Seek and ye shall find. Photo: Sean Davey
Had enough of daydreaming about the ultimate surf vehicle? Now might be the time to cop one! Every surf-inspired rig on this list is an actual item for sale, right now, that could be yours. We’ve stuck to mostly practical rides (you’ll find no vintage woodies here) you’d actually want to own. Whether you’re looking for a weekender, a true adventure vehicle or a land yacht, there’s something here for every budget, every level of vanity, and every surf spot from Chile to Alaska to the OC. Without further ado, in no particular order:
1990 Vanagon Carat: $7,900
1. Nickname: Classic Microbus
Make and model: 1990 Volkswagen Vanagon
Price: $7,900
Conversion: For $10,000 extra you can drop in a Subaru engine and feel any anxiety about the rig’s reliability melt away.
Description: Westfalia, Vanagon, Eurovan. These are the cutbacks of surf vehicles: They’re eternally stylish, functional, accessible, and can be endlessly enhanced. They have always worked, will always work. And when executed well, they’re things of beauty that can take you most anywhere you want to be. A microbus of this vintage can be had at a low price, but unless a lot of work has been put into it, you’re rolling the reliability dice.
Who’s it for: People related to talented, honest auto mechanics.
Where it shines: When parked, as opposed to when moving. Anywhere near an auto shop. Also, near Central California pointbreaks, with a fully-restored paint job and a 9-foot log on the roof.
Features: Curtains, bed, broken air conditioner.
2006 Dodge Sprinter: $9,500
2. Nickname: The Super Deluxe
Make and model: 2006 Dodge Sprinter
Base Price: $9,500
Love campgrounds but prefer hotel accommodations? Here’s the solution. You can certainly roll this puppy without a fancy conversion, but a surfer can dream, right? Opt for it, and this ride will be a veritable penthouse suite; only thing missing is the jacuzzi. As is, this Sprinter has only 200,000 miles, new brakes, transmission, alternator and tires — a beautiful blank canvas.
Conversion: $40,000
Features: Purchasing a conversion from legendary adventure-enablers Sportsmobile is the way to go. It’ll cover insulated wall panels, wall-mounted electrical outlets, refrigeration, propane and water systems. Even curtains and sunshades are included.
Who’s it for: Independently wealthy, full-time adventurers who spend years on the road. If you’ve never heard the word “budget,” plan on structuring your life around El Nino winters, and wish to survive the apocalypse, this vehicle is for you.
Drawback: These land yachts are built for comfort, not speed or distance. Off-roading ⇒ not an option. Twenty miles per gallon is a generous estimate for a stock Sprinter. Yours, loaded down with water, propane and your entire quiver will see gas stations as a second home.
Where it shines: Outside of metropolitan centers, but never far from pavement or gas pumps.
1968 Chevrolet El Camino: Price: $10,500
3. Nickname: The Stylemaster
Make and model: 1968 Chevrolet El Camino
Price: $10,500
Description: Surf, don’t surf. Who cares. Look at the thing.
Who’s it for: Hipster single-fin-philes whose haircuts cost as much as their custom-ordered, marbled-resin, Christensen sleds. It’s not about the miles traveled, or the waves scored. It’s all about good looks, good hair, and good times.
Where it shines: Summer afternoons between Huntington Beach and San Onofre. The cost of a paint job like this rivals a year at a decent college, so leaving pavement is done sparingly, only when imperative.
Features: Eight-cylinder gasoline engine. Timeless sex appeal. The cab is too small for anything beyond heavy petting and the bed is useless for carting anything besides your towel, hair products, Converse All-Stars and maybe a retro twin fin.
2003 Honda Element: $6,300
4. Nickname: The Cubist
Make and model: 2003 Honda Element EX
Price: $6,300
These brick shithouses have gained a cult following for good reason. Like this one, most are four-wheel-drive; all have high clearance and a body design that Hoovers up surfboards and gear. They’re adventure-ready without the need to spend a dime or burn a calorie for conversion. And with 24 highway miles to gallon, you might get somewhere without constantly gassing up. This one has 165,000 miles. Bonus: Longboards easily fit inside when you open the rear window and let them stick out. Elements were only made from 2003 to 2011. Their limited numbers plus coveted status can equal inflated prices. Act fast.
Who’s it for: City dwellers who need a practical vehicle in town but want a roof over their head at campgrounds and highway pull-outs.
Where it shines: Weekend strike missions, especially where rain or uneven ground make camping undesirable.
Features: Elements were born for car camping. The backseats easily pop out and the front seats slide super far forward, increasing available sleeping space. When the trip is over, you hose out the sand from the interior (there’s a drain), snap the backseats back into place and resume the life of a wage slave. At least you have great weekends.
Drawbacks: Either you roll solo or with your S.O. Unless snuggling with your buddy in the relatively cramped environs excites you.
1970 Airstream Ambassador. Price: $15,000
5. Nickname: The Gleaming Tube
Make and model: 1970 Airstream Ambassador
Base Price: $15,000
Description: More glamper than adventure vehicle, the Airstream needs no introduction. She’s not the ideal companion for marathon trips around the continent, but offers an optimized blend of style, comfort and utility.
Features: 29-feet of gleaming metal and timeless steez. This one in Florida has new air, water and refrigeration systems. All the other details are “original down to the hubcaps.”
Who’s it for: Care more for traditional outlines than knifey rails? Describe your quiver in feet, rather than fractions of an inch? She could be for you.
Drawback: People always fawning over your steezy digs.
Where it shines: Idyllic meadows. Photo shoots. Festivals.
2002 Chevrolet Astro. Price: $5,395
6. Nickname: The Creeper Van
Make and model: 2002 Chevrolet Astro
Price: $5,395
Description: These are generally white vans lacking rear side windows, possibly with stolen plates, possibly intercepted before being bought by a demolition derby. It’s better not to think about what has taken place in it. On the upside, it will provide a roof over your head and shuttle you to the waves (give or take a working transmission). The one linked above actually has windows — buy now!
Who’s it for: Sex offenders on a budget. Students looking for no-frills road-tripping on Christmas break. (Providing they can talk their mom into letting them go to Santa Cruz or the Seven Sisters.)
Where it shines: More than a mile from schools and parks.
Features: ::Emits wild laughter::
Drawbacks: Dirty sock crumpled in the corner. Mysterious lingering odor.
2006 Ford RB E350 Diesel 4×4. Price: $58,000
7. Nickname: The Baja-mobile
Make and model: 2004 Ford EB E350
Price: $52,000
Description: Baja’s best waves are hours from pavement, grocery stores, gas stations — self-sufficiency is key. Breaking down and getting stuck are not options. So, to be considered a Baja-mobile, such a vehicle requires tires, clearance and suspension capable of chewing up and spitting out gravel, bare rock, and sand pits. This 4×4, V-10 hoss fits that description to a T.
Who’s it for: Lifers for whom Scorpion Bay, Puerto Chicama and Alaska pointbreaks are memories and calendar-blocked plans, not daydreams.
Where it shines: South of the border, north of the border, the middle of nowhere.
Features: All the comforts of home are inside (granite countertops, no less) plus a side ladder, roof tent, flares and only 139,000 miles. What more do you need?
Drawbacks: If you can throw down fifty-Gs and have the time to use this thing, there are none.
Obviously, there are other amazing vehicles that fit like jelly to surfing’s peanut butter. Feel free to suggest any great values below.
