MPC 1967 (1969) Jeepster Custom Sports Convertible

[Model Carnage]

Went out and bought a couple pre-built Jeepster junkyards for parts and was delighted to see that i could make 1 out of the 2.

This is the MPC 1969 Jeepster that is being built as a 1967 because it came without side marker lights. BONUS: Since it was a new model for 1967, there is lots of reference material out there but kinda hard to find. We know that the MPC kit is a Sports Convertible and not a Commando Convertible by the paint divider moldings for 2 tone paint. The Sports Convertible also included a tailgate-mounted spare tire carrier with a special curved rear bumper. The MPC kit has these features ! The Custom option got you an upgraded interior. The MPC kit  comes with an Odd-Fire Buick V-6 which was optional and a 3-speed manual gearbox. Optional on the real 1967-69 Jeepster was the GM 400 Turbohydramatic transmission. I robbed one from the AMT 1968 El Camino and already hacked off the tailhousing in order to mount the Jeepster 4WD transfer case. Paint on the Buick V-6 is Rustoleum Safety Green which looks to be a near-perfect match for Buick engine green, the correct color for a 1967 Jeepster V-6

Step 1 was to see if the windshield frame could be straightened. That required thick rubber gloves and boiling hot water. Kinda hard to put pressure where it needs to be with neoprene gloves but after about 8 pours of hot water followed by freezing it in place with cool water, this is where it ended up. The right hand A-pillar is a little too far forward but a relatively easy fix now. Gonna leave it alone for now and see if it creeps backwards on it's own.  Then the project got stalled when i misplaced a bag of small parts. They miraculously turned up a week or so ago, so we're back on track.

It took some trial & error to glue the hard shell roof together from the Jeepster kit. It will be used on something else - probably the 1972 Commando. Ended up taping the side sections to the body then taping the roof to the sides, with the rear door in place, then gluing the sides to the roof while the gaps on each side of the door were uniform. It came out a little better than it appears - the rear door is warped a little. An escape route was filed in the upper roof-to-sides joint so that the rear door can be removed and replaced for painting. A thin stringer was added to keep the sides from creeping apart at the bottom rear. Might cut it off later. Or maybe not.

Still looking for some spoked wheelcovers exactly like those in the last pic. I have things to trade, including pics of dead presidents.

Edited December 13, 2017 by Model Carnage

[mikemodeler]

Nice save, should look great when you are done!

 

[Tom Geiger]

3 hours ago, Model Carnage said:

The MPC kit  comes with an Odd-Fire Buick V-6 which was optional and a 3-speed manual gearbox. Optional on the real 1967-69 Jeepster was the GM 400 Turbohydramatic transmission. I robbed one from the AMT 1968 El Camino and already hacked off the tailhousing in order to mount the Jeepster 4WD transfer case. Paint on the Buick V-6 is Rustoleum Safety Green which looks to be a near-perfect match for Buick engine green, the correct color for a 1967 Jeepster V-6

I have a restorable copy of this kit too.  I started to work on it years ago, and I had a Jeepster brochure.  In the brochure they had this engine drawing in gold. So I painted it gold.  Wired it, etc. and then my friend the AMC Jeep guy tells me they weren't gold!  Argh.  Lesson learned, they often gave parts different colors in the brochures

I'll be watching your build!    Remember that the Jeep Commando, the later body was reissued a few times in the not so distant past and shares  most of the parts with your kit.

[kelson]

I'm interested in this restoration,can't remember the last time I've seen this kit built.

[espo]

I didn't even know that this kit existed so I'll be interested in your restoration. The Windshield frame looked scary to start.