Project Dajiban

[Duncan]

20 hours ago, EDM620 said:

I don't know why, but remember the vinyl roof craze? Wouldn't that be most delightful?

 

I've never seen a van with a vinyl roof.  That would use a metric buttload of vinyl...

 

 

[dimlight65]

21 hours ago, Duncan said:

 

I've never seen a van with a vinyl roof.  That would use a metric buttload of vinyl...

 

 

 

This!  But... Hmm, I could see me doing some sort of Itasha wrap on the roof!  But since I'm not a weeb (says every weeb ever), I don't have any particular character in mind (Hyase Nagatoro) of course.

[Duncan]

4 hours ago, dimlight65 said:

 

Hmm, I could see me doing some sort of Itasha wrap on the roof!  But since I'm not a weeb (says every weeb ever), I don't have any particular character in mind (Hyase Nagatoro) of course.

 

Interesting.  My wife is Japanese, and we have quite a multi-cultural life.  I consider myself very lucky.  

 

And FWIW, I think the Itasha wrap on the roof would be pretty cool.  I think that might be the only USA made van sporting something like that.

 

 

 

   

Edited May 13, 2022 by Duncan

[EDM620]

I also think that'd be pretty cool, Dajiban n all... though I have no idea what would be the "right" character might be. I suppose the best is simply what speaks to you, something legendary

 

[datsunfreak]

Slide rag then?  😈

 

[Lockleaf]

Itasha wrap adhered to a vinyl slide ragtop!  ALL THE BESTEST!!!

[datsunfreak]

1 hour ago, Lockleaf said:

Itasha wrap adhered to a vinyl slide ragtop!  ALL THE BESTEST!!!

 

Or blanket, sewed onto it...  😄

 

[Duncan]

The old "Sardine Can" top.  🙂

 

Don't know how that would work on a van, structurally speaking.

 

 

 

[datsunfreak]

1 hour ago, Duncan said:

Don't know how that would work on a van, structurally speaking.

 

Probably not as great as a vehicle with a "real" frame...  😄

[dimlight65]

23 hours ago, Duncan said:

The old "Sardine Can" top.  🙂

 

Don't know how that would work on a van, structurally speaking.

 

 

 

 

I have seen them added to Minis, Beetles, Scion xBs, and a few other unibody cars... not saying they aren't Flexi-Flyers afterwards, but it's been done.

[dimlight65]

Someone posted this to the Instant Grams

 

 

and now I want to paint it on the Dajiban!

 

Edited May 14, 2022 by dimlight65

[EDM620]

it's PERFECT!

5 hours ago, dimlight65 said:

Someone posted this to the Instant Grams

 

 

and now I want to paint it on the Dajiban!

 

That's REFECT!

[EDM620]

Hey, is that tranny fluid?

[dimlight65]

9 hours ago, EDM620 said:

Hey, is that tranny fluid?

 

Yeah, probably!

[Duncan]

16 hours ago, dimlight65 said:

 

I have seen them added to Minis, Beetles, Scion xBs, and a few other unibody cars... not saying they aren't Flexi-Flyers afterwards, but it's been done.

 

I used to have a Corvette with T-tops.  If you removed the tops, you could really see and feel the body flexing around.  The difference was pretty amazing..

 

 

 

 

 

[datsunfreak]

On 5/15/2022 at 9:41 AM, Duncan said:

 

I used to have a Corvette with T-tops.  If you removed the tops, you could really see and feel the body flexing around.  The difference was pretty amazing..

 

The old joke about those (and these below) is you could never do a burnout, or drive over a railroad track, with them off or they would never seal again...

 

[Duncan]

I remember reading some hot rod article from an old timer, and he was talking about an old Mercury he had turned into a convertible.  He said the doors would fly open every time he crossed over railroad tracks.   😲

[dimlight65]

Y'all are beginning to make me think you don't like the idea of the sliding ragtop.🤔

 

Or, as I like to call them "Woo Girl" holes!

 

  

 

He says as if he actually knows any "Woo Girls"

Edited May 17, 2022 by dimlight65

[EDM620]

1 hour ago, dimlight65 said:

Y'all are beginning to make me think you don't like the idea of the sliding ragtop.🤔

 

Or, as I like to call them "Woo Girl" holes!

 

  

 

He says as if he actually knows any "Woo Girls"

Wha? Her top ain't off!

One big issue with the fabric top is the fabric shrinks then you you know, water & wind...

[dimlight65]

Ok, so I really want a manual transmission.  Can I get a vote, yea or nay, on the resolution: "Hand operated clutch on the shift lever"?

 

I'm thinking of a motorcycle style clutch lever, attached to the shift lever, with a cable running down to a master cylinder on the floor.

 

Aaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnnnnd... discuss!

[datsunfreak]

16 hours ago, dimlight65 said:

Ok, so I really want a manual transmission.  Can I get a vote, yea or nay, on the resolution: "Hand operated clutch on the shift lever"?

 

I'm thinking of a motorcycle style clutch lever, attached to the shift lever, with a cable running down to a master cylinder on the floor.

 

Aaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnnnnd... discuss!

 

 

IMO, it's a dicey proposition. Bike has a 4-6" wet clutch, car has a 10-11" dry clutch. Seems like effort would be crazy high, and you'd snap a few cables in the process. 

 

But YMMV

[Duncan]

19 hours ago, dimlight65 said:

Aaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnnnnd... discuss!

 

I don't think a hand operated clutch would work, especially one for your V8 van.. WAY to hard to operate, especially by a hand mechanism.  It might be possible if a cable triggered some sort of pneumatic system, but it seems like that would take a lot of Mcguyvering to make work.

 

My opinion (as always) is worth what you paid for it...

 

Of course, I posted that BEFORE I read John's post..

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 23, 2022 by Duncan

[dimlight65]

Hmm... and here I was thinking the learning curve (AKA weirdness) of clutching and shifting with the same hand was going to be the stumbling block for everyone.  That was what concerned me.  "Would I be able to hoon it?" was my biggest question. 

 

I think, if the lever could pull enough cable, that a long enough lever at the master cylinder would make the effort at the hand acceptable.  But, even though I have a $15 pair of handlebar levers on their way, and I believe a hand clutch would be way easier to build, I think "hoonability" wins.  I'll order a $110 under-floor-master-cylinder pedal assembly and we'll grok that.

 

EDIT: I found one for $95.  It should be here by June 8.

 

 

 

 

Edited May 23, 2022 by dimlight65

[datsunfreak]

While I think this floor pedal idea is at least 82% bananas, it beats the hand lever idea by a country mile. 👍

[EDM620]

I didn't have computer for a few days, so late throw-in of my 2 bits. As neat as the hand clutch would be, the spring plate would be way too hard to operate by a hand-operated clutch, and a pneumatic one would be an on/off switch - no feathering. Would be slick tho