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The Denimachine Is Back and Ready to Party
If you love a good retro comeback, this one is going to make your day. As America gears up for its 250th birthday, one of the most over-the-top custom vans of the 1970s is rolling back into the spotlight.
A Van That Looked Like a Pair of Jeans
Back in 1976, Ford teamed up with Coca-Cola, Levi’s, and “Hot Rod” magazine to create something unforgettable. The result was the Denimachine, a red, white, and blue Econoline van that looked like it drove straight out of a denim commercial.
We’re talking jean-inspired paint, Coke logos, shag carpeting, a fridge, a TV, a CB radio, and even denim-covered door panels. It was basically the ultimate road-trip fantasy for the Bicentennial era.
A Contest That Took Over America
Only ten of these vans were ever made, and a nationwide contest to win one pulled in more than two million entries. That’s how big the custom van craze was at the time. People weren’t just into vans. They were obsessed.
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