Keep On Vanning: Canada’s Vanfest 27

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If you’re a long-time Speedhunters fan like myself, you will know that few other automotive publications rival this website’s variety of content.

However, I’ve always felt we’ve been a little light on some niche genres; predominately those based around North American vehicles and North American styling

The last time van culture (not dajibans or dekotara), blipped the radar was way back in 2012 via Mike Garrett. Astonishingly, that post has over 200 non-spam comments, the most recent from 2018. A generally positive reaction like that leads me to believe there are plenty of readers like myself, too young to have been around during vanning’s heyday in the 1970s and ’80s, but find it fascinating all the same.

Canada’s largest and longest-running van and truck show is Vanfest. I am less than three hours away from its Aylmer, Ontario location, so earlier this month I decided to make the drive over for the 2024 event.

Hosted at Springwater Conservation Area, Vanfest has welcomed Canadian van enthusiasts for an impressive 27 years.

That’s the equivalent of an event that started today running until 2051. The longevity is a testament to the venue and all the people behind Vanfest.

The conservation area has considerable space for the show and camping, plus a loop road that attendees can cruise at will.

Preservationists

Vanfest is predominantly an ode to the classic American van; six or eight-cylinder, rear-wheel drive, with sliding or barn doors. Vehicles that are popular for work and family use. As vans became viable modification platforms, manufacturers hopped on board releasing special editions like the Dodge Street Van.

Aftermarket manufacturers naturally offered nearly everything available for hot rods and muscle cars to van owners too: Flares, side pipes, and body kits. If they weren’t directly offered, van owners figured out how to make other parts work.

More ambitious owners also made their vans faster than how they rolled off the production line. All of these trends continue today.

I wouldn’t call this LS-swapped and supercharged Astro a sleeper because of the ET Street tires out back. Looking under the hood, I’m guessing it’s no slouch.

The rise of vanning is likely also attributed to the fact that, unlike many muscle cars, passengers could fit comfortably inside. Building on this, owners soon began customizing their interiors to match the exteriors.

Things in this area eventually snowballed to mobile living quarters that could rival the wildest Pimp My Ride interior conversions. Chandeliers, fish tanks, and fireplaces – I’ve seen vans equipped with all the above and more.

Vans also offered up plenty of space for airbrush artists. One would be hard-pressed to find a more welcoming vehicle canvas to paint than the side of a van.

As an outsider, the murals and themes are one of the most endearing parts of the culture.

I can hardly decide on a single solid color to paint my bicycle, let alone a name and a color scheme for an entire vehicle, 1:1 or otherwise.

These days, in addition to being interior and exterior designers, van owners must be preservationists. For example, the last GM G-series van – a popular platform among the vanning community – was produced 28 years ago.

That means even comparatively ‘new’ vans like Safari are at their youngest, 20 years old now.

I’m sure every owner in attendance at Vanfest has spent at least a few hours at a swap meet or junkyard searching for the right part to keep their rig rolling.

Come One Come All

Vanfest isn’t exclusively for vanners. The event also opens its doors to air-cooled busses, classic trucks, and a personal favourite genre of mine, minitrucks.

However, seeing that I will be at another event later this year that’s even further minitruck-centric, we’ll focus on vehicles I’d only see at Vanfest from here on out.

The Painter’s Touch

This obviously isn’t a van, but there’s no denying it’s done in a style befitting of Vanfest. Known as Sinister, this truck was airbrushed by renowned artist Ken Kay.

Vanfest 27 was the truck’s first appearance in more than 20 years.

It showed some wear and tear for sure, but all things considered, it’s holding up pretty well. I love a good comeback story, don’t you?

There’s no missing Ivan Benic’s Cosmic Cruiser. This Chevy-based van was a popular showpiece in the 1980s and ’90s, and featured globally in magazines long before the internet. A few years ago it saw a 2000-era refresh, and it’s been on the road ever since.

Extended to an unbelievable 34-feet-long, the Chevy is a rolling display of Ivan’s airbrushing capabilities. Ivan also did the body modifications himself, including the van’s unique front fascia.

Although powered by a 400hp V8, Ivan has mentioned that it’s not too bad on gas once it is up to speed. Both front wheels do turn, making it as tractable as a vehicle this size could be.

Brazed and Confused – a heavily chopped and modified G-series van – is the final vehicle I’d like to spotlight.

Like many other vehicles at the Vanfest 27, it has low offset wheels, white letter tires, and a raked stance.

The roof has been chopped rather significantly, and instead of welding the metal back together everything has been brazed – a metal bonding process not commonly used for steel panels.

Instead of covering up all the brazing with filler and paint it’s been left raw and clear-coated.

Vanning has always been a unique subset of automotive culture and, quite frankly, it was refreshing to check out builds where creativity took the forefront and everyone else’s opinions be damned.