ggdad1951 Posted June 10, 2015 Report Share Posted June 10, 2015 Yes.....!!! 48D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted June 10, 2015 Report Share Posted June 10, 2015 Ed....... Same truck.....snd somebody gave it a boob job. But from the photo I prefer the green version........the yellow version looks way too straight and fresh for it's age. Jeff Personally I think there is a difference between the green and yellow truck...unless someone did a panel over the glass opening on pass side and moved it to the drivers side and removed some bolts/buttons/rivets and filled ...I am thinking same tag...man has two truck he alternates the tag between..I have seen people do this 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merle Coggins Posted June 10, 2015 Report Share Posted June 10, 2015 Yes.....!!! 48D And we'll all be there on the 1st. April Fools... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted June 10, 2015 Report Share Posted June 10, 2015 Personally I think there is a difference between the green and yellow truck...unless someone did a panel over the glass opening on pass side and moved it to the drivers side and removed some bolts/buttons/rivets and filled ...I am thinking same tag...man has two truck he alternates the tag between..I have seen people do this I think they are one and the same. Glass removed on the passenger side. The spot light hole is still there and the added turn signal hole in the stainless trim is still there but the light is gone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ggdad1951 Posted June 10, 2015 Report Share Posted June 10, 2015 they are both Joe's truck a before and after. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted June 10, 2015 Report Share Posted June 10, 2015 ok.....I see he removed the rivets top center above the windshield also, wonder what was there?...the yellow is not a color I think I would have gone with..but I do like the clean look offered by the refresh..and the lug nuts should be contrasting and matching black to set the wheel off a bit more.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Balazs Posted June 10, 2015 Report Share Posted June 10, 2015 Hey guys, Leaving the paint as is was under a lot of consideration, cost to do body work was one of them but not the main one. I wanted to drive it and drive it a lot. I also did not want to obsess over scratches or door dings when ever I parked it in a parking lot. For shows I wanted to be able to say to kids, "Sure hop in and try out the seat, have mom take your picture". As a kid I remember my Dad telling me to keep my hands off and don't touch anything. I wanted the van to be approachable to all. I see it as a piece of history and I want people to experience what it was like for the delivery guy to drive this beast every day running his route. Yes the patina thing is getting too much but then the original look of the van is neat to look at since this is how it came to me. It is also what drew me to buy it in the first place. So for now it is preserved with a flat clear coat to prevent further rust. It drives like a tank and I am getting used to steering this beast. I really wanted to go to the BBQ this year but the to do list on the van was too long. Next year for sure. Well I think you nailed it. I totally agree with your approach. I don't know if you know who Ricky Nelson was (minor Icon of the era) but he said two things that will always stick with me. The first was "I don't mess around boy" And that certainly applies to your efforts here. A huge task and done quite nicely. The other thing he said comes from the lyrics of one of his songs. "You can't please everybody....so you've got to please yourself" And man is that true. You did right by this old truck and it shows. As for the yellow one......I doubt I would even give it a second look. Generally speaking when they have been "done" to that level all the history has been wiped clean. That might work for some but definitely not me. Everything that old has or should have a story to tell. Period. Jeff 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ggdad1951 Posted June 10, 2015 Report Share Posted June 10, 2015 ok.....I see he removed the rivets top center above the windshield also, wonder what was there?...the yellow is not a color I think I would have gone with..but I do like the clean look offered by the refresh..and the lug nuts should be contrasting and matching black to set the wheel off a bit more.... if I remember the story right he painted it to match something from his family that he never had a chance to get so kinda remakign family history. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted June 10, 2015 Report Share Posted June 10, 2015 Well I think you nailed it. I totally agree with your approach. I don't know if you know who Ricky Nelson was (minor Icon of the era) but he said two things that will always stick with me. The first was "I don't mess around boy" And that certainly applies to your efforts here. A huge task and done quite nicely. The other thing he said comes from the lyrics of one of his songs. "You can't please everybody....so you've got to please yourself" And man is that true. You did right by this old truck and it shows. As for the yellow one......I doubt I would even give it a second look. Generally speaking when they have been "done" to that level all the history has been wiped clean. That might work for some but definitely not me. Everything that old has or should have a story to tell. Period. Jeff https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxdiraVxwkI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1TonDirtyMopar Posted June 10, 2015 Report Share Posted June 10, 2015 I was browsing around on Instagram and just happened to come across your account over there. Pretty awesome build. Really digging the patina! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry Roberts Posted June 10, 2015 Report Share Posted June 10, 2015 I re-read the whole thread because I knew you were considering doing something about the low gears for highway driving . Now that you have driven it some , are you planning on an overdrive transmission ? Are better gears available for the differential ? Very nice job by the way . There is always the pricey overdrive available that you ad on after the transmission , I forget the name , perhaps Gear Vendors . They make a very high quality product . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkldesign Posted June 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 13, 2015 The jury is still out on the overdrive. I am still in the newness of driving it. If anyone wants to look at my build postings look up on Instagram, tag name is "dodgeroutevan" Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkldesign Posted July 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 Here are some more pics of the daily driver. I am driving it almost daily, shaking out the bugs and fine-tuning along the way. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Oil Soup Posted July 30, 2015 Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 Your truck looks great, are you going to add a faded logo/sign to it? Love the patina. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBF Posted July 30, 2015 Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 There is quite a bit of footage on these route vans in 1 episode of the old Highway Patrol series. There is one in particular about a kidnapped highway patrolman where the bad guys somehow got his Harley police bike and the cop in the back of one of these. I'm sure there are others, I did see a movie the other night where there was one, but I'm having a senior moment trying to recall what it was about or who was in it. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Elder Posted July 31, 2015 Report Share Posted July 31, 2015 I re-read the whole thread because I knew you were considering doing something about the low gears for highway driving . Now that you have driven it some , are you planning on an overdrive transmission ? Are better gears available for the differential ? Very nice job by the way . There is always the pricey overdrive available that you ad on after the transmission , I forget the name , perhaps Gear Vendors . They make a very high quality product . Gear vendors...slush box and A883 4 speed only....I wish they would do 3 speeds....6 on the tree!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkldesign Posted July 31, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2015 Thanks Jerry, I will call them and see what the gear vender would set me back. It would be nice to take it on the highway and thereby more car shows. Hey there Mike, I tried finding the episode you mentioned but with no luck. It is a neat series to watch and saw some other cool cars. The Oil Soup, thanks for the compliment, I was planning on some sort of fictitious logo on the side, Something like: Fossil Fuels Oil Company, "Put a little T-Rex in your tank" Have the letters done to look like dino bones and have a rendering of a T-Rex pumping gas into the Route Van. All in a retro style and then rubbed off a little to make it look old and faded. What do you think? Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Balazs Posted July 31, 2015 Report Share Posted July 31, 2015 I sure like your Route van. Very...very cool. Some faded signage would be most appropriate. . Saw one in an old movie on TCM a few weeks back. Was a TV crew truck in a Sci Fi classic filmed out in the desert. I don't remember the title but the aliens assumed the form of people because they were too hideous to look at. Gotta love that stuff! Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Oil Soup Posted July 31, 2015 Report Share Posted July 31, 2015 Richard, I think that would look super. Here is the one I put on the drivers door, will most likely put a different one on the passenger side to see which I like better. Gary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TodFitch Posted July 31, 2015 Report Share Posted July 31, 2015 I wonder how the old Railway Express Agency livery would look on that route van. . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkldesign Posted August 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 1, 2015 Overdrive update, spoke to the guys at Gear Venders, an overdrive would give me 20mph at the top end putting my top speed at 70 mph. Cost for this would be 3075.00 plus I would need to find a driveshaft welder to cut and modify my existing drive shaft. Anyone know of a good driveshaft company in the Napa Valley/ Bay area? Will have to save some pennies to get this bought and done. It would essentially give me a 6 speed but most likely I would just use the top end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayfarer Posted August 2, 2015 Report Share Posted August 2, 2015 Granted, the GV is a nice product, but $3k for 20 mph? A trans adapter and an AX15 or NV 5-speed would be less than ½ of that. Just sayin'............. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkldesign Posted August 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 Ok, whats the low down on this kind of conversion? Part numbers and steps etc. Thanks, Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayfarer Posted August 17, 2015 Report Share Posted August 17, 2015 PM sent. This is where 'hot-rodding' starts. Don Coatney and Robert Horne have both installed 5-speeds but go at it from different angles. The Mopar units are bit more involved unless you can locate one of the 57-60 bellhousings that have both the L6 and V8 block patterns. Although not a simple bolt up, that bell is 'close' for the A-833. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
48Dodger Posted August 18, 2015 Report Share Posted August 18, 2015 I had my drive shafts modified on several vehicles over the years. Its always been around 140, 150 bucks. This guy is in your neighborhood, "Bandy"......you can start with any place like that. I've never used the guy, I just googled "drive line napa ca" 48D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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