Filed under: Time Warp, Minivans/MPVs, Etc., Chrysler, LLC., Dodge
Future Classic: 1984 Chrysler Minivans
by Dan Roth on May 9th 2008 at 12:31PM 
Think of what the automotive landscape looked like nigh on 25 years ago. Mentioning "family car" in 1983 would have conjured a station wagon. Some of us dig wagons, while others think we're daft because of the stigma they still carry. There's no denying that a wagon is an excellent way to transport kids and stuff, but those beasts of yesteryear often led to yearnings for an alternative. We all remember getting carsick while sitting in the rear-facing third row torture chamber, cut off from the rest of the family and their future-looking vantage point. The tailgunner position was a great way to test out new hand gestures on following motorists, though.
When the Chrysler minivans were revealed to the world in 1983 as 1984 models, they were a revelation. The Caravan and Voyager were not the first vans based on compact chassis, but they were such a successful combination of the elements that sales took off and imitators sprang up only after Chrysler had firmly established its status as the segment trendsetter. Continued after the jump.
Gallery: First Generation Chrysler Minivans
It's taken 25 years for cracks in the armor to appear; Chrysler's newly redone vans are fighting for their lives against the formidably excellent Toyota Sienna and Honda Odyssey after years of dominance. While they may not have originated the idea, Chrysler's minis certainly moved the segment from niche vehicle to the pinnacle of the mainstream. Chrysler was selling a lot of full size vans in the 1970s, and many to families because they'd equipped them with carlike features. An A-series van equipped with such luxuries as full carpeting, power windows, air conditioning, and 8-track stereos (matchbook optional) was a comfortable way to cover long stretches in the 1970s.
The success of the big vans led to the idea of a smaller, more garage-friendly van, especially since Chrysler was faced with a paucity of wagon choices. While the excitement led to an initial flurry of work, there just wasn't room for a unique platform and its attendant tooling costs. The mid-1970s were not kind to Chrysler - the company landed in dire financial straits by the end of the decade. Oddly enough, in the late '70s, a second whack was taken at what was to become the minivan. By that time, there were front-wheel-drive components to be had from the Omni/Horizon, and initial concepts look like a van box with an Omni nose. Eventually, K-Car underpinnings served as the basis of the Minvans, and the price of the program had grown considerably from the first round. Lee Iacocca saw the value, though, and had the intestinal fortitude to green-light the T-115 vans. 
The 1984 model year wasn't even a complete one for the new Minvans, but even so, 209,000 found buyers. Amazingly versatile cargo haulers, able to swallow sheets of plywood as well as carry the entire family on vacation, it's easy to see why the public fell in love with Chrysler's new phenomenon. Three rows of seats fit into a compact wheelbase, while the car-based chassis offered a lower ride height than truck-based vans, which made entry and exit supremely easy. The car platform also imbued the Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager with an easy-driving demeanor, far less intimidating than the bigger vans. The whole package was no longer than a K-Car wagon, fitting easily in suburban garages, too.
One area where the vans were lacking was powertrains. While modern minivans are not very mini, they're also faster than even some sports cars were back in the 1980s. A lot faster. All minivans now carry V6s that kick out more horsepower than a Mustang GT did in 1984. A modest selection of four-cylinder engines with less than 100 horsepower were all you could initially get to power your wood-sided box, though turbocharged engines offered some more oomph, and V6 engines eventually found their way between the strut towers. At a time when the Volkswagen Vanagon was about the only vehicle that might be considered a direct competitor, Chrysler's minivans were a revelation. Interiors were filled with innovative ideas, and every successive generation saw further refinement, ensuring that Chrysler minis maintained their position as the bogey to beat. Novel thinking continues to manifest itself in Chrysler's vans, and the arrival of the minivan also accomplished something else - it shifted the stigma off station wagons, giving the shooting brake a little breathing room to learn how to be cool.
We have yet to see a concours-quality first-generation minivan. For that matter, it's getting hard to find one that hasn't been attacked by the tinworm, but the fact remains that the minivans are going to be old enough to actually show up at a "classic car" event with credibility. They may have been the scourge of the road before attention was redirected to SUVs, but they were the vehicle that kicked off a paradigm shift in the marketplace, and they continue to get better with every revision. When GM and Ford have bowed out after receiving a considerable drubbing, Chrysler remains the sole domestic brand in the fight.
Allpar's excellent history was immensely helpful in researching this post.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
Jon55 12:35PM (5/09/2008)
May God's wrath torment the man who invented the minivan.
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Keith Griffin 12:40PM (5/09/2008)
Why? They have proven themselves to be excellent family haulers. As gas prices increases and people shy away from third-row SUVs, they'll start to look favorably on minivans again as a more fuel efficient alternative. Besides, our blogger Dan might be in the market for one!
MachinaDC5 12:43PM (5/09/2008)
The minivan was not invented by a man, but a demon, sent here to defile the car world for decades to come.
Dude 12:45PM (5/09/2008)
You'll have to get past Snoop Dogg first.
http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/ap/dt10208042345.h2.jpg
Noah 12:54PM (5/09/2008)
You know what? My family had a station wagon, even with 4 kids. One of us had to lay down in the cargo area with no seatbelt because it didn't have a 3rd seat. When the 5th kid came around, we had to get a new vehicle. Thank God for the minivan! The Ford Aerostar served us very very well, and was much easier to drive (and on gas and purchase price) than a full size van (which we did have shortly).
The minivan was a godsend to a family with 6 kids. These new ones are luxurious, are much sleeker than brick-like SUV's, and certainly aren't pretentious like SUV's and the mindset of those driving them (who could just use a minivan). Minivans are great, and if I have more than 3 kids someday (don't plan on it), I'd love to get one.
I have a feeling that people who hate minivans have never had one. Or if they have, they are so concerned with image and looking cool to their neighbors that they "have" to have an over-the-top SUV.
jb 1:00PM (5/09/2008)
The problem with minivans is that people think they need one as soon as they have one kid. Whereas, realistically, if you don't have 4 kids or more, you don't need one. But then, people rarely buy what they need, they just go with what the advertisement people want them to need.
geo.stewart 1:25PM (5/09/2008)
jb-
says the man without a kid.
yes, you can do without but there is a benefit to having the minivan even with one kid, over a sedan or compact SUV. just the ability to walk/crawl through the van to tend to a child, or reach back unencumbered, is a benefit. If its raining, the mother and kid can go in the side and mom scoots up front.
noah has it right
You cant beat the utility of the minivan.
and the number of couples that stop at 1 kid are a minority.
jb 1:50PM (5/09/2008)
Well i do have a kid, and will probably have one or two more but I have NO intention in buying a minivan. The reasons you give are pretenses. There are mere conveniences, but certainly no needs. This means the marketing people have done a good job.
tcc3 2:20PM (5/09/2008)
By that logic you really dont *need* a car.
And that one kid has friends, soccer teams, scout troops, etc. Not to mention space for all his crap to keep him quiet on long trips.
Even with one kid the mini has its use.
Benfolio 2:47PM (5/09/2008)
When you're at the store in the crowded parking lot trying to buckle a kid that can't walk yet into a carseat in a van with sliding doors you'll NEVER want to go back to a 'normal' car again.
Xcountryflyer 2:55PM (5/09/2008)
I wouldn't call the original Chrysler minivans classic, but they were groundbreaking and seminal. Created a market segment that is still important today. In 25 years though, the creator and leader has fallen to 3rd/4th in the minivan race in terms of leadership.
Disgruntled Goat 3:42PM (5/09/2008)
I have 3 kids and went from a Suburban to a Corolla. It was a little scary making the jump but once you get pasting _thinking_ you need something large you find that you get around just fine. Camping trips, softball, scouts, no problem.
salguod 12:00AM (5/10/2008)
I'm on my second minivan. Dad passed down his '88 Grand Caravan (with big 160 HP V6) to us early in our marriage and we traded it 7 years ago on a Honda Odyssey. With 3 kids, the day to day would be OK with a car or wagon, but our 2-3 times per year trips to grandma's 600 miles away would be much more difficult and towing our pop up camper would be impossible.
I'm a huge fan, there's no other vehicle that can do all a minivan can do for the price and with the MPG a van gets. Fashionable? Nope, but immensely practical.
Our family van history: Dad's had a '72 Chevy window van, '74 Dodge Maxi van TEC camper, '88 Grand Caravan, '97 Grand Caravan and now '07 Town & Country. I've had just the two - so far. My sister has an '01 Odyssey and Dad's old '97 (They have 5 kids).
Russell 12:35PM (5/09/2008)
NO
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ChaoZ 12:38PM (5/09/2008)
No. Just no.
Just because all of them have rotted away does not make this thing a classic.
Rare, Beautiful, Unique. You need at least two.
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Kingcyrus 1:53PM (5/09/2008)
its not rare, but u could argue the other two
Kevin 3:06PM (5/09/2008)
Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but the only way one could argue that the Chrysler minivans-particularly the 1st gen ones, doubly so if they have the faux wood-are beautiful is if they were blind.
Frank 8:29AM (5/11/2008)
How about a 1st gen van with the turbo motor and 5 speed? That would be rare and unique (and surprisingly fast for it's day).
John 12:38PM (5/09/2008)
Chrysler did invent that segment. It will probably say that on Chrysler's tombstone in the near future.
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jb 12:54PM (5/09/2008)
Actually it's probably a toss up between Chrysler and Renault with the Espace.