Millennium Van Trophy up for Grabs at the 2012 Easter Van-In

NEWS FLASH!

For all you Millennium Van Owners out there, Cruise to Albury at Easter to be in the Running for the Prestigious "Millennium Van" Trophy Sponsored by www.Amcat.com.au

For more details on the Event, please go to our Events Section: Majestic Vanners Events

A HUGE Thank You to Amcat for backing this Event.

To show their Commitment they are also Sponsoring a second Trophy, the "Wannabe" Wants to be a Van Trophy for those Entrants that don't have a Van.

I think I will sit out the (wannabe} catagory Russ.

Regards Tony.

"leave em"wanting more!

can they change the wannabee category to "potential vanner" ? i have spent the last 30 years working with wannabes cheers andrew

so that means any old ute if a canopy is now called a van ?

HBWC wrote:so that means any old ute if a canopy is now called a van ?

Not necessarily, there's been numerous debates over this over the years and opinions are like ar5eholes everyones got one. A Mitsubishi Triton dual cab with a canopy isn't a van but a late model Commodore with an Amcat canopy is the closest thing you'll get to a new Holden van these days so they get classified as a van. And honestly, I'd love a VY SS with a Amcat canopy to have as a daily driver.

The Zodiac wrote:

HBWC wrote:so that means any old ute if a canopy is now called a van ?

Not necessarily, there's been numerous debates over this over the years and opinions are like ar5eholes everyones got one. A Mitsubishi Triton dual cab with a canopy isn't a van but a late model Commodore with an Amcat canopy is the closest thing you'll get to a new Holden van these days so they get classified as a van. And honestly, I'd love a VY SS with a Amcat canopy to have as a daily driver.

so its only a holden thing then? mmmm discriminative
holden van what about the holden combo?

but each to their own
get the rear fire wall cut out and an engineers cert and then i would accept them untill then their just utes with try hard canopy's

A Holden Combo is a van already, it doesn't have a canopy. I've seen Fords with canopies to but they're just not as popular as Holdens, you mention discrimination than try to exclude them as vans and call them try hards. Buy a dictionary and look up discrimination.

Hey there HBWC,
You are entitled to your opinion like every one else is on Millenium vans. As an owner of one I am personally am not concerned with you or anyone else that doesnt like them. At the end of the day it would be a boring hobby if we all liked the same cars.
However what does concern me with your post is the fact that it is undermining Rusty,s hard work of trying to attract as many van enthusiasts as possible to what is going to be a great event. Comments like yours are probably not all that helpful given the title and purpose of this thread.
Each to their own but I will have my "try hard" van at Albury to support Rusty and MV and I am sure there will be one or two people there that will be happy to see it.
I am not interested in hijacking this thread so this is all I have to say on this subject.

Blu.

I'll second that!

If its a ute, sedan or wagon that now looks like a van its a van! Simple...

I used to think yep just a ute with a fancy canopy,but as time goes by they have really grown on me and they are the closest thing we have to a late model van.I would be more then happy to own one they do have a lot of potential by the way BLU I am looking forward to checking your one out at easter.

Regards Tony.

"leave em"wanting more!

PROLOGUE: I respect that everyone is entitled to their opinion and as such they should respect mine and those of others.

A more meaningful debate would be: "What came 1st? The Chicken or the Egg?"

Consider this: In the late 80's and early 90's when the Van Craze went to sleep, many a Van was converted into a Ute. The Compliance Plate and Chassis Number still say it's Van. When people see it driving down the Street or parked for that matter they see a Ute and wouldn't know otherwise.

In short, in my opinion: "If it Walks like a Duck, it Quacks like a Duck and it Looks like a Duck; then it's a Duck!"

At OUR Sinners & Saints SinBin Show & Shine (what's it called when all the words start with the same letter?) the New Millennium Van Category will include/accept the AMCAT Commodore Vans, the equivalent Ford Conversions and the new "Box" Vans as we called them in my day as well as the current range of Small Vans generally as made from year 2000 and on.

Some of these Vans may well fall into other Categories for which they will be eligible as well.

OUR Weekend will be about the Reliving the 80's and Embracing the the New Millennium.

At the risk of repeating myself:

The Event is Open to all Vans including but not necessarily limited to:

Small
Medium
Large
Huge even
Finished
Unfinished
Street
Show
Restored
Accessorised
Mild Custom
Wild Custom
Exhibition
Competition
Dragster
Rally
4 Wheel Drive
Panel
Box
Converted
All Years
Vintage
Classic
Millennium (includes but is not exclusive to Box Vans and Commodore Vans)
Australian
Imported
Registered
Permitted
Unregistered (Static Display Only!)
Sandman
Sundowner
Drifter



What's Not Welcome!
Bad Attitude
Trouble Makers


Now if anyone really wants to argue about something just for the sake of arguing, I'll express my right to an opinion:

Redheads are the MOST Beautiful Women in the World, closely followed by Brunettes, but with Green Eyes of course. Mind you, there are some nice Blondes as well.

Hmmmm. I like Women with Shaved Heads too!

What do they all have in common?

You're thinking red Bikinis aren't you? I was thinking exercise.

Thank You for your Support too Guys. It is very much appreciated.

Above all else: Keep on Vannin'!

Is "Proliferation" the word I was looking for?

i think the fact that people have a broard idear of what a van is
is a good thing

as soon as you start labeing and pigeon holeing cars/people you are going to offend some one intensional or not
and this is not the MVs way of doing things

Van or not i like this All you need is a grinder and a Engeneers cert and you have a real van

I was talking to Rusty the other night about how I would like to see those quarter windows deleted and would not be hard to do,also you can remove the rear screen clean up the edges and still put in an archway,you can still put in a design of your choice and is still flowing from the front all the way to the back.
But like you said James you can go with your idea as well,I know if I had one the day I got it the mods would be started

Regards Tony.

"leave em"wanting more!

The Zodiac wrote:A Holden Combo is a van already, it doesn't have a canopy. I've seen Fords with canopies to but they're just not as popular as Holdens, you mention discrimination than try to exclude them as vans and call them try hards. Buy a dictionary and look up discrimination.

youv'e taken me out of context

you said you couldn't buy a new holden van i suggested what about the combo
and it aint just a holden or ford thing the main problem comes its just a canopy i could wack onto and brand of ute but only alow certan styles of canopy's on certant ute styles

dont get me wrong i do like the look of them but unless i cut the fire wall i would never own one

any way and controversy like this is good as it draws attention and gets more people involved

Imperfection wrote:Van or not i like this All you need is a grinder and a Engeneers cert and you have a real van

101%agree

Hey Guys,
Now is probably a good time to explain a few facts with removing both the glass and metal bulk head below it from a VE ute. While it sounds simple enough in theory, by doing this you are removing a major part of the cars chassis integrity and strength. Even the front and rear glass in these late model cars play a major role in the cars overall strength. Like it or not that is the way they are designed and built now.
I think you would go a very long way to find an engineer that would be happy to sign off on that mod, Do you honestly think that by having a plastic injection moulded canopy bonded on top of the ute is going to compensate for the chassis strength lost by cutting out the bulkhead and removing the glass?
Sorry guys but the answer to that is a emphatic . Another thought worth consideration is the result after a serious impact when that panel and window is no longer there to tie in the shell. Not pretty !!


I have the complete interior gutted out of my van for retrimming at the moment and most people here would be shocked if they saw what is left after you remove the plastic tub liner in one of these things. Lets just say there is very little metal or strength and a lot of gaps. That is another reason they are only legally able to tow 1600 kg,s.( Even the sedans are 2150 kg,s)

Add to that the possible insurance implications and I really dont think you are going to find too many of us VE millenium van owners reaching for the angle grinder any time soon!! Unless of course you are happy to have a 50k+ paddock basher

Blu.

Yeah Blu there's no doubting it'd be a huge task, I honestly havent seen in the back of a VE one but I know the earlier VY ones had a steel tray area so maybe an easier, if there is such a thing conversion when it came to trimming the rear.
While it would be a nice mod the trouble it'd be hardly warrants chopping up a new vehicle and without engineering would render it a paddock basher as you mentioned.
The only mod I'd do is the one Tony mentioned earlier and that's remove the windows in the side of the canopy, I think it'd look a lot tidier and haven't seen one done yet.
As for controvesy attracting and drawing in more people.........I think us members at MV have seen enough controvesy in our time and dont need any to draw more people in, we're drawing them in with a positive, fresh, helpful and friendly outlook to vanning.

Cheers Rob

Yep Rob, copy that.
You are right regarding the earlier models having full steel trays but with VE the General as usual has opted to save a few $$ and just chucked a crappy plastic tray liner in there with not much integrity under it. I would much rather have the steel tray to be honest but this is what you get with VE.

I first raised the canopy side windows with Chris Wood from Amcat back at the Van Nats 2010, just after taking delivery of mine. I told him back then that I thought that there would be a market for the canopy without the side quarter windows and that I would be interested in one in that format. He said that I was the first and only person to ever ask about that.
Chris and I have had several discussions on this since then and the last one was only a couple of weeks ago. So watch this space mate as there may be some progress on this in the near future.
Even when Chris and I spoke recently no one else had inquired about a windowless version but I am still convinced it would be popular.

Blu.

I'm with you Blu, I would prefer the canopy without the quarter windows. I first mentioned this in the following thread:

https://majesticvanners.forumotion.com/t1665-i-want-to-see-someone-do-this-ve-camaro-panelvan

I still want to see someone do this conversion!!

I very nearly considered a VZ van when I was looking for a new daily recently, but already having the HQ I couldn't justify it. Still might do it one day!

Still very impressed with your van Blu and the mods done to this one:

https://majesticvanners.forumotion.com/t2172-vz-ss-panel-van-rick-hogben

Very nice!

I apologize if i offend any one with my post about the grinder,But i thought they were built stronger than that.And i thought they had some sort of chassis under them.

Thanks for the insight Blu of what little is there for support in the VE,the way I see it you could still make an archway just incorporate it in with the rear screen to look like a complete fixed unit but I do wan't to check your van out at easter if that is fine with you.
I sent an email the other day to Amcat about deleting the windows as well and also told him I was from Majestics,James no need to apologize mate it was just an opinion

Regards Tony.

"leave en"wanting more!