So this year has been crazy... February started with some 'lower end' noise that i was getting - turned out to actually be my flexplate coming apart, but I didn't know that until it completely separated & wiped out the torque converter & trans in late March...



so the van was down for a week while I got another flexplate (new, from Napa - work discount) and another trans thanks to Stan (SFS60) for finding me a deal on a recently rebuilt Turbo400...!!!

so, then the van was put together and driving again...

in late April, i got laid off at work, which really sucked and hurt, but oh well - that's life i guess...

after a couple of weeks of getting my 'post employment' stuff setup, and adjusting to being home all the time i decided to put all the stuff i had saved for the van on it this summer...

so, prior to April 2012 it looked like this:




i started with a green stripe around the mid section of the van... it's rustoleum Dark Hunter Green, i had 3 cans and used them on EVERYTHING special the van got - they went a long way...!




i put my side slider, and rear pop-outs in - it was a little PITA to get a center piece from a slider with pop-outs, but other than that the conversion was smooth and easy...

Looking good

ok, didn't mean to hit submit yet, but oh well...

after the pop-outs, i fixed stripped the pass. rear quarter above & below the stripe (i already stripped below the stripe) and primed & painted that, then did the rear doors...

the driver's side quarter above the stripe was stripped, primed, and repainted - need to do under the stripe though still...

i got a smoking deal on a front spoiler, so painted that and installed it before the flared boards...




and the center & lower section got custom 'webbing' in silver...

the flared running boards were tricky for me, because i didn't want to make up some brackets to make them functional (honestly, after stripping them and blocking & priming them, i didn't want anyone putting their feet on them...!!!)
so, i decided "What the Hell" and did this:



after about half an hour with a 7" grinding wheel, i cut them down and used some of the original 'glass to make up the bottoms - them put new 'glass & resin over the whole tapered section, some filler, sanding, priming and paint got this:





and added chrome trim rings to my tail lights...

all the work wasn't just on the outside either...

at various points over the winter it looked like this:





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all the work wasn't just on the outside either...

at various points over the winter it looked like this:








until June(ish) it really came together:







the big cabinet, i found on CL for free - and have since sanded & re-stained it (along with the other 2 cabinets and all doors) and added black plexi-glass instead of the ever-breaking real glass...

the ceiling is all paneled now, the 2 side conversion lights are gone & replaced with vinyl-covered paneling (with the lights in them)...

the back doors now have trim around the windows, and the front door panels are different now too...



things are looking up recently - starting a new job soon and the internet's back on LOL...

hope to see many of you at VANTASY 2 next weekend...!!!

Looking good! That center light panel on your headliner is what im trying to find/build for mine.

that was in my previous GMC Starcraft conversion - it was a '92, and i've seen a lot of them...

i used the whole assembly - the center wood section ties the paneling on the ceiling together, and it has LED's above the 'glass' in the center...

it's not very bright - but it's really cool... i tapped into the dome light wiring so it comes on when the doors open...

and of course, the map lights all work independently...

So after Vantasy I took out my old (almost a year) crappy carpet and replaced it with some great FREE shag from an older lady neighbor...








So, unless I come across something absolutely stupendous, my interior is 'done' for now... Needs some tweaks here and there, but is complete...

I have a 1981 Chevy G20. What size flexplate and starter did you use? I'm having some trouble with mine. I think i have a V8 305 with a 400transmission.