The Mystery Machine

Author’s note: I’m going to focus on the Mystery Machine we all know and love. Even though I’ve watched a lot of Scooby-Doo over the years and because the Scooby universe is quite large, details will be missed. Not even as a kid could I have watched it all. And some of the stuff is just plain unwatchable!

The Mystery Machine. The oftentimes unsung member of Mystery Inc.

Thanks to the Mystery Machine (and the A-Team van), I believed, without a shadow of a doubt in my mind, that vannin’ was cool. The appeal of traveling around the country, no, the world with your friends is just too appealing for a naïve, car-loving kid. Today, the Mystery Machine brings me memories of those days.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve tried to nail what make/model the Mystery Machine was. Like many, I thought it was a Volkswagen bus, because that’s what one thinks of when you think 1960s youths and flower-power paint schemes. That and the front-mounted spare tire. I changed my mind when I saw my first early Ford Econoline. It was much closer in design dimensions. Then I learned about the Dodge A-100 and later on about the Chevrolet Corvair-based vans. The Internet Movie Car DataBase website lists all classic Mystery Machine appearances as a ‘1965 Chevrolet Chevy Van’. I think the label was supposed to read ‘ChevyVan’, the utilitarian version of the line. Maybe the 1965 model was chosen because it came with seatbelts!

Maybe it truly was based off the ChevyVan or its competition. There’s a bit of trivia that’s been Copy-Paste’d around the web that says that the Mystery Machine is 4-wheel-drive, which as far as I know, its real-life inspirations aren’t (at least from the factory, but a conversion? Hmm…). Another thing I must mention is that I distinctly recall seeing the Mystery Machine’s design used as a regular van in the Hanna-Barbera universe, but that was a one-time moment that happened many years ago, with only my initial reaction as a reminder of it. Maybe the original art director, the late Iwao Takamoto knew the details of the Mystery Machine… I believe that whatever the Mystery Machine is based off will remain, well, a mystery. 

Who owns the Mystery Machine? It’s commonly believed to be Fred. There was a bit of Scooby-Doo trivia saying that the Mystery Machine belonged to Daphne’s father, Nedley Blake. A couple of different websites state that it was him that bought them the van, and funded the trips (it’s not as if the gang didn’t make their own money, but that’s off-topic), as well as appearing in a parodying bumper/featurette related to this. Shaggy owned it for some time too. Currently, it’s stated to be Fred’s. It all depends on the continuity.

For the most part, the Mystery Machine has been portrayed as just a bare-bones panel van with a custom paintjob. Maybe some custom metalwork, too. No interior carpet or anything (that can’t be comfortable on long trips. Kudos for Mystery Inc. for dealing with that!). Just some bench seats. But in some early episodes, it appears with a whole array of tools and at one time filled with computers and other electronic devices, like the following, rather disrespectful link shows.

Depending on the series, there have been variations of the Mystery Machine. For the (underwhelming) live-action movies, it’s been played by an old Ford Econoline and old Chevy vans for the recent made-for-TV live-action movies, and the more intriguing custom 1972 Bedford CF van with an earlier front nose design grafted to it in the 2002 theatrical release, with another Chevy van similarly customized as its stand-in (no clue as to why 2 hero-car Mystery Machines for the same cruddy movie) and for the direct sequel. A Chevy Astro panel van was used in a 1999 Halloween special that mixed live-action with animation. Even the roof rack mimicked the original design!

Its worthy animated replacement came in the form of a generic design that I swear it’s based off the Chevrolet Astro cargo van with the upscale nose treatment for Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island, Scooby-Doo and the Witch’s Ghost (in which it became part of one of the climactic battle), Scooby-Doo and the Alien Invaders and Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase (where Freddy commented how he missed the old van when taken for a spin in a faithful digital recreation). For the little-known series Shaggy & Scooby-Doo: Get a Clue! (not even I have seen it) the Mystery Machine –much like the rest of the gang- got a radical make-over, looking more like a spaceship on wheels, and that’s before it transformed! In my opinion, it hints to Shaggy’s hot-rodding skills shown on Scooby-Doo! and the Reluctant Werewolf.

In some cases it’s been replaced entirely with different vehicles, like a GMC Transmode-based design (a childhood favorite of mine) for The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo series (in which it was referred to as the Mystery Machine) and movies like Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul School. The other machines –like Shaggy’s Suzuki Samurai in Scooby-Doo! Meets the Boo Brothers and hot-rod in Scooby-Doo! and the Reluctant Werewolf- that took Scooby, Shaggy and friends to their adventures weren’t given the coveted title of  ‘Mystery Machine’ as far as I know.

There was the occasion that, due to the nature of the show, the Mystery Machine wasn’t a van at all! For A Pup Named Scooby-Doo, it was a motorized skateboard with Velma at the helm. Despite having watched and re-watched that show as a kid, I can’t recall ever being named. But it’s the Mystery Machine in spirit.

No matter which is your favorite, no matter the incarnation, the Mystery Machine did its job of taking the gang to and from places and provided help when needed.

Like any automobile worth its petrol-based products, the Mystery Machine is the key to the freedom for the gang to travel and find the mysteries that they would later solve. Without it, the only trouble those meddling kids would get themselves into would be in their own hometown.

The Mystery Machine has been basically everywhere with them, all over the United States and around the world. Scotland, Brazil, England, Mexico, Puerto Rico (my kid-mind was blown away when they visited my country!) are just some of the few destinations that I recall off the top of my head that this little van carried them to after being unloaded from the cargo ship.

Along with new and exotic places, the Mystery Machine has been witness to meeting many celebrities, oftentimes giving them a lift. It was once driven by Batman and Robin while they took Mystery Inc. (blindfolded) to the Batcave! After a fender-bender with a farm truck, the Mystery Machine was fixed and tuned up by none other than Tinker, driver of Speed Buggy!

The New Scooby Movies - The Weird Winds of Winona

There’s a lot of running in the lives of Mystery Inc. Sometimes the Mystery Machine itself had to do some running away too. Its most famous chase has got to be from Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!: Mystery Mask Mix-up:

Complementary gif.

After traveling under the ownership of Shaggy, Scooby and Scrappy, doing odds and ends here and there, the classic design of the Mystery Machine is reunited with the original team in What’s New, Scooby-Doo?, as well as a new string of animated movies that return to a more Hanna-Barbera-like –albeit slightly generic- design.The show takes place in the early 2000s and just like the Mystery Inc., the Mystery Machine has new technology, like a GPS and roof-mounted TV… and new technology woes – like crappy GPS directions and roof-mounted TV distractions.

With a new lease on life come new adventures. Being a more recent part of the franchise, there’s a little more exposure of it on the web, making it easier for your author to look into a little deeper than others. Sadly, that’s why you won’t see anything on this post on The New Scooby and Scrappy-Doo Show or The New Scooby-Doo Mysteries, among other 1980s-era shows of the franchise that even I didn’t get to see its re-runs on TV (Why, Warner Bros, why?).

Even if the new series and movies weren’t perfect, it does show that the Mystery Machine became more than just mere transportation, living up to its title emblazoned on its sides. So allow me to show you some examples on how:

On of the good things of What’s New Scooby-Doo? is that the Mystery Machine becomes more involved to the point of becoming part of the plot in a couple of episodes. One of them delves into its origins -from this continuation, at least. In that episode (It’s Mean, It’s Green, It’s The Mystery Machine), the van becomes possessed –complete with eerie green lights and eerie music emanating from the stereo- and as to why has to do with its past as a tour bus for a musical group called ‘The Mystery Kids.’ This background was also reason for someone to offer the gang a good amount of money for the van. It comes to view that Fred actually wanted to paint it red, but those colors and its theme stuck.

We’d see the Mystery Machine get turned into a 400HP desert racer… and treated as such to the point of almost being written off…

   Not shown are the stereo speakers covering the barn doors and the high-rise feature (think Speed Racer’s Mach 5’s auto-jacks in stationary form and you’d get the idea).

… to being fixed up with features that could put a six-figure RV to shame.

Outside the franchise, the Mystery Machine appeared in various advertisements:

• Cartoon Network Speed Racer promo… where it got knocked off the road (I still have mixed feelings about it).
• Cartoon Network bumper featuring cult favorite Megas XLR… with Fred trying to prove the Mystery Machine’s superiority against a tricked-out giant robot.
• State Farm (yes, Scooby-Doo buckled under the trend of using classic cartoon franchises for stuff like insurance commercials).

 While I haven’t read any of the comic books, I’ve stumbled on a few in which the Mystery Machine is part of the plot:

- Scooby-Doo! #18 The Mystery Machine Mystery (by Archie Comics): No synopsis available.

- Scooby-Doo! #36 The Mystery Machine Mystery (by DC Comics, same title as Archie’s): This one I actually wanted to read. What I did find was that the gang was looking to move up into a new Mystery Machine (good luck figuring out which car is it!), but things don’t go according as plan when the new model comes rigged with surprises.

- Scooby-Doo! #75 Lean, Mean Mystery Machine (by DC Comics): The gang soups up the Mystery Machine with new gadgetry. Just in time, because it’s about to get stolen. Perfect to put its new features to the test. ‘Everything old is new again…’ ain’t that the truth!

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For the movies, the original design of the Mystery Machine has also been given a more dynamic role. From being Daphne’s learner vehicle (Scooby-Doo! Moon Monster Madness‎) to getaway vehicle in more than one occasion. Let’s see some examples:

The best chase goes to Scooby-Doo! Stage Fright, providing an edge-of-your-seat realistic chase.

Scooby-Doo! Music of the Vampire combined a silly/fun driving scene (silly because it’s a sign-of-the-times musical bend to it) and getaway scene. Velma’s driving skills and the Mystery Machine’s dimensions shined on that one! Big Top Scooby-Doo! gets an honorable mention. The wildest thing to happen in the movies has got to be when the Mystery Machine became “The Monstrous Machine” in Scooby-Doo! and the Goblin King, and I refuse to further discuss anything related to that movie. Then there’s the following…

Just… just turn off your brain and try to enjoy the movie. And I thought What’s New Scooby-Doo?-era movies were ridiculous…

I was not happy when the Mystery Machine got blown up in Scooby-Doo! Frankencreepy (who the heck comes up with these lame titles?!). They were really trying to capture the edginess of Scooby-Doo: Mystery Incorporated. The only thing that this movie did well was to highlight how important the Mystery Machine is to not only Fred (who was devastated), but to the gang, whether it’s moving from one place to another, to carrying trapping gear. It did get rebuilt, with some, um, extras added.

After the What’s New Scooby-Doo? era, we the see animation improve drastically, with the Mystery Machine receiving more details like the license plate, “195-343”, chrome driver and passenger rearview mirrors and a centered sunroof has been added in more recent movies, which has proven to be more than useful in action sequences. I can’t remember when that set of turn signals accompanying the taillights were added. Yes, I notice that type of stuff. A couple of the movies show it equipped with a particular dash-mounted GPS system that talks. It carries itself as if it was the Mystery Machine itself, being somewhat funny/sarcastic and shares disdain of having to deal with a dog inside of him.

Sometimes it feels like the Mystery Machine’s sole mission in life is to provide us with mechanical mayhem, not unlike a certain 1970 Dodge Charger. It doesn’t help that there’s this: Scooby-Doo! Mystery Machine Don’t Fail Me Now, a collection of five classic episodes, where the gang gets involved in a series of mysteries because the Mystery Machine suffered mechanical woes or accidents, depending on episode.

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With Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated, the Mystery Machine undergoes the same stylistic chances as the entire gang, all while retaining its classic good looks. The biggest exterior change is the addition of rear windows (perfect to see what’s chasing ya). The bumpers look bigger, a single exhaust and respective cutout was added, the rear lights are now mounted on the barn doors (even with the aid of computer animation, there are a couple of animation mistakes from time to time involving those last two), rearview mirrors and there’s actually a “hood” in front. Its license plate reads “Crystal Cove 345-600”, meaning that the series takes place in Crystal Cove, California, not Coolsville (no, I did not make that up).

Being that it’s Fred’s, it’s equipped with gadgetry, including a glue gun of classic Batman proportions hidden behind the spare tire, and traps like a laser security system bear traps and circular saws and a glove compartment-activated passenger ejection seat! More than once the Mystery Machine has become part of a trap. It’s mentioned that it has a tricky carburetor, and that a one needs to be careful during start-up or else the engine will be flooded (gotta love those details).

In this very, very, very polarizing series, things get serious for the team. The Mystery Machine doesn’t escape this because it’s just a machine. From accompanying Fred during the disbandment of Mystery Inc., being driven hastily through traffic, getting shot at by ghost bullets, trying to escape a herd of mutant cattle, getting its engine stolen, going haywire where crop circles were found, chased while in reverse on rooftops, balconies and through city hall; bumped and run off the canyon road by a Ghost Rig, getting picked up by unexplained phenomena, appeared to have been blown to bits, sideswiping a car while being chased by an undead, scooter-riding Ska group; to even surviving what appeared to be a post-apocalyptic parallel universe; it may have probably gotten the workout of its existence!

The Mystery Machine’s swan song in this series came when it was transformed overnight as an assault vehicle complete with body armor, tank tracks, Messala-style hub-mounted spikes, propeller-type bladed defense mechanism/spare tire cover and b*tch-slapping robotic arm, all remote-controlled from Shaggy’s Mom’s car. It even sounded powerful, too.  

There’s one more feature: a self-destruct mechanism. When trapped, the van came under gunfire and in order to save the townsfolk, Fred reluctantly blew it up. While holding the smoking spare tire cover, Daphne consoled him with kind words while Mystery Inc. watched the burning carcass in the distance: The humble Mystery Machine became a trap that in turn became a fighting chance for the gang and townsfolk to live.

Without going too deep into the crazy details, at the wild end of the series, the Mystery Machine appeared as just a white-ish panel van. It was probably stone-stock, too. Given that the gang was going to solve mysteries along the way to college, the Mystery Machine needed to look the part. Fred painted the blue while Shaggy did the green. Scooby did the graphics stenciling and Daphne applied them, while Velma painted them orange. Scooby and Shaggy detailed the hubcabs (they could be either dinner platters or regular hubcaps with work done that Shag and Scoob just used to eat burgers off). This is evidence to prove that this was a team effort and a labor of love. Now the Mystery Machine looked the part, ready to accompany Mystery Inc. across the country with a renewed zest for mysteries.

With the ending of Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated TV series, the meddling kids have earned their rest… at least until the new series, Be Cool, Scooby-Doo!goes on air this year, where they will all go through a major stylistic change, with the Mystery Machine getting some modern amenities, more gadgets than ever before (thanks to Fred) more action sequences, and even a minivan-style sliding passenger door!

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Over the years, the Mystery Machine has been immortalized in toy form, oftentimes the product looking nothing like the original. Sometimes toymakers will get the overall shape right, but alter the color-scheme to relate it to the underwhelming flavor-of-the-moment movies (Transformers fans can relate to this). But that’s not always the case. From Johnny Lightning and Hot Wheels die-casts -including having the honor of lending its image for a San Diego Comic-Con exclusive-; quality Polar Lights model kits, official LEGO kits, to its most faithful tribute as a stylish DVD box, the Mystery Machine’s looks will be remembered well.

Throughout the decades, for better or worse, the Scooby-Doo franchise had stood the test of time up until today, going through many iterations and even surviving the Warner Bros. take-over merger with Hanna-Barbera. Many H-B cartoons haven’t been as lucky (some of them bestowed a fate far worse than death: becoming a parody on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim.)

If this new series, as well as the consistent string of quality, family-friendly, direct-to-DVD movies suggest anything, mysteries will cross Mystery Inc.’s path, and you can bet that the Mystery Machine will take them to seek the answers hidden in the clues.

 

 --Tigerstrypes

References:

-Top Mystery Machine pic from www.foreignpolicy.com (lolwut)

-Mystery Machine reference sheet and car-wash pic from www.cartoonwatcher.com

-Comic-books covers from www.scoobydoo.wikia.com and www.clzimages.com

-Off-road Mystery Machine from www.autos.msn.com

-Rocket Mystery Machine from http://scoobyaddicts.proboards.com

-Mystery Machine Don’t Fail Me Now from http://randomthoughts.club

-Armored Mystery Machine from www.thiel-a-vision.com
-Go-go-gadjet Mystery Machine from www.imcdb.com

-Mystery Inc. driving off into the sunset pic from Tumblr.

-The rest of the pics are printscreens.

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