Chrysler rolled out its first minivan in 1984, but the idea dated back to the 1930s. The 1935 Stout Scarab was a rear-wheel-drive, rear-engine van with amenities including a card table, seating for six, polished wood trim, and a wicker headliner. Only nine of the vans were produced.
Designer William Bushnell Stout worked on planes and trains as well as cars. He was instrumental in the design of the Ford Tri-Motor – the most successful airplane of the era.