This 1970s Ford van is a collectible item for Levi’s and Cora fans
In 1976, dozens of Ford Econoline 150s were customized with Levi’s signature denim and Coca-Cola signage.
- Wildly customized vans were popular during the United States’ Bicentennial.
- The Denimasin Van had iconic brands on display: Levi’s, Coca-Cola, and Ford.
In the 1970s, vans were all the rage.
This is no ordinary Jane Van. No, these were wild, customized numbers, with cool colors and perhaps shag carpets and anything else an owner could dream of. This was an epidemic that is said to have first originated among surfers in Southern California before spreading elsewhere.
So, in 1976, when it came time to celebrate the nation’s 200th anniversary, the Denimachine was born, a specially modified van that featured American colors and more.
As we prepare for America’s 250th anniversary this year, the red, white and blue Denimachine is back in action, or at least gaining new attention, thanks in part to Ford Motor Co.’s recent introduction to Dearborn, Michigan.
Denimachine was a marketing project that focused on several iconic brands: Coca-Cola, Levi’s, Ford, and Hot Rod Magazine. The magazine chronicled in a series of monthly spreads the remodels completed by a company called Van Goodies of Maywood, Illinois.
According to the magazine at the time, the contest for a chance to win one of 10 Denimachines received about 2.4 million entries. If you don’t win, you still have a chance to win one of 7,500 men’s and women’s Levi’s jeans outfits.
When the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, visited one of the vans at Ford World Headquarters in December, Ted Ryan, heritage fleet manager and archivist for Ford Motor Company, said the companies involved wanted to appeal to a youth market.
“Nothing symbolizes America’s Bicentennial like a customized van,” Ryan said. “Customizing vans was the trend at the time.”
Those who customize the vans are writing the story on the outside, he said.
A January 1976 Ford Times article provided a snapshot, stating, “Every day on California highways, you may pass vans with names like ‘Vulture,’ ‘Cleopatra’s Chariot,’ and ‘Rip Van Winkle.'” …We hear that one Banner family spent a small amount of money to go beyond the usual use of paint and carpet and install things like indirect lighting, retractable/rotating televisions, wainscoting, wallpaper, bookshelves, and a floor-mounted electronic tic-tac-toe game. ”
The Ford Econoline 150 (Ryan called it the van equivalent of an F-150 pickup) provided the perfect canvas for the extras.
At Ford Denimachine, the colors red, white and blue celebrate America and help showcase the brands involved. The Coca-Cola signature adorns both sides of the van, which features painted ‘stitching’ and a jeans back pocket design on the rear door.
Tracy Panek, archive director for Levi Strauss & Company, described the look in a video as “a true nod to what Levi’s looked like in the 1970s, complete with a small orange tab on the back.”
The van also has a decorative super scoop and a spoiler on the roof.
Inside, the pure 70’s van vibe shines through with red carpet (some original), a table with the “Cola” logo, a refrigerator to keep drinks cold, a small TV, CB radio, radar detector, and an 8-track player with a ready-to-play “Disco Fire” tape. The door panels are covered in denim with rivets, which is also a Levi’s signature.
An Illinois license plate personalized with “COKEMAN” indicates this is from a coke collector. He was someone Ryan knew from his previous work as an archivist at Coca-Cola.
Although this particular van looks like a life-sized Hot Wheels from a distance, Ryan said the engine needs work and is still considering whether it will become part of Ford’s collection. The van had been stored in a barn for years, and even though it had been cleaned several times, there was still a musty smell inside. Ryan said it’s much better than it was a month or two ago, and he’s hopeful they can get rid of the smell.
If all goes well, Ryan won’t mind seeing Denimachine being prepped for next year’s Woodward Dream Cruise north of Detroit.
Eric D. Lawrence is senior auto culture reporter for the Detroit Free Press. If you have a tip or have a modified van of your own to show off, please contact us at elawrence@freepress.com. Become a subscriber. Submit a letter to the editor at freep.com/letters.
