T and a Ford Landau respectively which remain two of my most favourite cars of all time.

Its amazing what sticks with you as you get older..

have fun

Simo

For me Simo it was when my brother took me to a Van Show at Charlestown (late 1970's).I remembered going there to see vans (He had a HQ wagon) but i don't remember what vans were there.I wanted a Black HQ with a 350 in it to sit in the backyard till i was able to drive, ( i was but the old man said no.

Next it was going to Rickshaws and seeing vans like "Street Legal", "Innervisions", "Innocense" etc when they were in their prime.(also 70's & 80's)

Then in the late 80's the placed where i worked as an apprentice Auto Elec. we had an ex show van come in and i took it for a test run after some work had been done to it.It had a 460 (so i was told) but could have been a 427, top loader and 9".It was known as "Wizard".

Went to a few meetings of the Newcastle Van Club, with potential to join, in late 1980's just before it closed down.

Lastly late 2006 i suggested to the missus that i would like to get a VH SS but she refused to go in it.I suggested that i get a pano and the rest is history.

Well simo
Like agro I too was introduced to vanning by my brother.In 83 i was a 17y old skinny kid with a hg stationwagon but my older brother bought home this sweet burgendy HQ van that he was using for his work, and that was love at first site for me.
Any chance i got to steal the keys when he wasnt around ,i took it. it was a 253 4 speed and went like the clappers.
after a couple of years he moved in with his now wife and began a morgage. As you can predict he struggled with paying the house so the van had to go and i jumped at the chance to take over the payments, even my old man couldnt talk me out of it. I HAD TO HAVE THAT VAN
then i met my future wife and we had a heap of fun it that car ( mind out of the gutter guys).
I started going to all the van shows around that i could get to and even entered the Qie in one,but did no good.
I saw some awsome vans back then but have long since forgoten most.
It was a really good time to be into cars but as you can emagine the girl and i got pretty serious and moved in together and started a family so my first love had to go.
Now some 25yrs later the kids are off our hands its time for take 2 and the wifey supports the my desicion to get the new hottness.....RAMBLE
What a womam eh?
Anyway thats how i got into the vanning scene then out of it then back into it

i was born in 58 so i was lucky enough to be involved in the 70s van scene...what got me involved was .....GIRLS...GIRLS...GIRLS....was also interested in partying n drinkin piss and sleeping in the van and girls who did the same...we used to have some seriously debauched van weekends away with our bikes and girls...

same as Ozbox. GIRLS and that i could take the board to ride some waves if i couldn't get a girl...

I'd just turned 18, and my fake ID just had its first birthday and its redundancy, all in the same day. My parents sat me down and told me too many girls were seen climbing out over the back fence early Sunday morning. They were right. Days later I bought a Hj Sandman with a mattress in the back for $1400. Mum and dad got their prestigous house reputation back and Ive slept in the back of the Pano every Saturday night since. Its been a win/win ever since and the gal doesn't have to scurry over the back fence the following morning anymore. She'd get dropped at the house next door to hers in the Sandman, especially if her old man was home.
Thats what got me into the old Panos and until they close all the pubs, start making the old holdens out of plastic in China I can't see myself ever getting out of them?

i was mainly rasied by my Gran. she had a house on a main road in Wollongong,i used to sit out the front on a Saturday night and sunday arvos watching the vans and hot cars drive past. vans with side pipes and zoomies were the rage just after Mad Max came out, some with murals i remember 1 van parked a few doors down called Centerfold with 2 naked girls on the bonnet.same girl but 1 was black and 1 was white.but my main memory was in Sydney with a mate and his older brother took us for a drive in his Monaro and we stopped to get Maccas. he poked me and said look outside. it was love. Dark Red Van. twin head light front and 5 spoke dragway mags. i never forgotten it. for you who do know me. thats why the van is red now.

Not much, I just always thought p/vans were really cool!

I'd always liked the mystique of the panel van, it just took me a while to get one. Different priorities in life didn't lead me to buy one till recently. We did have quite a few in the past (with the ex), but on blocks, however, now I could buy what i wanted and it goes. Should've joined vanning years ago, but then, i wouldn't be where I am now and have what i have, probably a good thing!

I had a FC wagon then a FX sedan when I spotted a Cherry Red FB van in a yard for $150 with a stuffed gearbox.I did it up and drove it for about 4 years when I built a Cooper S Mini van.had it for ages then sold it to my brother and built a EK van.Was light blue with ZD Fairlane grill and louvered bonnet and everything chrome.Channel 10 were filming a documentary on vans using about 150 of our vans from East Coast Van Club and when I nailed it the fan disintegrated and came through the bonnet.I sold it for a Corolla van but got rid of that for a HJ Sandman off another member.Was only 12 months old,Persian Sand with 8in.Ansen Sprints 253 4speed and Statesman grill but single headlights ,had it about 4 years when it was stolen and never seen again.Bought a Gemini van new and took it to Milduru Nats and CV&T did a article on it .I only went down there to Help Robbo set up Dream Warrior. Building a Anglia Hotrod at the moment but I always check out the Sunstate shows.

Spending summers in Warrnambool as a kid surfing, as soon as I was old enough to drive, I wanted a van. However being the oldest of the group at the time I settled for a Chrysler VH wagon. Could take the board on the roof, the mates in the back and a fold down back seat for taking the girlfried to the drive in. Joined the only Van club I could find that would accept a wagon, (Street Legal Vans) Later joined Wagons United but still wanted a Van. Went to a few Van shows and won a few prizes, including the 82 Nationals. Joined Chariots Van Club, where I met my First wife, bought a Bedford, lost the wife (lucky) and the Bedford (Bugga). Met Mandy, sold the Chrysler wagon, a few street machines, she purchased the Bedford and the last 23 years is history. She let me have the Bedford in 2003 when we got a VU Panel Van for her dialy driver. Thats Matts story Mandy might put hers somewhere later.

Went to my first van show at the Clayton Twin Drive-In about 1976.... I still remember the van Purple Haze, it had a TV and a sink! That was the only van I remember and there were many. Then went splits in buying a panel van with my ex-boyfriend. Spent a lot of time sanding off my finger prints... had a lot of fun vanning. Went to lots of drive-in movies. Joined Moorabbin Panel Van Club as an associate member because only the van owner could be a full member! Had club cruises/convoys that were bigger than Van Council Runs back then. Anyway left the boyfriend about 5 years later and he kept the van! Had a break from vanning until 1986 when I met Matt, went to my first Van Nats in 1987 and have been vanning ever since. Have met lots of nice people over the years and have even enjoyed it internationally over in USA where we have also made heaps of friends. Vanners are just a special breed of people..... " I don't try to explain why I am a vanner, for those who know, no explanation is necessary. For those who don't no explanation is possible. " ... I think the vanners creed about sums it up.

A fellow club member sparked the passion again after reading in Unique Cars hundred or more times of that Green sandmanhe drove in with one, wife said i want one , so when you get a green light i went hunting, found wally a near new Van one owner job ok wasnt a sandy but like buying a new van of the shop floor

Then a guy caught up with me who drove a dark green van n touched me so i sold it hahahahaha

Sure miss my van, got a nice wagoooon now though, thanks for the memories

HZ

Maybe this:

http://www.carpoint.com.au/used-car/HOLDEN/SANDMAN/Victoria/csn7406749.aspx

will touch you again.

As a kid I lived in Kalgoorlie..and would see this canary Yellow HJ/HX? twin headlight van..had the full Vanrat style grill and bubble windows in the side..5 spoke Dragways (like VR) and those black/white 350 stickers that the old monaros had,on the front guards,just behind the indicators..Was such a sweet,Tuff looking van..I started buying CVT magazine and was stoked to see Vanrat for the first time in it..The guy who owned the van in Kal musta been a fan of Vanrat,eh..Loved vans ever since

A friend of the family had a yellow XB GS van evil bloody thing it was You could hear the thing coming for miles He was involved in the very early days of the vanning movement and years later he gave me his car magazines which included a lot of early van mags and it just took off from there

1981 a guy at work was selling his hg van (sundance) i bought it and never looked backed stripped it rebuilt all bar the windscreen then wrote it off at 220kms i went through the windscreen lucky i never changed it for the laminated one i had in my room.I joined Break-a- way vanners went on every run i could joined the V.C.V meet the best bunch of people ever. I have had several Vans, Wagons ,Sedans, and one wife the only thing taht remains constant are my VANNER Family.
Mandy H summed it up with the Vanners Creed
Vanners Rule

What got me into vans was the chics that got in before me, the rest is history

Monk wrote:What got me into vans was the chics that got in before me, the rest is history

Hey pete, when you handing those MD keys over to me mate lol

pussy

CURSED wrote:pussy

ahhha the pussyman look at that avitar with them spunks in the back

Monk wrote:

CURSED wrote:pussy

ahhha the pussyman look at that avitar with them spunks in the back

Spunks?...The one in the middle is a bit rough... Large head,Huge eyes,Way too skinny and OH, shes GREEN.

rambletamble wrote:

Monk wrote:

CURSED wrote:pussy

ahhha the pussyman look at that avitar with them spunks in the back

Spunks?...The one in the middle is a bit rough... Large head,Huge eyes,Way too skinny and OH, shes GREEN.

shes a "blow up", just put some meat in her and she will fattin up

It would have to be Flemmo's Seducer as he lived up the road from me when I was 16 and was alway's a nice guy to talk to about it then later on I got my own.

Buzz.