This Bud’s for you – and this van is too, potentially, if you see it fit to drop $99,000 on it. What was once just an ordinary Ford Econoline is one of a scant few vans converted by a company called Bivouac way back when it was still cool to let your multi-million dollar company market itself via a fleet of panel vans. Of course, this is no ordinary Econoline, with an interior that is about as off the chain as it comes and puts nearly all other tailgate rigs to shame. This Econoline has been updated and modified in some ways that deviate from the original formula, including the custom wrap that leaves little doubt as to which beer is the driver’s favorite. Find the Bud Van here on eBay and located in Galena, Ohio.
Thanks to Barn Finds reader Larry D. for the find. The original interpretation of the Bud Van featured a much more sedate exterior with turbine-style wheels and the famous Budweiser horses captured in a mural on the rear side panels. I’m assuming the paint was rough when the seller got his hands on it, but I’m not sure I would have gone with the wrap as it currently sits. If this van is a bit of an artifact, originality is the best way to go to encourage buyers to pay your lofting asking price. Fortunately, the harder pieces to re-create – namely, that highly customized interior – is all intact, with the swiveling front captain’s chairs, middle row fixed captain’s chairs, and plush seating with additional cushioning resplendent in Budweiser-themed upholstery everywhere you look.
Custom touches are everywhere, with the Budweiser logo plastered every where you look. The seller notes several slight modifications from the original design, such as the integration of a 55″ flat-screen TV. Other features that were part of the original conversion include a removable table, couch that reclines into a bed, an icebox, a sink, and a custom tap shifter handle. The seller has also added a remote control rotating terrestrial antenna in addition to the TV, along with many rare Budweiser accessories, including a collapsible Budweiser outdoor bar, Budweiser custom beverage cooler, Budweiser pony keg tub, Budweiser keg tub, Budweiser grille, 100th anniversary wooden Budweiser storage box, and an awesome giant 80’s inflatable light up beer can.
Now, you either have to really love tailgating or really love Budweiser to get into this (preferably, both). The seller speculates it’s the only one left, but we can find examples of other sales over the years in the Google machine. Perhaps the others have since been destroyed, but it’s a bold claim to call it the only one. Regardless, I doubt another one will pop up for sale anytime soon, but if it has the original paint scheme, I might call it more desirable – and more deserving of a high asking price. This is a very cool van and one that the seller has gone to great pains to accessorize just as you would have when it was new, but I still think the selling price will be a few degrees shy of $99K.
The King Of Vans.
Sorry. I’m a Coors fan. Their vans are a whole lot cheaper too.
NOBODY admits to drinking Coors.
Dogfish Head or I’m drinking water.
It needs a toilet, because you’ll need one after consuming more than a couple of Buds.
Toilet? Nah. Just refill the empties. No one will notice.
Funny you mentioned Dogfish Head as I am drinking one right now. Damn good.
Both Butt Light and Coors Light are just hydration beers….
Bud and Ford. Two wrongs don’t make a right.
Drinking Budweiser today, etc. is un-American. Send that thing to Belgium.
Only in America,,,and possibly Mexico, can we promote drinking alcohol and driving at the same time. I’m totally anti-alcohol, seeing the many lives it’s ruined, and I realize it’s ironic, me coming from the state that year after year remains #1 in drunk driving arrests. It’s a badge of honor, of sorts, to many. Ever hear of D.A.M.M? ( Drunks Against Mad Mothers, originated in good old Badger) I’m not stupid, I realize beer makes sporting events a whole more lively, I just choose not to be a part of that, and a van plastered with beer labels for $100 grand, all I can say, is you better get a kick back from Anheuser-Busch.
Howard, you must be from Wisconsin, am I right? Sad what the WI Tavern League has done to the state, and shame on the crooked politicians who can be so easily bought. I am scared to drive in your state on some days because of it. Sad, because such a beautiful place for us Twin City folk to get away to. And to think, the part that is pretty much in charge insists they are for “family values”!
Just think how cheap a PBR van would be
I would buy that van (the PBR one)
Personally I like fire-brewed Stroh’s.
Well maybe not their beer…..just their marketing.
The Stroh’s woman is cute….
Yes she is, but she will cost you way more than $99k.
“What’s the problem Officer?”
“That better not be an open container up there”
This is the perfect vehicle for a couple of rednecks to change into one of those jacked-up four wheel drive monstrosities we so often see on this site.
you’ll need to drink plenty of ButtWiper first to want to pony up that kinda scratch on a dressed up conversion van from the 4 decades ago…
Not a Bud fan, living in Wisconsin if it was Leinenkugels with some additional cheese ornaments involved I would take a closer look. And why would you put the beer tap handle six inches from the fuel door?
“Strohs” spelled backwards is “Shorts”, FWTW. “Leinenkugel” = Linen Ball …
This screams pull me over!!
Hope he didn’t pay more than $25k for it. Maybe he’s hoping Budweiser will want it back, because nobody else does for $99k.
99K? what planet is this guy living on? Back in the 70’s I built well over 1K custom vans, seriously…when a customer would show up with some idiotic ideas of what they wanted done, we would do our best to discourage them. But there are some folks who insist on being fools. This van seems to be something that was built for Bud, probably at the corporate level. I understand “brand loyalty” fine, but if this was done for an individual (owner paid for the build), one must not ignore the possibility of brain damage being involved…Bud and a 99K asking price? Yeah there is some brain damage involved in this equation….
I vaguely recall a Bud promo to enter to win one of a handful (10?) Of these back when conversion Vans were just a little past their peak.
Cop: “Do you know why I stopped you today?”
This was for sale maybe 7-8!years ago in Denver. Same van. Was less than $5000
Uh, no. Butt ugly turd
Redneck cop- “Got any ID?”
Redneck van driver- “About what?”
Lmao 😂😂😂😂 99k seriously what is this guy smoking cause I definitely need some I wanna be able to see where this butt ugly thing is worth that cause I see maybe 5k and that’s on a good day and for advertisement in front of a bar!!
I think if you think you’ll get 99K for this, you have consumed was too many Budweisers!!
Wife-“you need to sell that eyesore”.
Husband-“OK”. *places ad for 99 large.
Husband-“Done. Weird seems no one wants it”…
Shame we have placed ourselves in these situations, seems the end goal would be cheaper to rent than buy…
As for the van it like so many things that are now taboo is a time capsule to simpler times. When it was fine to advertise beer and smokin and nekid people. Society as a whole or at least the loudest vocalizers are just to wound up.