Back in the ’70s I had a Ford Econoline van. I can’t remember the exact year, but it was early ’70s. The original color was blue and white, but a friend wanted to practice his air brushing techniques for the cost of paint to turn it into something really cool. Compared to today, tools and materials were quite a bit different back then with limited selection. For the interior of the van, we used plywood for the walls and ceiling, then stapled or glued carpet onto the plywood. Shag carpet was one of the popular choices for carpet back then… I built a bed across the back with storage underneath and a porta potty in the middle accessible by lifting up the middle of the bed. The bed was made out of three inch foam covered in Naugahyde. Curtains could be pulled across the front of the bed for privacy. I installed a vent above the bed which wasn’t much different than what’s available today.

Along the wall behind the drivers seat was a cabinet with an icebox/refrigerator and a little closet. Above the cabinet was a lighted Coors mirror that I traded a Coors salesman for one of the mirrors I was selling at the time. A couple of “captains” chairs sat next to a burrow-wood 10 coat clear finished table on top of the engine cowl. Along with a good stereo tape deck…that was pretty much it. Seatbelts weren’t required back then, so I could bring along a few friends riding in the back sitting on the bed or floor.

For several years I traveled all over the Pacific Northwest in this van. For whatever reason we grew out of them, maybe settled down, got married and had kids.

Here we are over 40 years later and vans are making a comeback. While the design and shape are different, they are basically the same – a metal box that we can live in and it takes us just about anywhere. Our new adventure is this red 2020 Mercedes Metris, The Red Metris.