Last year there was a truck build-off, and although I was too overwhelmed at work to come up with anything, I had set a HWs US Postal Grumman Van aside to think about. Jeeze. That has got to be one of the most characterless starting points! So I started with an image to overlay ideas and see if chopping and sloping was any good...

http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/Chopped_Postal_Van_Proposals.jpg

Sloping and chopping just made it look like a cleaned-up armored delivery-- still not much personality. The bottom image is ahead of me, as I thought the Fast Gassin from earlier this year was an artful casting and a great source for side pipes.

http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/Fast_Gassin_LHS_150.jpg

As it turns out, the Grumman box and tanker base are exactly (+/-) the same size. What better thing to give a personality-challenged piece, than an update from something oozing personality... so the Fast Gassin got chopped...
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/HW_Fast_Gassin_Parts.JPG

Here's the basic chassis:
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/HW_Fast_Gassin_Basic_Chassis.JPG

Turns out the tank and box mount are more than near exact width wise. The rear bumpers are exactly the same width, and they also attach almost the same exact way. Just a little filing...
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/Tank_vs_Box.jpg

... and so things are documented when you can't sleep:wave:

Insomnia sux. Good thing we have something to occupy ourselves.

Be sure to show us how it turns out.

Very methodical TJ,

I don't think I've seen either of these castings.

Looking good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

--CadillacPat the UnCustomizer--
Keeping the ZING in CustomiZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v483/CadillacPat/BulletProofWebcopy.jpg

I use a Sharpie to color the skin where I plan to cut, then use a scribe to lay out the lines. For this it was simple, I laid the Fast Gasser tank on the side of the box, and followed the opening. Interestingly both openings were the same height.
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/medium/Grumman_wheel_opening_marked.jpg

A little Dremel cut-off wheel and filing barrel later, I began to think maybe just putting the double rear wheel and flares would be cool... NAWWWW... not now...
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/medium/Grumman_Van_with_trimmed_rear_openings.jpg

So far this is an easy custom-- not much high tech and things sized up without effort:
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/Initial_Grumman_box_on_Fast_Gasser.JPG

The intial fitting shows I should have cut up from the front corner of the door rather than the well opening. In fact, maybe it would be simplier to just make a simple box rather than one with cab-over storage. Thing is this is customizing and since when was easy as enjoyable as "CUSTOM"?
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/Grumman_Box_initial_fit_side_view.JPG

The forward skin of the box is epoxied in place and drying now; more later...

Very cool - keep photoing the steps and we will throw that on Hot World Customs when she is done.

Nice work. I've got the Gasser casting but never thought of doing anything w/ it.

I like it! That is showing thought in this build. Cant wait to see finished!

Cool. I like what you've got going there. It's a great concept. I had to laugh when you said that this is one of the most characterless starting points for a build because a few years ago, this was my ending point. I wanted a short Grumman step van and didn't know where to find one, so I took a quarter inch out of a Johnny Lightning S.W.A.T. van to get this. There was a joke that went along with this piece in the form of decals, but I was never able to make them so I quit working on it. Actually, all this one needs is paint. Anyhow, I really like what you've got going there. Keep posting progress pics so wee can see how you work.

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg175/zeb41/000_0940.jpg

That's an awesome build! Keep us up to date :thumbsup:

Great Work & Ideas :thumbsup:

This is a great Casting for making them into Flatbed Haulers too.

I have a few on my work bench that are on the chopping block.

I thank all the responses! Being a simple build, I'm honored!

Liv-N, I could see LOTS of possibilities with the basic chassis; only the demunitive scale holds back bigger possibilities.

Zeb, the detail and WHEELS are incredible on that van!

The next step for me was to enclose the front of the box. I used A touch of JB Quick to attach a piece of styrene to the front of the box. It was either too fresh or not the best adhesive for styrene, because the panel popped off when I went to file adjustments into the shape. Super glue between the two fixed that. I used more styrene pieces to build out the shape of the box, building pieces in like stacking a house of cards. Leaving the styrene below final grade level, allows the epoxy I'll use to have some thickness without bulk. I used one last piece of styrene after this pic to close the front of the box.
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/Grumman_Box_enclosure_panels.JPG

The epoxy I've been using comes in a twin tube, and takes a bit over an hour to set. My experience is longer to set epoxies dry harder, and I like them because it sands better. Because it gets so hard, I use a razor blade to rough clean up the shape when the epoxy has solidly firmed up. In pictures the box looks pretty tweaked. I didn't notice before taking the picture, but the epoxy from the second round is still soft.
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/Fast_Movin_rough_box_inplace.JPG

The only metal to Fast Gassin' is the cab, and there's no clean way to do this custom without modifying it, and repainting. The thought of clear or tinted windows are out for a simple custom, because the windows are part of the same black plastic of the fenders. It's do-able but...

I've been holding off getting too anal with details I could do, so I'm just going to try a simple companion piece to the original HW design. Here's a snapshot of the decals I'll use on the doors and box.
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/Fast_Movin_vs_Fast_Gassin.jpg

Thanks for the kind comments, this may yet be a weekend build!

That looks so cool!

Being a truck driver by trade I have to say this looks great!!! may I suggest doing an old style coke truck you already have the black and red theme going? can't wait to this one finished keepthe pics coming!!!!

Well, it may be 3-day weekend build...

The original rear bumper on the Grumman was part chassis, part body. To top things off I need to have a rear deck extend out rather than the dip-down for the body tab. Figured I'd kill both with a single, big bumper. I set the body on a piece of the stiff #1 plastic always left over after you buy something, and gooped epoxy up where the bumper would be. The plastic made the bottom surface smooth-- less work later. I wasn't worried about the look of the upper surface yet. I was going to use a piece of wax where the body tab insert went, but a piece of Wrigley's was easier to work with. In this pic I've squared off the initial bumper pour and put the gum in place.
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/Rear_bumper_bottom_half.JPG

I cut a second piece of clear plastic to extend into the box, and wrap around either side. After gloopping more epoxy over the earlier, lower half I placed the plastic into place. pushing down I made sure the plastic was level with the box opening.
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/Rear_bumper_top_half.JPG

After the epoxy sets, I pop the plastic off, and all I have to do is form the vertical profile. The upper and lower surfaces only need some minor scuffing to make sure they're plumb and level.
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/First_draft_rear_bumper.JPG

On the inside the tab insert isn't pretty, but I have some residue to clean out yet
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/rear_body_tab_insert_recess.JPG

And so the rear bumper installment wraps up with a trial fit...
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/Rear_bumper_box_fit_check.JPG

I extended the body line of the lower door edge all the way back. From the original body line up, all the door lines are filled with epoxy. I cut a second vertical line to define a side-storage box. The storage door pull is a small piece of staple glued into place. A dab of glue in the general area, and a magnetized pick/screw driver picks up the handle and puts it into position easier than tweezers.

This part didn't make for a 3-day build, but the front chrome piece that exits under the doors. It needs to be cut back to extend the corner of the body to the box, but it required the top edge of the chassis there for position support...

Oh well... another day, and another spot of epoxy will fix that too...

Thanks all:freak:

Very nice work! It looks great.

WoW! These type of builds are my favorite type, using two or three cars to make a true one of a kind! This one with your step by step detailed tutorial is truly impressive! :thumbsup: Thanks for sharing!

great work & thanks for the pics, alot easier for us challenged ones to understand:thumbsup:

I hate long hours of my job... Here's what I'm going to try to do for the box side art. I've never made decals on my own, and I'm going to try to use BARE METAL to give the side a mirror-reflective surface to mirror the Fast Gassin'...
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/medium/Grumman_box_side_art.jpg

Maybe this was a build not to share step by step, but we be learnin' together!

Your step-by-step is great. Thanks for sharing it.

A couple of posts to step through preliminary steps to modify the cab--

The front grille casting extends back over the Chassis to include the fuel tanks and exhaust pipes.
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/HW_Fast_Movin_Chassis_pre-cut.jpg

You could make a horizontal cut to leave the tanks in-place without problems with the cab. However, my box extends too far forward, so I lopped off the tanks/pipes even with the edges of the chassis.
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/HW_Fast_Movin_Chassis_cut.jpg

That keeps the grille positioned properly, but if you look forward from the rear, you see why I can't leave it that way.
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/HW_Fast_Movin_Cab_rear_clearances.jpg

To extend the cab down and back to meet the box, I have to cut the grille extension roughly to the width of the fender spine. If you look back at the pic of the lower chassis, the base is hollowed out which would leave the grille flopping about if cut back that far. I put a little epoxy in the hollow, toughly level with the top edge of the chassis. I put a little more epoxy into the bottom of the grille's extension, which also was a hollowed out area, and while the epoxy was wet, put the grille into position as it would rest in the assembled state. After the epoxy hardened, I popped the grille free by rocking it gently back and forth. The epoxy adhers minimumly to the chrome surface. Now I can cut the excess off the grille extension to start forming the cab changes.

Next: Fitting a post to the box

The tank on Fast Gassin is held on by a tab in the rear, and a post that extends down through the fender's central spine. With the box in place as-will-be-assembled, I inserted a pick down through the chassis rivet hole. Carefully rocking the pick to either side, and to and fro, I etched an 'x' on the inside of the box where the post had to be centered. It was on an edge of a casting bump, easily cleaned up with a Dremel. I measured the length of post needed-- from the outer rivet seat on the chassis to the surface of the inside of the box-- on a toothpick.

For a post I used an office supply aluminum screw post.
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/Screw_Post_Box.jpg

I had to lop too much off to use the threaded portion, but the outside diameter of the post was a problem in how I located the post. I cut the post shy of the length I measured by about 1/3rd the thickness of the chassis at the rear rivet hole. While reading Hobbytalk, I filed the diameter of the post so it fit snugly in the hole in the chassis. I filed enough down the length so if the post was pushed fully into the chassis, it would be 1/8th inch or so shy of the surface of the box. The outer surface of the screw post is slightly hardened; it gets softer as you get into it.
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/HW_Fast_Movin_rear_post_3qtr.jpg

I put good-sized glob of epoxy on the 'x' in the box, and hand-assembled the pieces. With the truck upside down, I pushed the post into the epoxy. By leaving the post long enough to still extend into the chassis hole, the post is held into place exactly where it needs to be with the truck held together by rubber band until the epoxy sets.
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/HW_Fast_Movin_Rear_post_up.jpg

NEXT: Another fit check.

Well, the cab has been stripped of paint, and other than modifying the cab, I could actually paint things up now and call it a completed project...

http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/HW_Fast_Movin_Bare_LFqtr.jpg

http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/HW_Fast_Movin_Bare_LHS.jpg

http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/HW_Fast_Movin_Bare_RRqtr.jpg

Oh, The rear overhead door. My Postal van had no rear doors anymore. The door is a square of styrene, marked into four even sections, and a groove scribed along each line...

So far, there's been no complex carving, exotic cutting, or special tools outside the Dremel, if you consider that special in the modeling hobby. That puts this pretty easily into anyone's capability. On top of that, it's one easily done on one weekend. I'm planning on even painting it with a spray can-- that'll complete a "simple custom".

Leave it to me to make things more complicated than they have to be...

NEXT: Custom body work...

As I was walking by I remembered something I found about what scale I'd call the box truck...

http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/Fast_Movin_bare_with_1_87_Mustang.jpg

http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/Fast_Movin_bare_loading_1_87_Mustang.jpg

Looks pretty darn close to 1:87th (HO) to my eyes...

Thanks for sharing your time with me... Until next time...

Awesome build, I like that screw post idea.

Very nicely done TJ,
You've built a Custom that I'd like to see Jada produce in their D-Rod series.

Lots of careful engineering and precise follow through on this one.

Excellent!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

--CadillacPat the UnCustomizer--
Keeping the ZING in CustomiZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v483/CadillacPat/BulletProofWebcopy.jpg

Today's work on the body didn't go well and looks it. The box is drilled for lights and handles; the cab has been extended down and back with door opening lines added by hand-- looks like, smells like, but I won't taste it to be sure, but for now it looks bad...

http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/MVC-078F.JPG

http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/MVC-079F.JPG

problems included primer incompatibilities between brands, shakey hands, epoxy issues... I scribed the lines for the cab doors by hand, or was that by hack. Tomorrow brings another day tho'!!!

Hey TJ,

Looks pretty good to me. Just a suggestion for the door lines, why not use the the fender line for the front part of the door line, and extend the back door line down to the frame. :wave:

Hey TJ,

Looks pretty good to me. Just a suggestion for the door lines, why not use the the fender line for the front part of the door line, and extend the back door line down to the frame. :wave:

I agree with you Bob. I think that the doors would look a lot better if they followed the contours of the fenders.

I agree with you Bob. I think that the doors would look a lot better if they followed the contours of the fenders.

I Agree !

Don't beat yourself too hard, you're doing great and the end result will be amazing I am certain.

Gerry :)

Thanks guys, going back to K.I.S.S. I have the generic primer setting up on the cab and the single vertical line on it looks much better. The box has the White basecoat on it, but there's a hint on one side of a door line that didn't fill correctly. I've made a coupe of hub covers for the wheels and they look good. I have two sets of running boards-- one set is made of epoxy and are setting-up now; the other are of styrene. I'll wait to see which looks more like diamond plate before trying a third idea. I still need to make a couple of fuel filler caps, and recesses for them on the box since I forgot to before painting it.

The delicate lines that represent chrome moulding were/are the biggest bear to carry out the extra 1/8 inch or so. The casting overall has very fine casting lines in it very reminescent of the older Matchbox castings. The metal also seems pretty soft, with just a swipe or two taking half a detail off.

Thinking of wrapping the sides of the box in bare metal foil so the box is completely chrome like the original. That decision will be made tomorrow after I sleep on it.

Wow, Its came along way since I last signed on.

Great JOB :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

I've gotten a little frustrated, anxious to get color shot on it, but there's still a few things I need to work on. Here's things resting together, I noticed too late the cab wasn't popped into place:

http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/Fast_Movin_White_Base_LFqtr.jpg

http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/Fast_Movin_White_Base_RRqtr.jpg

Things to work on: gutter across front, body molding mid-door (both sides), and rear bumper pock-marks... an evening or two to clear up and then ready for the red to match the original. From the side:

http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/Fast_Movin_White_Base_LHS1.jpg

The chrome do-hickey you see is an epoxy casting I made to look like diamond plate treading in the proper scale (to use as a running board for either side).

Some more progress as other real-world priorities step up...

Printed the decals out on paper to see if they were properly sized, and could barely read the lettering. Looked great in 1:32nd!... more photo shopping the graphics and I think I'm ready:
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/Decal_Proofs.jpg

I cut out the image down the middle of the outer black ellipse, and glued sticked it to some of that clear plastic I've mentioned I keep. There's extra at the back end so I have something to hold on to, but also that's where the side scallop ends at the back corner of the box.
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/Film_templet.jpg

Another fit check:
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/Templet_Chk.jpg

I used to do a fair amount of graphic art before the advent of computer graphics became so easy and I used this (an equivalent). I thought the really light tack would be good not only for delicate paint, but also over Bare Metal.
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/Masking_film.jpg

Using the template, I cut out my mask for the large ellipse. I kept the tail, and used it to mask around the back corner of the box which will be all white when viewed from the rear. Note there's a long window cut out in the mask. I'll need white under the side decal lettering as I intend to print it on clear decal paper. The decal's black lines will cover the joints between colors of paint:
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/Mask_applied.jpg

But I don't need red paint there, so I have a piece of blue masking tape to cover it up. The reason should come in a couple of steps:
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/Lettering_window_covered.jpg

I've had the small can of Testor's model paint for a while... quite a while, and even with shaking it longer and harder than Tina Turner and her hiney, it came out splotchy, uneven, and... thick... kinda like Tina Turner's Hiney yet again... While the Paint was drying I trimmed down the plastic template to the inner ellipse:
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/Red_applied_and_templet_trimed.jpg

So the the mask gets pulled for the next step with Bare Metal; yep that red is a little thick:
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/Mask_removed_for_bare_metal.jpg

Like when I cut the mask, I use the template to cut the shape of the Bare Metal foil. The tail is useful here to get a handle on it to pull it off the backing sheet. Why is this stuff so hard to get off?!?!?!?!
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/Bare_Metal_ellipse_with_tail.jpg

It's at least a little newer than my paint... OH, check it out... it has a date on the price sticker... I guess I never got around to that project...
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/Bare_Metal_Date.jpg

It lines up OK, but I found I did not have the 'seamless' cutting along the template I needed. This resulted in one piece being completely trash. smoothed out with a Qtip pretty well, but I only lightly rolled it around the back corner.
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/Initial_Foil_App.jpg

I used a straight razor as an edge and lightly scribed the Bare Metal with an Exacto knife. It takes almost no pressure to go through the Bare Metal. Careful not to go through the paint.
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/Trimming_Foil.jpg

Curses, Foiled again! Hopefully the black lines of the decal will be wide enough to cover my wavy cuts:
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/Foil_Success.jpg

I don't have an ALPS for decal printing, infact my HP was under $25 from Wally world, so I need white underlayment for the lettering thats in the chrome area. Nice thing about the mask, it stays sticky and can be used repeatedly. I remove the blue tape first so it doesn't pull the chrome up. The mask matches up to the red cleanly.
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/Mask_Reapplied.jpg

The rest of the painted surfaces need to be masked off completely leaving just the small window:
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/Cover_it_all.jpg

I mist a little primer onto the Bare Metal, not even enough to completely cover it. I then mist a little white on top, barely enough not to see the chrome. Peel it all off, and the mask did lift a couple of tiny blisters in the Bare Metal. A light prick in the center of each with the Xacto tip and they, along with the edges lay down nicely again. I'm ready for the decals:
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/Post_white_strip.jpg

Wow! I am glad to see this truck again I have been impressed all the way thru so far! Nice job TJ!

Lookin' great, I was wondering about what happened to this project.

that looks good so far :thumbsup:

Man, I love this truck. The next time I bring the track down to one of your club meets or picnics, you'll have to bring it with you.

Are you going to either Space city's or Bayou city's Christmas parties?

Jason

Nope Jason, I won't be back in SoTX until maybe Christmas, and only for a couple of days in Boerne.

Thanks All for the kind words; The task of making the decals is easier designed than printed off. Bear with me as I have never made my own decals before...

I printed the small decals that would go onto the red cab with a Testor's Decal Do-it-Yourself kit on white paper. Decals for the box were printed on clear. After printing, I applied 8+ layers of misted decal bonder because the recommended fewer number of bonding spray didn't seal the decal before the first regular cover. White around the edges didn't appear until a few minutes after the decal was applied.
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/MVC-116F1.JPG

I haven't conquered that problem yet, but the clear decals didn't bleed with the multiple mist layers. To be doublely sure, I cut the decal large to cover most of the side of the box. The black ellipse lines didn't quite cover the intersections of the different colors, but was close:
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/MVC-117F.JPG

I had originally thought about painting the ellipse lines, and had picked up a pinstriping bottle of acrylic paint from a beauty supply. The brush is much like the pinstriping brush for doing full-sized cars-- long and holds a fair amount of paint so a line can be painted all in one, unstopping stroke. I used it to thicken the apexes. Being acrylic on a decal surface I could rub away any variation in my hand strokes with the sharpened stem off a Q-tip:
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/508/MVC-119F.JPG

Unfortunately I moved the decal a little too late, and you can see some air under it at the right angle, so I'm debating redoing this side, but I think it'll be hardly noticable after clear is applied. Now to see what I can do for the decals on the cab...