With so many talented stars and iconic cars stealing the limelight in movies, sometimes the famous movie vans are forgotten about. However, following the reproduction of the iconic DeLorean car in 2017 — which shot to fame for its starring role in the Back To The Future trilogy — many movies vans are getting the recognition they deserve.
Here, Ford van retailer Van Monster has come up with a list of famous vans from TV and movies which are due a revival.
Name of the van: 1973 Volkswagen Transporter (Type 2)
Type of van: Camper van
Movie/TV show where it shot to fame: Little Miss Sunshine
Memorable moment:
You couldn’t miss the bright yellow campervan in Little Miss Sunshine – and we can’t forget the moment that the Hoover family had to push start the classic Volkswagen bus when the vehicle showed its age and became increasingly unreliable during the two-day journey to get young Olive to the Little Miss Sunshine junior beauty pageant in California.
Essential driving stats: Power — 72 horsepower. 0-60 mph — 22 seconds. Top speed — 75 mph.
Name of the van: 1984 Ford Econoline
Type of van: Multi-purpose vehicle
Movie/TV show where it shot to fame: Dumb and Dumber
Memorable moment:
Probably one of the most outrageous movie vans in history. When taking the Mutt Cutts van on a cross-country adventure of America, Harry and Lloyd offer to give hitchhiker Joe Mentalino a lift and proceed to make comedy gold with the ‘want to hear the most annoying sound in the world’ moment.
Essential driving stats: Power — 114 horsepower.
Name of the van: 1997 Chevrolet C-2500 Silverado Fleetside
Type of van: Truck
Movie/TV show where it shot to fame: Kill Bill
Memorable moment:
As part of The Bride’s quest for revenge, the lead character acquires the bright yellow Chevrolet after finding the keys in the pocket of her second victim – as she attempts to work her way through the list of people who have wronged her. The truck stood out even further for its ‘Pussy Wagon’ nameplate.
Essential driving stats: Power — 255 horsepower.
Name of the van: 1963 Ford Econoline Custom Van
Type of van: Multi-purpose vehicle
Movie/TV show where it shot to fame: Scooby Doo
Memorable moment:
You’ll not find a person who doesn’t know what the mystery machine is – probably one of the most famous vans in TV and film. Most memorable in the fifth episode of the first season of the TV show What’s New, Scooby-Doo — the Mystery Machine goes from friend to foe. By the end of the episode though, viewers discovered that the van hadn’t gone rouge but had been under the control of a culprit using wireless controls.
Essential driving stats: Power — 85 horsepower at 4,200 rpm.
Name of the van: 1951 Ford F1 4×2
Type of van: Full-size pickup truck
Movie/TV show where it shot to fame: Sanford and Son
Memorable moment:
Remaining popular following the end of the show back in 1977, the Ford truck from Sanford and Son was one of the standout attractions at the 2011 4th of July parade in Argos, Indiana, and made further headlines when it was reunited with one of the show’s main stars, Nathaniel Taylor, at the Hard Rock Rocksino Northfield Park, in Cleveland, Ohio, in June 2016.
Essential driving stats: Power — 100 horsepower at 3,600 rpm.
Name of the van: 1983 GMC G-15
Type of van: Full-size van
Movie/TV show where it shot to fame: The A-Team
Memorable moment:
Playing such a huge role throughout the TV series and movie, it is impossible to pick out a singular memorable moment. This is because B.A. Baracus’ vehicle stood strong even when put through various gun battles, incredible jumps, accidents and even being stripped apart.
Essential driving stats: Power—110 kW (150 PS(Hp))
Name of the van: 1993 Ford Explorer XLT
Type of van: SUV
Movie/TV show where it shot to fame: Jurassic Park
Memorable moment:
Who could ever forget watching the glasses of water ripple ahead of the rampage of a terrifying tyrannosaurus rex? The moment when the park’s electricity shuts down in the original film, causing the electric cars and its occupants to become stranded.
Essential driving stats: Power — 160 horsepower. 0-60 mph — 11.3 seconds. Top speed — 110 mph.
Name of the van: 1968 Volkswagen T2A
Type of van: People mover
Movie/TV show where it shot to fame: Lost
Memorable moment:
Not making an appearance until season three of the franchise, the Volkswagen bus paved the way for one of the main plots of the episode, as everyone’s favourite good guy Hurley went out of his way to get the abandoned vehicle started again. The conclusion was a very heart-warming moment for the series.
Essential driving stats: Power — 57 horsepower at 4,400 rpm. 0-60 mph — 37 seconds (estimated). Top speed — 65 mph.
Name of the van: 1986 Fleetwood Bounder RV
Type of van: Motorhome
Movie/TV show where it shot to fame: Breaking Bad
Memorable moment:
Think back to the very beginning – the pilot episode of Breaking Bad was one of the most memorable moments of the 1986 Fleetwood Bounder. Walter White would proceed to crash his newly acquired RV into a ditch in the New Mexico desert before going through a chain of bad luck that culminated in the protagonist standing under the hot sun in only his underpants.
Essential driving stats: Length — Up to 40 feet long.
Name of the van: 1973 Reliant Regal
Type of van: Three-wheeled vehicle
Movie/TV show where it shot to fame: Only Fools and Horses
Memorable moment:
No question about it, it has to be in the 1988 Christmas special of the hit BBC sitcom — when Rodney attempts to impress his date, Nag’s Head barmaid Nery. The situation soon gets out of hand though and the duo get involved in a high-speed chase where the Reliant Regal is pursued by a gang in a much flashier sports car. Watch out for the moment where the three-wheeler achieves incredible hang time.
Essential driving stats: Power — 30 brake horsepower. 0-60 mph — 25 seconds. Top speed — 75 mph.
