tubbys GN panel van project

[75wagon]

Not trying to change your mind, but out of pure interest sake.
http://www.otomoto.com.au/showroom.htm

How cool would they look?


Dave...

[tubby]

Magnums, are they like the 'Dukes of Hazard' General Lee's wheels? Or are they like Kidney/Jelly bean wheels?
I know what Centreline's look like
Would you also go for the raised white lettering look on the sides of the tyres? Is that even still available?


Dave...

I may be wrong but yeah jellybean mags raised lettering or maybe white walls see what happens, photoshop might decide for me but yeah last thing on a very long list of stuff to finish this car.

[tubby]

they are pretty cool but I want a bit more "tough retro" look

[GC75]

i rekon jellybeans would suit, as most old panel vans had them, my aunty had a panel van with jellybeans and thought that thing was mad.

then again my galant was once rolling on jellybeans

[tubby]

Spoiler attached


Some daytime photos with one coat of clear

[GC75]

WDH, thats now very different, but i like it!!

[tango76hardtop]

the grafics looks like the punisher symbol

[A112H]

I can't wait to see this thing in the flesh, 3 thumbs up

[GC75]

[tubby]

finally had enough of painting the beast and rolled it out of the shed. now I just gotta deal with chuckin' it back together. sounds easy but it means re-drilling holes for the ge bumper, retro fitting the sedan rear ge bumper, making a bracket to fit the sealed beam round headlights and changing the wiring for them. sigh.

[coltspeed2000]

That is one sweet looking panel van

I've wanted to do this to a hight-top sigma wagon since the late 80's but I'm glad I left it to someone with better welding skills than mine

I can't wait to see it with the right set of wheels on it.

Do you have to make any brackets or graft any mounts on it to hold the grille and twin-round headlights?

Keep up the great work

Ned

[woops]

Looking good there. Just a hint for the headlights wiring. I hope you haven't thrown out your old GN headlights as inside them there is the right plugs and wiring for the sealed beam units. It makes it a simple plug and play unit. I think the bumper bar indicators have different plugs so you may have to put on some different plugs. Apart from that the wiring is dead easy.

Also i know it might be a bit late for you but what I did was cut off the GN headlight mountings and grafted the GH ones in place. Don't forget about the brackets for the grill to mount to the front. I think for me they were actually on the GH headlight brackets but the GE might be different. I also found that the GH bumper brackets were much longer then the GN and I had to drill some holes into the bracket and also make up some spacers to get the bumper to sit at the right height. Also the GH has the chassis rails extend past the front of the car and the GN stops right at the front. Although i'm guessing with your welding skills it might be easier to splice the two or fabricate up new bumper brackets.

[tubby]

Do you have to make any brackets or graft any mounts on it to hold the grille and twin-round headlights?
Ned

The GE's have a bracket that is attached to the body but I ripped it off and fitted it already. I am considering re-enforcing the grille mounts and attaching the lights directly to it. or just getting some sheet metal and cutting some holes in it. might try both.

Looking good there. Just a hint for the headlights wiring. I hope you haven't thrown out your old GN headlights as inside them there is the right plugs and wiring for the sealed beam units. It makes it a simple plug and play unit. I think the bumper bar indicators have different plugs so you may have to put on some different plugs. Apart from that the wiring is dead easy.

I kept my old lights for that reason, but my old man says he has some lights that will fit that aren't sealed beams so will have to get a hold of them before I start pissing around with brackets etc. as for the orange indicators on the bumper the GE's were exactly the same size so I just kept my old indicators and changed the over.... hoarding for the win

[tubby]

Finally got my shit together and starting making a bracket to hold my ge lights, don't look like much but it works. a bit of cleaning and prettying up and it will look good.

[tubby]

started sorting out my indicators too.
(left to right) GN indicator with lights removed, GE indicator standard, GE indicator modified.

GE indicator with the GN wiring assembly

Easy as

[ISKA8]

[tubby]

It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside

[tubby]

BOOOOSH

[A112H]

The Mighty

[GC75]

awesome work man looks so good

[ddt]

whoa -she's really taking shape now
What wheels have you got in mind?

[tubby]

one step at a time man...... something old school.

[tubby]

BTW the GE sedan bumpers seem to be about two inches wider than the wagons, go figure. the sedan one will do for now with a few mods.

[ddt]

BTW the GE sedan bumpers seem to be about two inches wider than the wagons, go figure. the sedan one will do for now with a few mods.

The front bumpers should be the identical, unless those black end caps have been bent outwards or something?

[tubby]

sorry I meant just the rear. anyone got a set of ge wagon tail lights they want to part with?

[DanTurboLancer]

Love it!
Shave the door handles.
Dont do the rear spoiler straight up, see how it looks with out first.
Dont do the front body kit, the GE front will look good enought with out it.

Just my opinions mate, but i love what you are doing!!

[81GH]

wow this is awesome.

[tubby]

Its been a while since my last update, my ol' lappy died so I got a freshie. here's the update.
Back end back together. Thanks to 81GH for selling me the bumper rear window and handle cover. tinted back window took it out to tint it so I didn't get any gaps then scratched it putting it in said swear words oh well.

Chrome strips back in tinted fronts happiness, fresh bailey channel too.

new windscreen on the way too once it is in the exterior is done changed all of my headlights to semi sealed so they are set up without changing wiring. sweet

Love it!
Shave the door handles.
Dont do the rear spoiler straight up, see how it looks with out first.
Just my opinions mate, but i love what you are doing!!

thanks for the positive input dude. If i was gonna shave the handles I would have had to do it before I sprayed it and I quite like the chrome handles I considered shaving the locks but that would have meant central locking and I like to keep things simple, I also considered leaving the spoiler off but it gives the van more height.

[ddt]

new windscreen on the way too once it is in the exterior is done

don't forget the mirrors!

[tubby]

yeah totally forgot about those, still haven't decided on door or fender mirrors yet. any suggestions guys?