Wicked Wednesday: 1978 Dodge Street Van Custom Beach Life Build
Are you a beach bum that longs to live the van life? This hand built custom 1978 Dodge Street Van might be your perfect lifestyle vehicle.
It is currently the middle of winter. Millions of people in the United States are sick of the lousy weather and dreaming of heading to the beach. So, this feels like the perfect time to introduce this custom 1978 Dodge Street Van. This hand-built beauty is the perfect beach escape pod. This is not the fastest Dodge you have ever seen. It is not the most off-road capable Dodge you have ever seen. But if your idea of heaven is living right on the beach, then this is the Dodge for you.
Remember when living in a van down by the river used to be an insult? The late Chris Farley made it famous and hilarious during his time on Saturday Night Live. Well, it is no joke anymore as more and more people are drawn to the van life. As the world becomes smaller and more connected, the idea of unplugging and getting off the grid gets more appealing. And what better way to do that then to head to the beach in this custom 1978 Dodge Street Van? A video of the van was posted a couple months ago on the Doogie Vans YouTube channel. The video doesn’t have any commentary, but it does show all the details that make this the perfect van for any beach lover.
1978 Dodge Street Van
So, what is a 1978 Dodge Street Van? Well, for that year Dodge came out with a van that offered more room and more options than the vans previously offered. For example, the high-back bucket seats were mounted on curved tracks and offered a higher position for short drivers and more headroom for taller drivers. The engine cover was also made smaller in order to make passenger room larger. New options included Sky Lite sunroofs, air conditioning and six different radio options including two CB choices. The instrument panel was also redesigned for 1978 to make it look more like something from a luxury sedan. But best of all it was built with the idea of customization.
Beach Living
The front cab of this van was finished in Ocean Blue which was the perfect inspiration for a beach van. This is not a full-on overlanding rig that will allow you to stay off the grid for a week or more deep in the wilderness. However, this van has everything that you need for a wonderful day and night at the beach. And you could probably stretch it a couple days or longer if you wanted to. There is plenty of storage space, a bed/sofa for relaxing and the whole thing gives off that beach cabana vibe.
Van Life
The van life might not be for everyone. But even if it is not something that you want to pursue full-time this van likely still holds some appeal. The ability to just get away from it all in something that from the outside simply looks like a 35-year-old van, but on the inside is much more is very appealing. As J.R.R Tolkien taught us, not all those who wander are lost.
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