Take A Look At Van Halen Superfan’s Van

Published Apr 25, 2022 By Dowell De Los Reyes

via vanhalenvan5150 / Instagram

There are avid fans just like there are true superfans. Two gentlemen who were clearly influenced by the renowned Eddie Van Halen have transformed a typical old van into an EVH tribute van which is almost as legendary as the musician himself.

The van’s moniker is Van Halen Van 5150 aka “Vanama,” and it’s a 1969 Ford Econoline that has been painted red, black, and white to pretty much look like the layout on Van Halen’s classic Frankenstrat guitar. It’s owned by Marisol Pacheco Richardson and photojournalist Ryan Stephen Richardson of Music Junkie Press.

The first image of Vanama was shared on Instagram on Oct. 12, 2020, just only several days after the renowned musician passed away from cancer, and it is now traveling across California, attracting the attention of fellow rock lovers. It’s even utilized as a background for photo sessions on occasion.

The inside of the van is decorated with images of the musician and his group over the decades, a wolf shag rug, and further Frankenstrat artwork. If the vehicle is seen “in the wild,” the owners ask that people snap images of it and mention them in it on social media. It has become such a big tourist attraction that they now have their entire line of stuff on Etsy, in which you can buy hats, stickers, patches, buttons, and even a T-shirt with the Vanama emblem on it.

Below are some photos of Vanama, as well as a video clip how it has been converted from its original teal blue color to a Van Halen tribute on wheels.