re: Best memories from station wagons and conversion vans?

My 1st new vehicle purchase was a 78' Chevy Van short. Fixed the inside, captain chairs, wood paneling, Hawaiian print curtains, queen sized mattress.
Didn't build a bed, just laid the mattress in there. Had 2 ATC's that I could get in the back if I stood the mattress on it's side. Thought I had it made back then.

If this vans a rockin', don't come a knockin'.

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The one that sticks out to me was a buddy of mine growing up in Mississippi, his dad had a conversion van. We'd ride around in the back of that thing, it had no seats, just an old mattress. There were some seat belts along the side wall, so we were buckled in, but sitting on a mattress. Looking back now, I'm guessing the old man had a side piece and it was his shaggin wagon.

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Think of all of the kids who grew up in the 70s, 80, and (early 90's) who rode around in these vans thinking they were awesome (and they were!) without realizing many were just mobile "bedrooms" for sex

That said, the allure of the van still appears to be strong. A friend of mine owns a MB Sprinter Van with a luxury interior (quilted leather, sound system, TV, bathroom/kitchenette etc). A few years ago, he invited me to meet him and some friends at the beach. He and his buddies traveled in the van. That night at the bar we made friends with a bachelorette party (ages 22-50). At the end of the night we offered a ride home to the handful that stuck around when others left earlier. When we told them we hand room in the van they were a little leery of the fact we were in a van and not exactly eager to jump in. However, one guy then says "We have candy" to which the women responded by happily saying "Oh, ok" then getting in.

At that moment I thought "Holy shite!" My entire childhood it was drilled into me to NEVER get into a van with a stranger offering candy. Yet, 40 years later strangers in van offer candy to a group of 30-40 year old women and they jump right in. Maybe they thought "candy" meant something else. But it was, in fact, just candy. Starburst, the small Snickers, and jelly beans. Regardless, the bait worked