Think restomod and you’re most likely picturing some form of 911 with new headlights, oodles of carbon, and a crazy high revving flat six, but now there’s a new off-road focused restomod on the scene and it’s not what you expect. Instead of using undriven, pristine survivor cars as the basis for their latest restomod, VAN DARYL are giving Jeeps used in the Vietnamese War a second lease on life to produce their latest creation: the War Truck!
Founded by Van Daryl Villanueva, VAN DARYL is a new name in the coachbuilding world, but they have plenty of experience creating exclusive vehicles for MB&F in Geneva and Dubai, LVMH in Paris, and Lane Crawford in Hong Kong. However, their latest creation started from far more humble beginnings. 60 years after the Vietnam War, hundreds of US Army Jeeps are still scattered across the streets of Saigon, left to rust and decay, and that sparked the idea to preserve these icons by repurposing them for a new era.
VAN DARYL state that the design of the War Truck was all about refining the look of these Army Jeeps to their absolute essence, think respectful evolution rather than reinvention. Each vehicle undergoes a bare metal restoration that involves reinforcing the frame, while the aluminium body panels are precision-cut and hand-finished. Hand-stitched calf leather interiors and hand-treated maple wood panels add a touch of luxury and warmth to the cabin, while customers can choose between analogue or digital gauges. Meanwhile, the battle-tested 4-cylinder, 2.3-litre engine remains standard, although VAN DARYL will happily add some power should you wish.
Undoubtedly the most striking departure from the original design is the War Truck’s front end, which features advanced LED lighting, with powerful headlights for maximum visibility, while distinctive brake lights and turn signals have been crafted to blend seamlessly into the War Truck’s minimalist design. Pricing starts at 79,000 dollars, which makes the War Truck far more obtainable than many other restomods out there. So, would you choose a War Truck over a modern Jeep? We certainly would!
