# Help finding my next project.



## tolenmar (Dec 5, 2011)

I'd like to call on the HT community here, knowing that this is the closest thing to a network I have. I have a request. It may be a simple one.

I want to build a van. It should be from the 70's. It should have a sliding door on the side, and I don't want a simple project. I want lots of pieces to build, with lots of options. Where you all come in is to help me find such a thing. 

I'm not made of money (who is, these days?), so it can't be too expensive. I've been looking around, and I'm just not finding very many choices out there. So I want you to give me web links to your favorite stores, links to 70's vans in particular, so I can see what's available and start budgeting to pick it up.

If you want to pass on some past experience with the kit in question or if you owned one of the vans and want to share a story, please do.

The intent: I want to create a custom van (Ford or Chevy for preference, Dodge maybe. American-made, basically) complete with side art. But I also want to build one of those vans you always heard about. The one with the shag carpeting, maybe a disco ball suspended from the roof. A shag-van. A...um..._kitty_-wagon, if you get my drift. 

So help me find the right kit for it. In addition, if you have pictures of the interior of such a thing, please help me out with those as well. After all, I'll need ideas.

Doesn't that sound like a fun project?:dude:


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## CorvairJim (Dec 16, 2011)

Revellogram has recently reissued their mildly customized Chevy Van that originated in the 1970's. From what I understand and have seen of it on another website, it's a pretty decent van, considering the tooling IS from the 70's. As far as I know, the only body alteration is that the wheelwell flares are molded in, so if you don't want them you'll have some work to do to get rid of them. The sliding door is molded in place, but you should be able to figure out a way to get it to work. Study the door on a 1:1 van and copy the way that one works...

Check out this thread on the Model Cars Magazine website for one of these with an absolutely WILD custom airbrushed paintjob by Virgil "Dr. Cranky" Suarez. He's best known for his outstanding weathering techniques and his post-apocolyptic builds, but he does "shiny" real well too!

http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=55269

If you aren't regestered on the site you won't be able to comment on the forums, but it's free. I spend a lot of time over there myself.


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## tolenmar (Dec 5, 2011)

That's one nice looking van. I somehow doubt my finished work will look much like that. Mainly because I have no airbrush that works, and little experience with the one I did have before it failed on me.

I may have to be flexible about the door. So long as the end result opens, it'll be good.

I'm still looking for pics of the interior of the van so that I can see what I have to work with. I did a search for vans last night, and found a vintage kit, molded in pink, of a van that would work quite well. It was an old Charlies Angels van, but the interior pieces included a bed! Of course, being a vintage kit, it also isn't cheap.


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## Rondo (Jul 23, 2010)

There have been a lot of kits over the years that would fit but the most recent issue that I recall was the Custom Chevy van by Revell. It had a red custom paint job on the box and a lot of custom features. It had a clear roof panel to view the interior which may or may not appeal to you. It hasn't been that long since it was out but oddly I don't see any on ebay at the moment. The Car Craft custom van from back in the day looks like nearly the same kit but is pricy. The newer issue may be one to watch for.


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## tolenmar (Dec 5, 2011)

That could work


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## tolenmar (Dec 5, 2011)

Doing a search only finds me some really expensive versions. Time to keep digging.


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## irishtrek (Sep 17, 2005)

Round2 models just reissued an AMt '70s van back in January.


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## Rondo (Jul 23, 2010)

Yes and there's also a Revell 70s van out. I don't think either comes with much interior at all but that may be more fun to build yourself. The AMT van does have several nice decal options.

I looked at the Charlies Angels van and it looks like the same basic kit as the old Car Craft van. There was a Hardy Boys version as well but they look pricy.


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## Motorhead (Apr 30, 2006)

Hey Tolenmar,

I have a couple of 70's Van kits new in the box I could part with. What is your budget? I'll see if I have anything that meets it.


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## tolenmar (Dec 5, 2011)

Thanks for the offer Motorhead. The thing is, when I mentioned it can't be too expensive, I meant it. I expected to get links to stores so I could start trying to save up the cost. Best I can do short notice is $20. At the same time, I already have another deal pending, so I'm reluctant to start bidding right away. I just know I haven't been terribly successful at finding them on my own.


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