Race cars are fun & all, but how rad would it be if your handyman gutted his van, slammed it, gutted it, & took it racing?
There’s a real joy in seeing people do things that you think couldn’t or shouldn’t be done. Whether it’s dogs & cats getting along, wearing sandals during a snowstorm, dancing in the rain, driving barefoot, heel-toeing in family sedans, or in our case, seeing Dodge cargo vans slammed to the ground, modified to the gills, and racing on a race track.
So, who woke up one day and decided to start ripping Dodge vans on a track? Well, the story goes that motorcycle racers in Japan needed to transport their bikes, so they just started using vans and they preferred Dodge vans from 1971 - 2003, because they were the right size for their bikes and the short wheel base made them fun to drive.
Like all track rats, these racers would tweak their bikes, eventually leading into modding their vans. Supposedly, one day at the track during a lunch break, someone decided to take their van out for a lap and down the rabbit hole we went.
The staple mods on these vans are Watanabe forged one piece wheels, lowered suspension, gutted interiors, race seats, and upgraded brakes. Since the 318 Dodge motor isn’t really considered an enthusiast motor, the aftermarket for this motor is very limited, so most of the performance modifications are custom one offs and homemade.
So where does the phrase Dajiban come from? It’s literally, “Dodge” + “Van” put together with a Japanese accent. How charming is that?
We really love what these owners are doing and the joy that these owners are getting out of this. They aren’t trying to make a track car or set records or be too serious. They are taking something that traditionally isn’t fast or fun to drive, and making it exactly that - fast and fun!
📸Sources: | @dorizawa | @hentairamvan |