Toyota Hiace Van Done Shop Truck Style

[oldcarfan]

This my build of the Tamiya Toyota Hiace kit from 1983.

Backstory, I bought the kit from the original owner at a hobby show in 2019. I promised the guy I would build it and not just let it sit on the shelf. I ended up getting to it just as COVID was starting. I got sick and put it away. Ended up having COVID three times, so that was great. The van has been on the shelf since then taunting me and I finally got it done. 

I finally pulled it down last weekend and started it as a shop truck. It was going to be Tamiya Blue but the first coat ate through the primer and left the finish pitted. Rather than put it away again I stripped it and started over. This time I finished it in grey and BareMetaled the sides. I planned to drop it a lot more but can't go any lower without major surgery. The wheels and tires are leftovers from the Datsun Box truck I finished last week. I used the lowrider wheels on the Aoshima tires. They look too small but I don't really want to change them. Maybe later.

The decals are mostly self-printed. I was going for a used old truck that had been given a new life. Eventually I'll do some weathering on it. The interior is sticker bombed and the driver left his backpacks in there. The rear is was paneled with a stolen borrowed billboard. 

So that's that for this build. Now I need to see if I can find one of those Heller Citroen vans. 

[bondo bill]

that's out of this world man kool

[Jim B]

That's pretty neat.  Well done

[drugsarebad420]

On 8/27/2025 at 7:07 PM, oldcarfan said:

This my build of the Tamiya Toyota Hiace kit from 1983.

Backstory, I bought the kit from the original owner at a hobby show in 2019. I promised the guy I would build it and not just let it sit on the shelf. I ended up getting to it just as COVID was starting. I got sick and put it away. Ended up having COVID three times, so that was great. The van has been on the shelf since then taunting me and I finally got it done. 

I finally pulled it down last weekend and started it as a shop truck. It was going to be Tamiya Blue but the first coat ate through the primer and left the finish pitted. Rather than put it away again I stripped it and started over. This time I finished it in grey and BareMetaled the sides. I planned to drop it a lot more but can't go any lower without major surgery. The wheels and tires are leftovers from the Datsun Box truck I finished last week. I used the lowrider wheels on the Aoshima tires. They look too small but I don't really want to change them. Maybe later.

The decals are mostly self-printed. I was going for a used old truck that had been given a new life. Eventually I'll do some weathering on it. The interior is sticker bombed and the driver left his backpacks in there. The rear is was paneled with a stolen borrowed billboard. 

So that's that for this build. Now I need to see if I can find one of those Heller Citroen vans. 

absolute PIMPMOBILE!

[ChrisR]

COOL!