Lee Mitchell’s mum thinks he is a pimp. Sure, he’s a good-looking chap (Todd’s words not mine – Ed), and I’m sure he’s a hit with the ladies, but a pimp? That’s taking it a bit too far. If you ask Lee, he will tell you he’s a carpet layer, but then he is from the Christchurch, so maybe that’s secret code for pimp we don’t have up in Jafaland. Whether Lee’s mum bought him the PMP 1 number plate to advertise his ‘extra curricular’ services or to warn the local women folk of his devious game, we are also not sure. One thing we can say, however, is the fact that Lee’s 1997 Hiace van is pretty damn pimpin’, and you don’t need to see the bed in the back to work that out. From the moment you first lay eyes on the van, you know something is just not right – or is it right and every other van is wrong?

Now, while you ponder that, lets get into the thick of things. If you haven’t figured it out already, the Japanese ‘Vanning’ culture (yes, it actually has a name!) is a bizarre one. The usual recipe for creating such beasts always seem to start with a Toyota Hiace – we’re not sure why. After having considerable amounts of Yen thrown at them, they emerge as giant fibreglass-encrusted objects of automotive art, twice as long, and half again high. To the untrained eye, these mobile masterpieces look like they emerged straight from the depths of the Bat Cave.

There are actually specialist stores out there who happily perform this ‘Extreme Makeover’ (and often ‘When Extreme Makeovers Go Bad’) surgery for you. While I’m sure the owners intend to be individual, most of these aerodynamically enhanced (or should that be challenged?) machines actually end up looking the same. Pastel-hued paintjobs, Disney character and boy band air-brushings and truck-sized exhausts are, unfortunately, pretty much standard fare in this game. Love ’em or loathe ’em, the few Vanning examples that have made it all the way to Godzone certainly attract attention from everyone they pass.

There’s 15 pieces to this kit, all nicely fitted up before the van was re-sprayed in it’s original metallic silver paint and dumped on it’s ass by winding down the front torsion bars and fitting Super-Low springs up in the back. The giant deep-dish rims of unknown origin are the pèice de résistance though, measuring 18×9-inch up front with 225/40ZR18 tyres, and 18×10-inches down the rear with super-girth 275/35R18s. Strobe lights, 20 per cent tints and clear tail lights finish the look off nicely, which is more than we can say for the Dolphin graphic, which if you look very carefully, you’ll see shimmering in the back window.

In factory form, the naturally aspirated, diesel-powered van was slow – nothing wrong with that if you’re in the pimpin’ game though! Still, power was always on the cards for the Hiace’s original Japanese owner who modified the 1KZ-TE three-litre twin-turbo under the front seats. Now if you’re scratching you head, wondering why you’ve never heard of a 1KZ, you can be forgiven – we hadn’t either. Apparently, the 1KZ motor is to the Toyota diesel world what the 2JZ is to the petrol, but I’m not sure if that makes it right. With a front-mounted 600x300x75mm intercooler, HKS Power Flow air filter and twin three-inch exhaust systems, the engine scores some extra brownie points… so it’s cool.

Inside though, the Japanese creator wanted to get freaky just like the rest of the Vanners and decked the Hiace out with all the essentials: a white vinyl roof and a foldout bed in the rear – pure class. To keep an eye on underseat happenings, GReddy oil pressure, oil temperature, boost pressure, water temperature and exhaust temperature meters were fitted across the dash-top, while the driver and passenger were treated to a pair of Recaro SR2 seats.

For entertaining value a half-decent ICE package was installed in the van, even if much of it was originally destined for the home. Up front there’s an Alpine FVA-W306 head unit with four-inch front speakers, while backseat and bed passengers get a Zanon DVD201T DVD player, twin Zanon seven-inch monitors, Bose B-4160 and B-2140 amplifiers, a pair of Bose Accoustimass bass cannons and some matching cube speakers. Lee couldn’t ask for more when he slips in Marvin Gaye’s Lets Get It On.

OK, so Vanning style isn’t for everyone, but Lee’s Hiace is living proof that it can actually be done with a bit of taste. After owning a string of performance cars, he was after something a little different, and I’m sure you’ll agree that’s what he got!

SPEC

1997 TOYOTA HIACE VAN

ENGINE: 1KZ-TE 3000cc turbo diesel, twin turbo conversion, twin oil coolers, 300x600x75mm intercooler, twin 3-inch exhausts, HKS Power Flow air filter

DRIVELINE: Factory 4-speed automatic, limited slip differential

SUSPENSION/BRAKES: Torsion bars front, Super-Low springs rear
Brakes: Factory with aftermarket pads

WHEELS AND TYRES: 18×9-inch front, 18×10-inch rear with 225/40ZR18, 275/35R18 tyres

EXTERIOR: 15-piece body kit, strobe lights, 20% tints, factory silver colour, clear tail lights,

INTERIOR: GReddy oil pressure, oil temperature, boost pressure, water temperature, exhaust temperature meters, white face dials, Recaro front seats, white vinyl roof and side panels, folding bench seat in rear

ICE: Alpine FVA-W306 head unit, 4-inch front speakers, Bose B-2140 amp, 2x 7-inch Zanon screens, 2x Bose Accoustimass bass cannons, Zanon DVD201T DVD player, Bose B-4160 Amplifier

PERFORMANCE: Pimpin’

DRIVER PROFILE

LEE MITCHELL

AGE: 26

OCCUPATION: Carpet layer

PREVIOUSLY OWNED CARS: Mazda 323, Nissan Primera, Mazda 808, Subaru WRX STI, BMW 318i

DREAM CAR: Still looking

WHY THE VAN? Its something different, had enough of cars, so I decided to buy a van

BUILD TIME: Four months

LENGTH OF OWNERSHIP: Seven months

LEE THANKS: My partner Kerry, Lloyd @ Ice Audio, Darfeild Smash Repairs, and also my Mum.