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Editor's note: This is part of a series at KSL.com featuring some of Utah's coolest cars. If you own a customized vehicle — from sports cars to semitrucks — email fjolley@ksl.com with a photo of the vehicle and a brief description for consideration.SALT LAKE CITY — When Jay Pooley first came across his 1977 Dodge B200 that was for sale, he had a vision for the van.
Pooley, the owner of a karaoke company in Provo, wanted to find a quirky van that could host his modern needs while still maintaining its classic character. He found just that in the ’77 Dodge.
The van originally looked like something in the mold of Scooby-Doo’s ride. The B200 was known in the late '70s and early '80s as a popular model to lovingly customize, and that mindset was kept alive by Pooley. He traded the van’s shag carpet for shiny disco balls and flashy LED lights, and the ’77 Dodge is now a vital piece to Pooley’s karaoke company, Heart and Seoul Karaoke.
Pooley’s van has undergone quite the transformation since when he purchased it a little over a year ago. The Dodge’s previous owner had souped it up for raceway driving. Equipped with a 440 big block 7.2L engine, the Dodge used to be known for easily topping speeds of 150 mph at the Salt Flats. It even had an extra fuel pump installed which is engaged via a switch. The ’77 Dodge still retains its power and speed to go along with its newfound purpose and attitude.
Pooley stripped the Dodge down to the bare metal and set to work replacing the interior. The off-and-on process took Pooley around eight months. All of the rear seats were torn out and replaced with comfortable limousine-style seating that wrap around the interior. The ’77 Dodge comfortably seats up to eight passengers.
The “KaraVan” is rented out by the hour and comes with a personal driver to shuttle partygoers around town while they focus on belting out their best renditions of “Don’t Stop Believing” and “Uptown Funk.” The van is completely blacked out and features LED lights and a disco ball to add to the karaoke experience.
The sound system is incredible — as any respectable customized karaoke van should be. The KaraVan boasts six 6-inch interior speakers, a pair of 10-inch subwoofers and a pair of 8-inch waterproof marine speakers mounted on the exterior. The sound system runs on an iPad that streams karaoke videos to a pair of 32-inch TVs mounted in the van. The KaraVan’s rear doors bring the TVs with them when swung open, allowing for tailgate-style use at parties and events. A pair of wireless microphones cap the full karaoke system.
“You see the thing, and you see the flashing lights and hear the music going,” Pooley said. “It’s just the ultimate party vehicle.”
Not only is Pooley’s KaraVan a blast to ride in — it’s a hit at events ranging from bachelorette parties to work parties — it’s also a lot of fun to drive as well.
“You see these people that are such characters,” Pooley said. “They’ll get up and just jam out and have a lot of fun. Most times when we do events, there’s at least one car that we pass that has their phone out to record the van as we drive by. It’s big and loud and flashy, and you can see through and see the people on the inside having a good time.” Wes Mangum is a Utah State University student and a citizen of Salt Lake City. He can change his own oil and always keeps his blinker fluid reservoir full. Wes can be reached on Twitter @Dream_Breather or by email at mangum953@gmail.com.
