Outskirtscustom's 1980 Dodge Van Project: parking solutions DEMOLITION!

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I had a 74 ( I think ) Duster years ago. It had the slant-6 and an auto trans. I bought it when I was learning how to paint. Didn't drive it much at all really. For the wheels, I used the stock 14" steelies on the front. The rears were made for me by a guy I knew w/ a race shop. We removed the center of the wheel from the rim and put it in a 8" wide Chevy truck rally rim. The car and the wheels were painted the same single stage, industrial grade gloss black. I put new chrome lug nuts on all around and new bearing/dust caps on the front spindles that were an anodized silver steel. So to paint the whole picture, black car, black steel wheels with chrome lugnuts. I redyed the interior a light tan. The car was a slug but it looked cool driving down the road. I got more compliments on the wheels than anything else. And in all honesty, if I hadn't found those Cragar SS wheels at such a steal I would've done the same thing for my Ranger. Maybe down the road i will...


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And something else I forgot to mention was about painting your van....

What about contacting a local high school art or vocational auto body class about doing some paint work? It gives them real hands on experience. You can give a basic design of what you want and allow them some liberties in an area. I'm a big supporter of programs like this that help student programs. Just a thought....


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Chips_Mahoy said:
And something else I forgot to mention was about painting your van....

What about contacting a local high school art or vocational auto body class about doing some paint work? It gives them real hands on experience. You can give a basic design of what you want and allow them some liberties in an area. I'm a big supporter of programs like this that help student programs. Just a thought....


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I have thought of that as my nephew is in auto tech and has friends in auto body.
 
outskirtscustoms said:
I have thought of that as my nephew is in auto tech and has friends in auto body.
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Good thinking! I go to a tech school (electrical) and we love production work! :rockout:
 
Little more progress: I peeled back the passenger side rear paneling and started the removal of nasty insulation from that corner.









Lots of nasty


Ok, I got bored


Here's a sneak peek of the carpet I got for free from the carpet store's trash. It has flecks of tan, blue, gold, and will serve well till I find something better.


Another view


By the way it's like 27 degrees outside right now
 
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I like the ratrod look. What's awesome is it has no chrome. You might be able to fit the 17in steelies from the magnum/300 cars. Maybe a bull bar with driving lights. I think if you go to a truck stop you can find those mesh headlight covers.
 
Also kinda thinking of trying to find a more modern front bumper with the little built in bull bars like this one. Then also a chrome rear bumper to match but that's after I get everything else done.

1983-mini-ram.jpg
 
It was fairly warm out today so I got the last of the insulation and paneling torn out of the van, Soon as trash comes tomorrow I'm gonna sweep out the van again and finally be done with this nasty stuff.







This panel was pushed in but popped right back out when I kicked it from the inside, still needs a little massaging to get it perfect but don't look bad.
 
Well after seeing the grill I got for the van (Big thanks to Vannin.com member Vanner68) with a few broken slats in the grill I think I know the feel I'm going to do. Kinda mad max feel but refined a little. I'm going to cut out the rest of the smaller slats of the grill so it is only the main bars and vertical bars then I will back it with expanded metal mesh. As far as paint I was thinking black but with the heat in the summer and no A/C I am going to go with black on the body then from the window line up silver and from the wheel arch line down the same silver with a red pinstripe to separate it. Like this but the two silver shades will match, I was trying to find a silver color in microsoft paint and kept getting grey or dirty white.








The grill will be trimmed to look like this then backed with steel mesh
 
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Cleaning up nicely! I like the plans.
 
Well today I started getting the back corner pushed back into place and for my redneck methods I got it pretty darn close, close enough to patch the floor anyway which was what I was shooting for. I'll finish up the body work later.

Here's what I started with, pretty deep dent and pushed in quite a bit.

Here's how I got the majority of the dent pushed back into place. Nothing fancy but it works.



Not too shabby, now to dig out the body working tools.



 
LukeTheJoker said:
Nice work so far!

Luke.
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Thanks, it has been tough but very rewarding. Hopefully I can raise some money over this next bike flipping season and finish the van out nice. I've mainly been focusing on the things that don't require money like beating the dents out, cleaning, and ripping out a previous owner's bad ideas. Now I'm kinda getting into things that cost money or require waiting till the ground drys out so I can get under the van.
 
I got the black paint over-spray off the driver's side turn signal I was given so now after I get some silver paint and paint the grill and touch up the trim on the turn signals I will be ready to install the grill and turn signals and the front end will be complete!
 
I found out some more history on my van, turns out a guy who lives 2 blocks from my house used to drive it for Mobile Radio 30 years ago and recognized it. He told me it was bought brand new for Mobile Radio and had a power inverter in the back, described the work bench and every modification to a T. He said it was always maintained by the dealer except for oil changes and such which they did themselves. It was always stored inside a heated garage and was washed weekly, The van was used to go from town to town repairing communications circuits and he said it has definitely been over 100K miles so it is more than likely 138,000 miles but all highway miles and well cared for. Also found out what that toggle switch in the dash is for, he wired in a "Fast idle switch" that feeds 12 volts to the throttle something or other and it goes from 600RPM to 1,000RPM so it wouldn't run down the battery with the inverter going.

The van was retired in 1987 when it was sold to the guy who owned a Studebaker parts shop here in town and he hadn't seen it since. The Studebaker shop went belly up that same year the guy bought the van so the van sat in that garage till it was pulled out this year and I bought it. I had a blast talking with the guy and learning the entire history of the van.
 
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