“There’s a lot of bad stupid in the world right now, and I think we need more good stupid.” That was part of Zach Sutton’s inspiration for the contraption you see above: the front ends of two Chrysler minivans joined together, like a veritable CatDog of ’90s American malaise. The fine folks at USA Today shot a little one-minute video with the Detroit-based owner, and I have to agree—it’s the “good stupid” we need today.
“It’s basically two Chrysler minivans that I cut in half, and took the front halves and welded them together,” Sutton says in the video embedded below. “The reaction is always either confusion or just hilarity.” It’s as amusing on the inside as it is on the outside, too. Step into the cabin, and it’s burgundy velour on the Plymouth Voyager side, and Dodge gray for the Caravan end.
Sutton says that the vehicle handles “pretty much exactly like” a 1993 minivan, which is surprising. Every time the thing is seen moving, there’s somebody opposite him in the other driver’s seat. But the rear axle’s steering can apparently be locked, which is necessary to prevent the back from swinging out in every wrong direction when he’s flying solo.
This Detroit man welded two Chrysler minivans into one single car
There’s potentially a massive upside to the turning radius and maneuverability in general, so long as the two drivers are in sync. (We all recall the pitfalls of such a setup with James May’s “Salfa Romeaab.”) Sutton’s Pentastar-badged concoction benefits from stiffer rear springs, since they’re really front springs, now without an engine riding on them. Also note the coach door setup, another fortunate byproduct of building a car out of two front halves. And, perhaps most surprising of all, this thing is reportedly fully road legal and registered, with the perfect vanity plate: “BAK2BAK.”
So, hats off to the creator, who has perhaps realized the most quintessentially Detroit automotive hydra I’ve ever seen. You have to imagine it’s bringing some warmth up there at a frigid time of year.
Know of any other wild automotive creations around your neighborhood? Let us know at tips@thedrive.com