You don't have to smoke copious amounts of marijuana to appreciate what a comedic juggernaut the duo of Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong is. Although we'll plea the fifth on whether or not it helps. What's plain to anyone stoned or sober is how awesome of a custom van the two get to drive around in all their movies.

Their trademark van's changed a bit since Cheech and Chong Up In Smoke first blessed us with its presence in 1978. Over time, the van's taken on a trademark look with a one of a kind and instantly recognizable paint job and decal set. So how'd the Cheech and Chong van turn into the fully custom rig it is today?

Today, we're wading through a wall of thick white smoke to try and find the origins of the Cheech & Chong van and where it's wound up today.

Humble Origins

Via: Internet Car Movie Database

The Original Cheech and Chong movie was a humble, low budget start to what would become a groundbreaking series for Latino and stoner comedy. It can't be understated how much Cheech Marin's performance opened the gates for Latin American actors and actresses across America. It makes sense then that the original vehicle started off as a humble late 70s GM Van that also spawned the GMC Vandura.

Via: Internet Movie Car Database

It may not be the definitive Cheech and Chong mobile, but the scene where they made it look like a low rider and peeled a magnetic strip revealing the sick paintwork underneath in less than a minute cements its place in cinematic history. The scene where the van shows off its hidden low-rider hydraulics against another low-rider is also wonderful in its own right. Just goes to show, not all sleepers have to go fast to make an impact

Related: This Is What Makes James Bond's 1964 Aston Martin DB5 The Best Car In Movie History

Evolving Into An Icon

Via : LAMag.com

Subsequent movies would see the C&C van morph into the familiar figure we all know and love. From what we can gather, the van is a late 70s Chevrolet P10 step-van. With an exterior paint job meant to mimic the color of the chronic these two pot-heads were endlessly smoking. The back fins look to have been glued on directly from a late 50s Cadillac. Put it all together and you get one of the most iconic automotive backdrops of any comedy in history. The Batmobile may have a bigger fanbase, but for die-hard fans of the Cheech and Chong saga, there's no movie car better than this olive green hotbox on four wheels.

Via: veh-markets.com

The Chevy step van it was based on came with a range of different straight-six and V8 engines, but the sounds the van makes in the movie leads us to believe the van had a small block Chevy motor.

Related: 10 Movies Where The Cars Were The Stars

Comparing It To Other Movie Classics

Via: Yahoo Finance

As far as famous cars in movies go, we've become pretty used to most of them being high-end sports cars, supercars, and even luxury SUVs. What Bond movie would be complete without an Aston Martin DB5 or Lotus Esprit to go around fighting baddies. It's nice to see a memorable movie vehicle be something other than a classic muscle car or European sports car. The Chevy P10 will never be a fast vehicle, but when you're baked out of your mind, you probably don't want to be going very fast anyhow.

mirthmobile
Via Consequence of Sound

Other quirky cars from comedy movies are memorable for sure, take the Renault 5 Le Car from Dude Where's My Car and the AMC Pacer from Waynes World immediately come to mind. But even amongst that group of cars, we'd have a hard time finding anybody who'd choose a Pacer over Cheech and Chong's ride any day of the week.

An Unexpected Return

Via: Youtube.com

Cheech and Chong's van's stayed with the franchise through six movies, but the first of this group of vans like so many other movie prop cars eventually wound up in private collections. Turns out, the van found a fitting owner after its time as a movie prop was over. It's now owned by a California Cannabis Dispensary "Green City Collective" in Marina Del Rey, California.  We can think of no better place for the van to call its forever home. Occasionally, the company will bring the van out to car shows for fans to fawn over.

Via Youtube.com

Rodder Files of Youtube caught the van posing for Ruby's Cruise Night in Southern California. Think it's some homemade bodge job made to look like the real thing? Well, the ceiling of the van is hand signed by Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong themselves. The van looks every bit as good now as it did in the movies, a welcome thing when so many other famous film prop cars end up rotting away in barns or just being crushed for scrap. We recommend visiting the next So-Cal cruise night you're able to make the trip for. Chances are solid you'll see this icon of the silver screen parked and sitting pretty. But what crazy movie cars have you seen in person? Let us know on our Facebook page. Till next time!

Sources: Internet Movie Car Database. LAMag.com

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