The Honday Odyssey is having a bit of a moment lately. Maybe the most interesting car I saw at SEMA this year was Bisimoto’s Type R-swapped manual Honda. Following in the footsteps of that van is a new custom job from well-known builder and drifter Tony Angelo for comedian Pete Davidson, who is about to become a father.
While this van, which was put together for eBay Motors “Built to Spec” series, lacks the third pedal, the goal is less track day performance and more everyday usability for a new father. Also, there’s a VHS player, because the kids need to know the sound of rewinding FernGully for the 900th time, right?
“I’m about to be a dad, so I figured it was time to drive something practical but not boring,” said Davidson. “I’ve always used eBay to find just about anything, like classic TV memorabilia and sneakers, so of course that’s where I found my van, too.”
Why An Odyssey?
I’ve known Tony Angelo for years, going back to when he was host of MotorTrend‘s “Hot Rod Garage.” He’s now doing his own thing on his own channel. While we bonded over how ridiculous this business can be, we’re also both dads, and so we’ve talked about dad things.
When I heard he was working on this build, I wanted to see what he was going to do to a van that would make it truly dad-worthy. But first, I wanted to know: Why the Odyssey?
“I’m honestly enthusiastic about minivans,” he told me. “I just think so many people have SUVs that don’t need them and once you get into a van, it’s easier to get in and out of, there’s more room inside, better mileage, and they handle great.”
Angelo is an Odyssey owner, so he knows “they’re the best driving vans.”
What Does A Celebrity Like Pete Davidson Want In A Van?
As far as activities with small kids go, changing diapers is by far not the hardest, nor the most time-consuming necessity. It is, however, the one with the most obvious negative consequences if you screw it up. I’m saying this as the guy who once had to walk my daughter down the aisle of an Airbus while an explosion of what I can only describe as foul-smelling pumpkin pie filling dripped down my shirt and onto the ground.
Davidson’s custom van includes a changing table and all the things you need to keep a kid happy on the go. There’s a power bank for the vacuum cleaner, the bottle warmer, and the refrigerator (life with an infant is just heating and cooling various liquids to different temperatures).
“Being a dad is super important to me, and completely changed who I am and what I am, and what my outlook on life is,” said Angelo, who admits he was a bit of trouble most of his life.
The rest of the upgrades are both functional and aesthetic. There’s a two-inch lift and leveling kit from Traxda, a 2.5-inch valved muffler (for when you want to be loud or you need to be quiet), 18-inch Monad Wheels, and a retractable awning with LED lights.
There’s the van for Davidson, which is murdered out (peak Staten Island), and a white one that’s being auctioned off for the Answer the Call nonprofit, which supports families of New York City first responders. Davidson’s own father, Scott Davidson, was a firefighter killed in the September 11th attacks on New York.
Besides the color difference, there’s one thing in Davidson’s own minivan that’s unique to him.
What Does One Play To Test A VHS Player In A Modern Minivan?
As we are learning with our own build, you can find pretty much anything you want on eBay, including a vintage Sony VHS player.
“I can’t believe we’re putting VHS in this brand new van,” Angelo remembered during the build. “We were able to find one on eBay, unused from 1991. The only place you could get that was on eBay.”
Angelo personally delivered Davidson’s black minivan, so I asked him if there was a specific tape that he played to test the system.
“He put the first episode of The Sopranos in the VHS,” said Angelo. “We watched The Sopranos, joked around a ton, and went through all the features of the van. I showed him everything … he’s quite a bit taller than I am.”
The Sopranos aren’t going to be for the kid just yet, but Davidson does have The Brave Little Toaster on VHS.
All photos eBay Motors
I love the idea of a tricked out minivan with a VCR. My friends and I used to go on a ski trip every year in Utah and we had a 4WD GMC Safari conversion van with a tiny tube tv and a VCR. It was epic. However, the flat black paint and LED lights just make this one look tacky.
Yeah, I was totally onboard until I saw the paint. But he seems happy and I support his happiness.
No offense to you or this wonderful site Matt…but I’m so sick of seeing this guy everywhere. To this day I have no idea why he’s incredibly famous. All I know about him is he’s a comedian that doesn’t make me laugh and that he’s infamously horny.
…I haven’t heard of the guy. Granted, I’m Midwest (ergo our guy is Charlie Berens) and I haven’t been on any major social media sites since Easter Sunday 2016, so…the ‘living under a rock’ moniker may be apt…
I, too, have ditched social media, but Easter Sunday 2016 is a suspiciously specific date!
I’m surprised the cassette mechanism still works, even if it was new in box. The belts perish, and it might need new grease.
That old Staten Island ferry he co-owns must be eating into his funds to go with VHS over anything else. I’m surprised he didn’t mount a Starlink dish on the roof and stream content.