Tinkle Tube and other Treasures

If you do this work, adapting vehicles for persons with disabilities, you run into some really strange things.

Back in the 70's and early 80's we regularly got requests from disabled drivers to drill a hole in the floorboards in the driver's area. The drill, so to speak, was to make a half inch hole, edge it with a grommet and insert a bolt to act as a cork for this little piece of technology. The guys who were really creative would weld a steel loop to the bolt head so the driver could easily remove the bolt.

The purpose of removing the bolt was to access the outside so the drain end of a legbag could be inserted into the hole.

Freedom is the open road, a big van, a jug of water and never having to stop to empty your urinary collection device. It was an amazing time.

We can add to our list of strange things we did a tire cover with the Budman cartoon figure balancing a beer can on his middle finger and saying "This one's for you." We also had a larger than life-sized and better endowed topless nude on the side of a black van.

I'll add more as I think of more, but we did and saw some strange things back then.
KB

2008 Chrysler Minivan Advertising

Thanks to our good friends at Chrysler and the fact that I own a 2005 Town and County minivan, I am the lucky recipient of the advertising package for the 2008 redesign.

It's an impressive piece of advertising and specifications, but it does not mention adapting this vehicle or Chrysler's Automobility program. Along with information, the Automobility Program gives up to $1,000.00 towards the price of the conversion.

I realize Chrysler's legal department has probably told them to distance themselves from the modifiers of their products to keep the company from being drawn into any litigation involving a conversion. But, the reality is several thousand of these little vans are modified with low floor conversions every year.

People with disabilities exist, and so does their need for accessible transportation. Instead of ignoring this piece of the market, why not embrace the situation as a way to increase sales?
KB