Christopher's Van

[Christopher K.]

Some time last fall, my grandmother bought what is arguably one of the most environmentally-unfriendly vehicles known to man - an armored van. Her original plan was to fill it with sewing machines as she loves to collect them. Some time last June, though, she decided that it was no longer ideal for her collection. Guess which of her grandkids was given the title? :smallwink:

Right now, my best friend Levi and I have dismantled every cabinet inside(save for the gun cabinet, which we hope to reuse or at least keep elsewhere) and are going to outfit it with a TV, couch, table, generator, and refrigerator and make it into a mobile game room. So far we've discovered a single live tracer round, and approximately 50 marker rounds, filled with a waxy paint substance and used for training purposes.

Piccytures!
The van's exterior (http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs080.snc4/35387_126590257384392_100001002540890_131617_57869 89_n.jpg) (We're going to repaint it in the near future, and probably christen it like a boat.)
The van's interior (http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs040.ash2/35387_126590264051058_100001002540890_131619_74547 41_n.jpg)(before we took hammers to it :smallbiggrin:)
One of the live rounds we found inside while cleaning (http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs080.snc4/35387_126590270717724_100001002540890_131621_74771 86_n.jpg) (Unfortunately, we had to dispose of them for legal reasons)
Levi smashing up that wall that jutted out (http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs080.snc4/35387_126590280717723_100001002540890_131624_41826 63_n.jpg)
The van's interior after removing all the cabinets and the partial wall. (http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs071.snc4/34909_126590340717717_100001002540890_131629_57042 34_n.jpg) (We had to use a leaf blower to clean it out when we finished! :smallbiggrin:)

Right now we're considering different TV's for the wall, and messing around with ideas for floorplans. With no walls save for the one between the cab and the back, the back room is now a 6'8" x 14' and is about 6 feet tall. Does anybody have any suggestions for how to best utilize this space? Also, should we go ahead and recarpet the van since there are gaps where the wall was?

[Icewalker]

This idea is awesome. Great plan all around. Just a really fun idea. I think carpeting is definitely a good idea to add I'd say, yeah. Can't say I've got much advice as to other details.

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

... I wish I had an armoured van.

[Christopher K.]

This idea is awesome. Great plan all around. Just a really fun idea. I think carpeting is definitely a good idea to add I'd say, yeah. Can't say I've got much advice as to other details.
Glad to know someone else agrees with me on carpeting. Problem is, I don't know how expensive it'll wind up being. :smallannoyed:


... I wish I had an armoured van.
I don't blame you; it's awesome to have this. (Especially as my first car. Can you say "bragging rights?" :smallwink:)

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

I don't blame you; it's awesome to have this. (Especially as my first car. Can you say "bragging rights?" :smallwink:)

Well, that's even nicer!

[Pocketa]

If I had a cool van like that? I'd make it up Victorian-dining car style. Think Wild Wild West train scenes, minus the booby traps.

[Don Julio Anejo]

OMG whatever you do don't repaint the van! You have a frickin' SWAT car. How cool is that?

[factotum]

I don't blame you; it's awesome to have this. (Especially as my first car. Can you say "bragging rights?" :smallwink:)

If this was in the UK I'd be saying "HOW much to insure it?", but I guess that might be different where you are. :smallsmile:

[Lycan 01]

That is awesome. On so many levels. It doesn't matter what you do. You have an armored van. There is nothing you can do to make it less awesome. Dude, even if you painted it pink and put Hello Kitty decals all over it, it would still be awesome, because it would be a Hello Kitty armored van.

[Zeb The Troll]

OMG whatever you do don't repaint the van! You have a frickin' SWAT car. How cool is that?If I'm not mistaken, he has to repaint it. I know for certain that in my area, you can't even own a yellow school bus unless you're a school. I can't imagine the legal ramifications of pretending you're a SWAT team. :smallcool:

[KuReshtin]

If I'm not mistaken, he has to repaint it. I know for certain that in my area, you can't even own a yellow school bus unless you're a school. I can't imagine the legal ramifications of pretending your a SWAT team. :smallcool:

That's what I was thinking too.
Obviously, the coolest thing to do is to fidn someone to make a gaming crest of some sort and then stick an official-sounding name on the side.

Something like "Emergency Dragon Slaying Task Force" or similar. Still in the same style as the current text on the side of the van, but still something that can't reasonably be mistaken for you impersonating a government department.

[Zeb The Troll]

That's what I was thinking too.
Obviously, the coolest thing to do is to fidn someone to make a gaming crest of some sort and then stick an official-sounding name on the side.

Something like "Emergency Dragon Slaying Task Force" or similar. Still in the same style as the current text on the side of the van, but still something that can't reasonably be mistaken for you impersonating a government department.*hatches a plan*

Now, where does one get a hold of retired SWAT vans?

*scratches chin, deep in thought*

[faceroll]

What laws (in Nebraska of all places) prevent you from keeping rifle ammunition?

[The Succubus]

You should contact BBC's Top Gear. I bet they'd love to hear this story and might even help you financing some it.

"From a humble storage place for sewing machines, this forgotten vechicle was transformed into a MOBILE ARMOURED GAMING ROOM!". No journalist worth his salary would turn a story like that down.

[factotum]

Nah, Jeremy Clarkson would criticise it because it's got an American engine in it. :smallsmile:

[KuReshtin]

Nah, Jeremy Clarkson would criticise it because it's got an American engine in it. :smallsmile:

I think he'd be more inclined to comment on poor suspension and an inability to corner properly. :smalltongue:

Edit: And to further spin on the "Dragon Slaying Task Force" idea, there has to be a telephone number displayed on the van as well, that only goes to a voice-mail service with a message in a serious sounding tone of voice proclaiming to be the only 'Premiere Dragon Slaying Force in the county'.

[Etcetera]

Come the zombie apocalypse, kit it out like an APC and escape in style!

[Cyrion]

It shouldn't really cost you all that much to recarpet it. You could buy a nice area rug to cover that size for a couple-three hundred bucks, and I'm sure that you could find a good deal on a remnant or at a sale for quite a bit less than that.

[Quincunx]

Cool points to yourself for the refitting and your grandmother for having the idea to buy it in the first place.


If this was in the UK I'd be saying "HOW much to insure it?", but I guess that might be different where you are. :smallsmile:

Maybe not that much--those things are built to survive crashes and that has to lower the premium. (My husband totaled one and his only, minor injury was from the seat belt restraining him.)

[Shurz]

I like KuReshtin's idea. It would give you the perfect vehicle for driving to game cons, paintball events, etc :smallsmile:

[factotum]

Maybe not that much--those things are built to survive crashes and that has to lower the premium. (My husband totaled one and his only, minor injury was from the seat belt restraining him.)

However, what happens to the vehicle you hit? The insurers are going to take that into account as well, because if the accident is adjudged to be your fault, they're paying for that damage too!

[Copacetic]

However, what happens to the vehicle you hit? The insurers are going to take that into account as well, because if the accident is adjudged to be your fault, they're paying for that damage too!

I'm pretty sure armored vans are only designed to protect you, not kill them. It would be the same amount of damage had a large and heavy truck or slightly more than a regular van crashing into you. The insurance company shouldn't be worried.

But really, really awesome idea. :smallbiggrin:

[Commander McCoy]

That's what I was thinking too.
Obviously, the coolest thing to do is to fidn someone to make a gaming crest of some sort and then stick an official-sounding name on the side.

Something like "Emergency Dragon Slaying Task Force" or similar. Still in the same style as the current text on the side of the van, but still something that can't reasonably be mistaken for you impersonating a government department.


Edit: And to further spin on the "Dragon Slaying Task Force" idea, there has to be a telephone number displayed on the van as well, that only goes to a voice-mail service with a message in a serious sounding tone of voice proclaiming to be the only 'Premiere Dragon Slaying Force in the county'.

That is so cool. So cool.

[Christopher K.]

WHOA! Didn't expect to get this many responses so quickly! Bear with me, as I'll do my best to answer each one.


If I had a cool van like that? I'd make it up Victorian-dining car style. Think Wild Wild West train scenes, minus the booby traps.

That was one of the many suggestions I got from my cousin. :smallwink:


OMG whatever you do don't repaint the van! You have a frickin' SWAT car. How cool is that?

Well, I would skip repainting it if it weren't for the legal issues of impersonating a law enforcement agency. Originally there were metal sheets covering the logos when my grandma bought it, but she decided she was too curious to leave them on and took a crow-bar to it.


If this was in the UK I'd be saying "HOW much to insure it?", but I guess that might be different where you are. :smallsmile:

Oh, it's going to be pricey, but from what my grandparents have told me, I can insure it as an RV instead of as a truck.


That is awesome. On so many levels. It doesn't matter what you do. You have an armored van. There is nothing you can do to make it less awesome. Dude, even if you painted it pink and put Hello Kitty decals all over it, it would still be awesome, because it would be a Hello Kitty armored van.

Well, actually, I had to compete with my mother a little, since that's pretty much what she wanted me to do with it.


If I'm not mistaken, he has to repaint it. I know for certain that in my area, you can't even own a yellow school bus unless you're a school. I can't imagine the legal ramifications of pretending you're a SWAT team. :smallcool:

Yeah, that'd be some pretty serious stuff, even though the "Nebraska State Patrol Emergency Services Team" no longer exists, the logos are still in good enough shape that someone might mistake it for an actual law enforcement vehicle.


That's what I was thinking too.
Obviously, the coolest thing to do is to fidn someone to make a gaming crest of some sort and then stick an official-sounding name on the side.

Something like "Emergency Dragon Slaying Task Force" or similar. Still in the same style as the current text on the side of the van, but still something that can't reasonably be mistaken for you impersonating a government department.

Emergency Dragon Slaying Task Force? That name sounds perfect.


*hatches a plan*

Now, where does one get a hold of retired SWAT vans?

*scratches chin, deep in thought*

Police auction, or at a junkyard.


What laws (in Nebraska of all places) prevent you from keeping rifle ammunition?

Mostly the fact that these are military-grade live rounds.


You should contact BBC's Top Gear. I bet they'd love to hear this story and might even help you financing some it.

"From a humble storage place for sewing machines, this forgotten vechicle was transformed into a MOBILE ARMOURED GAMING ROOM!". No journalist worth his salary would turn a story like that down.

I'm drooling over the thought, especially since I'm at a point where I don't have as much disposable income as I'd like.


Nah, Jeremy Clarkson would criticise it because it's got an American engine in it. :smallsmile:

I don't take that personally. We screw a lot of things up, but when we make an armored car, we make it hard to kill. :smallcool:


I think he'd be more inclined to comment on poor suspension and an inability to corner properly. :smalltongue:

Edit: And to further spin on the "Dragon Slaying Task Force" idea, there has to be a telephone number displayed on the van as well, that only goes to a voice-mail service with a message in a serious sounding tone of voice proclaiming to be the only 'Premiere Dragon Slaying Force in the county'.

Yeah, I've decided that when I drive it, I will just never turn. Ever. I'm driving an armored van. What's the worst that could happen? :smallwink:


Come the zombie apocalypse, kit it out like an APC and escape in style!

Assuming I'm not the one causing said zombie apocalypse. :smallwink:


It shouldn't really cost you all that much to recarpet it. You could buy a nice area rug to cover that size for a couple-three hundred bucks, and I'm sure that you could find a good deal on a remnant or at a sale for quite a bit less than that.

Interesting. I'll keep that in mind!


Cool points to yourself for the refitting and your grandmother for having the idea to buy it in the first place.

Maybe not that much--those things are built to survive crashes and that has to lower the premium. (My husband totaled one and his only, minor injury was from the seat belt restraining him.)

Yeah, this is on the cooler side of my family(The side that got me hooked on D&D, the side with the mechanical expertise, and the side with my crazy great-grandma Klaasmeyer, who once said while knitting “I wonder what it'd be like to stab someone with one of these needles.”)


I like KuReshtin's idea. It would give you the perfect vehicle for driving to game cons, paintball events, etc :smallsmile:

Or just to lurk outside my local game store. :smallsmile:


However, what happens to the vehicle you hit? The insurers are going to take that into account as well, because if the accident is adjudged to be your fault, they're paying for that damage too!

And this illustrates exactly why I don't think I'll be driving it in town ALL the time.


I'm pretty sure armored vans are only designed to protect you, not kill them. It would be the same amount of damage had a large and heavy truck or slightly more than a regular van crashing into you. The insurance company shouldn't be worried.

But really, really awesome idea. :smallbiggrin:

Yeah, but there's also the mental state of “Don't worry, I'm driving an armored van!”


That is so cool. So cool.

My thoughts exactly. :smallbiggrin:

[RandomNPC]

Yeah, but there's also the mental state of “Don't worry, I'm driving an armored van!”


at least your life insurance premiums just dropped.

[Bhu]

two words: Pintle Mount

I'm sure you can find a nice paintball gun for it

[Pocketa]

You need to submit it to Pimp My Ride.

So they can put Operation Banhammer into effect.

I would legit marry anyone with a super cool van with such a super cool idea implemented.

Maybe.

[Mando Knight]

Plan: get a black guy with lots of gold chains and a mohawk, an insane yet competent universal pilot, and a skilled actor. Then you can survive as soldiers of fortune, so that when there's a problem and no one else can help, people can call...

The A-Team. I love it when a plan comes together!

[Christopher K.]

at least your life insurance premiums just dropped.

Pity I don't pay for my own life insurance. The irresponsibility of being 16. :smalltongue:


two words: Pintle Mount

I'm sure you can find a nice paintball gun for it

Interesting.. :smallamused:


You need to submit it to Pimp My Ride.

So they can put Operation Banhammer into effect.

I would legit marry anyone with a super cool van with such a super cool idea implemented.

Maybe.

I may take you up on that. :smallwink:

..nah, I'm in enough relationship issues without getting married because of how awesome my mode of transportation is. (no offense of course)


Plan: get a black guy with lots of gold chains and a mohawk, an insane yet competent universal pilot, and a skilled actor. Then you can survive as soldiers of fortune, so that when there's a problem and no one else can help, people can call...

The A-Team.

I'd probably wind up the leader of the D-Team if anything. :smallconfused:

[742]

i think thats car* insurance theyre talking about.

also; why no traps? not even on the lock?

*well; landbound motor vehicle. see if it would float and add a boat engine? see if you can get the blueprints for those old second world war bombers and if making it into one of those would be viable?

[Force]

Kit it out as your mobile game room, but suspend some hooks from the ceiling so you can hang up a hammock. Find a way to get a portable chemical toilet in the corner, maybe run some electricity so you have a mini-range (or a microwave/hot plate) and dude, your college living expenses just dropped like a rock. Besides, it's the perfect lead in to conversations. "Where do you live?" "Oh, I live in campus parking lot D-42. The SWAT armored van that's always parked there. :smallcool:"

Carpeting shouldn't be a problem, especially if you're patient and don't mind mix-matching. #1: If you live in a college town or close to one, hang around the dumpsters near the dorms or student apartments at the end of semesters. #2: Know any contractors/carpet guys? Ask them if they have odds/ends they wouldn't mind letting go. #3: Get on Craigslist and check the "free" section. I ran a quick search and found several responses within an hour of where I live. Laying the carpet down might actually be more problematic/expensive; it'd be wise to do the research yourself and figure out what you can afford.

Finally, no matter what you do, make sure everything you put in there is nailed down tight, or all your careful decorating will be for naught. That means that the TV/Xbox/Ps3/Wii either get bolted down or get put in special boxes before the van moves.

[Jack Squat]

Mostly the fact that these are military-grade live rounds.

That one is specifically a tracer, since it's a red tip (I think , picture's blurry). AFAIK, there are no laws in Nebraska that prohibit you from owning these. (I'm also not a lawyer, but nothing showed up in Nebraska's laws about it when I looked).

742 - traps intended for persons are a federal felony. I suppose it would be legal if they're not capable of harming, since there's trip mines for both airsoft and paintball, but again, I'm not a lawyer. Consult one to make sure.

Real question, are you licensed to drive this? I believe that step vans over a certain size must be driven by someone with a CDL, but I could be wrong.

[Zeb The Troll]

Real question, are you licensed to drive this? I believe that step vans over a certain size must be driven by someone with a CDL, but I could be wrong.This may be the case, but I know my dad didn't need a special license when he drove a similar one as a locksmith. It's certainly something to look into though. It would suck to get this all put together and then have to leave it sitting somewhere because no one is licensed for it.

[Christopher K.]

Kit it out as your mobile game room, but suspend some hooks from the ceiling so you can hang up a hammock. Find a way to get a portable chemical toilet in the corner, maybe run some electricity so you have a mini-range (or a microwave/hot plate) and dude, your college living expenses just dropped like a rock. Besides, it's the perfect lead in to conversations. "Where do you live?" "Oh, I live in campus parking lot D-42. The SWAT armored van that's always parked there. :smallcool:"

Carpeting shouldn't be a problem, especially if you're patient and don't mind mix-matching. #1: If you live in a college town or close to one, hang around the dumpsters near the dorms or student apartments at the end of semesters. #2: Know any contractors/carpet guys? Ask them if they have odds/ends they wouldn't mind letting go. #3: Get on Craigslist and check the "free" section. I ran a quick search and found several responses within an hour of where I live. Laying the carpet down might actually be more problematic/expensive; it'd be wise to do the research yourself and figure out what you can afford.

Finally, no matter what you do, make sure everything you put in there is nailed down tight, or all your careful decorating will be for naught. That means that the TV/Xbox/Ps3/Wii either get bolted down or get put in special boxes before the van moves.

Yeah, everything's going to have to be secured. It'd be a nightmare to have to put everything back in the refrigerator because of a sharp turn.

The van already has electricity, if you plug it into a high-voltage outlet(Not entirely sure of how high, but I do know it's enough to significantly raise your utility costs by just running the AC for a couple days.

Don't most colleges require their students to live on-campus for the first year?


That one is specifically a tracer, since it's a red tip (I think , picture's blurry). AFAIK, there are no laws in Nebraska that prohibit you from owning these. (I'm also not a lawyer, but nothing showed up in Nebraska's laws about it when I looked).

742 - traps intended for persons are a federal felony. I suppose it would be legal if they're not capable of harming, since there's trip mines for both airsoft and paintball, but again, I'm not a lawyer. Consult one to make sure.

Real question, are you licensed to drive this? I believe that step vans over a certain size must be driven by someone with a CDL, but I could be wrong.

Actually, having done research, I'm fine to drive it with the standard class O drivers license. Had it weighed more than 13 tons or carried more than 16 passengers, I'd have to register it as a commercial vehicle.

[Force]

Don't most colleges require their students to live on-campus for the first year?


Depends on the school. Mine (university, not a community college) doesn't, but I know of some who do.

[Zeb The Troll]

Yeah, everything's going to have to be secured. It'd be a nightmare to have to put everything back in the refrigerator because of a sharp turn.

The van already has electricity, if you plug it into a high-voltage outlet(Not entirely sure of how high, but I do know it's enough to significantly raise your utility costs by just running the AC for a couple days.

Don't most colleges require their students to live on-campus for the first year?



Actually, having done research, I'm fine to drive it with the standard class O drivers license. Had it weighed more than 13 tons or carried more than 16 passengers, I'd have to register it as a commercial vehicle.If you have any marinas near you, see if you can talk to a boat shop about how they secure stuff on boats. Their requirements are probably going to be even higher than yours, so might give you some ideas how to go about it.

Yes, most colleges require freshmen to live on campus unless they get a waiver because their parents live nearby.

Driving, even though you're legal to do it, you're going to want to practice a bit with it once it's ready so that you can get a feel for how it handles and how wide your turns need to be, et cetera.

[skywalker]

Don't most colleges require their students to live on-campus for the first year?

Parking lots are on campus. Mine required you to live on campus, or with your parents. A lot of people I know just lied that they were living with parents.

I personally would've done it up with shag carpeting, one of those moon-shaped back windows, etc, etc, etc.

[Mando Knight]

see if you can get the blueprints for those old second world war bombers and if making it into one of those would be viable?

By viable, do you mean "Turn the van into a bomber with a few extra things added" or "Yeah, there's bits of the van in there, but it's 99% brand-new aluminum." It's going to be the latter.

[Rae Artemi]

If you paint it completely black with a red stripe along the side I will love you. In any way you want.

[Lycan 01]

Oh, and your license plate should say Shadowrun, or some abbreviation of it. Or have a sign on the back that says "Shadowrunner for hire: -phone number-" or something.

[Dragero]

Holy Crumpets!! Epic Idea man!!
So your planning for:

A cabinet/Other thing to hold Games/Tv
Game consoles
A Tv (Or two)
A couch/chairs
A fridge
A generator
A table?

Consoles you need:

NES
SNES
Atari (K`mon!! You know you want to!)
N64 (GOLDENEYE!!!!)
PS2 (Maybe PS3)
X-box 360 (Pretty much a must)


You must bring this to your local Card/Comic store, Play in a tournment (Magic/Yugioh/Whatever), then after said tournment, Invite people to come in your van to play some Halo/CoD/Mario/Whatever!

[RandomNPC]

thinking about it, I'd be happy just to walk out of work with everyone at the end of the shift, and get into one of those for the drive home.... the first few days of watching peoples reactions would be great.

[MartytheBioGuy]

I just realized you live in Nebraska. So do I. I WANT TO SEE THIS BEAST! Where in NE dost thou reside?

[Christopher K.]

Sorry a couple responses are out of order; Multiquote is arranged by order of clicking, and I missed a couple while scrolling through.


If you have any marinas near you, see if you can talk to a boat shop about how they secure stuff on boats. Their requirements are probably going to be even higher than yours, so might give you some ideas how to go about it.

Yes, most colleges require freshmen to live on campus unless they get a waiver because their parents live nearby.

Driving, even though you're legal to do it, you're going to want to practice a bit with it once it's ready so that you can get a feel for how it handles and how wide your turns need to be, et cetera.
"Marina?" That's a pasta sauce, isn't it? Having spent all but 1 year of my life in Nebraska, I wouldn't know. :smallwink: (Nah, I actually have an uncle on the other side of my family who might know something about that. I'll have to ask him next chance I get.)

Yeah, I'll definitely want to get a feel for driving it before I bring it into town.


Parking lots are on campus. Mine required you to live on campus, or with your parents. A lot of people I know just lied that they were living with parents.

I personally would've done it up with shag carpeting, one of those moon-shaped back windows, etc, etc, etc.
The back of the van is all armor-plated. Otherwise I'd probably have a window back there. (Right now the only source of light in the back of the van is the skylights. The wiring on the overhead lights is weird)


By viable, do you mean "Turn the van into a bomber with a few extra things added" or "Yeah, there's bits of the van in there, but it's 99% brand-new aluminum." It's going to be the latter.

99%? That's fairly optimistic.


If you paint it completely black with a red stripe along the side I will love you. In any way you want.

Does this love come in monetary form? :smallwink:


Oh, and your license plate should say Shadowrun, or some abbreviation of it. Or have a sign on the back that says "Shadowrunner for hire: -phone number-" or something.

I'm still thinking Emergency Dragon Slaying Team. Or as Howard Tayler suggested when I asked him(I'm friends with him on Facebook, and sometimes I can get some great nuggets of wisdom from him when online) the Rocket Propelled GamerVan (RPGVan)


Holy Crumpets!! Epic Idea man!!
So your planning for:

A cabinet/Other thing to hold Games/Tv
Game consoles
A Tv (Or two)
A couch/chairs
A fridge
A generator
A table?

Consoles you need:

NES
SNES
Atari (K`mon!! You know you want to!)
N64 (GOLDENEYE!!!!)
PS2 (Maybe PS3)
X-box 360 (Pretty much a must)


You must bring this to your local Card/Comic store, Play in a tournment (Magic/Yugioh/Whatever), then after said tournment, Invite people to come in your van to play some Halo/CoD/Mario/Whatever!

Yeah, I will wind up including a table. I'm hoping to come up with a clever design akin to what you see in RV's where it folds or can be taken apart and stored in the van or something.

Actually, I have all those consoles save for the Atari and NES.


thinking about it, I'd be happy just to walk out of work with everyone at the end of the shift, and get into one of those for the drive home.... the first few days of watching peoples reactions would be great.

That it would. Considering the gas mileage is 8 MPG if you're optimistic, though, I'll probably wind up getting a second mode of transportation. (Yeah, I'm kinda spoiled rotten.


I just realized you live in Nebraska. So do I. I WANT TO SEE THIS BEAST! Where in NE dost thou reside?

I live in Lincoln, but I've got the van stored away at my grandparents' house about an hour out of town until I finish working on it. (When your grandpa's a retired mechanic who dabbles in carpentry, it's best to keep close and see when he's got pieces he doesn't need. :smallwink: )


Depends on the school. Mine (university, not a community college) doesn't, but I know of some who do.

Most of the ones I've looked at seem to require it. :smallconfused:

[SpiderMew]

You should turn the van into your own crime fighting battle van, and become a Real Life Super Hero!

But if thats not what you want to do....
I would paint the ousides with like awsome fantasy scenes, like topless amazons with magic swords riding dragons spitting fire while fighting a wizard who erects a force field made of lightning..... or something like that.

Then you can put neon lights under it, and put in hydrolics so you can do some bouncing. And a bitchin sound system so you can blare heavy metal while riding arround in your fantasy van of awsome.

[Christopher K.]

Crime fighting isn't really my thing. Leave that to the people who devote their lives to it. :smallamused:

Fantasy scenes would be fun, but also require artistic talent(which, incidentally, I lack.)

As for a sound system, we already have the loudspeakers from hostage negotiations. We just need to reconnect them and see if they work.

[druid91]

If they work, show up one day with some dry ice and plastic containers of water for fog and play the imperial march as you step out of the van.

[smellie_hippie]

You must bring this to your local Card/Comic store, Play in a tournment (Magic/Yugioh/Whatever), then after said tournment, Invite people to come in your van to play some Halo/CoD/Mario/Whatever!

The implications of driving a large van with no back windows to a comic store and asking kids to come play cards...... :smallfrown: not good...

I don't suppose the idea of "ventilation" has come up for the back compartment yet, has it? It is currently without windows. :smallamused:

Either way, this sounds like an epic journey into gaming possibilities. You could be the DD picking up your buddies on the way to a game... but actually START the game ont he way there!!

"Oh crap, I forgot my character sheet!"
"Quick! get in back and roll up another one! 3.5 is on the shelf, and all the expansion sets are in the totes at the bottom!" I'll drive slow to avoid any crap dice rolls!!"

[Christopher K.]

If they work, show up one day with some dry ice and plastic containers of water for fog and play the imperial march as you step out of the van.

Hmm.. I LOOK sleep-deprived enough to be a villain. I just don't know if I could live up to Vader. :smallfrown:


The implications of driving a large van with no back windows to a comic store and asking kids to come play cards...... :smallfrown: not good...

I don't suppose the idea of "ventilation" has come up for the back compartment yet, has it? It is currently without windows. :smallamused:

Either way, this sounds like an epic journey into gaming possibilities. You could be the DD picking up your buddies on the way to a game... but actually START the game ont he way there!!

"Hey, kids, want to see the inside of my van?" :smallwink:

The vents in the back work amazingly well, actually.

Or, we could wind up just parking it somewhere and playing the entire session in there. :smalltongue:

[shadow_archmagi]

That is awesome. On so many levels. It doesn't matter what you do. You have an armored van. There is nothing you can do to make it less awesome. Dude, even if you painted it pink and put Hello Kitty decals all over it, it would still be awesome, because it would be a Hello Kitty armored van.

After that you'd have to attach some Hello Kitty chainsaws.

No, wait, no, best plan is to convert into a Chimera and use it for laser tag/paintball

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

After that you'd have to attach some Hello Kitty chainsaws.

No, wait, no, best plan is to convert into a Chimera and use it for laser tag/paintball

Kinda like this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PEU_201IfI)? But only not a Rhino...

[Lord Loss]

You could write out some rules reminders on the side of the truck and play D&D inside...

[Christopher K.]

After that you'd have to attach some Hello Kitty chainsaws.

No, wait, no, best plan is to convert into a Chimera and use it for laser tag/paintball

Hello Kitty is the penultimate evil. Right after Elmo. He's RED for a reason!


Kinda like this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PEU_201IfI)? But only not a Rhino...

..wow. That's just simply amazing. The department of Homeland Security would probably be after me in a heartbeat, though. :smalleek:


You could write out some rules reminders on the side of the truck and play D&D inside...

Don't know about the rules being written on the outside of the van, but we WILL wind up playing in there pretty often if only for the novelty of it.

[Zherog]

Hello Kitty is the penultimate evil. Right after Elmo. He's RED for a reason!

You forgot Barney. He's more evil than both of them. Combined.

[Asta Kask]

Barney rules the world of evil, but only with the other two members of the Unholy Trinity - Wesley Crusher and Jar-Jar Binks.

[CrimsonAngel]

Who else thought something dirty when they read the title? Just me? :smallfrown:

[thorgrim29]

Well that's awesome... If a bit impractical. But if you have enough cash to keep it rolling, it goes right back to being awesome.

[skywalker]

Who else thought something dirty when they read the title? Just me? :smallfrown:

I certainly thought of dirty things one could do with the van... But no, not when I read the title alone, sorry. :smalltongue:

[Christopher K.]

Sorry if anyone interpreted it as dirty; I was trying to be vague enough for people to be surprised at it. :smalltongue:

[RandomNPC]

Just had a thought. Do the sides with the Brotherhood of Steel emblems.

[druid91]

Hmm.. I LOOK sleep-deprived enough to be a villain. I just don't know if I could live up to Vader. :smallfrown:


Also you probably shouldn't start the fog until after you park. Driving down the road with fog in your van seems a good way to crash.

[skywalker]

Sorry if anyone interpreted it as dirty; I was trying to be vague enough for people to be surprised at it. :smalltongue:

You worry too much, don't be sorry. It's our own damn faults for having dirty minds!

[Christopher K.]

Haha, I'm not defective as a human being, the universe has yet to produce people who perceive me for the genius I am!