MPC Barnabas Vampire Van

[Mark]

The '33 panel truck seems to be one of those things that "nearly everyone who wants one, has one". A buddy of mine had a clean builtup for sale last year: complete, unpainted, easily disassembled, even the unused decal sheet was included. It was cheaper than the conversion parts alone would be whenever a resin caster offers them. We set up together at three or four shows before he sold it. I'd have grabbed it myself, but I've got enough parts to make three or four now...probably two or three more than I'll ever get to. That said, the Vampire Van body does still fit the '32 Chevy fenders, and actually looks kind of neat in its own right...

[Chuck Most]

I don think I'm gonna hold my breath waiting for Round2 to turn this back into a '32 Panel. Remember how they listened to everybody who hated the Jolly Roger and wanted it turned back into the Beverly Hillbillies Olds? Well, they did exactly that... and that kit was pretty much a monumental failure, sales-wise.

[Mark]

I don think I'm gonna hold my breath waiting for Round2 to turn this back into a '32 Panel. Remember how they listened to everybody who hated the Jolly Roger and wanted it turned back into the Beverly Hillbillies Olds? Well, they did exactly that... and that kit was pretty much a monumental failure, sales-wise.

It was RC2 that brought back the Beverly Hillbillies Oldsmobile, a couple years before Round 2 entered the picture. But logic would dictate that the folks at Round 2 would look at something like that when formulating their decisions about the tooling they now own...

[Chuck Most]

It was RC2 that brought back the Beverly Hillbillies Oldsmobile, a couple years before Round 2 entered the picture. But logic would dictate that the folks at Round 2 would look at something like that when formulating their decisions about the tooling they now own...

Yes, indeed. Now, Round 2 DID bring back the chopped and phonebooth bodies for the '25 T Double Kits, so I suppose it isn't an all-out impossiblility. I'd have to say it's more likely they'd tool up a new Panel body, rear floor, and doors for the Cabriolet somwhere down the line, rather than start over with the Vampire Van kit. I suppose it all depends on if there's any demand.

[Rob Hall]

Yes, indeed. Now, Round 2 DID bring back the chopped and phonebooth bodies for the '25 T Double Kits, so I suppose it isn't an all-out impossiblility. I'd have to say it's more likely they'd tool up a new Panel body, rear floor, and doors for the Cabriolet somwhere down the line, rather than start over with the Vampire Van kit. I suppose it all depends on if there's any demand.

I would think a stock version would have more demand than the Vampire nonsense, but who knows..

Edited February 19, 2012 by Rob Hall

[tim boyd]

Unless there are parts missing from Chucks photos, I see nothing other than the cab area of the body shell which remains stock. No stock headlights and headlight bar, grille, hood sides, hood side inserts (possibly the most recognizable part of a '33 Chevy), fenders-- all missing.

Contrast it to Steve Milberry's built up pictured in an older thread:

Sorry guys, my note was referring to the sedan delivery body only, from the B-pillar forward, I did not mean to imply that the Barnabas kit included the fenders, hood, etc. Those parts are found in all issues of the MPC '32 Chevy Cabriolet, which is a fairly easy kit to find amongold kit resellers.

TIM

Edited February 21, 2012 by tim boyd