Since its inception in 2011, Bandit9 has become one of the most revered custom motorcycle shops in the world. Headquartered out of Ho Chi Minh City and headed up by Daryl Villanueva—an advertising creative director turned bespoke bike builder—the shop is famous for its ultra-distinctive sci-fi and space-age-inspired aesthetic shared across all of its builds, which makes its bikes instantly-recognizable. After carving out its place in the pantheon of elite custom moto shops, Villanueva has taken on a new challenge, setting his sights on the world of custom automobiles and launching a new coachbuilding division of Bandit9 known as VAN DARYL Gallery. Following VAN DARYL’s inaugural project—a fully-electric Batmobile—the custom car shop has now debuted its next build with the aptly-named War Truck.
The Basis & Basics
Bandit9’s work has always been influenced by where it’s located. Being based in Vietnam, the shop has unparalleled access to small displacement, air-cooled Honda models, which it utilizes as the basis and donors for the vast majority of its custom bikes. In a similar vein, its VAN DARYL’s latest project was also spurred on by its geographical location.
After the Vietnam War, hundreds of U.S. Army Jeeps were abandoned in and around Vietnam, left to rust and decay. This got the wheels turning inside the head of Villanueva, who recognized that these tough-as-nails Jeeps could make for a particularly interesting restomod—especially if given the shop’s signature sci-fi-inspired treatment. And it was this concept that the War Truck was born out of.
Battle-Tested Donors
Once getting one of these retired Army Jeeps into the shop, VAN DARYL started to strip down the vehicle in order to determine which components would be replaced and which could be left in-play. Consequently, the truck was torn down to the chassis, which has been reinforced using a steel and aluminum integrated frame. From there, it was refitted with an independent coil spring suspension setup offering nearly 10” of ground clearance. Though it retains the donor’s admittedly antiquated front and rear drum brakes, the War Truck has been bestowed with a custom set of steelie-inspired forged alloy wheels with some light aero-disc influence.
A Reskinned Workhorse
The design philosophy behind the War Truck centered on purpose and functionality—just like the original donor. Infusing this ethos with the shop’s hallmark sci-fi-inspired motif has ultimately given way to the War Truck. Beautifully blending old and new visual themes, the truck sports a custom body made from an amalgamation of ultra-high-strength steel and aluminum. This boxy design has been supplemented via lightly-flared fenders, blatantly retro-inspired all-LED head and taillights, a bespoke steel bumper with a tow-hook/winch cutout, a rectangular windshield, matching rectangular mirrors, and a rear-mounted full-size spare. Ultra-low-cut doors with wood handles also adorn the outside of the truck, along with side-running exhausts that culminate in mufflers poking out just in front of the rear wheels.
Under The Hood
Rather than dropping in an LS or Coyote engine, VAN DARYL opted to keep things original by pulling and rebuilding the donor’s original 2.3-liter four-banger. Cranking out 71hp and 128ft-lbs of torque, the motor allows the War Truck to reach a top speed of 100mph—and deliver a range of 300 miles per tank. The engine is available with an automatic or manual transmission, plus the shop is giving buyers the option to upgrade the mill to more powerful options, including a fully electric powertrain.
Moving Inside
Sporting an open-top setup, the interior of the War Truck is absolutely stunning. Maintaining the spartan, purpose-built theme present on the thing’s exterior, the cabin features modern sport seats, bespoke knobs and switches throughout, a bevy of fine wood inserts, a custom shift knob, an infotainment display, air conditioning, a modern sound system, and a bespoke steering wheel set in front of a panoramic LED instrument cluster. Taking inspiration from yachts, the rear cargo area behind the seats has been trimmed in teak-style wood decking, offering functionality while also classing things up. Because each unit is crafted on a built-to-order basis, customers are given a wide range of configurable options to choose from.
Hard Numbers
The War Truck spans 165.35” in length, stands at 62.99” tall, and is 72.98” wide. Tipping the scales at around 2,350lbs, the vehicle’s wheelbase also measures in at 112.2”.
Why We Love It
There’s a multitude of reasons that VAN DARYL’s War Truck really speaks to us. It does a phenomenal job of both updating and paying homage to its donor, as it now boasts an objectively sleek appearance while still being recognizable as an old Army Jeep. In typical VAN DARYL/Bandit9 fashion, it displays a meticulous level of attention to detail, and is packed with small bespoke touches that come together to really elevate the vehicle as a whole.
What’s more, unlike a certain controversial Tesla pickup, the War Truck manages to deliver an ultra-boxy, neo-retro design that legitimately looks fantastic—both inside and out. There’s also something we love about seeing an accomplished custom builder step out of their comfort zone and take on new challenges—especially when the end result looks this good.
Straight From The (War) Horse’s Mouth
“The War Truck isn’t just some homage or remake,” explains Villanueva. “They’re made from real Vietnam War jeeps that served in the U.S. Army and saw actual combat. To call it a ‘restoration’ would be an oversimplification. It is reimagined, rehabilitated, revived, and refined. The War Truck honors its predecessor’s DNA but has modernized proportions, a handcrafted and fully customizable interior, updated instruments, and upgraded handling and performance.”
Spec Sheet
Chassis: Aluminum & Steel Integrated Frame
Body: Ultra High-strength Steel & Aluminum
Engine: 2.3L Inline-Four (or EV Powertrain)
Power: 71HP & 128FT-LBs
Top Speed: 100MPH
Transmission: Manual or Auto
Range: 300 Miles
Overall Dimensions: 165.35” x 62.99” x 72.98”
Wheelbase: 112.2”
Ground Clearance: 9.84”
Weight: 2,358.9LBs
Pricing & Availability
Individually built on a made-to-order basis, VAN DARYL Gallery’s War Truck is available for order now, with pricing and additional info available upon request.
Recap
War Truck by Van Daryl
Bandit9’s new automotive coachbuilding division unleashes a neo-retro, open-top project known as the War Truck that’s inspired by and constructed around vintage U.S. Army Jeeps.
