Casey Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 This project has been long overdue, so today the 1/25 MPC '74 127" wheelbase Tradesman van body went under the knife and was shortened 18 scale inches to make it a '71-'77 109" wheelbase "shorty". Both body sections are prepped and will be joined tomorrow, then the chassis will be shortened to match. Not sure if I'm going to bother shortening the interior tub at this time, or just add some ribs to the inside walls when I fill the porthole window openings. The front suspension is one molded in blob, so that will be removed, too, as I have more reference material and hands on experience with these vans that any person should. *Warning- the image quality is poor* Before: After: A few comparison shots of the 127" w.b. versus the 109" w.b.: MPC corrected the roof for the '74 "Truckin' USA" release, as shown on the left. The earlier '73 roof, shown on the right is incorrect. I wish they wouldn't have added the porthole window openings, either. Ah well, those are easy to plug. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martinfan5 Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 Nice job on the shorting , I think I must be the only one around that does not like the shorter WB vans Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Posted September 3, 2012 Author Share Posted September 3, 2012 The porthole windows have been filled in, the body sections permanently joined, and lots of sanding/truing and scribing done: The roof depressions have yet to be sanded: Next I'll shorten the chassis/floorboards: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disabled modeler Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 Nice work Casey....Got to love the old Dodge van kits. I use to own a early 70s Dodge custom van been wanting to build one like it someday...keep up the great work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 Man, I'd forgotten they even made the short-wheelbase van. Nice job on the conversion so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobraman Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 Nice slice and dice. I much prefer the shorter vans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doogie7046 Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 Looks very cool. You did a great job on the slice and dice, nice clean cut. I hope this van will be on the reissue list. I had one as a kid and would love a couple to shorten up like you did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffb Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 back in the eafly 80's, they called the short wheel base a "mini van" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martinfan5 Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 Good job so far Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gray07 Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 Looking good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffs396 Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 Really groovy Dude Here's another one maybe AMT will reissue??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johan020 Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 You did a great job on shortening this puppy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Posted September 4, 2012 Author Share Posted September 4, 2012 I got the frame section and re-joined, and the gas tank was cut free, but I have yet to finish removing the floor sections between the framerails. I am going to attach the framerails to the underside of the interior tub, cut away the sidewalls of the tub, remove the engine cover/doghouse, and generally backdate this van to what it would've looked like stock. Below you can see why I'm removing the kit-stock front suspension. Did I mention I don't like kits with solid metal axles? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TooOld Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 Great project so far ! The short wheelbase Dodge vans look so much better . The long wheelbase is great for converions but the shortys are Party vans ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Posted September 5, 2012 Author Share Posted September 5, 2012 The framerails are permanently joined, and I've started cutting away the molded in floorboard pieces and the framerail joint plates. I will correct the framerail shapes/unions, then add the four plates are a separate piece, as on the real vans. I'll add rocker panel extensions, extend the wheel houses, and come up with a plan for the engine bay since the hood will be opened soon. Here is the frame (which should be one with the floor, being a unibody vehicle) resting against the interior tub: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gluhead Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 Nice! I'll be watching this one, Casey. One of the projects on my to-do list is my Dads old (and then my old) '76 Dodge. It went the opposite way, though, being a long wheelbase and also with the extended rear. My Dad owned a body shop all through my childhood, and it came to us wearing pee yellow house paint put on with a roller and neon blue 2 inch fur over the whole inside. lmao. When he got done with it, it was one of the first conversion vans in our neck of the woods...it's a must-do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hooknladderno1 Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 Casey, Great job on this conversion! One of these days I would love to get my hands on one of the loooong wheelbase craftsman style window vans. When I joined my squad back in '79, we had a Dodge type ll van and two Cadillac ambulances! Problem is getting photos of them. At 16, I didn't think of doing that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxer Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 Nice surgery going on here. Vans are such a blank canvas ... I'll be enjoying this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wraith Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 AWESOME WORK! I have a newer version Dodge van model, the 911 Ambulence kit, that I did the same thing to. I am going to be watching your front suspension as that was mainly why I put mine back into hibernation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darquewanderer Posted September 14, 2012 Share Posted September 14, 2012 This is nice. I'm going to be watching this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyjim Posted September 14, 2012 Share Posted September 14, 2012 This is interesting and I plan on watching the nice work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danno Posted September 14, 2012 Share Posted September 14, 2012 This is a bigger project than one would think at first. Looking good so far! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bartster Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 Very nice surgery so far. l love the shorty vans. There were SO many of these around in the '70s. To bad most are gone now. l'll keep in touch with this build, should be groovy! What year grille are you gonna use? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Posted September 20, 2012 Author Share Posted September 20, 2012 Very nice surgery so far. l love the shorty vans. There were SO many of these around in the '70s. To bad most are gone now. l'll keep in touch with this build, should be groovy! What year grille are you gonna use? Probably the '71-'73 style, but I might go with the painted steel version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crowe-t Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 Casey, Nice work so far! I actually shortened a 'Canon Ball Run' van many years ago to build as a replica of a '78 my dad had. The Canon Ball Run kit had the squarer '79 nose so I did some surgery and made it look more like the '78. Mike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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