Lucinda Build

[chiliVANilli]

Looks good! What color are you thinking about painting the body?

I'm toying around with Sublime green from Summit racing for the body, and bright white for the roof, and the original way it was painted around the the windows and grill. I figured it's a wild rig so it deserves a wild color. I was originally going to paint it flat desert tan on the body like my old crawler so I wouldn't have to worry about having a nice paint job.

 

[chiliVANilli]

What size tubing did you use for your roof rack? I've got a 7/8" and a 1" die at my disposal (JD2 bender), so I'm hoping one of those two will work....

I used 3/4" o.d. for the frame and cross supports, and some 1/2" tube for the floor of the basket. I only had a 7/8" die, too, ha!, but it worked fine. Have you used your new bender yet?

 

[Arctic Travelller]

I'm toying around with Sublime green from Summit racing for the body, and bright white for the roof, and the original way it was painted around the the windows and grill. I figured it's a wild rig so it deserves a wild color. I was originally going to paint it flat desert tan on the body like my old crawler so I wouldn't have to worry about having a nice paint job.

Or just clear coat. Rat rod! Great build.............

 

[ABCanuck]

No rat rod! My goodness I'm sick of those half arsed things. I love what you've done with this thing so far. Provides encouragement to me to soldier on the long road ahead that is my old Fargo.


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[Lunchbox2]

I used 3/4" o.d. for the frame and cross supports, and some 1/2" tube for the floor of the basket. I only had a 7/8" die, too, ha!, but it worked fine. Have you used your new bender yet?

I ended up doing some video work for a fabricator buddy of mine that builds choppers, in return he's going to bend up some tubing for me. I told him I'd just trade out hours. When we made the deal though, he said he had a 1 3/4" die, so the whole thing was going to work out well for me. Now he says the biggest die he has is an 1 1/4", so I'm not exactly sure what's going to happen at this point, because I'm not making bumpers out of 1 1/4". I'm not buying a $350 die for his machine either, so I may end up just building my bumpers out of 1/4" plate instead. I'll work out some kind of work for him do to regardless, be it a roof rack, rear tire carrier, jerry can rack, etc.... I'll get my 35 hours of labor.

 

[chiliVANilli]

I ended up doing some video work for a fabricator buddy of mine that builds choppers, in return he's going to bend up some tubing for me. I told him I'd just trade out hours. When we made the deal though, he said he had a 1 3/4" die, so the whole thing was going to work out well for me. Now he says the biggest die he has is an 1 1/4", so I'm not exactly sure what's going to happen at this point, because I'm not making bumpers out of 1 1/4". I'm not buying a $350 die for his machine either, so I may end up just building my bumpers out of 1/4" plate instead. I'll work out some kind of work for him do to regardless, be it a roof rack, rear tire carrier, jerry can rack, etc.... I'll get my 35 hours of labor.[/QUOTE

Bummer. I think your rig would look better with plate bumpers anyway. I hope he still makes something for your time. I thought you bought a tube bender?

 

[chiliVANilli]

No rat rod! My goodness I'm sick of those half arsed things. I love what you've done with this thing so far. Provides encouragement to me to soldier on the long road ahead that is my old Fargo.


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Who knows if I'll get around to painting it for a while, but I thought about doing the clear coat rat rod thing, because there is pretty much no rust at all on it. But the patina is only cool in a few spots, and I need to fill a bunch of little holes where there were snaps and other stuff, and I want to weld them the right way, and I don't want to have primer polk-a-dots all over it,and the passenger side already has a giant place that is primered where I put a panel in to fix a giant dent. I can't tell you how many people ask if I am going to paint it Olive Drab, which is definitely not happening. But the sublime green might be out now, because I am trying my best and doing everything possible to keep it from looking like the "Mystery Machine".

 

[Lunchbox2]

I ended up doing some video work for a fabricator buddy of mine that builds choppers, in return he's going to bend up some tubing for me. I told him I'd just trade out hours. When we made the deal though, he said he had a 1 3/4" die, so the whole thing was going to work out well for me. Now he says the biggest die he has is an 1 1/4", so I'm not exactly sure what's going to happen at this point, because I'm not making bumpers out of 1 1/4". I'm not buying a $350 die for his machine either, so I may end up just building my bumpers out of 1/4" plate instead. I'll work out some kind of work for him do to regardless, be it a roof rack, rear tire carrier, jerry can rack, etc.... I'll get my 35 hours of labor.[/QUOTE


Bummer. I think your rig would look better with plate bumpers anyway. I hope he still makes something for your time. I thought you bought a tube bender?

I was looking at buying a tube bender, then my buddy offered up his tubing bender/welding/fab services in exchange for video work, so I thought I had the tube bending covered.... He said he didn't have a 1.75" die but said he could get one. Now after I fulfilled my end of the deal, he's saying he doesn't have the die and that I'd have to buy one....I'm not down with that. I'm ready to just cut my losses and go buy a rogue fab bender and get it done.

 

[philos]

Looks good! What color are you thinking about painting the body?

If it was mine, I'd clear coat it as-is. Looks perfect.

 

[Lunchbox2]

I'd leave it just like it is, and not even clear-coat it. If my van was just one solid color, I wouldn't touch it, I like the "worn" look. It's going to be drug through trees and rocks, so the body is gonna get pretty F'ed up regardless. The Lunchbox will be lucky to get a roll-on tractor paint job....lol

 

[XJSuperman]

I think it looks awesome as-is. Clearcoat maybe and call it good. But that sublime or lime green, whatever, sounds sweet too. Doesn't look like the mystery machine to me. Tires, bumper, and rack take care of that. Plus, it wouldn't have an flowers or anything.

 

[chiliVANilli]

Well, it seems like the popular consensus is to leave it as is. Which is most likely how it will be for a while anyway. Can I paint the roof white at least? I was thinking that might help keep it a little cooler inside. Besides there is so much to do before paint. The fan shroud kit I ordered from Summit came yesterday, so that is the next project, and the interior is my next big adventure. And somewhere in there the rack needs to be finished welded and painted....

 

[philos]

White roof after Labor Day?
Hehehe, I'm sure it would look fine. Main thing is to build it for your aesthetic and usage...


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[Oldcarnut]

I just read this whole thread this morning. O. M. G. That van is absolutely awesome am I am not a bow tie fan either. Awesome work with the seats and seating arrangements and functions so far. Very inspiring.
Go ahead and paint the roof white but try and see if you could hand brush it dry to match the patina. Powder the rack for scratch protection IMO. Bumpers too while your at it, shouldn't cost too much more. Maby a hammered finish semi flat black.
Wish I had the time and spacr to build something like that.

 

[Texas Aggie]

Great build and thanks for taking the time to document it. Any van named after Lucinda Williams should keep some patina. But she probably still dyes her hair blonde, so a white roof seems appropriate.