All-Original Custom Dodge Tradesman Is a ’70s Flashback

The van craze burned brightly in the 1970s. Then it seemed to vanish—but never really did. The customized 1977 Dodge B200 Tradesman van recently for sale on eBay is a like-new example of that weird, wonderful time.

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Blank Canvas

Car enthusiasm hit a dry spell in the 1970s. Insurance rates and emissions regulations neutered muscle cars. Oil embargoes made gas expensive and sometimes hard to get. Thrifty import cars were ascendant while Detroit struggled with this new reality.

The vacuum of this automotive no-fun zone gave rise to customized vans. Throw in a little hippie spirit left over from the ’60s, and vans became rolling expressions of personal freedom. These boxes on wheels were blank canvases, ripe for individualization.

Vans were wildly decorated outside and lushly appointed inside. Shag or velour carpet, plus couches and even waterbeds, turned interiors into rolling living rooms ready for all kinds of fun. Dodge called them Adult Toys.

Sidepipes and a Sporty Rake

The seller of the 1977 Tradesman joined the van movement near its peak when he bought this van and had it customized. (The Tradesman was the work-oriented Dodge van. Its open cargo area lent itself to modification more readily than the Sportsman passenger vans.)

The mods were relatively subtle for the era but distinctive. The customizer added:

• Front chin spoiler and rear wing
• Windshield visor
• Back window slats
• Mushroom-shaped porthole windows
• Chrome side pipes

Rear air shocks give the van a slightly sporty rake. It rolls on 8- and 10-inch-wide American Racing five-spoke wheels.

Intricate Graphics

A beltline stripe with airbrush and pinstripe graphics accents the Tradesman’s deep burgundy paint. The spare tire cover sports a similar scheme.

Open the Tradesman’s double side doors to reveal a cozy gathering place called the Low Down Lounge. The décor features wood paneling, velour cushions, and red and gray filigreed upholstery. There’s a bar and a built-in cooler for beverages. An upholstered table with cupholders stows out of the way when more leg (or dancing?) room is needed.

The driver’s compartment follows the theme. The seat covers and custom floor console cover match the lounge upholstery. Overhead, there is more velour, a Cobra CB radio, and a Craig 8-track tape player. The odometer has not yet reached 60,000 miles.

Decals, stickers, and signage inside and outside the van celebrate the good times its owners spent in New Orleans’ French Quarter.

The Van Community Thrives

The seller describes the Tradesman—including its modifications—as all original. Recent detailing revealed the nearly 50-year-old paint and graphics’ immaculate condition. The 360 cubic-inch V-8 engine has a tune-up and fresh oil. A new master cylinder and air conditioning compressor are recent additions.

What do you do with a time machine like this? Here’s an idea. Join other like-minded vanners at one of the many van gatherings nationwide. The community remains alive and well. The National Truck-In, a fixture of van lovers since the first one in 1973, continues to this day.