In the history of motorized vehicles, vans have been around since almost the beginnings, serving primarily as business vehicles used for delivery. But one could argue that the concept of a van (a vehicle used to haul a large amount of goods) and even a conversion van (a vehicle primarily known as a delivery mode but used for a different purpose) has been around even longer.
When one considers its purpose and usage, a horse-drawn caravan isn’t that far from the concept of a conversion van. Once a familiar mode of transportation and conveyance in Europe, and later America, the horse-drawn caravan bears a striking similarity to today’s vans.
Consisting of a large covered interior, a horse-drawn caravan could serve as both a method of hauling goods and housing. In Ireland, for instance, a nomadic group of people known as “Travellers” roamed the countryside more than 150 years ago in horse-drawn caravans that was their home. Inside, the caravan contained a cook stove, a bench that doubled as a bed, cupboards and tables. Some of these horse-drawn caravans are still in use today, though primarily as a tourist attraction.
With the advent of motorized vehicles, trucks (and later vans) were developed to handle the demand for vehicles that could make large deliveries. Early on these were merely cars altered to handle the cargo, but in the 1920s major automakers such as Dodge, GM and Ford built trucks to meet the market. A many smaller manufacturers, such as Divco, also produced vans/delivery trucks.
Divco (the name stood for the Detroit Industrial Vehicles Company) was a well-known manufacturer of delivery vehicles that were used by milk companies primarily. Beginning in 1926, the company produced what was known as “multi-stop delivery trucks” that were designed to take the stop and go action of busy delivery routes. In 1937, Divco redesigned their vehicles with a steel van body and in (to aid in milk deliveries) an insulated refrigeration unit was installed in 1940, the first of its kind.
But to many aficionados, the first “van” is considered to be the Plymouth sedan delivery panel van, first built in 1930. While it appeared to be little more than a regular sedan, what made this vehicle special is that it had a rear deliver door, making it perfect for commercial purposes as well as for transporting passengers. To further solidify its bid as the first van, the Plymouth delivery sedan had a rear seat that could be removed and panels that could be placed in the rear window on which the owner could paint the name of his company. Only 800 Plymouth delivery sedans were built, however, and the model failed to catch on.
A short time later, around 1936, the first panel van was manufactured and ushered in the era of the van. Though originally classified as station wagons, the Chevy Suburban and its sister vehicle, the GMC Carryall, were the first panel vans to be produced for city delivery purposes, used primarily by companies that produced fragile good like flowers and bakery items.
Other notable developments in the history of vans include the Chevy panel van of the 1950s that came with a single front bench seat and an empty rear cargo area comprised of a steel-ribbed interior with no seats or insulation; the Ford Model 400E, which made its debut in 1957 and ran on a four-cylinder engine and, perhaps most importantly, the Volkswagen Type 2, better known as the “VW Bus”, first introduced in the 1950s and which later became the van of choice for pioneers in the conversion van arena.
In the 1960s, the VW Bus became the symbol of American counterculture. Possibly because of its low price, gas efficiency (compared with the hulking gas-guzzlers that shared the road at the time) and the relative ease of repairs (the engine was accessible from the inside), the VW Bus was favored by hippies and other free spirits who longed for the carefree life of the open road. The van was popular because it could either be used to transports a large number of people or completely gutted to serve as a rolling house. Volkswagen also produced the Westfalia Camper that came with a standard ice box, water storage system and pump, electrical outlets and plywood cabinets. Optional features included a canvas top that could be popped up, a portable toilet and a camping stove.
While the VW bus did inspire creativity (counterculture related designs were often used to decorate the outside), the Chevy van seemed to be the choice for individual expression. Debuting in 1961, the Chevy van was originally sold as a strictly commercial vehicle with no windows on the sides. Windows were added in later models, but were simply cut into the side of existing vans at the factor. In the 1970s, the van became the palette for a new generation of private designers who took to the vehicle’s spartan but spacious interior and broad, uninterrupted exterior. Inside, they let their imagination take over. There were vans entirely lined in plush carpet, illuminated with chandeliers, installed with automatic beds and even one or two fireplaces.
With a history that dates back to the horse-drawn caravans of old Europe, the motorized van has evolved from a vehicle used primarily for short delivers to a motorized form of expression for free spirits.