ALAMANCE COUNTY, N.C. — Burlington veteran Kevin Coombs is saying goodbye to his custom-painted Scooby Doo Mystery Machine.

The 1966 Ford Econoline has been driven 300,000 miles, and it's taken Coombs all over the country. Sadly, he's saying goodbye, but the Mystery Machine's journey isn't over.

What You Need To Know

  • Kevin Coombs owned his Mystery Machine van for 15 years

  • He can't drive it anymore because of medical conditions

  • So he listed it on Facebook Marketplace and was connected with a man from Florida who wanted to buy it

Coombs bought the Mystery Machine because he wanted a project after he was medically discharged from the Army. 

"It keeps your mind focused on more than just the bad stuff," Coombs said. "My nickname Shaggy came along after I bought the van. I started driving it around and I changed my appearance to kind of match Shaggy's, wearing green shirts, brown pants, and I had to goatee.”​

Unfortunately Coombs hasn't driven the van in about three years because of medical conditions, including slowly losing his eyesight. That's why he listed the van for sale on Facebook Marketplace.

"I'd rather have it be enjoyed and be seen and experienced by somebody else, than just sit in my garage and rot," Coombs said."I'd rather have it be enjoyed and be seen and experienced by somebody else, than just sit in my garage and rot," Coombs said.

The buyer, Kyle Raymond, thought it was serendipitous to take the van off the market.

Just days before it was listed, Raymond licensed his company, Mystery Soap Co. He thought the van would be a great way to brand his business, so he drove up from Florida to buy it.

“Long story short, I've always kind of been into vehicles.," Raymond said. "I really hope to preserve beyond my lifetime."

Raymond also wants to use the van and his business to help others.

"In homage to the 22 veterans a day we lose to suicide, 22% of our profits will be donated to veteran charities," Raymond said.

He plans to tour the Mystery Machine around North Carolina, in tribute to where it's spent the last 15 years.

"It's cool to me that it's going to live on, somebody else is going to enjoy it and get to spread a little joy with it," Coombs said.