Jump to content
Model Cars Magazine Forum

1/16th Dukes Charger * 3/28/15* Update, **DAISY DUKE AUTOGRAPH**


Rdkingjay

Recommended Posts

Thanks for that, I appreciate it. I'm now working on the filler panel for the area in between the back of the grill/headlights and the radiator support and I have already hogged out the headlight/grill buckets and made my own grill from brass mesh. The headlight doors should look a little more realistic then the ridiculous pieces that came in the kit. Pics in a day or two.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Well, so much for a day or two :rolleyes: . As some of you know, the grill inserts that are provided with the kit are, for lack of a better term, a waste of plastic. For starters, one set of them is chrome and has a louvered look to them and the other set are too small because they are meant for the 71 street charger. So, I hogged out the grill area and using two layers of brass mesh, one slightly off-set from the other, made my own grill. Off setting them made for smaller but still squared/rectangular openings. I then used thin sheet styrene for the headlight doors and built in a small gap in-between the headlight door grills and the stationary grills, towards the center of each opening. Finally, the thin chrome strip surrounding the grills is easily bendable wire that was a bear to get cut to the right length and get the correct bends into.

The push bar is a mix of the two styles used on the real cars. The side profile, which pushes out towards the bumper was used on the first built cars and was not very wide. After they moved filming to CA. a wider, but thinner side profile type was used. I couldn't decide which one I liked better, so here is the end result. The uprights are sheet styrene and the cross bars are styrene tubing, while the bumper mounts are brass. Thanks for looking.

097-vi.jpg

098-vi.jpg

099-vi.jpg

Edited by Rdkingjay
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Push bar is painted and installed. As you look at these pics, keep in mind that the whole grill assembly is not mounted to the body yet, nor is the hood. So if you keen eyed types see something off kilter a bit, that is why. Pretty happy with the end result. Albeit a bit wider, I think I was able to capture the look of the pushbar on the early episode cars. Thanks for looking.

100-vi.jpg

102-vi.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 6 months later...

You know, I think that my Generals (I have several versions in the works) are looking half way decent, then I see this kind of work and I get brought back down to earth.

Amazing build.

My only dig would be the distributor and plug wire as previously mentioned.

I wish I had your talent and abiity my friend.

Outstanding work.

I can't wait to see the finished car.

Thank you for the detailed pics, I have some ideas in mind for mine now :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Gentlemen, I am sorry to report that it is now in safe storage as I work my way through a divorce. Shouldn't be too long of a process, as we are 5 months into it. No kids, short term marriage (5 years) no debt to iron out. So I am hopeful that I should be up and running again sometime after the new year. Thank you all for your interest and positive comments.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

The General Lees were painted using a few colors. '75 GM Flame Red, EV-2 Hemi Orange, and a few other colors were used on the cars. There really isn't one correct color for a General Lee so anything such as GM Flame Red, Hemi Orange, Hugger Orange... are all technically correct.

Edited by crowe-t
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The General Lees were painted using a few colors. '75 GM Flame Red, EV-2 Hemi Orange, and a few other colors were used on the cars. There really isn't one correct color for a General Lee so anything such as GM Flame Red, Hemi Orange, Hugger Orange... are all technically correct.

You are correct, there is no correct General Lee orange.

Believe it or not but back in the day when WB was building the cars they just used what ever color orange they had on hand at the time a General Lee was being built. If they didn't have enough of one orange color and yet had afew different orange colors but not enough of each orange color to make a General in that color, they would just take all the little orange colors they had very little of and just pure them all into one gallon andmix all those oranges into one orange color and then paint the cars that day in the shop in that orange. The most used color of General Lee's was 1975 GM Flame Red by Acme though, BUT NOT the only color orange though used!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I read that Hemi Orange was also used quite a bit on the General Lees. I'm partial to Hemi Orange, especially since it's a Mopar color, used on a General Lee.

Jay's General Lee looks really good in Hemi Orange.

Edited by crowe-t
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Man, I love that car. The Dodge Charger (68-69) is my favorite car of all time. I am sorry to hear about your troubles. We'll be here waiting for you when you get back. Look forward to seeing the final build.

Edited by severin681
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Gentleman, I happy to report that at this time my general is out of storage and as we speak, the body is at a friends house while he scales some detail decals for it. I anticipate having it back after the new year. The body is painted but will be wet sanded, decaled and cleared, then subjected to a three stage polishing process that is norm for my builds. If you are new to this board, please feel free to review my posts and pics and ask questions if you wish, as this one has gone through extensiive changes to correct its many flaws. Thanks for looking.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

stunning ! Hi Jay,

So glad to see someone actually building a correct replica MPC 1/16 General Lee, just by correcting the front wheel arches to the right shape transforms the car to how it should look! Its a shame that MPC didnt invest a little bit moor into the original tooling to make a correct body with wipers, gas cap, correct grill & full interior.

I had an original one here in the UK back in 1981 as a dukes of hazzaed mad kid, was obsessed by the General and still by the 69 Charger.

I have the new release to start, I'll defo be doing the front arches straight away, use the original alloys but tires will be poached from an old 1/16AMT 57 chevy which also had the gorgeous cragar wheels!, As well as buildinga General Lee, I'll also do a standard 1/16 Charger, use the Cragars with big n liitle tyres, add the extra chrome strips, may add a vinal roof, give it a weekend street/strip drag look from late 60's.

Your detaling is fantastic, looking forward to seeing the finished car :-)

I love chargers, heres my revell 1/25 RT, want to base the 1/16 version on this, wouldnt it be great if Revell released a 1/16 version of the 1/25 version!, the detail would be fantastic!

Cheers Damian

blue69charger3.jpg

mopars1.jpg

Edited by damop6v8
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Great job- I'm currently building the kit. 3 days on parts clean up (flash) so far. I'm keeping it close to box stock but not doing a General. I'm makeing it similar to a diecast release I saw in 1/18 that is an actual Moonshine runner. I'm going to go minimum chrome and lot's of dark and flat black color. I don't want the Sheriff to see it at night out on the 2 lane and on the back roads. I'm thinking lower than stock height and some mesh up in the compartment to keep chunks of mud and gravel out -- stuff like that-- then there's the shine. I have to figure out how to make 1/16 moonshine bottles for the trunk- oh yeah - and a wood box for them. These kits are cool but the tool leaves flash on everything.

Your General is really nice.

Edited by Fender
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 months later...

Thank you all again for your support and encouraging words. I am now in the final stages of wrapping up my previously mentioned life changing event. The house has sold! We close in a month. I have jumped back into my models with both feet, including this one. More on a Galaxie limted 46 Aerosedan Mass State cruiser and a '59 Impala convertible tribute build later.

The General has been buzzed down and decaled in prep for clear. I am waiting for R/T, Charger and Charger R/T scripts to finish the decal detail. Then the BMF will go on. The scripts are not terribly accurate, but this is not an episode car, just a 1/16th verison of how I would want my 1:1. Still a ways to go after clearing it, but the end is near. Hope you are well.

103-vi.jpg

Edited by Rdkingjay
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey Jay, I'm glad to see you are back working on this build. The General looks terrific with the decals!

BTW, are those the MPC kit included decals that are applied?

What brand of clear coat will you be using over the decals?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mike,

Believe it or not, those are one layer of the kit included decals. I have two and intended on using both sets becase i assumed i would have bleed through, like I did 30 years ago when I built the original. But it seems MPC at least improved their decals, if not the whole kit. I will be using three coats of Nason automotive clear. I use it on all my builds. When thinned down, it lays down beautifully and doesnt attack decals, custom made or box stock.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...