What do you get when you give an outside-the-box artist access to the spoils of war? In the case of automotive innovator Daryl Villanueva (founder of Van Daryl), you get a steampunk rebirth of an American military icon.
Americans love a comeback. Just check your local movie theater showings if you need evidence of that.
If you’ve ever spent time on Jeep’s website or taken a stroll across a dealership parking lot, you’ve undoubtedly noticed the brand’s pride in its history. Willys-edition Wranglers and Gladiators pay tribute to the original World War II-era Jeeps that sparked an automotive sensation.
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But make no mistake, these are trim packages that bear very little resemblance to Jeeps of yesteryear. If you want the genuine article, you’re going to have to kick over a few rocks, open a few barn doors and -- maybe -- take a trip to Vietnam.
Barn Finds Brought to You by the US Military
In the spring of 1973, American troops were withdrawing from Vietnam from airfields and helicopter landing zones in the southern part of the country. They came by many vehicles, including the M151 MUTT, the U.S. military’s Jeep of choice at the time.
When aircraft left for U.S. Navy aircraft carriers off the coast, they were full of service members -- but not their vehicles. Those stayed behind as war trophies for the North Vietnamese Army, the Viet Cong and Vietnamese citizens.
Decades later, it turns out that many of those vehicles are alive and kicking -- maybe a little worse for wear, but kicking nonetheless.
According to Vietnam Jeep Tours, abandoned U.S. military vehicles found new jobs after the war as taxis, tractors, police cars and fire trucks. Some of the surviving examples are now shuttling tourists across the countryside as part of history-themed driving tours.
Other vehicles are getting plucked from fields and city streets by a former art director with a knack for creating incredible vehicles.
The Van Daryl War Truck Is a Jeep for the Modern Age
Daryl Villanueva, the mind behind the Van Daryl War Truck, came from the world of advertising, where creative directors are often hired to make something inspiring and then told to tone it down.
"In the ad world, there is so much talent that [produces] so many amazing ideas on a daily basis; they never get a chance because clients are too chicken,” the Van Daryl website reads. “What's the point of hiring a creative agency if you're not going to listen? I just wanted to make cool stuff. So I left."
Gearheads and history buffs can be thankful he left, because that freed him up to found Van Daryl and design the War Truck.
The War Truck isn’t just inspired by old military Jeeps; it doesn’t just take design cues from them and cash in on uninformed nostalgia. Each War Truck is a real M151 that was left behind by the American military, rebuilt from the ground up and reborn as a 4x4 for the modern age.
According to Van Daryl, these one-off vehicles get a custom design treatment sprinkled with LED lights, a digital dashboard and forged alloy wheels.
Underneath, though, the War Truck retains its proven 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine. According to the website, it was good enough to serve in 14 wars and 15 countries, so it’s good enough for Van Daryl’s clients. Buyers can expect 71 horsepower, 128 foot-pounds of torque, 300 miles of range and a top speed of 100 mph (you might want to take their word for that one).
Want more? Van Daryl recently announced the Tactical Package, which lets you pick from a 275-horsepower 3.0-liter V6 paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, a 150-kilowatt (201 horsepower) electric motor or a V8 simply described as “subject to availability.”
Here’s How to Buy a Van Daryl War Truck
Vehicles designed in a Ho Chi Minh art studio aren’t sold at one of your local dealerships. Instead, they’re commissioned like any other custom art project.
Basic War Truck prices start at $79,000 plus shipping. The Tactical Package is fit for an action movie, and it’ll set you back at least $109,000 plus shipping.
That’s a sizable chunk of change for a vehicle that’s hand-built one at a time on the other side of the world. I haven’t seen evidence of one in the wild, so there’s no word on how they perform on the road or stack up to promises on the internet.
If you manage to buy one, you’ll be in elite company. You’ll have a real piece of history and a bit of the future, as well.
And if you meet the Vietnamese craftsmen behind the War Truck, thank them for hanging on to our Jeeps for us. They look even better than when we left them.
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