Why bother paying for advertising when you can drive around and broadcast your message?

VAN TV

Big sights and sounds hit the streets. By Ethan O’Toole

Some time ago, I had an idea for a project that would lend itself well to marketing applications. I had previously created a few local websites and needed to promote them. After contacting the traditional media (newspaper, radio, TV, etc.) for advertising rates, I came to the conclusion that I could probably get more bang for my buck with something original. It was time to build “The Truck.”

Photography by Joe Legeckis

The Vehicle

First, I needed a suitable vehicle. After looking at a few different models, I stumbled across ex-U.S. Postal Service trucks on the surplus market. These trucks are based on the 1987 Chevy P- 30 chassis, which is used by a number of work/ utility vehicles and RVs. Of all the step vans, it is

definitely my favorite in terms of the body style. It’s not too large, and it’s fun to drive.

The Sight

I tested various materials for rear projection, settling on translucent plexiglass with a matte texture on one side. The size of plexiglass sheets from the local plastics vendor set the limits on the screen size, so I ended up with a piece measuring 6' wide by 4' high, or 54" diagonal. That doesn’t sound very large for an outdoor display, but it fits the truck well and is very impressive in person.

The first step to mounting the screen was to cut a hole out of the side of the van, which I accomplished (after many sweaty hours) with an angle grinder (the Dremel just couldn’t hack this

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