Some nice vehicles which aren't Javelins! (well ok, they're all vans at the moment)...
This high-top conversion van by "Quality Editions" (?) is powered by the old faithful 318ci
(5.2 litre) Chrysler V8 petrol engine, in this case with multi-port electronic fuel injection and a 3-speed
automatic gearbox with overdrive, giving around 15-16 mpg overall. Air conditioned with 4 captain's chairs
and a rear bench seat which folds down into a bed, the interior is padded velour and carpeted, which gives
a quiet, luxurious ride, sitting high above most other vehicles. While it's not a speed machine, it's
surprisingly quick considering it weighs nearly 3 tons, and surprises quite a few would-be overtakers away
from the traffic lights! Definitely a fun vehicle!
Here in England, Dayvans are fairly rare and we turn a few heads when driving around in ours,
though this is probably because it's black too.
The most common comments are to do with the A-Team. People
start to hum or whistle the theme tune, or call me BA (or something like that!).
This is despite the A-Team van being a GMC and ours a Dodge - they look the same to the average Englishman!
Coming up a close second is people think it's a hearse. The purple curtains and interior
don't help! I do some voluntary work for the RNIB and scare the life out of some people I visit when I park
outside - they think I've come to get them I suppose!
Failing either of these, people usually say something
like "What the hell is THAT?!". Even a camp site warden told us she'd never seen anything like it, ever, and
she'd seen a lot of different camper vans etc. over the years!
Some of my favourite links to do with vans and the A-Team :-
- Wikipedia - fairly good summary of the A-Team
- CustomVan.com - THE American dayvan accessory store, I got my fibreglass visor from here
- 1A Auto - sell excellent new Dodge Ram brake calipers (and other parts!)
- GMC Van - some information about BA's van
- A-Team Shrine - Colin Hannah's fairly extensive A-Team site
- A-Team On The Web - Jasper Molenmaker's nice little A-Team site
- A-Team HQ - A4D Design's well laid out A-Team site