‘Shaggy Van’ Creation Replicates Movie Vehicle

‘Shaggy Van’ Creation Replicates Movie Vehicle Creative ideas often lead to clever products that solve difficult problems. That wasn’t the case with Parker Williams and his outlandish invention, the Shaggy Van, a carpet-covered vehicle.  “It might be the stupidest or most ingenious thing I’ve ever built,” Williams says. “In the small Wyoming town we live in, this is really something else.” Williams was just a couple of years out of high school, making a living by creating clever videos on YouTube, when he came up with the van idea. He was inspired by the “Mutt Cutts” carpet-covered van in his favorite movie, the 1993 classic comedy “Dumb and Dumber.” Williams, along with his best friend Seth Siebert, filmed themselves as they built a nearly identical replica of the movie van. They glued tan shag carpeting to the vehicle’s sides, roof and back. The windshield, side windows, wheels and headlights are exposed. Carpet is stapled to the top and sides of a wooden framework made of 2 by 4s and plywood that squares off the hood. Round cutouts allow the headlights to shine through. A square opening lets them open the hood to check the oil and engine. Breather holes allow air to pass through to the radiator. Williams paid $3,000 for the base vehicle, a plain white diesel-powered cargo van. He and Siebert spent several hours customizing the exterior, including the headlights and blinkers, to make it legal on Wyoming roads. The Powell Police Department inspected it and passed it without issues, and calmly suggested he might want to carry spare fire extinguishers. Williams, Siebert and their buddies drive the vehicle often and say it’s just fun to see people’s reactions. They say people ask to take pictures with it, while others just stare, smile and give them a thumbs-up. Some people get the movie reference, and others just say, “What is that thing on the road?” For an extended road trip, Williams and his friends loaded a couch into the back of the van and drove 12 1/2 hours from Wyoming to Minnesota to attend a CboysTV car show. It drew plenty of attention during the trip and on the show grounds. Driving in the rain posed a major problem, as all the carpet became soaked. Williams also got stuck in the mud, and instead of washing the van, he says, “I had to shampoo the whole thing.” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Parker Williams, Powell, Wyo.

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