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McNally's 1973 Ford Bronco Is Completed


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Thanks Scott!  I'm glad that you are enjoying the build and the story.  First and foremost, I am not a professional writer, so the stories are short and yes, a little cliched.  The responses to my stories have been positive and I do enjoy writing them.  It helps keep my mind going during my retirement.

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The Story

The following morning, McNally is pulled off the bunk and onto the cold concrete floor of the jail cell.  He looks up and sees the Police Chief's face with his right eye and he is hammered a few more times across the face.  The Chief picks him up off the floor and hits McNally several times in the stomach and again in the face.  He asks McNally why he is talking to the Tate's and McNally again declines to answer.  The Chief hits McNally really hard in the stomach and the Boston PI falls to the cold concrete floor again.  It's really difficult to defend yourself when your hands are tied behind your back.

The Build

Another mockup.  The engine has been wired, wheel covers are on, and the decals have been applied to the seats.

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The spare tire carrier needs a clamp to hold the carrier from swinging outward so I found a piece of plastic for part of the clamp assembly.  The spare tire has the extra set of black letter decals applied and this will get a coat of semi gloss clear.

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McNally will return...

Edited by mrmike
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Just curious, but why put the seat decals on before paint?

The seats will not be painted, but clearcoated with semi-gloss clear.  In some cases, why paint white when the white plastic will do?  I only paint white if the shade of white is different, ie. darker or lighter.  I happen to like the color of this white plastic and clearcoating with semi gloss clear will give me the sheen I am looking for.

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The seats will not be painted, but clearcoated with semi-gloss clear.  In some cases, why paint white when the white plastic will do?  I only paint white if the shade of white is different, ie. darker or lighter.  I happen to like the color of this white plastic and clearcoating with semi gloss clear will give me the sheen I am looking for.

never thought of that, I'll have to try that sometime!

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The Story

Once again the Chief comes into McNally's cell and again he beats on the Boston PI.  Blows to the face and the body and again he is asked, "Why are you talking to the Tate's?"  And, he still refuses to answer.  The beatings go on for 10 more minutes and then the Chief leaves the cell with McNally lying on the cold concrete floor.

The Build

Now that the humidity has gone, I decided to paint the Bronco.  This time with Tamiya TS-10 French Blue.

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McNally will return...

Edited by mrmike
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The Story

A while later, McNally comes to lying on the cold concrete floor.  With his good eye open he looks out through the cell bars while trying to sit up against the cell bunk and he sees Chief Banning leaning against the wall holding a bag of ice over his knuckles.  "You've got a hard head, but you need to tell me why you were talking to the Tate's," says the Chief.  Again McNally says what he said two days ago, "I ain't tellin' you nuthin' coppa'!"  Chief Banning kicks the cell door and walks out of the cell block.

The Build

With the exception of touchups, the chassis is complete.

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Since the Bronco comes with a trailer hitch, I went and drilled a hole and inserted a ball head pin with the pin shaft cut down for a hitch ball.  What's a trailer hitch without a trailer hitch ball?!!!

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McNally will return...

Edited by mrmike
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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

The Story

The following morning finds McNally being pulled off of his bunk as usual and then being dragged outside into the cold morning air.  Everything is wearing a new 3 inch coat of snow as the Boston PI is escorted to a running Bolton's Pride Police Cruiser without a coat and he is shivering.  Chief Banning and Ed get into the car after securing McNally in the back seat and then they drive out of the parking lot and northbound on Route 241.

The Build

It's been a while since I have worked on the Bronco, so I am back at it for a bit.  I choose an aftermarket air filter and applied the factory engine decal on top and painted the filter flat white.

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The windows have been installed into the top.

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I painted the engine compartment with Model Master Flat Black lacquer and as the paint dried, it cracked.  I had forgotten that I don't like this flat black as it is quite thick.  I sanded and scraped much of the paint.  I think I have some Tamiya TS-29 Semi Gloss Black left so I'll give that a try.

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McNally will return...

Edited by mrmike
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I painted the engine compartment with Model Master Flat Black lacquer and as the paint dried, it cracked.

 

I can't tell you how many times that has happened to me, it's so annoying.

Tip: DONT put rust oleum over testers paint, it cracks like no tommarow,  especially in the tight spots, like firewall, wheel wells, etc..

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The Story

As Chief Banning drives up Rt. 241, the old police cruiser wasn't heating up fast enough to create any heat for the interior.  McNally sat in the back seat shivering and wondering where they were taking him.  After a few minutes, the Chief turned off of Rt. 241 onto Collis Rd. and drives a couple of miles before turning off onto a snow cover dirt path for a couple hundred yards before stopping.  He gets out of the cruiser and opens the back door and the Chief says, "End of the road for you McNally, get out!"  McNally gets out of the back seat slowly still shivering and is lead into an opening and told to stand next to a large mound of earth.  Chief Banning stands next to Ed and they both pull their revolvers from their holsters and the Chief says, "You've stuck your nose in where it doesn't belong.  This is where you are going to die."

The Build

I got the Bronco body decaled and foiled.

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I'll let this dry for a couple of days and then start clearcoating with Testors One Coat Wet Look Clear.

McNally will return...

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I really like that one Mike. I have not gotten too far with my Bronco. I bought two. One is going to be stock, enhanced with some pieces from Scenes Unlimited and Fireball Resins' parts, and the other is going to wear a lot of Replicas and Miniatures and Fireball Resins' goodies in a raised stance. I may paint both of them the same color combination.

Edited by Ron Hamilton
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Thanks Ron!   I'm trying to get this one finished since it has been on the bench too long.  I wetsanded the body and hood, touched up the spots I burnt through and applied the decals.  It's going together nicely!

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  • 2 weeks later...

The Story

As the cruiser drives along Rt. 241, McNally watches the scenery roll by including checking behind them.  The car hasn't been running long as it still hasn't gotten up to temperature yet and the heater was still blowing cold air.  McNally is still shivering quite a bit from the cold air, but Chief Banning and Ed seem to be warm with their heavy jackets on.  The cruiser turns down Collis Road for a couple of miles and then it crashes through a snow bank onto an old path that wanders into the woods and stops about 1/8th mile in.  The Chief and Ed get out of the cruiser and the Chief opens the back door and says, "End of the line for you McNally.  Get out!"

The Build

I started assembly with the joining of the body with the chassis.  The grille is installed and the roof and hood are removable.

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McNally will return...

Edited by mrmike
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The Story

The two crooked cops lead McNally into a clearing in the woods and stand him next to a large mound of earth.  Chief Banning says, "You have stuck your nose in where it doesn't belong, and now you are going to die," as they draw their revolvers.  McNally starts to smile and laugh a little.  "What's so funny," they ask?  Suddenly, they hear, "New Hampshire State Police!  Drop your weapons!"  

Banning and Ed turn around and drop their guns into the snow when they see five troopers dressed in green fatigues and armor with automatic weapons trained on them.  Two troopers pick up the revolvers from the snow and frisk Banning and Ed while another goes over to McNally and release his hands from the cuffs.  "I'm glad you could make it here, Alex," says McNally.  "We got your message from your attorney, plus we have been watching Bolton's Pride Police for some time."  With a little prodding, Chief Banning tells the troopers where he has Jason Tate tied up and Alex sends two troopers over to release him from Banning's backyard shed.

With Jason released from the shed and on his way to a hospital for treatment from torture and frostbite, McNally plans on going to the hospital for an examination of his injuries from Chief Banning.  In all, the entire Bolton's Pride Police force and the town manager, Ralph Tennon have been arrested for corruption, extortion, torture and murder.  McNaly finds all his belongings in a box at the Police Station and then he goes outside and finds his Bronco parked out back, waiting to take him to the hospital.  As he drives to the hospital, he thinks about his experience in the jail cell and hopes that no one ever has to endure that type of treatment again.

McNally will return...

The Build

My '73 Ford Bronco is complete and it is posted in Under Glass.  I would like to thank all those who have taken the time to view and to comment on my WIP.

Edited by mrmike
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Thank you Jeremy!  I appreciate the interest in my McNally stories.  I have completed three more stories with models to go with them and one that could be a stand-alone story.  These stories do help keep my mind active during my retirement.  

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