Jump to content
Model Cars Magazine Forum

"Father & Son" Dodge Truck build.. NEW progress pics 9-10-16


Recommended Posts

Thanks gentlemen! I am healing, the extra fine details has come along ways to my hands healing! AND has greatly helped the physical therapy, as well! I got the frame almost done (I'm lacking drive shafts) so I'm working out a few trades for those AS I've "robbed" other builds that are on hold so, and because I make them any length I want, as long as they closely match on the 4x4 stuff, I got no issue using other then box stock kit parts, that aren't for that particular build anyway....

But, as far as this build goes, I still got more to do on it, like the radiator set up all on the core support so...... I can do little things like that till I have what I need to further the build to completion! -Plus, I'm in the process, of getting a few "bench seats" this is one of the builds I need a bench seat for, as Dad's truck had a bench and not buckets as the Little Red Express kit comes with! -All in a little time!

Thanks guys! Much appreciated! -Stay tuned, more to come!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So with a bit of looking for parts, and have posted the pics of what I did and found for the radiator, and core support, I came across another radiator-like part..... It was to be thought to go in place for an A/C condenser radiator! AND it "almost" fit! SO, the whole outside dimension was GREAT, BUT the thickness was the issue (The core support fits really close to the rear of the grille!) Having said that, off to set the Unimat up for the task of milling OFF the back-side of the part!

One pass.....

Second pass....

After the 3rd pass, it was perfectly fitted thickness-wise! SO I got right to adding the mounts, (one fell off while in the mill) so, I got it back in place and now awaits to have those painted, and then to make the locations for the A/C lines in, and A/C lines out.....
Which I have some thought to put into this task.... A little work to it as well, but once done, like the rest of the under hood details, it'll look good!
Short update, but more to come!!!!!! -Thanks for looking!

Edited by 426-Hemi
New Link Update
Link to comment
Share on other sites

So, I got a bit of research to see how things went on the Core support, (I know how the radiator, and fan shroud was placed) BUT the A/C condenser was a slight issue, (or so I think anyway) I need to see just how on the Dodge trucks the A/C parts/lines were ran other then that I've added) As that stuff seen already in place is where it should be, that I know, BUT I myself haven't once worked on a 70's Dodge truck that HAD A/C so, its in question. Till I find and do all I can to research this, I moved on a bit, and let the other sit aside till I have what I need to continue to deal it.
SO, whats left? The interior! Now as a few here may know, I was on a look-out for a bench seat, this is just one of the reasons I need a bench seat! My Dad's truck HAD a bench seat, NOT buckets as the model came with, MOLDED into the interior tub! SO, I went to cutting them out....

Nice and clean..... NOW I had to leave the front edge in place as the bench seat would need this, or so I hope! (I don't have the seat yet, but no harm removing whats not needed.

From the back, as you see the box stock interior tub is made to be an "Automatic" shift truck, the REAL truck (as the Little Red Express) was a standard! This was the issue I found with my truck in this build, (which I changed!) BUT in Dad's truck, it will remain as-is, as his truck was a true Automatic shift truck! -Had a 727 Torqueflite transmission in it, that was powered by the Mopar LA 318..... NOT a Magnum, 2 different beasts, and slightly different in detail too! SO when I got to detail the interior, these seen pedals will stay, as "bases" as I plan to add my own "treads" to them, that won't be anything special so-to-speak, or see, BUT something to make them just a bit more, pronounced in being seen in the truck. -Made from the same materials those are I put in my truck!
I also went as far to fill in the standard shifter mount hole too. I have one to add, sure for the 4x4 shifter, BUT, thats in a slightly altered location nearer to the dash, and further to the passenger side of the truck! Also will be a completely different shifter too!
I'll probably be doing a bit of detail to the door sides while the seat isn't in there. Make it a bit easier! I'll also be detailing the seat, the levers on each side to prop the back of the seat forward, adjustment lever, and even seat belts! (I just got to figure out what will be used for seat belts, (I've never made them from scratch before so... We'll see!

Then I went to putting in the "base" of the tub, and the back, NOW, granted, this is just for support, NOTHING more.... I'll do the "interior finish" to fit whatever bench seat I get..... So, for now, this is how the truck will be till those seat trades I got going come!
Thanks for looking, much appreciated!!!!!

Edited by 426-Hemi
New Link Update
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, back at it a bit, (Had some home "life" things get in the way of modeling so, had to slow down for a couple days to get things back in order.)
So, with that said, getting back at it, again, I got to looking, the radiator core support was together, parts that consisted of, the core support, the radiator, and the fan shroud as well as the A/C condenser all in place, and then it was time for detailing this assembly to get it ready for being installed onto the trucks frame!
So, the first thing I did was get all the A/C condenser plumbing "in-place" that would allow me to add the piping and fittings to this part, that way, I could get the connections from where ever to the proper location on the frame once in place. SO, this got the wire treatment, as always, the supply and return lines one low, one high on each side of the core support through it, with drilled holes, and then the wires bent to fit as pipe and once painted, and dry, they were glued in place, with the "connection fitting" at each end of the pipes INSIDE the engine compartment. So once that was all done, I had looked to see what I had, and what maybe was missing. (Just like I did on my truck in this build) I noticed, there was no over-flow tank or piping from the radiator, SO, I took to my pipe 'O scrap parts directly left in front of me, to see what I had as scrap to make the part.....

a 1/4th by a 1/4th inch section of Styrene, was used on MY truck so thats what I went looking for to use in Dad's truck. Not to shabby, I had a section (still needed cut to length) and then the edges rounded to look like a tank, had a mount to make for it, it was also scrap plastic laying there, and then found some scraps to make a "neck" and a "cap" with, it was all drilled and glued in place, and then held with an alligator clip, by the cap area, painted the tank Testors "Cream" color, allowed to dry, and then dullcoted it to make it NOT shiny, and then painted the mount flat black, and allowed to dry.
So I had to sit that aside, and look to the other side of the core support. And the battery was next, Granted, heres a bit of difference from one truck to the other, I myself, had a Die Hard in my truck. Dad had an Interstate Battery in his truck. SO, this means the part I had done with my stock kit supplied battery made/painted to look as a Die Hard, had to have the battery physically "look" different no less, be painted different too! SO, I took the kit supplied part, and removed ALL the little cap details that it came with, and added my own!

The battery got painted all flat white, by spray can, allowed to dry, and then that got taped off, and the lower lip got painted black, and that was allowed to dry, and then got a "base" tray made to hold it in the truck on the core support, the tray made of styrene angle, and then the INSIDE only got painted flat black, then glued to the bottom of the battery, and then once all made to fit the location, and glued in place, I painted the outside of the tray gloss black to match the rest of the interior parts, and then painted the battery terminals, as well as the tops of the 2 new caps I added.
Thats a short reply, but there will be more to follow!!! Enjoy for now....Stay tuned!

 

Edited by 426-Hemi
New Link Update
Link to comment
Share on other sites

So, as promised, I got some more to add and done to this build..... Its getting there! I got to lookin' and the frame was just about done, all it was still needing was drive shafts to connect the transfer case to the axles! I was originally going to get others to do the task, BUT I got to thinking, instead of robbing another kit for the parts, I took and made special ones for my truck in this build (Mine were heavier built then Dad's, SO, this left the stock kit supplied drive shaft in my kit, un-used! THEN Dad's truck had the SAME one too! As well as a junk one I had stored for many years, (since the early 1990's) I use that one on the truck already (its the "jack-shaft" between the transmission, and the transfer case!) SO, having said that, I took the one from my truck in this build, and the one that came with this kit, and made my Dad's to keep everything "stock" to the kit. He kept his truck Stock Mopar, so there was no "after-market" stuff, on Dad's truck, which made this all fall right into place!
With all that said, OFF to making them to my standards, I went! First things first, I took the stock drive shafts, and cut them in half, ONE shaft at a time! I take them larger end of shaft, and smaller end of shaft and put the "cut" end, into the Unimat set up as the lathe. To turn the shaft down just a little to fit inside of Aluminum tube to make a new completely round shaft. This end has to be "short" tho! Because the smaller end of the stock part has to fit inside of a smaller aluminum shaft that slides into the larger one (expand and contract). SO, both ends of the stock part, has to take turns in the Unimat! So that they fit somewhat snug but be able to be glued into the Aluminum tube without "filling" the tube with glue! -Done, very carefully! This task has to be done twice as a 4x4 has 2 of them! This one actually has 3, BUT that "jack-shaft" has no "tube" to it, its merely 2 "U-Joints" end-to-end. Once made, they were slipped together, and put onto the truck, NOT glued....
Sadly, I didn't get pictures of them as I was making them, like I normally do so. BUT they're on the truck, unpainted.....


As seen above, they sitting there, with the "slip-joint" spread enough to hold the drive shaft on the truck, once spread enough and positioned correctly (Outside U-Joint ends) to hold itself on the truck THEN the slip-joint in the middle of the drive shaft is super glued, to the aluminum tube. Allowed to dry, and then tweaked if needed (turned) for the best looking position. Once thats found/achieved then the U-Joint ends get glued into place, to the transfer case, and the axles. Then sit aside shortly to allowed to dry.
Once the glue is dry (doesn't take long) they're painted in place! NOW the trick, and difficulty (for me at least) Dad's truck wasn't like mine this way, Mine got a bare metal protectant sprayed onto the shaft work and other underside parts, that well looked like a slightly darkened cast iron/metal, Dad's truck he under coated it with a brush on type stuff, and so, the drive shafts got it, as well as the axles, ALL the floor panels except the frame, and springs he sprayed them with flat black paint I do believe (from talking to my uncle) and ANYTHING "mechanical" was left bare cast iron and was treated with something that didn't give a "coat" to it (sort of like what I used, on my truck, but not the same thing!) SO, having said that, the transmission, the transfer case, the U-Joints, did NOT get that black undercoating, they got the other stuff as they were a mechanical, functioning part. SO, they got the same treatment that mine did (sort of) but had a close the same look as mine did. SO, on the model, the mechanical parts, transmission, transfer case, and U-Joints, got that bare metal treatment, that mine got and look a lot the same, BUT the drive "shaft" and all got that black brush-on undercoating....

All is painted, as said, U-Joints the darkened Bare cast iron! The shaft work painted gloss black to represent the gloss undercoating (black) so.... Not bad at all!

Rear axle drive shaft, close up.

Front axle drive shaft.


Over-all, looks pretty good for being painted as I wouldn't have done, but thats how Dad's truck was, and how he did it! So having the drive shafts, done and in-place, as well as painted, the running gear, and all the underside frame details is DONE, I'll concentrate on the engine compartment completion, and then once thats done, The frame itself, will be complete, and allow me to concentrate more heavily on the interior to get it to where it needs/should be to represent my Dad's truck (just like I did mine in this build, to then be able to really set out and concentrate on the body, of both trucks to give them the needed mind-set they deserve!
Thanks for looking, more to follow as things are done!

Edited by 426-Hemi
New Link Update
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Gator! More will come..... I have a few pictures to get the link added up to the write-out for posting.... BUT, that will be when I have a chance to sit down and pull the link and type it all out (ALL of my posts are typed out in notepad, BEFORE they even hit the forums here!)

So stay tuned, more to come!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well while I was building the drive shafts and fitting them, I noticed one other "detail" I had sort of forgot about! The spare tire, and its mount.... REMEMBER this detail is and was to be "removable" somewhat like the real thing! WELL that "mount" bracket had been made, BUT the threaded part of the mount that turned in to hold the bracket to the wheel itself wasn't made, to what a real one would have been OR CLOSE (Its not 100% like the real thing) BUT, you'll see in a minute just how that all went together!
I used a screw as you all know. BUT that screw wasn't "good enough" to my detailing so, I took the part out, removed the bracket, and then began bending a "handle" that would "weld" to the screw.... This is all sort of done, with a pretty big bolt, with a cap, that self-centers as turned in to hold the tire against the underside of the beds floor boards. SO, I looked through some of my spare scrap wire on the bench choose what was the strongest that I had and began to bend it to look like a o with squared corners, NOT round. The location where the ends came together is the base where it have the "welds" made..... These "welds"???? Really are a weld of sorts! I soldered the steel wire, to the head of the slotted bold head, in the screw driver "slot".....Then completely cleaned in Acetone to remove ALL the flux and any other contaminate, that would inhibit the paint that it was to get!
Painted, allowed to dry, and put into place, it looks something like this:

Center of the tire, on the rim, you'll see the gloss black bracket, that spans pressure on it to hold it all in place. In the center of it, painted flat black (for detail variation) you'll see the mount screw!

To show some depth of detail.
I think to date the frame as far as underside details is done.... I'll look again to make sure, but I'm almost sure ALL the underside stuff, now is complete! (A LOT of little stuff!) So I can set down now and concentrate on the engine compartment.... (Even in it, theres not a lot to be done!) Again, A LOT of little stuff!
Anyway, thats it for this posting, Thanks for looking, More to come as I am able.

Edited by 426-Hemi
New Link Update
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Dale!!!!! Much appreciated! As you know (better then most) just how bad the "detailing" DETAILS grab me..... Plus having the machine tools and hand tools for model building that I've got, well....... I HAVE to use them! :) so....

ANYWAY, stay tuned man, more to come (hopefully, I'll have the next addition tonight!)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well since my last installment, I got a ways on the engine compartment completion! I as you all have seen re-worked the battery, to look like one my Dad used in his truck! It became as seen from the box stock part, to the one/type my Dad had. He used a Interstate battery, SO I had to make the one going in HIS truck (model) represent that. NOT just paint the stock kit part the colors, BUT change the look, as you all know that I did, WELL now its painted, with a battery "shelf" mount, and in place! -Mo wires to it yet!



The battery is in place, as well as some other details! I added the radiator over-flow tank, with hose leading from the radiator to the tank. (The tank I made from solid styrene!)
As you can see, I have a bit of detailing yet to do! I have to finish adding the A/C hoses to the condenser radiator (out in front of the BIG engine radiator) and then get the rest of the battery cables in place. These are coming!
More to come, stay tuned!

Edited by 426-Hemi
New Link Update
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Dale! Yeah, there is a little more to go in there believe it or not, wiring, horn (wires to it) and some other small stuff, ALL the big stuff is in place so. its just little things now! -I even got the decals on the fender wells inside too! :)

THEN, its off to the fun part, the interior. what fun thats gonna be!!!!! -A LOT requires change!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

So now with The day of Christmas behind us, I thought I ought to get a bit of an update (I had to post-pone the build for Christmas) SO, I sat it aside for a week to get trades done, and get household Christmas things in order, in the shop mind you. SO, thats all behind me now, SO, back at building, I go.....
With that said, I got a cold just before Christmas, (fun, I know!) BUT today I feel a bit better, and thought I'd get right to getting pictures!
As you all know by now, I got the battery modified to look more like a Interstate battery, that my Dad used, SO, I got to posting pictures of it in place, but no battery cables in place, or anything..... I got that done just before I set it aside, just waited to have pictures taken of it.

Battery cables in place, and mounted as they should be like that seen on my truck. I also got the top radiator hose in place, as well as all the A/C piping as well. A little bit of small details for now!

Then seen here is the fender decals on the inner fenders. -They're added as well as the red alternator line feeding the battery across the front of the core support.
As of this part, its getting down to the nitty-gritty now! I have yet to add in a horn, its wiring, and then I need to install the air cleaner. And the frame is D-O-N-E! I'll be off to picking up, where I let off on the interior details as a lot has to be changed in that to get to the body work!
Stay tuned...... More to come as things get back into motion on this build! -Thanks for looking!

Edited by 426-Hemi
New Link Update
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Gator! A lot done in the engine compartment for sure! I got a little more to add, to under the hood detail department, BUT I'm almost ready to move on to the next sub-assembly of the model here, the interior!

More to come as I get things done! (I got to thinkin' I have a little to go back and do to my truck in this build under the hood too! Nothing real serious tho!)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

So with the current issues I was going through with the computer, I had a bit of time to work on the shop "resetting"... (since New Years Eve is when I got back into it.... BUT recently I had to take a break, As some light materials need to be picked up to get back at it again. SO having to delay the shop resetting, I got back into a little bit of model work! The Father & Son build!
SO, with that being said, I took down Dad's truck in this build, remembering what/where I had let off last. It needed a Horn, and wired in..... I got the horm painted (2 come with EACH of my '70 Dodge Coronet Super Bee's and Really, I'm only gonna use one! SO, I have a few "extra" and this is a great time to put one extra to good use! Painted it black after I drilled the hole for the wire, and trimmed off any edge flash, as it had to fit in a pretty well tight area on the radiator core support. Once that was "fitted, I then drilled a hole for the little mount tab to fit into rather tightly as well, and let to dry for a short time, to dig through what wire I had organized for such little things, but nothing I had was suitable for this application. So, I took out my spool of blue 30 Gauge wire!


Seen here, the passenger side inner-fender, theres NO "blue" wire running near, or on it, for the horn!
-Thats about to change!

Fits nicely, BUT it was fun getting it in there! (I had for a moment, wished I had done it BEFORE the radiator over-flow tank went into place!


With air cleaner sitting in place (I have yet to make this thing semi-removable to view the details under it!) so. the frame is actually, for the most part ..........DONE! Just that last step on making the air cleaner removable is all thats required!
To date, I am VERY pleased on how all this has turned out! THEN it hit me like a TON of bricks............ MY TRUCK! It didn't have a horn!!!! SO, I sat Dad's aside to dry... -And pulled my truck in this build down......
Stay tuned, more to come after these short messages!

Edited by 426-Hemi
New Link Update
Link to comment
Share on other sites

So, I got the horn & the oil dip-stick in my truck and put it back in the dust case above the work bench and brought Dads back out. I have a little yet to do to the frame on Dads truck, I need to affix the air cleaner that it can be removed, BUT not lost at the same time (long piece of wire mounted to the air cleaner that slips into the center of the carburetor works well for this! BUT has to be LONG, almost as long as the engine is deep up & down, to keep it in place, when handled! Then to top it all off, I have to paint the lug nuts on the rims chrome, and this frame will be done! I may take my frame down one last time and add valve-stems to each rim, but am undecided on doing this but there is a very good chance it will happen!
BUT, to keep going, I took the interior box out and got to looking at what it looked like from when I cut out the 2 bucket seats and re-built the area they once were in, to hold a bench seat. Now that I got some bench seats from a few of our own in trade (thanks guys!!!!!) I got to see what one fits the best to Dads truck without a lot of modifications. Sadly, that " a lot" part, isn't going to be as easy as I had hoped and wished for! (Got to admit), Dads truck was and has been a lot more difficult to build as his was further from what the model I used was made to be in the first place, and required A LOT more work then my truck in this build did! Once done tho, it will be worth it as a Father & Son set, I know!


So, when I took it out, the back needed a "finish" edge on it. Something more then just a sheet of plastic, to be cut off straight across, so, I went to my parts bin to see what all I had, stock bits & pieces of building materials. Not actual model car parts, but something to fabricate the part I was seeing in my head. Found a strip, that looked "close", as it was a bit "high" but was right width. So I used it, cut and filed to fit side-to-side and then placed it that the top, stuck up past the factory edge or the interior tub/box..... Once dry, I filed that top down to be even and straight across side-to-side to the factory interior box height. This will serve 2 purposes. One, a finish to the interior box, that will only truly be seen under the rear window, and on each side of the bench seat, but 2, it will serve as a rest for the back of the bench seat to rest one, when all said and done!

While I was at it, I also added 2 more thicknesses of that dark gray plastic, to "fill in the rear wall on each side. These were scraps! I had to come up with just a bit more thickness for the seat to fit right and look good, as the rear inside corners were lacking that lip on top stuck out a bit more then it needed too to look right! SO, that was added in too at this time!
Once this was all done, it was time to pick a seat! This wasn't the easiest part I can tell you, Dads truck had a bench seat in it, yes, BUT that bench seat was a bit different. The Dodge truck seats were completely different then that found in a car..... I'm not sure why, but they did different that much! Matter of fact, the bars running side to side on the cars bench seats is and was wrong, for a stock Dodge truck seat! The Trucks, mostly had seats with the bars or sewing lines running up and down, not across! SO I honestly can not remember what the seat looked like in Dad's truck BUT I'm taking an educated guess here to say, the cars front bench seats are upholstered wrong for a truck, no matter how I look at it. SO, I simply had to pick one! -Knowing what I just said, It was a hard pill to swallow that I couldn't get a closer seat but, I wasn't going to set out and fabricate a seat too.....

so heres the seat I'm gonna use! (I just have to live with it) but thats OK its on the inside of the truck anyway!

Now the real test was coming! I had to sit down, talk with my uncle (the uncle thats been helping me recall how this truck was when Dad had it), as I mentioned the real truck was lost in a flood! And my uncle had a lot involved with helping my Dad at times do things to it, oil changes, added this or that to spruce it up a bit, so..... He'd know best, second to Dad, but Dad well hes not around anymore so.......... -Which is partly why I'm so focused on this build........ Its sort of a healing for the loss of my Dad, coming up on 2 years in April! At times, it almost seems to much to take in, the loss and the thought, but I have to... Its been helping me heal through the rough time (I've been told, you never truely get over the loss of a close parent, and I believe it, but there are things to ease it.. this for me happens to be one of those ways! Building a model of my Dads '39 Chevy, is just to close, if that makes any sense. I'd lose the healing I've gained (even tho, I DO have a model of this car, in-progress that I haven't touched since Dad's passing!) It was meant to be a gift to him when he was a live! And bought while he was in the same store I BOUGHT it from! (was fun being sneaky getting it out of the store and into Dad's car as we rode to where this one place was in Pennsylvania as he wanted some Train track for under his Christmas tree, back in November 2012, on Black Friday that year. I wound up needing open heart surgery in April of 2013, and had not got to see Dad at all since that time in 2012..... -Talked on the phone a lot, as he was in Pennsylvania, and I'm in New Hampshire.... a pretty good ride. needless to say!

Edited by 426-Hemi
New Link Update
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 7 months later...

Dang that's some really nice work.  Detailed photos and posts as well as the workmanship.   Excellent.   Just encouraging you to get on these, like the Dart.  It's a shame that MPC went and turned their Dodge trucks into Monster trucks - they made some nice stock Dodge trucks in stock form.  I loved them when I was younger - they built easily enough and were durable enough to play with... LOL  Yes I'm an old fart - I remember these being the NEW annuals and would buy them, build them, and play with them.  

Randy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Randy! Yeah, I got a lot into these 2 trucks! Specially for what they are, and why.... 

Now granted in my last posting of the Dart, or within a couple posts of the last one I made, I am going to be adding interior work to Dad's truck here, as I had the materials out for the interior work to the Dart, which just-so-happens to be the same needed materials (colors & embossing powder) for the interior of his truck, so..... I'm working on this one too! Just because all that I needed was already out and these 2 trucks aren't ever to far away, as they're in a "dust case" near my work bench for when things like this happen!

I agree too, BUT it be nice to see Round 2 do both, the Monster Trucks, as well as the street trucks all from a single body..... BUT, saying this, I'd like to see the straight bed come back out again, as well as the step-side bed too..... Just to have a choice of these again....

Both these 2 models, were built from '78 Dodge Little Red Express Trucks! I custom fitted the frames with 4x4 suspension as needed for the 2 trucks they are to replicate. (I have to admit, its VERY EASY to make that 2x4 truck a 4x4 truck with how the frame is made!)

They were however built/manufactured very well back then, even the newest releases of the Little Red Express, is a heavy made model thats strong! My only issue so far is the older MPC parts I've worked with, the plastic gotten brittle, look at Dad's truck here, (the last one) and take a look at the rears under it, from when I was building them, I had to repair several places in the rear leaf springs, and the front axle needed a bit too (the steering tie rod was pretty brittle and then make it all come together I just left it rip on the details under both trucks, to make them become what they were sat to be in the first place.

Stay tuned! There will be more to this build within a day or 2!!!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

SO it really has been a L-O-N-G time since I've worked on this build! I sat it aside for a time as there were some details I wanted for in this Dad's truck that well........ I wasn't going any further till I located either the part I was looking for, or something "close" to what the real truck had! SO, I have found some of what I needed (especially for the interior) so, having that in-hand, and working on another model thats using just about the exact same colors and materials in its interior that this one gets, I thought, I'd kill 2 birds with one stone, and get some progress on the interior of this one!

So Dad's truck in real life, had a basic interior, nothing special nothing real "high end" or even close to luxury in it, was a work truck, that was his everyday driver to and from work, as well as used for towing trailers, you name it, and it was 4x4 for winter travels. So it was just a touch, "plain" meaning, there wasn't a lot of extras inside! I THINK he may have added his own radio tho as I'm not sure it even had one in it when he bought it! So as I go, on the interior of this truck it will get only the basic things done inside to reflect that of what the real truck had! Also because I used a "Little Red Express" truck to build this model, I had to completely remove the bucket seats and console from the interior! Dad's truck had a bench seat in it. Which was the other part, I had to find, a decent looking bench seat, if not like the one Dad had in his truck, or one as similar as I can get! (I had to settle on something remotely "close"), as the seat Dad's truck had had the pleating running up and down, not side to side, but thats the best I could find, to fit this truck without setting out and literally scratchbuilding an entire seat! -I wanna get these done some time this century LOL

BASIC as I said, I have to go through and highlight some things like the winow winders and add the knobs to them on each side (these knobs will be in fact semi-gloss black, unlike other builds that I've left them chrome looking....) SO, the door pull strap was black, door latch will be chrome, and it will have chrome door locks too! Other then that, thats all the detail this interior will be getting above and beyond whats seen here....

Got the seat from a trade that looks the part, is close, but not 100% accurate, BUT well, at this point it is, what it is, and I thought a good "Roadrunner back seat" would do it justice!

Granted, that seat is only posed in-place! Its not glued in as of yet, I got a little detailing to do as I mentioned! Plus, the other thing I have to do is put in the carpeting, which on another build, is the same embossing powder too. the colors only vary between the base color tan, and the carpeting being a beige color too, which is very close to what Dad's truck had! Which will be the last detail I add, is the carpeting, before the Dash goes into place!

Then you got the dash....

Now thats going to be a FUN one! It doesn't have the same look to the dash as the one did in my truck, there was a lot of little things in Dad's truck that was different then what I had in my real truck! I also will NOT be "modeling" the "rip" that was in Dad's trucks dash pad either LOL (I can remember talking to him, that was thee only thing he wished he had replaced the whole time he owned the truck before the flood took it from him!) I will however have to think about how I plan to change this dash to look as the one Dad's truck had as some of the details were different as well as some of the coloring from one section to another because I had a lot of "chrome" in my trucks dash, Dad's truck didn't have all that chrome, his was black, (I'm gonna use semi-gloss black) for those parts, BUT what Dad's truck did have was chrome gauges which I thought was interesting! (I bet at one point he either bought the truck with them that way, or changed them out himself!) I'm not sure which! -I did know my Dad well enough to know he LOVED his chrome, (As do I) so..... I would not be surprised if he did the chrome gauges in the dash himself, and the only 2 people I know that would know this to be true or not, are both gone, Dad & my uncle! (The uncle) I was talking to with all these family builds I lost this past April! I'm GLAD I got as much info on these 2 trucks as I did......

As you can see, there is no "steering wheel" present, I got the box-stock one, but isn't right, at all! SO, I had searched out one that was 100% correct for this truck, and its waiting to be painted. The steering wheel is pretty much the same one that came in the '79-'80 Dodge Ramcharger kit by Revell.... 

Stay tuned, more to come as things start to begin all over again on this build! Comments welcome, ENJOY!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well as you all have seen I been going right on with some of the interiors of current cars I'm building due to the nature of the builds, the cars & trucks (in this case) are using the SAME colors and interior carpeting, so. Thought I'd get a bunch done on a few builds as I go....
Dad's truck, needed a LOT of interior changes, outside of what I did to mine! The whole interior of Dad;s truck was in fact different, in some cases, I could change this, in other cases (the door panels) I couldn't change.... SO, I had to go with what I had and Yes, I did set out looking for interiors of other trucks that would look closer to what Dad's truck had but there is nothing! And I was not about to try to scratch build them either! Just the details on the doors inside are slightly wrong BUT the base color is right, and the parts I painted other then the base color are right, its just the trim and all is wrong. So, with that said, I just have to live with the difference that I can not change!
So, on with the interior.... 
I got the Window winder knobs in-place, and painted, as well as the door latch, and the door pull strap. (That strap, is NOT paint!!) I also pulled out a gear shift for the 4 wheel drive gear shift, and cut off the lever and knob to it, to make my own, but use the "boot" so that I could get the carpeting down!

4 wheel drive Gear shift is made from a piece of polished stainless wire, with a black necklace bead on it for a knob! I then glued it into position, with CA and painted the knob Semi-Gloss Black to match the other semi gloss black highlights in the cab!

Carpeting looks really good! I left the fuel pedal unpainted and un covered with carpeting as I plan to use the cast-on part as a base, for one I will make and add as I do the pedals in the truck!

Not to bad over all. I mean there are details I know are wrong, BUT for what it is, looks GREAT! I also got the bench seat in-place as well!

Bench seat in-place looks really good! I'm pleased with how it looks! The seat looks GREAT! 
So the interior of this build, is almost done! I have to get working on the dash! Stay tuned more to follow! Comments welcome ENJOY!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So then, onto the dash I go.... On Dads truck, The dash had some different coloring going on, why? I don't know! I am not sure if he got it that way, or if it was a repair or what, I just know the center portion of the dash was a bit weird with it being black! BUT because it was, I went with it! Also the gauge area wasn't chrome like mine was, his was black. The top portion of the dash was the same base interior color being tan!

So to reflect the colors, I did what it needed and got right to detail painting the gauges and all. 

A little better view of what I have done. I have yet to paint the radio in, and the steering column is being made (its different as well from my truck!) I have to add the automatic gear shift, as well as the indicator for it, and a key "bung". It already has a turn signal lever so thats good! PLUS, the stock steering wheel I got for it as well.... A bit yet to go, but looking food so far! Coming right along! Once the interior to this truck is done, I'll be able to get to doing body work to both these trucks!!!!
Thats it for now, as always comments welcome, ENJOY!

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...