Street Machine mag Van Stuff

Hi folks, I've been doing a bit of old school van coverage for Street Machine mag and have a 6pack of custom vans in the current issue and there is a 4 page Time Machine on 'Mr Damage' (Leon Harris' XB from the early 80's) in the next issue due out May 20; if you like what you read and want to see some more regular stuff featured, please flick Street Machine a quick email as it will help my cause thats for sure!

In saying that, I'd like to get in touch with Greg Tarte (Miss Misty Blues which I believe he still owns) and Steve Ellis who built XX308 so if anyone can help and pass on my details that would be fantastic.

Any other great van pics or info would also be welcomed so please feel free to email or pm me.

Thanks

Simo

hemi4bbl@optusnet.com.au

Hi Simo

First of all welcome to the forum.

Unfortunatly Steve Ellis passed away a few years ago, but the current owner is on this forum.

I saw the section you did on the vans,and it was a pleasure to see.
Do you have the email address for SM so we can send the requests off for the next istallment of vans?
Keep up the good work and look forward to the next issue of SM.

Cheers
Craig

sent ya 2 emails Simo, and yes welcome to the forum,,,

PS: Simo is that you Simon T.???

cheers
Daz

Thanks Craig & Daz,

Sorry to hear about Steve Ellis and my apologies for not being more respectful to the possibility of this in my first post.

I'll check my emails Daz, and no I'm Simon M not Simon T, but we often get confused (I'm the one with less hair!!). Simon T has been very supportive of the van stuff which is fantastic and is a fan himself.

The email for Street Machine is the stock 'Your Stuff' contact: streetmachine@acpmagazines.com.au

Thanks for the welcome too, I've been into Vans since about 1980 (I was 6 when I pleaded with my Mum to buy me CV&T!) and even had a letter published in CV&T when I was 9. Funnily enough though I'm only just building a Valiant Van now. I've owned it for about 5 years but have had 2 HQ's, a HJ and HZ in the years since the early 90's but they were always drivers and nothing too flash. My main car interest is Vals and I've built quite a few Hardtops, Sedans and Wagons over the years, most of which have been in Cruzin Magazine etc so I got sidetracked for a long time!

Mr Damage and XX308 would be my two all-time favourite vans, then Hallucination, VanRat, Green Knight & Alley Cat followed closely by Rae Johnson's black & blown Fairlane fronted/reared XW van. I collect a lot of van bits including various spoilers, bubble windows, side pipes, trans am fronts etc., basically anything 'old crap' that says 'panelvan', and would love to do a van history book one day, although I think Eddie Ford would be the man for that job.

Here's a pic of my van in masking tape mock-up phase; the Thrush pipes will be partially functional but I'll replace the square ends which are supposed to point downwards with some oval truck stack ends going sideways. It'll have the pentastar side bubble windows, a tailgate bubble window (Harrison Holden Spares in Brisbane are remaking all of the old bubble stuff) and will run 255/60's on the rear rims. The roof spoiler is a Holden version which is going to be modded a bit to make it solid (its like a Goss XB style air 'foil' at the moment) and it'll have the usual spoilers and two SLR bonnet scoops joined together to make a single longer one to suit the bonnet proportions better.

I'm just in the throes of finishing a VF Valiant sedan at the moment but will be getting stuck right into this asap after the VF is done.

Thanks

Simo

SWEET!!
The Val should look great when it's finished.
Do you have a time period for the build?

So ya gonna pinch Marks donk out of war440 for it Simo.?

great to see another Val Van happening. keep us post on the progress.

Daz

there's 3 of us on here now

Thanks folks, I'd love to go 440, but its just going to run a mild 318 with Mopar purple shaft, 4bbl etc. and a gear drive to make it totally exhibitionist!

I hope to have it done by Christmas 2010 at the absolute latest, there's a fair bit of rust work to do which will slow it down unfortunately.

Thanks

Simo

Sorry Simo,, the way the van looks now some may think it was done for the movie Metal Skin,,, i know it wont look that way in the future..



NO OFFENCE MENT.

Daz

Hey Simo, check your PM box
James

Daz, there was nothing wrong with the vehicles in Metal Skin we had a great time. And whenever I want to remember my old interior I just have to flick to the sex scene. They just made it look like John's van cause mine was used already in another scene. I f you look close there are about 8 Vans in the movie

i'll have force myself to watch it again,, bugger

im sure one of the vans was doing circle work.....or was that the other oz car movie

Im loving all the van articles in Street Machine magazine lately..But what I really wanna see is a full magazine special like StreetMachine 'Choppers' and the Hot Rod specials..surely there is enuf stuff out there to do a complete Van magazine special..re-printing the old VanWheels stuff,plus all the vans that have featured in SM over the years (love that black n blown NZ HR van,sweet)..and surely some new picks of showvans doing the rounds now..Would love to see features on Daz's van,Stormbringer,Bad Company,Brutal's van,Crystal Wizard,street legal,innervisions etc etc...histories on Beast ,Judge and Mystic Fantasy bedfords..Features on each of the major manufacturers,Ford ,Holden,Bedford and Chrysler...I'd pay top dollar for a big fat glossy publication dedicated to the Vanning scene....

Great idea Nigzy.

here, here....

Think all here would pry the fun tickets from the cookie jar for that!

i know i'd love to have a Van history & update mag or 10 myself.

I agree

Maybe one of the big mags (not naming any) could trial a lift out feature inside their existing mag, just a single van feature every month (their is well and truly enough vans out there worthy of this to last a few years at least).

This would be a good indication if a Van could support itself????????????

Even dust off "Van Wheels"........... I'd subscribe now, $$$$ waiting!

Should we start a list?????

We should all email All the car mags to put in a vanning section each month or we will all protest by setting fire to a four cylinder or rotary rice burner every week untill they submit to our evil plans.

Well I emailed my suggestions off to Street Machine..crossing my fingers..

highwaymenace wrote:Sorry Simo,, the way the van looks now some may think it was done for the movie Metal Skin,,, i know it wont look that way in the future..



NO OFFENCE MENT.

Daz

None taken Daz! Its probably got too much paint on it still for Metal Skin anyway...

Thanks to everyone for their magazine interest too, and Nigzy it'll be interesting to see what response you get...

have fun

Simo

Just sent my suggestion to SM.

I am about to do the same