Any Chance AMT Might Backdate The Dodge Van?

[Luc Janssens]

Oopsy

Edited September 8, 2024 by Luc Janssens

[1972coronet]

9 hours ago, CapSat 6 said:

Maybe make the doghouse cover and the hood separate pieces to give builders options, but really, I don’t think that would be worth the effort. 

I believe that a compromise would do the trick : optional,  clear doghouse and an optional clear hood . 

I agree with your assessment , and thank you for presenting a more detailed approach to my (unintentionally) lacking "1971-1977 [&] 1978-c.1983" proposal.

[Edsel-Dan]

Wish the police part were still in the Dodge van kit.

That's how I built mine way back when.

Still have not started the Cannonball issue.

 

Forgot a third kit I have, The Cutom camper/party issue.

Painted her white over gold and addedthe large sunroof over the back 2/3rds of the roof.

Used the couch, bed & curtain divider behind the front seats

[CapSat 6]

11 hours ago, 1972coronet said:

I believe that a compromise would do the trick : optional,  clear doghouse and an optional clear hood . 

I agree with your assessment , and thank you for presenting a more detailed approach to my (unintentionally) lacking "1971-1977 [&] 1978-c.1983" proposal.

Didn’t mean to flex, I just know more about those vans than I should  

Everybody seems to like the ‘72-‘78 generation (they really are ?!) but it should be known that the little details on these (especially on a ‘78) can be tricky. 

Edited September 9, 2024 by CapSat 6

[Brian Austin]

I'll be the odd one out and suggest a release as a curbside would be fine.  ?

[leafsprings]

Sometimes we become victims of so called "progress". The automotive industry tries to improve their products for efficiency: plastics replace metal, smoother lines replace less aerodynamic designs, then the model industry follows the pattern with newer modern tooling and tosses the older tooling. We often loose the older designs we like better, modelers don't care about gas mileage efficiency.

Edited September 9, 2024 by leafsprings

[CapSat 6]

Pics of the twin engine drag parts from the ‘78 annual. More or less the same as the ones in the ‘72 and ‘73 kits. 

Edited September 10, 2024 by CapSat 6

[CapSat 6]

Pics of the workshop cabinets and boards from the ‘74-‘77ish kits (I’m not sure exactly which ones came with these…

 

[CapSat 6]

The roof rack and skylight from the ‘77 kit; the custom front end, hood scoop and tire holder from the ‘74-‘76 kits. They actually changed the grille pattern once for the custom grille set up…

[CapSat 6]

Posters from the earlier kits. I think these came in the non-annual “West Coast Custom” and a few others…

[Brian Austin]

Back in the '80s or maybe '90s I saw a Dodge custom van kit at a job lots store (Building #19 here in MA) but I didn't get it.  I think it was from a fire sale lot, as I think it was still damp.

[ClassicDarts]

On 9/5/2024 at 9:25 PM, Hondamatic said:

Yes, they're different among the existing kits too

Which issues are the bottom one and the third from the bottom? '77? Those are the only ones with an accurate roof stamping for a '71-77 model (with the U-shaped outer ribs)

Interesting that they would change that detail and make it more accurate so late in the run. '78 onward is like what's on the middle one.

Edited September 11, 2024 by ClassicDarts

[Hondamatic]

11 minutes ago, ClassicDarts said:

Which issues are the bottom one and the third from the bottom? '77? Those are the only ones with an accurate roof stamping for a '71-77 model (with the U-shaped outer ribs)

Interesting that they would change that detail and make it more accurate so late in the run. '78 onward is like what's on the middle one.

The bottom one is my "rip off van" that I posted in the "under glass" board. Not sure what what issue, but it's one with the later grille and workshop interior. The 3rd from the bottom is the "truckin usa" one and has the portholes cut out already

Edited September 11, 2024 by Hondamatic

[ClassicDarts]

Ah, ok. I was just guessing. The only version of any of these that I have is the '82 Bad Company one... always wanted a 70's issue, but couldn't justify the hefty price they typically go for (on ebay at least)

so, it seems (from what I can tell) that from the beginning, up to the 1975 annual they have the one where it's just blank where the front doors start. Then they made it more accurate for the ones after that. Then, they changed it again for '78 as it also changed on the 1:1's that year.

Edited September 11, 2024 by ClassicDarts

[Hondamatic]

5 hours ago, ClassicDarts said:

Ah, ok. I was just guessing. The only version of any of these that I have is the '82 Bad Company one... always wanted a 70's issue, but couldn't justify the hefty price they typically go for (on ebay at least)

so, it seems (from what I can tell) that from the beginning, up to the 1975 annual they have the one where it's just blank where the front doors start. Then they made it more accurate for the ones after that. Then, they changed it again for '78 as it also changed on the 1:1's that year.

The 2 with the cut out roofs are '78s. I love these 70s dodges and most times I'll just buy bad rebuilders and piece them together with '82 cuttings 

Here's an idea, 70s or 90s dodge cargo vans with flashed over window openings, and window units that have the trim molded on so it's a little more elegant than the amt 70s vans. Hell, let's do this with the chevy ones too.

 

Tradesman, Sportsman, and Plymouth Voyager decals too???

 

Hello @SteveG put me down for a case ??????

Edited September 12, 2024 by Hondamatic

[Brian Austin]

I think it's interesting the 1:1 van changed roof stampings so often in the first place.

[ClassicDarts]

7 minutes ago, Brian Austin said:

I think it's interesting the 1:1 van changed roof stampings so often in the first place.

It is, yeah. It's just weird to me that they even bothered doing that, but the tooling even to this day still has the '71 lower side contour and trim. lol

Edited September 11, 2024 by ClassicDarts

[Hondamatic]

Ironic that they never had that Dodge lettering on the hood in that font either... I think? 

 

Oh, here's another idea. Engraved lines inside the body, interior, chassis to cut to make a shorty "for advanced modelers"

Edited September 11, 2024 by Hondamatic

[ClassicDarts]

27 minutes ago, Hondamatic said:

Ironic that they never had that Dodge lettering on the hood in that font either... I think? 

they did, from '74 onward. It's just that MPC used a really tall, skinny font for some reason... more like a '66 Coronet's hood letters, than what they actually have. Which, I think, are the same as what '70s pickups had... or at least very similar.

 

edit: ? YES! A100. Much better example.  And yeah, that would explain it. Also, missed the keywords "in that font" in your post... making this reply pointless. haha oops. ?‍♂️

Edited September 11, 2024 by ClassicDarts

[Hondamatic]

1 minute ago, ClassicDarts said:

they did, from '74 onward. It's just that MPC used a really tall, skinny font for some reason... more like a '66 Coronet's hood letters, than what they actually have. Which, I think, are the same as what '70s pickups had... or at least very similar

Yeah looks like the A100 van emblems. Maybe MPC got it off a Dodge preproduction van or something 

[Can-Con]

Did you guys know Detail Junkies has the Dodge "Street Van" emblems in their '70s van photoetch set?

[crowe-t]

On 9/5/2024 at 7:55 PM, Hondamatic said:

Yes, they're different among the existing kits too

Can you post some pictures of the two bottom shorty conversions?

[Hondamatic]

1 hour ago, crowe-t said:

Can you post some pictures of the two bottom shorty conversions?

The second one is a '78 done by Mike Platypus on Instagram, he left it a little long because he would otherwise have to cut a corner out of the side door. I cut down an '82 interior bucket to make it more accurate. The last one is my rip off van seen here. Probably a '76 or something?

 

[crowe-t]

7 hours ago, Hondamatic said:

The second one is a '78 done by Mike Platypus on Instagram, he left it a little long because he would otherwise have to cut a corner out of the side door. I cut down an '82 interior bucket to make it more accurate. The last one is my rip off van seen here. Probably a '76 or something?

 

Thanks for posting the pictures.

[ClassicDarts]

On 9/8/2024 at 12:44 PM, Luc Janssens said:

Bingo!

Dunno why, but that movie made me aware of this model van (remember I'm from Belgium and was 11 at the time) still prefer the design of the Dodge over it's competitors.

Hilarious. I missed this whole tangent within this post.

I've never seen the movie from start to finish, but I have seen parts of it. Where the guy driving the Dodge van puts on an 8-track tape of this weird, atonal music (sounds like a fiddle with a sort of flanger effect on it) whenever he goes after his victims. lol

I agree though, I've always thought the 70's Dodge vans were a lot cooler-looking than Ford's or GM's.