[MadCap Romanian]

Hello everyone!

After much searching in my basement for a model kit I hadn't started yet, I came across these two model car kits that I thought would be perfect for this build. The only thing is that they have to be combined to make a perfect 1932 Hearse.

The first one is the Vampire Van. It is currently avalible from Round 2 as the Barabas Colins Vampire Van in original artwork packaging.

The second kit is out of production, so you'll have to do a search on Ebay, Kijiji or Craigslist for it.

Out of the box, these are all the parts included in the 1932 Chevrolet Cabriolet kit by AMT.

These are all the parts for the Vampire Van. If you look closely, you will see that the van shares a lot of componients with the stock 1932 Chevrolet.

Combining AMT’s 1932 Chevrolet Cabriolet with the Vampire Van to make a stock 1932 Chevrolet Hearse.

Step 1 : Compare the stock 1932 Chevrolet Cabriolet with the Vampire Van parts and take the needed pieces from the list below :

1932 Chevrolet Cabriolet
...
- Fenders - Spare Tires - Spare Tire Holders - Hood - Firewall - Radiator and Hoses - Headlights and Horns - Front Bumper
- Steering Wheel - Long Steering Colum - Gear Stick and Parking Break Lever
- Wheels and Tires - Hubcaps - Frame - Suspension Components - Breaks - Axel Pins - Drive Line Parts - All Engine Components

Vampire Van


- Body - Rear Doors - Rear Door Stop Hinge
- Roof Parts - Floorboards Front and Rear - Dashboard and Pedals
- Vampire - Coffin - Coffin Grab Rails
- Body Glass - Chrome Body Dressings (Door Handles, Trim, Etc.)

This is a "Dry Run" parts fit test. I have removed the sprue runners and flash from the fenders, hood and body so that the parts will sit down together well.

The rear 3/4's of the model. It is apperant that the floor boards for the Cabriolet are too short for the van's dimensions. They will have to be removed and the van's longer floorpans substituted.

The side profile of the Hearse.

Future plans for the body will include the Cabriolet's fender mounted spare tires and a combination of the chrome parts from both models.

 

[MadCap Romanian]

An inside look at the van's interior.

Although the body is smooth with minimal seam lines and sink marks, the underside and interior is rife with sink holes and injector pegs like these two.

To make the model look like a real car, you will have to remove these with your hobby knife, file or sandpaper.

Here's the difference in the interior roof after the pegs are removed. Now it looks like the real thing instead of a poorly built model.

It's attention to these details that will make your model stand out in a contest.

The vampire in his coffin.

This nice part is actually a little too long to fit in the hearse. It will make a nice diorama piece for the base though.

The coffin is ready to paint, but the vampire needs more work.

 

[captainmarvel1957]

Hey! Isn't that Vampire Van the old Dark Shadows Barnabas hearse kit?

 

[MadCap Romanian]

You guessed it! I think that RC2 didn't pursue the rights for the name in their edition.

 

[captainmarvel1957]

I didn't know that the kit had been re-popped. I'll keep an eye out for it. I had that kit back in the days when you would run home from school to get in front of the television by 4 o'clock!

Are you going to make the Barnabas figure look like Johnny Depp? Watched the movie the other night and while it's not really Dark Shadows it is a hoot. I would compare it more to the Raul Julia Addams Family.

 

[MadCap Romanian]

Here's the link. Round2 has released it under the MPC banner.

http://www.round2models.com/models/mpc/barnabas-vampire-van/product

 

[Aurora-brat]

Love it! Nice to see someone doing something interesting with that kit! Will be watching this with great interest (cars are one of my favorite modeling subjects!).

Tory