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85 GMC Van 8/9/17 Fixed for Fotki


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Been sanding the glue area with something like 150 grit and used J-B Weld epoxy in the end for glue.

Just try some original epoxy glue. I'm trying to figure out what would work to kinda help you out man with that hinge problem of yours. Your doing and did one heck of a very find job on the build here as I love it alot.

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  • 4 months later...

Wow! You've really nailed that interior. I especially like the seats, they really look right. I find it's the seats that make it a little harder to do a very 'stock' looking van as many van kits have anything other than stock seats.......it's the first thing I see most of the time. Your model is simply perfect, well done :

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The 8-lug wheels are resin by Ryan Silva who is a member here and sells on ebay, but Ryan's been missing for a month or two and no one seems to know whats happened to him.

The tires are from Ma's Resin. They are listed as 50's truck tires or something close. I can find exactly whet they are if you want .. just pressed for time at the moment.

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I just invested the last hour or so in reading all 20 pages. Great work and I enjoyed the saga. It rationalizes my own insanity of getting things right and doing things over that nobody else will notice! Kudos! I look forward to the completion and seeing the finished model at NNL East. You only have like 3 months! Get cranking! BTW,we did the van theme at NNL East this year because of the recent reissue of several of the old van kits and because we see a resurgence of guys building old vans like this. Just what we are looking for!

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I just invested the last hour or so in reading all 20 pages. Great work and I enjoyed the saga. It rationalizes my own insanity of getting things right and doing things over that nobody else will notice! Kudos! I look forward to the completion and seeing the finished model at NNL East. You only have like 3 months! Get cranking! BTW,we did the van theme at NNL East this year because of the recent reissue of several of the old van kits and because we see a resurgence of guys building old vans like this. Just what we are looking for!

Thanks for the comments. Tom ... I'm definitely shooting to complete this for NNL East :)

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OK ... got past a major stumbling block today and it's hell-bent-for-leather from now on!

The windows were being stubborn and I tried 3 glues with no success . all the standard ones. Then Micro-Marks Liquid PSA proved to be the answer. There was no rush applying it as it stays tacky forever. I applied it around the window openings on the body and stuck the windows on. Done in less than an hour!

window DSC 0844

Purple Windows DSC 0996

Purple Windows DSC 0995

Now it's just gluing the back door one last time and everything else will take no time. A last touch up with body paint and rust and I'M DONE! :)

Edited by Foxer
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I started reading this Back when you started. I lost track of it in Aug 2012 when my modem died!!.

No 'Net til Thanksgiving week!!!

I do like this, but wish it were an as new project & not a rust bucket!

I have built a few of these vans, and cut the rear doors out of all of the,

I don't know if they offer them again, but on my Blue Rescue van I used the

Mini Hinges from Auto World (Round2 Now) when they were still in Scranton, Pa.

The "L" shape of the pieces gives more gluing surface.

Another Idea, would have been cutting out the area of the hinge and gluing in Strip Styrene

in a thickness to match the size of the hinge piece but wider to cross over the opening more.

Drill it for the pin, then file it to shape . Not something to do on a Finish paint though.

A Better idea for that would be make Short Piano hinges out of Pie Tin.

Cut pieces in a "Comb" shape and Round over the "Teeth".

Insert the Hinge pin for correct diameter of rounding.

I can take some pic's of a 48 Ford Woody that is still in progress.

I started with the styrene hinges but they kept breaking.

The Styrene version is working for my 40 Ford S-D Rescue/Ambulance project.

Pic's I have in Photobucket only show the 40 & Chevy van with their doors open.

I need to take a couple with them closed.

Now I have the tin ones and they are holding better.

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John: silicone ... that has tenacious grip and I've used it for many things in modeling. It never dried clear enough for me, but maybe better when really thin.

Daniel: those are some great hinge ideas. With all the help I've gotten here I came to the conclusion that wrapping brass strip around a pin, similar to your pie tin idea, would have given a much better mounting surface.

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  • 2 weeks later...

OK ... this WIP will NOT die! :( The left rear door hinges came loose once more and the door was epoxied closed! I proceeded to attach all the side lights, mirrors and antenna. All interior pieces were also glued. The rear bumper had to be in place to spread the rear body for door spacing and I put some super glue on it this time thinking it was the last time ... forgetting that the body needed to be spread even more to allow the chassis to be put in place. During that attempted operation the right door lower hings popped (!) and the chassis wouldn't go in. :(

So, the glue was dissolved and the bumper removed. The left bumper bin broke off during removal and I have to fabricate a new pin from brass and aluminum rod/tubes. This is done now as photos below show.

Bumper pin DSC 1013

bumper pin  DSC3533

Now, it's just the door hinge glue ... hopefully this goes without the top hinge coming loose. Another day for the epoxy to cure and the chassis goes in and it's just paint touchup . I HOPE!

 

I think this just might make it to NNL East this year!!!!

Edited by Foxer
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OMG! This IS the last post to this story ... the van is 99.9% done!!!!!! .. really! So much thanks to everyone that has viewed, commented and encouraged me on this build. There were a lot of frustrations (one rear door is glued shut... the other works) but it was a totally fun build and my daughter is overjoyed!

Right at the end I realized I never paid attention to the windshield wipers and the A-Team wipers were the worst I've seen an any kit ... they were half circle shapes with no definition. So, some PE wipers are on the way and will be done before final studio shots. It needs some light touch up and washes but for all practical purposes .. DONE!

Here's the last photos in this thread just to see a whole van! :)

Van Final1 DSC 1025

Van Final1 DSC 1024

Van Final1 DSC 1027

Van Final1 DSC 1028

Van Final1 DSC 1029

Van Final1 DSC 1030

Edited by Foxer
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Yipee! You finished it in plenty of time for NNL East. As a beater fan, I've been watching this one take shape and I look forward to seeing it in person.

Having a grandson an hour further south of Wayne I got a ticket to ride! .. even the wife will be along for a visit to her brother in Wayne ... I love it when a plan comes together!

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... I love it when a plan comes together!

:lol: You said that... and that was Hannibal from the A-Team's line... and you started with the A-Team kit... :lol:

Seriously, though, AWESOME! I've had my eye on this one for a very long time, so great to see it so close to 100% after all this time. B)

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Mike, you can most certainly be proud of that.

I do hope you'll bring it to MassCar this year.

Unfortunately, due to a massive conflict of schedule, I will not be able to make NNL-East this year. One of my best friends from high school is getting married and this is one wedding I don't dare miss.

If you can come east on March 16-17, we'd love to have you and that van on our tables! www.masscar.com for all the details.

Charlie Larkin

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  • 3 weeks later...

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