Yet another interesting form of automotive enthusiasm has surfaced in Japan: D-VAN Grand Prix. This group of drivers focuses their modifying energy on Dodge Ram vans, and they run the snot out of them.
Wonder why they love the Dodge vans in particular? Is there something about the stock suspensions on them that are easier to mod vs say a fullsize GM or FORD van of that era?
They explain it right at the beginning of the video - they had the vans and were using them at the racetrack to ferry people around, and one day a couple guys started racing each other.
I don't know if it's still a thing over there, but for some time they were crazy for customized Chevy Astro vans.
By Ed Higginbotham
10/20/15 3:50 p.m.
This is the video with the extremely ironic twist involving a Japanese man with a U.S. Air Force shirt!
10/20/15 4:27 p.m.
This isn't a new trend, but is awesome none the less.
Also I think he's wearing that USAF t-shirt because most of those vans were at the USAF base there in Japan.
10/20/15 5:38 p.m.
In reply to SyntheticBlinkerFluid:
I believe that's true. However, the irony exists!
10/20/15 6:53 p.m.
Wonder why they love the Dodge vans in particular? Is there something about the stock suspensions on them that are easier to mod vs say a fullsize GM or FORD van of that era?
10/20/15 6:54 p.m.
In reply to drainoil:
Because the U.S. shipped a bunch of them there.
10/20/15 7:09 p.m.
They explain it right at the beginning of the video - they had the vans and were using them at the racetrack to ferry people around, and one day a couple guys started racing each other.
I don't know if it's still a thing over there, but for some time they were crazy for customized Chevy Astro vans.
10/20/15 7:15 p.m.
IIRC the Dodge vans are also unibody instead of body-on-frame.
Old video, but still totally awesome.
10/20/15 7:34 p.m.
The Astro was very popular in Japan. It is rumored that the first Scion xB shape was modeled by the Astro.
10/20/15 8:49 p.m.
We've been freaking on Dajibans for a while here.
10/20/15 9:42 p.m.
Yep. That's why we posted the video.
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