Vehicle Description
Zoinks! Probably the world's most recognizable vintage van, the
Mystery Machine holds a place in the heart of almost every American
that's watched television from 1969 until today. A blank check and
a very straight and solid 1966 Dodge A100 Panel Van is where this
Scooby-Doo dream started, and the absolutely gorgeous creation
before us is the ultimate result. Featuring a custom paint job and
matching custom interior that would make Hannah-Barbara proud, with
power coming from a freshly built 318 V8 and automatic drivetrain,
all this Mystery Machine needs now is a talking Great Dane and his
four meddling friends.
Though there's no official consensus, most people agree that the
Mystery Machine from the original Scooby-Doo cartoons (1969-1976)
was in fact a 1964-66 Dodge A100 Panel Van, just like this
final-year 1966 model. Sure, the various Scooby films that have
since been released utilized Chevy G-10s and Ford Econolines, but
those movies were dreadful and it's better to pretend they never
existed. The original mystery bustin', bad guy unmaskin', and
Scooby-Snack munchin' animated series was the gold standard, and
this custom build is about as faithful to those original drawings
as you can get. Line up our pictures next to the cartoon rendering,
and you'll see just how spot-on this build really is. The COE
(cab-over-engine) design, short wheelbase (90-inches), and panel
wagon bodystyle (specifically with 2-doors up front and barndoors
in the cargo area) add up to the right dimensions, although picking
out the correct van to start the build was just the beginning of
this fantastic voyage. Next came the wild paint, and WOW, they
really nailed it. And yes, that's all paint, not a vinyl wrap, and
those illustrations aren't decals. From the light blue base to the
lime green accents and even the orange '60s-era flowers and cartoon
script - it was all laid down by professionals to a very high
standard. Seriously, you'd be hard-pressed to find many
imperfections in both the paint and body, which is not typically
the case with 'theme' builds. The bumpers were painted light
purple, the wheel covers are adorned with flowers (including the
front-mounted "spare"), the back windows were tinted with Shaggy
and Scooby, and even the door handle back there got the cartoon
treatment. What would Scooby-Doo? Ride like a king in this van.
The party continues inside, where the custom work is wall-to-wall.
Let's start with the seats: two-tone buckets up front and a bespoke
wrap-around bench in the rear, all wrapped in brand new light blue
and light green upholstery that matches the exterior. The door
panels, all the interior walls, and even the headliner were covered
with matching two-tone panels, and custom murals feature our
favorite crime-solving gang on one side, and a spooky
g-g-g-g-g-ghost on the other. Check out the 'Shaggy' carpet, most
of which is protected with dealership plastics, the engine cover
that was painted to match the theme and acts as a wide center
console between the front seats, and the original steel dash that's
beautifully finished in the same two-tone light blue and light
green color combination found throughout the cabin. Factory gauges
are still in place beyond the upright original steering wheel, as
is the unique automatic transmission shifter mounted on the dash,
and a trio of Equus aftermarket units were mounted on the engine
cover to keep a closer eye on the rebuilt block. That remote
control is for the LED light system that was installed throughout
the cabin, and when all those purple lights are all on, the Kenwood
AM/FM/CD/AUX stereo is pumping tunes through the upgraded speakers,
and the Vintage Air A/C system is blowing ice cold air (with vents
in the front and rear), this Mystery Machine is a very comfortable
chill spot. There's plenty of room to stretch out, put those
Scooby-Doo pillows to good use, and test the limits of that exhaust
fan in the roof, if you catch my drift. Everything is new, looks
great, and was built to last.
Powering this shaggin' wagon is a freshly built 318 V8, a huge
upgrade over the sluggish 273 V8 this A100 was born with. Topped
with a Holley 4-barrel carburetor, a polished aluminum intake, and
a new alternator and distributor set-up, the feisty small block
fires to life with ease, idles smoothly, and has plenty of power to
speed this funky van away from the outstretched hands of evil
doers. And even though the engine is hidden under the cover and out
of sight, they still painted the block and valve covers Corporate
Blue and topped it with a chrome air cleaner, so it can be shown
off with pride. A freshly rebuilt A904 3-speed automatic
transmission is the 318's perfect dance partner, and this van has
an amazing soundtrack thanks to the upgraded Thrush dual exhaust
system underneath. Speaking of underneath, the undercarriage is
incredibly solid and was fully detailed and covered with black
undercoating that looks great and will wear like iron for years.
Flower hubcaps finish the look perfectly, and they're wrapped with
205/60/15 radials that soften the ride and have plenty of tread
left.
Offered with a stack of build receipts that spell out some of the
thousands upon thousands of dollars that went into this build, so
you can rest assured knowing this Mystery Machine is fully sorted
and turn-key ready. We've never seen a 'theme' build completed to
such a high level, and we doubt we ever will again. Call today!
