The host of Jakarta Diecast Project channel on YouTube has posted a report on converting a Dodge van into a truck. The catch is that the van isn’t real – it is a tiny Hot Wheels replica.
For starters, it’s worth mentioning that the Toy Wheels crew customized this van before the sale with flared fenders, wider wheels and custom graphics. It was then completely disassembled, stripped of its paint coat and sawn in half. The rear half was discarded except for the tailgate, which became the rear window for the cab.
The chassis received a custom rear half-frame to support the bed. The arches were cut slightly to fit much larger wheels. The result looks cool, although the flares do remind us about the Cybertruck somewhat.
Finalizing the build, Jakarta Diecast Project implemented a functional AWD system based on crankshafts and replaced the stock suspension with a much more robust alternative (even if it was cobbled up from miscellaneous junk). To look like a serious overlanding machine, the Dodge received skid plates, a snorkel pipe and bucket seats with multi-point safety harnesses.