31 replies to this topic

[kataranga]

Monogram's first entry into this generation of pickup was in 1980 with the issue of Ford's newly redesigned F-150 pickup. Kit 2262, this version builds into a stock flareside four wheel drive pickup. Molded in red/orange plastic. Wheels are Ford chrome wagon wheels with Goodyear Tracker A-Ts.


Next in line from Monogram was the companion Bronco to the F-150. Released in 1981, the Bronco borrows heavily from the F-150 tooling, just as the 1:1 vehicles they represent. The chassis is a direct copy from the F-150: shortened to fit the Bronco's wheelbase, the chassis retains the incorrect saddle tank in front of the rear wheels and replaces the F-150s spare tire with the correct fuel tank between the rails. Options include a roof rack with skis and a brush guard. Kit 2271, molded in black plastic. Wheels are the same as the F-150 kit.


Continuing the company-wide High Roller theme, the F-150 was reissued in 1981. Modifications include a lifted suspension for bigger wheels, brush guard, hood scoop, roll bar with lights, and entry handles on the B-pillars. Kit 2274, molded in blue plastic. Wheels are 14-hole mags and Ground Hawg tires.


The Bronco was also reissued in the High Roller Series. Modified suspension is shared with the F-150 High Roller. Kit 2286, molded in orange plastic. Wheels are unique to the Bronco kit and are a 5-wedge design; tires are Ground Hawg.


With a monster truck craze sweeping the nation, the F-150 tooling was converted to depict a monster truck. Modifications include a supercharged engine, hole in hood for supercharger intake, monster truck suspension, roll bar with lights, and the Bronco's brush guard. Kit 2418 was released in 1984 as the Krusher in red and silver plastic.


For 1985 the monster truck was released as the Quadzilla as kit 2419 and molded in black and white plastic. The Quadzilla was then reissued in 1991 (with the same stock number) and again in 2002 as kit 85-7702 in black and silver plastic.




The Bronco was re-issued in 1992 (kit 2962, orange plastic), 2000 (kit 85-7682, white plastic), and 2011 (kit 85-7214, white plastic). Options were the same as the original 1981 issue, with the exception of the 2000 reissue which included a set of 5-slot mags.

Edited by kataranga, 07 March 2012 - 12:07 PM.

[kataranga]

For 1991, Monogram designed a completely new tooling for the eighth generation F-series. The trucks depicted are among the largest trucks on the road at the time. First on store shelves was the 1991 F-250 extended cab, long box, two wheel drive. Kit 2922, molded in blue and charcoal plastic. Wheels are incorrect 5-lug chrome Ford wagon wheels and Goodyear Wrangler R/Ts. Builds as a stock pickup with the only optional parts being cab-mounted clearance lights and a roll bar with lights. This kit was reissued in 2010 as number 85-7212 and molded in white plastic.



The same tooling was issued with slight modifications to depict an F-350 duallie. Modifications include duallie bed sides and wheels. Same options as the F-250 kit, however on 1:1 duallies the cab-mounted clearance lights are mandatory in most jurisdictions. Wheels are Ford 8-lug dually steel rims. Kit 2948, molded in red and charcoal plastic. This kit was reissued in 1995 with different box art but same stock number and again in 2005 as kit 85-7212 and molded in white plastic.

[Eshaver]

Nice write up and overall nice job! keep up the good work young man ................ Ed Shaver

[plowboy]

I would love to see Revell reissue both the Bronco and the F150 as High Rollers. I had the F150 Ranger and for the life of me,I can't remember what kind of seat it had in it. I've got the High Roller and it comes with bucket seats. I'm thinking that the Ranger came with a bench seat. Can anyone confirm what seat it came with? I've managed to scrounge up enough parts to build the F150 Ranger,but I couldn't find a bench seat for it. I scratchbuilt one for the one I'm building,but I surely wouldn't want to do it again!

For some reason, I had never saw the High Roller Bronco until a year or so ago. I would love to have one of those also just for the factory Ford wheels. You rarely see those. I've only seen a couple of the real trucks with those wheels on them. They're definitely something different. I built a Bronco a few years ago using the suspension and wheels/tires from a High Roller F150.

I have an F250 project in the works that I'm making a Powerstroke engine for using parts of the kit engine as a base. I still have to make the manifolds,turbo and injector pump,but I'm getting close to getting it done. The engine has been a project on it's own. When I do finish it,I'm going to cast a few so that I never have to do it again!

[kataranga]

The High Roller Bronco wheels are a factory item? Whoa! Here is a picture of the seat in the F-150.

[85gt4bbl302]

VERY COOL INFO, I WONDER WHY I CAN SEE PICS ON THIS POST, BUT MANY OTHERS I CANNOT? *SCRATCHES HEAD*

[jeffs396]

Another nice write-up Chris!

I guess if I want to replicate my late uncle's '86 fleetside longbed F150 (that his young son's still own & cherish), I'd have to combine the pickup cab, with TWO Broncos sacrificing their sides to build the bed

A bit of work, but it would probably mean ALOT to them.

[Joker]

This is so kool..thanks for doing this for us
greatly appreciated

[SSNJim]

Another nice write-up Chris!

I guess if I want to replicate my late uncle's '86 fleetside longbed F150 (that his young son's still own & cherish), I'd have to combine the pickup cab, with TWO Broncos sacrificing their sides to build the bed

A bit of work, but it would probably mean ALOT to them.

There was a Revell 1/24 Snap 80-86 Fleetside out for a while in the early to mid nineties. I don't remember the kit number, but I think it had a green truck on the box.

[kataranga]

With tweaking you can actually use the bed from the 87-91 Monogram pickup. I'm in the process of building an '80 regular cab, long bed styleside. The wheel wells have to be changed and its looking like I'm going to have to section the bed sides to match the cab.

[Casey]

There was a Revell 1/24 Snap 80-86 Fleetside out for a while in the early to mid nineties. I don't remember the kit number, but I think it had a green truck on the box.

I think you are thinking of Revell's 1/25 scale "Night Rider" Flareside 4x4 snap kit, which was black.

[gray07]

Great write-up now we need one of all the dodges.

[SSNJim]

I think you are thinking of Revell's 1/25 scale "Night Rider" Flareside 4x4 snap kit, which was black.

No, it wasn't a flareside. I can count the number of modern flareside trucks I've bought/built on the fingers of one foot. It may have been 1/25, though.

[plowboy]

Another nice write-up Chris!

I guess if I want to replicate my late uncle's '86 fleetside longbed F150 (that his young son's still own & cherish), I'd have to combine the pickup cab, with TWO Broncos sacrificing their sides to build the bed

A bit of work, but it would probably mean ALOT to them.

There are too many things wrong with the Bronco rear section to make a fleetside bed. The tail gate is wrong for the pickup and the wheelwells are too far rearward. I got a rear section of a Bronco from Larry Spect that I was planning on making a bed with,but after looking it over,it would require way too much work. I'm just going to use the F250 bed and add the '80s fenderwells and tail lights to it. The top of the bed corners will need a little putty and the top of the tail gate will need some also to square it up a little. Someday.I want to build a replica of the '83 F100 that I had many years ago.

[kataranga]

gray07: The only 1:24 scale Dodge trucks that Monogram produced was the Ramcharger, and I don't think there were too many of them. But I could do some research.

[Rob Hall]

gray07: The only 1:24 scale Dodge trucks that Monogram produced was the Ramcharger, and I don't think there were too many of them. But I could do some research.

The original and a reissue w/ a boat and boat trailer (in the '90s?) are what I remember...there may have been a 'High Roller' issue also.

[Rob Hall]

There are too many things wrong with the Bronco rear section to make a fleetside bed. The tail gate is wrong for the pickup and the wheelwells are too far rearward. I got a rear section of a Bronco from Larry Spect that I was planning on making a bed with,but after looking it over,it would require way too much work. I'm just going to use the F250 bed and add the '80s fenderwells and tail lights to it. The top of the bed corners will need a little putty and the top of the tail gate will need some also to square it up a little. Someday.I want to build a replica of the '83 F100 that I had many years ago.

I think an easier way to do an '80-86 fleetside would be to use the AMT '92-93 as a starting point (they did shortbed and longbed fleetsides) w/ the MPC '82 Bronco for the front end (and rework the rear fenderwell openings to the older style). The Bronco was reissued about 5 years ago..

[plowboy]

I think an easier way to do an '80-86 fleetside would be to use the AMT '92-93 as a starting point (they did shortbed and longbed fleetsides) w/ the MPC '82 Bronco for the front end (and rework the rear fenderwell openings to the older style). The Bronco was reissued about 5 years ago..

That would take a lot more work. To get an '80-'86 right,you would have to graft the frontend and the cowl (completely different between '80-'86 and '87-'96) onto the '92-96. Then,you would have to modify the Bronco interior (again,completely different door panels and dash). Then,you would still have to modify the '92-'96 styleside bed and tail gate.

With the Monogram kits,there's no work at all on the cab or interior. Just modify the bed and tail gate and shorten the chassis from the F250 and you're done.

[kataranga]

Rob: Give me an hour and I'll post up what I know about the Ramcharger kit.

plowboy: Revell actually made 1:25 scale snap kits of the 80-86 body with regular cabs. There's the Night Rider that's already been mentioned as well as the Six-Wheeler dually. Even though they are snap kits they have opening hood and a low-piece engine. They share the same tooling as the Revell Bronco. They're pretty crude kits, however, with next to no underhood detail and rather boxy cabs.

Edited by kataranga, 08 March 2012 - 08:55 AM.

[Casey]

No, it wasn't a flareside. I can count the number of modern flareside trucks I've bought/built on the fingers of one foot. It may have been 1/25, though.

Sorry, I mis-read and missed the bed type. Here are the three Revell snap-tite kits from the SAE article of a few years ago: