e318- Tamiya Lunchbox Dodge Passenger Van Conversion

[@mt-of5dh]

Complete Awesomeness.

[@AMPROEngineering]

Thank you! Soon ill post the actual finished product!

[@emory442]

When I first saw the pics, I thought you'd also stretched it out to church van length

[@AMPROEngineering]

I was thinking about an extended one...then i reeled myself back in.

[@derricksazrc3411]

Ha ha ha 300 more times. Wow what a labor of love. Nice paint job Man

[@AMPROEngineering]

Labor of love indeed! Thank you!

[@bamabiker750]

That looks great!! A buddy from high school's dad had a Dodge Van as his daily driver; it was two-tone brown. We used to call it the "Egdod Teerts Nav - which is Dodge Street Van backwards. lol The next time you glue in window "glass", you might try Mod Podge rather than hot glue or CA. You can find it in the arts and crafts section at Walmart. It's slow drying and water soluble so if you get some on the visible portion of the window, you can easily clean it off with a wet Q-tip. I used it on my '79 Bronco trail truck build and it worked great - applying a bead around the inside perimeter of each window to completely seal it into the pocket in the body. I picked up this tip from a scale modeler. Can't wait to see your interior build video for this model. I'm working on an interior for the Bronco - a combination of sheet styrene main tub and printed dash, door panels, etc. -- very much inspired by the interior in your TRX-4.

[@AMPROEngineering]

I have mod podge but didnt think of that. isnt it too weak? I have to admit I am not too familiar with it. My wife uses it a lot. Shoot me an email when the interior is done! That TRX 4 bronco interior was a giant pain ....lol! [e-mail]

[@astridsactionrc545]

Yeah, that’s beyond my patience level. But this is going to turn out awesome!

[@AMPROEngineering]

I would say it is beyond mine also but once I start....

[@twotone85]

A good extension for a dremel is a handyshaft, or flexshaft as some call it. It runs of the power of the dremel and it is much smaller and makes working with stuff like this much easier.

[@AMPROEngineering]

Yes I have one. They are great.

[@Twin_Flyer]

A very sweet change, nice work!!

[@AMPROEngineering]

Thanks! Yeah it is not something usually done to a lunchie

[@mikeupton5406]

That is an awesome build. Really like the paint. Remember seeing vans like this in this paint scheme. Excellent build! I was thinking taking two of these vans and splice them together to make the long wheelbase version. Then paint it up as the Possum Lodge van from the Red Green show. MESA Airlines had two of these vans as long wheelbase 4wd windowed crew vans for the operations in Aspen and Vail Colorado. They were replaced and hauled to Sky Harbour in Phoenix Arizona. They finnished their service with the PHX hangar and GSE departments. One was sold off and the other scrapped. Alittle roof top mounted A/C housing where the sun roof portal is would not look out of place. One of those white gelcoat ones that tried to look like a hoodscoop. LOL not the airvent ones, the compact A/C units, usually an aftermarket add on done by a RV service center. Don't know the brand but the manufacturer did their best to make them look "go fast". My uncle had one of these units mounted on top of his van, just like the van you just made here in the video. I just remember my cousins and myself getting dripped on by ice cold condensation from time to time. Supposely leaked rainwater in around the mounting gasket as well. LOL! Good times.

[@AMPROEngineering]

HAhaaha! I loved the Possum van! I was also thinking a roof AC unit but had not decided yet. Thanks for the story! I remember leaky cars all too well....

[@ericwood2790]

Looks like it was molded out of the Tamiya factory, very impressive.

[@AMPROEngineering]

Thanks, that was what I was hoping!

[@tastenheber]

Now the windows look even better than the existing ones!

[@AMPROEngineering]

Haha! Thanks a lot. I just like how clear they all are!

[@jeremyboyle5695]

Beautiful conversion van! Those came out really slick

[@AMPROEngineering]

Well thank you!

[@sagnhill]

So glad I found your channel. I use that black panel wash for my panel lines too.

[@AMPROEngineering]

Its such a great tool!

[@d3po455]

Awesome! Love it. Any chance a future update would include a 2 piece design? Maybe an inside frame and an outside frame that would snap or be glued together which to sandwich the window opening and eliminate the need for filling and sanding?

[@AMPROEngineering]

Thanks! Sadly no, that would not give you flat surface on the outside. Or you would have to clamp together and sand it all down. I suspect that is kind of dangerous....like this isnt, lol!

[@tomcook5813]

Reminds me of the 70s as a kid, seeing all the vans will shag carpet and captains chairs, oh an the tinted hart shaped windows 😃

[@AMPROEngineering]

haha! For sure!

[@pocher69]

Amazing my friend!!!

[@AMPROEngineering]

Thanks James!

[@rexrcs]

So amazing man

[@AMPROEngineering]

Thank you!

[@problemchild1976]

Love this - I wish shapeways was cheaper I have your lighting units on the lunchbox

[@AMPROEngineering]

Oh cool! I love those lights. Yeah they are a bit pricey but for what you get, I still say they are worth it.

[@problemchild1976]

@@AMPROEngineering indeed amazing - I did post a link to my vid but KZbin removes links

[@theoagrc]

Stunning level of detail and great tutorial 🙌🏻 I can only aspire to this level of dedication! It looks 👍🏻

[@AMPROEngineering]

Oh i'm sure you easily can! I am not great at stuff like this, just patience.

[@theoagrc]

@@AMPROEngineering dude your stuff is awesome! Always full of new ideas. 🙌🏻

[@rcalltypes8230]

That looks fantastic, what a great idea 👍🏻😎

[@AMPROEngineering]

Thank you!

[@jonmandelbaum5395]

Idk what the dimensions are on this thing but lately I’ve been watching some videos of body swapped RTG 136161 trucks with WPL D12, C34, and C54 and MN D99 bodies that look great and seem to run better than on their WPL and MN chassis. The world needs more van crawlers

[@AMPROEngineering]

This is a small van. Tamiya calls it a 1:12...No...no way is it 1:12. I would say 1:14 to 1:16 or so. Totally need more vans....

[@ValleyRC]

Wow, it looks great! In awe of your ideas and design skills, as usual!

[@AMPROEngineering]

Well you are too kind!

[@scalecrawlnl]

Always great fun the AMPRO Engineering videos. Thank you, great stuff👍😎

[@AMPROEngineering]

Anytime! Glad you liked it!

[@3dman875]

It made it look more real thanks for making the video I really enjoy it

[@AMPROEngineering]

Glad you liked it!

[@3dman875]

Most of the rc trucks that I have buld have been one off truck i have the mindnight punkin and the blackfoot and lunchbox got to do some new video on what I'm working on my name is the same as my KZbin channel

[@spektrum33]

Look amazing 👍

[@AMPROEngineering]

Thanks!

[@AddyRCBuddy]

This is an art. Beautiful job. I enjoy these kind of videos. Awesome 😸✌️

[@AMPROEngineering]

Thank you!

[@tonberryhunter]

Needle file would have been better then the xacto for cleaning up those windows. Could also template out the window openings better so little to no filling is required.

[@AMPROEngineering]

I did use those a bit too. Using a printer would be tricky since it is hard to get a printer to actually give you 1:1 prints. I would be concerned that someone would rely on that just to discover the print doesnt line up with the parts.

[@longtalltexanrc3358]

Absolutely stunning work! You would almost think Tamiya did this! Did you use the same black paint for the gasket to use for the panel lines?

[@AMPROEngineering]

Thanks man! No i used Testors Rubber Gasket paint. It is basically flat black.

[@longtalltexanrc3358]

@@AMPROEngineering well it looks terrific!

[@matthewpearsall9249]

Love the colour

[@AMPROEngineering]

Thank you! Me too!

[@matthewpearsall9249]

I did mine in Ford topaz blue I did a little video showing it on my channel

[@willexgt]

I like to see how you did the interior that be a cool video to see

[@AMPROEngineering]

Sure, that is episode 332.

[@willexgt]

@@AMPROEngineering Thank you I don’t know how I missed it going through the episodes sorry about that

[@moztheravensfan]

Gorgeous!

[@AMPROEngineering]

Well thank you!

[@Mark-g4z2s]

Nice work.

[@AMPROEngineering]

Thank you

[@PachezZ]

why not to provide template print to mark the outside of the holes?

[@AMPROEngineering]

Because not all printers can accurately print 1:1.

[@PachezZ]

@@AMPROEngineering that makes sense, but still possible to involve a scale inside that template to check the dimensions :) Love your work though :) Bought some files and they were straight fit :)

[@camrowdrone6497]

Dam it looks good 👊🏻👍🏻

[@AMPROEngineering]

I appreciate that!

[@noidnomis]

Impressive!!👍😎

[@AMPROEngineering]

You are too kind!

[@picco5765]

Apply Super glue and drizzle baking soda on the glue !!

[@AMPROEngineering]

Yeah I do that sometimes. For this I needed it to seep into all the nooks.

[@plixplop]

Very clean

[@AMPROEngineering]

Thank you!

[@cycoholic]

Any chance for an interior for a stock Lunchbox? Obviously just the front section, dash, seats, floor, and probably the door cards? How much work to get that dash to fit with the stock windshield? Would it just be sanding/removing some of the material that meets up with the windshield?

[@AMPROEngineering]

I will have an interior for a panel version soon. You would need to cut down the bottom of the window but that should be fine since the top would still hold it in place.

[@cycoholic]

@@AMPROEngineering Sounds great! 👍😎

[@emory442]

Why only the window frames themselves, and not just a panel to replace the whole area? Body line to drip rail, door frame to rear pillar?

[@AMPROEngineering]

There is no way to resister all that when installing it then. At that point, might as well print a body lol! That would have been the smart thing.

[@emory442]

Not trying to be critical. I'm sure you had a reason for doing it this way. Just looks like an awful lot of work.

[@brianloer285]

I’m looking for the window frame for the lunchbox body but I’m able to find it.

[@AMPROEngineering]

Those will be on my mini factory and shapeways soon!

[@THE_SIG]

When will we be able to buy these parts from your shapeways store? Thank you. :)

[@AMPROEngineering]

The updates are all done. They are all on myminifactory now but will be on Shapeways in a week.

[@AndyX]

what if my hobby knife is not an exacto brand...can i still use it ? thanks in advance

[@AMPROEngineering]

Yes just always be careful with anything like at.

[@bima8271]

where it i can buy that balck frame for the dodge windows?

[@AMPROEngineering]

There is a link to all of them in the description. If you cannot locate it, email me at [e-mail]

[@Tailgatesntoolboxes]

Eliminate that first lip window.....delete the sunroof.....i am thinking ....prison van ....put a light bar top....some black and white paint...bam Or even a ambulance

[@AMPROEngineering]

That could be cool

[@tomcook5813]

Can’t go wrong with a mititoyo caliper

[@AMPROEngineering]

Nope!

[@2secondabs]

I literally was just thinking about this two minutes ago. Blam you got a vid on it. Get out of my brain!!!!!

[@AMPROEngineering]

LOL!