In the Hanna Barbara cartoon
Scooby Doo, Where Are You? the kids and their dog,
Scooby-Doo, solved mysteries and thwarted bad guys. They drove from mystery to mystery in the
Mystery Machine.
The Mystery Machine is the traveling home of the kids behind
Mystery Inc. The brightly coloured van is covered in painted-on flowers, proudly proclaiming that it is a child of
the sixties. On the front bumper a bright orange flower guides the way along the various adventures that the Mystery Machine goes on. It is impossible to mistake this van for anything other than the Mystery Machine, due to the bright orange lettering on the side saying "The Mystery Machine". The orange contrasts well with the
turquoise background. For a van, the Mystery Machine is a fantastic vehicle. It has taken the kids across the world and back again. Not to mention its ability to hit amazing speeds in mere seconds. Unfortunately, it is prone to breaking down in the
worst circumstances. Especially when something frightening is about to occur.
The van, although it is literally Daphne's, belongs to the entire group. Fred is the mechanic and probably the only reason that it is still running.
Shaggy and
Scooby painted it. Although we're unsure on
Velma's van assistance, it is believed that she plays an important role. Although we never directly find out what she has done, it is believed she has enhanced the van with some sort of inventions she created. Not to mention the
tracking device on the van was likely her
brainchild.
Seeing as the Mystery Machine is just a painted van, it is possible to make your own. And there are people who have done it. The thought of actually seeing the
Mystery Machine actually scares me and if it did happen, I would start driving in the other direction, very quickly.
It is interesting to note that the Mystery Machine played a smaller role in
Scooby Doo: The Movie than it does in an average episode of the
Hanna Barbara cartoon. The Mystery Machine has had multiple incarnations over the years. From Die-Cast models to mugs to computer cases, there are far too many to ever make a complete list. But it is a testament to the sheer fame of
Scooby-Doo.
An E2 Quest: Writeup Redemption submission.
Thanks to rootbeer277 for pointing out that the 80s is not the 60s... Some days, I'm nuts.
Sources:
http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/pniznik/tv/