Conversion Van - History

History

Conversion vans came into style during the 1970s and 1980s. Early conversions were simply vans with seats put in them, often with murals painted along the sides. Although many were used by rock bands and the conversion van developed something of a "bad boy" image, most were used for basic everyday transport.

After the mid 80s, luxurious interiors featuring thickly padded seats, wood trim and luxury lighting began to appear in conversion vans as families and retirees started using them for road trips and camping. At the same time, both the federal government and vehicle manufacturers began efforts to exert some degree of control on the van conversion industry, demanding that certain safety guidelines be adhered to. The price of conversion vans also started to increase as things such as sleeping accommodations, cooking utilities, televisions and other items were added to the conversion vans. The higher pricing and smaller market segment meant a resulting decrease in sales. Also, DVD and flat screen technology meant that many automobiles now have features once exclusive to conversion vans. At the same time, the price of gas was also increasing, leading still more people away from these large cargo vans, whose V-8 engines and poor aerodynamics resulted in poor gas mileage. Finally, the growing demand for minivans and SUVs siphoned off even more potential customers. Despite these setbacks though, as the economy boomed in the 1990s, conversion vans sales began to improve, with almost 200,000 units sold in 1994 alone. As of 2007, about 20,000 conversion vans are being sold each year, with most being sold for family transport.