The photo is from my brother Jay Hector’s photo collection of his 1961 custom “hippie-surfer” VW van that he customized himself. He also had a 1965 custom Ford Econoline “hippie-surfer” van that he also customized. Jay was “California Cruzin” these beautiful vans around 1967 to 1970.
Both were bright orange and turned many heads when they were cruising the streets, and highways. The interiors had wood paneling, psychedelic orange carpeting and blacklights, with incredible sound systems. Jay’s vans were the ultimate in mobile flower power!
Jay was the founder of West Vans whose members would cruise Van Nuys Boulevard in their customized vans picking up on “flower power girls” from around 1967 to 1972. Can you dig it? Who could have a cooler brother than him?
— Kim Hector