[tl:gallery index=0 size=470×313]It’s one thing to think about altering the interior of your motorhome to add a personal touch or two, but customising the exterior is something else altogether — and it’s something that’s wholeheartedly embraced in Japan.

Much like the custom car scene in other parts of the world, there’s nothing that Japanese ‘vanners’ enjoy more than congregating at a racetrack of an evening to show off their crazy customisations and there’s a fascinating photo gallery of a recent get together at the Speedhunters site.

Our favourite has to be the lurid purple ‘Batvan’, if only for the sheer impracticality of its design — which seems to include part of a car body protruding from the front end.

[tl:gallery index=1]

Admittedly, the vans on show are designed more for turning heads on a midnight street cruise rather than a weekend trip away to one of the 1,000-odd ‘autocampsites’ in Japan, but the photos might give you a few ideas if you fancy a bit of a change…

[Via Speedhunters]