32 Chevy Surf Van

[Tony N]

Hi All

I started this Surf Van or Vampire Van over two years ago and I would like to get done by the Western NNL. It is the Vampire Van body on a 32 Chevy fenders, which was once a 33 Chevy Panel before it was change forever into the Vampire Van MPC.

I don't normally paint the car first but I was experimenting on how it would look. I thought that the Van body didn't look like a hearse, it looked more like Art Deco anyway it is just too short for a hearse. Anyway I wish I had not painted it first because of fit issues and lack of the original paint I used. It's House of Kolor Limetime green Pearl, House of Kolor doesn't make hobby paint any more so I thought that I was out of paint. But digging around in my paint stash I found 3/4 of a can so things are looking up.

I plan to use the wheels and tires from the new Ala-Kart kit and a hop-up six for a engine. I have plans for the insides with wood panels and what ever else I can think of.

Tony N.

[Chuck Most]

Looking really good so far.

[Tony N]

Wow

I haven't posted a build in along time, I forgot to add my work on the rear door. I didn't like the curtains on the back doors so made two Tiki figures for each door. Painted them gold but I didn't like all that gold so I paint over then in the Lime-time Green pearl color of the body just enough to see some of the gold color coming thru.

I am open to any suggestions on this build.

Tony N

[Jantrix]

Wow

I am open to any suggestions on this build.

A wonderfully original build. It's right up my alley. I love what you have done so far. The only thing that pops to mind is that I would paint the "pillared?" areas on the sides and top that the surf board is resting on, to resemble wood. And the area beneath the surf shack sign. There are a few tutorials floating around to help you accomplish this.

[Dr. Cranky]

Love it, this is going to be nice . . . very unique model, plus I am cuckoo for Tiki!

[Nova-ss]

That is pretty cool.I like it.I never thought that the vampire van was that before it got turned into the vampire van.I do believe it was the Dark Shadows van that housed the main star for that show.good work,Thank you,Chris

[Chuck Most]

Chris is right... even though no such vehicle was ever used on Dark Shadows. Apparently somebody at MPC thought it would be a good tie-in anyway.

[Hypermung]

A wonderfully original build. It's right up my alley. I love what you have done so far. The only thing that pops to mind is that I would paint the "pillared?" areas on the sides and top that the surf board is resting on, to resemble wood. And the area beneath the surf shack sign. There are a few tutorials floating around to help you accomplish this.

I like the 'Wood' idea, on the side pillars, but I reckon it would (wood) REALLY stand out if it was done like a bamboo finish (somehow?).

[Foxer]

I like the subtleness of the green over the Tiki figures. And rather than wood on the sides, the same gold-green effect might work well.

[Tony N]

Thanks Guy's for the great comments and yes thanks for the suggestions. I really wanted the suggestions to get the gears turning in my head. Rod (Jantrix) suggestion on painting the pillars to look like wood, this got Glenn (Hypermung) suggestion of using Bamboo.

Making the pillars to look like Bamboo will go with theme of this Surf Tiki build. So now I am carving up some plastic to make Bamboo to cover the pillars. The nice thing about just covering the pillars is I don't have to carve up the body of the van now.

I can first see if I can make some thing that looks like bamboo. If it doesn't, I can highlight the pillars in gold like Mike (Foxer) suggested.

The picture of the back doors was blurry so retook it.

Here is what the Vampire Van or Dark Shadows van look like before.

This one show more of what it was before MPC change it forever into the Vampire Van. I wish they would make a new body and give us a 32/33 Chevy panel again. I know they have most of the molds to get there. Maybe they could make a coupe and a sedan also, like Revell did with their great 32 Fords?

Tony N