some progress to report after months of inactivity. i finally got the cage bent up and tacked into position. the bender i fabbed up worked pretty good. it is just able to do what i needed. not a jd2, but worked reasonably well. didn't kink or dent the tubes and i am happy with how it turned out. just a couple of brace tubes to fit, some tabs to the door frames and i guess that's it. i will finish weld it when the body comes off again so i can get to the joints easier. sorry for the picture quality.

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last one for now.......

"AWESOME" I like it....
very cool to see you back to work on the humpback.
I didn't know you were going to put a cage in it,
it looks nice

post some pics of the outside again.
to remind us how cool a chopped top humpback is Ron...


OMG picture 5 I have that same welder,
I bought mine when I was doing my chopped van
like like 30 years ago

Very Nice!

ron, i got that welder about 25 years ago from a guy i knew that was getting out of the furnace business. it was like new , and it fit me.... a DIPSTICK ........ the plan from the beginning was for a cage [ 40 years ago ] , monster rear tires and be as low as possible. here's an old pic. arno, now ya know what i need the mig light for !

That thing is awesome! I love the look!

I sure hope my eyes arent seeing what my brain is,,,,it looks like a sectioned hump back ??

that takes guts if it is,,, but looks kool,,,

Isn't it just channeled?

R.

side view. lots of body mods, as the truck was pulled from a south carolina swamp in what one could call "kinda ruff" condition. if i knew better at the time[1973] i probably would have left it in the swamp......

the rear doors are a pair, but will be welded into a single panel and opened upward ala modern minivan instead of the "barndoor" style of the original. in fact, my old 95 caravan is going to donate the hinge mechanism and latch system for the conversion, as well as the roof panel to fill the huge roof opening. i haven't quite got that far yet........ also, 62 chrysler newport wagon tail light assemblies fit the rear curvature of the box almost as if they were designed for it. i have a pair of those already accumulated !