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If you’re in the market for a used large van with very low mileage that stands apart from most of the other used van offering out there, you might want to take a look at this one on eBay, which is selling under the headline “1989 Ford E-Series Van E-350 Dully”. It becomes more intriguing when you look at the subtitle, which reads covert special weapons and tactics unit vehicle.
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The seller’s not kidding: the manufacturer’s product identity plate identifies it as exactly as a covert special weapons and tactical unit vehicle manufactured by the now-defunct Florida-based Phoenix Worldwide Industries Inc.:
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Wikileaks has an interesting little tidbit on Phoenix Industries’ secrecy, and how Venezuela’s Director General of Military Intelligence bought millions of dollars of spy equipment from them.
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Here’s how the seller describes the vehicle:
This Command Vehicle Would Work Perfectly For The Prmivate [sic] Investigator
– New Tires – Six (6) / (2)-Front Tires & (4)-Rear Tires Recently
– ALL Equipment In The Photos Are Included In The Price
– Full Door Entrance On The Passenger Side For The Command Area
– Rear Door Entrance For The Command Area
– Inside Door Access Through The Driver & Passenger Cab Area
– Command Mounted Chair – Very Comfortable
– Plenty Of Storage Areas – Under The Padded Bench Seats And Wall Storage
– Cameras 360 Degrees
– Escape Door From Inside The Command Area
– Can Be Upgravded [sic] With Today’s Technology
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– Very Roomy And Comfortable – I Am 6′ 2″ Tall And I Can Move Freely Standing Erect In The Command Area
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(I must admit, if I had my own covert ops vehicle, I’d be erect every time I was in it, too.)
You might be surprised at the mileage on the van: it’s a mere 3,457 miles. It’s not a typo; someone asked, and the seller confirmed that:
Q: your ad says 34 hundred miles…is that correct? Also..is the rear air conditioned?
A: Yes–This vehicle ONLY HAS 3,457 Three Thousand Four Hundred and Fifty Seven Original Miles. YES–There is air conditioning and many other communications items in Command Center Area–Pictures were taken from inside the vehicle.
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If you’ve watched any police procedural TV show or movie featuring a special investigations unit, the van’s exterior look pretty much as you’d expect: a plain white Ford Van with an expanded rear body. The interior is also as you’d expect — for a couple of decades ago, in terms of both styling and technology. Still, most of it would serve a private investigator (or creep) very well.
Note that the van appears to come with three phone lines: a main line, a phone line for negotiators, and a phone like for hostages. There are also a number of surveillance cameras:
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If you can head over to Sanford, North Carolina to pick it up, this just might be the biggest used car deal you’ll ever get!
Thanks to Danny O’Brien for the find!