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1965 Chevrolet Fleetside Pickup Is Finally Done!!!


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My new project is a kitbash of one kit and parts from another kit.  And, it is also the return of McNally, Boston PI in a story called Truckin' To Death.  Persons in this story are not related to anyone living or deceased.

The Build

I had this kit in the stash for a while.  I bought the kit at a deceased Club member's auction to raise money for his widow.  My paint will be Tamiya TS-92 Metallic Orange and Tamiya TS-45 Pearl White.  These colors were influenced by the '62 Chevy Fleetside built by Martin Bros. Customs on Velocity's Iron Resurrection.  The rest of the build will be the Revell '65 Stepside kit with a '64 Fleetside bed and pieces from the '64 Revell Fleetside kit offered to me by Classic Plastic Model Club member Barry Fadden.  The wheels and tires are from the Revell '62 Corvette kit.  Dual exhaust from the '62 Chevy Impala.  ]

The Story

Every Friday night in summer, the Back Bay Burgers restaurant near McNally's house has a Cruise-In welcoming any and all kinds of cars and trucks.  Music from the 50s, 60s, and 70s is played and raffles prizes are given away.  McNally likes this event as he brings his late father's car, a '57 Ford Custom 300  known as Spearment to the show.  He parks next to '65 Chevy Fleetside pickup that he has never seen before.  He meets the owner, Peter Mathuis who tells him about the truck, saying he did all the electrical and mechanical work himself and had a local body shop paint the truck in orange with a white top.

The next morning, Peter is leaving for some overtime work at 5:30 AM when he is brutally stabbed to death in his driveway.  The killer takes the keys for the truck from Peter's hand and steals the truck.  The following day, with the Police searching for the killer, Peter's widow Caroline hires McNally, Boston PI to find Peter's beloved '65 Chevy pickup.

McNally will return...

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Edited by mrmike
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The Story

A knock on the front door finds McNally opening it to Caroline Matheus, wife of the late Peter Matheus, the truck owner.  She wants to hire McNally to find her late husband's truck while the BPD searches for his killer.  She only has $1000 cash to pay for his services for five days and he agrees to search for the truck.  He'll start at BPD Homicide and Auto Theft units for any additional information they may have.

The Build   

I decided to start on the engine of the '65 Chevy Fleetside this morning.  You'll notice that I didn't put on the valve covers.  I don't have any chrome valve covers for a SBC, so out came my Molotow Liquid Chrome pen and I went to town on them.  I'll let these dry for a week before I handle them.

More to come...

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Edited by mrmike
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  • 2 weeks later...

The Story

McNally stops at BPD Homicide and parks his car in the spot marked "For Detectives' Cars Only" and goes inside and talks to his friend, Lt. Det. Adam Troy.  Adam has very little to go on-no witnesses, no video surveillance, no murder weapon.  McNally decides to run upstairs to Auto Theft and talk to Lt. Det. Macklin.  Lt. Macklin calls McNally a "Breath of fresh air" as other PIs want Auto Theft to find their missing vehicles for them.  McNally is looking for a place to start asking questions and says that he is not like other PIs.  "I guess you are not," says Lt. Macklin.

Lt. Macklin tells McNally about an active car theft gang in Southie, but they only steal high-end autos like Mercedes, Caddys, and Audis.  He has a chop shop under surveillance in Brighton with a U/C cop inside.  McNally thanks Lt. Macklin for the advice and he leaves Auto Theft to start searching for Peter's missing truck.

The Build

I've been picking away at this truck.  I drilled holes in the cylinder heads for plug wires.  I've been filling in the gaps in the front of the grille and the edges of the hood.  I wanted to clean up the used bed so I removed the taillight panels since they were installed crooked.

McNally will return...

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The Story

McNally will start at David Matheus' house on Estes Street in Brighton.  He parks at the curb and gets out of his Dodge Challenger SRT8 and walks up the sidewalk to the front door.  He knocks on the front door after ringing the doorbell and waits.  No one opens the door and it appears that no one is at home.  He looks in the living room windows and sees no one, just a homemade TV stand with a stereo and gaming console, an American flag tacked up on the wall and flanked with posters of a bikini clad girls.  

He looks in the back door and sees a short hallway to the kitchen.  In the back yard is a single car garage and McNally opens the unlocked garage door and he looks around.  Some old funiture, Christmas ornaments, boxes filled with junk, yard tools, and an old lawn mower.  He'll come back later when David is home and talk to him.

The Build

I re-installed the bed caps so that they are now straight using the tailgate.  When I sanded the bed end, I chipped the end with my sanding stick.  I'll fill this with some Bondo and then sand it down.

McNally will return...

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Thanks Jeremy!  I like it when things just fall into place.  I was visiting a friend who is a fellow model builder and CPMC member and he had come across a lot of used, partial and parts kits.  I saw the box for a Revell '64 Chevy Fleetside sitting on the shelf and asked about it.  He gives me the box and says to take what I need from the used kit.  I got the bed, tailgate, lights, and rear bumper.  I also got a new  tailgate later when I had forgotten about the tailgate latches.  I had finished the story about the same time, even though I continue to pick at it by making small corrections.

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  • 2 weeks later...

The Story

McNally drives over to the "chop shop" in Brighton, Ma.  He parks his '09 Challenger SRT8 just down the block to observe what seems to be an active auto body shop with a couple of cars parked in the front of the shop with patches of primer and replacement body parts on them.  He sits in his car for several hours watching and taking note of the vehicles that come and go from the shop and the people that work there.  Now that he is completely bored, he drives from Brighton to South Boston to search out for the car theft gang that Lt. Macklin had told him about.

The Build

Another visit with my friend Barry got me another hood.  The original hood wasn't put together to my liking and Barry offered me the hood for a second chance to get it put together correctly.  I did a mockup of the truck and found that the wheels and tires fit the wheel wells too tightly.  These are the inner fenders for the bed and I will cut out the fenders and add them to widen the rear inner fenders.

McNally will return...

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  • 3 weeks later...

The Story

As McNally drives down to a pool hall called Sticks-n-Cues, he wonders about the chop shop he just left.  They seem to be running a fully functioning body shop, but how are they processing the chopped cars without getting caught?  Apparently, BPD Auto Theft suspects them as a chop shop and they got someone undercover in there, how did they come to suspect them?  Could the Chevy Pickup be there?  He may have to find a way in there for a peek.

The Build

I removed part of the inner fenders to enlarge the fender wells and I cut out the new inner fenders.

McNally will return...

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Edited by mrmike
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  • 2 weeks later...

The Story


McNally parks his Challenger SRT8 near the front door of Sticks-n-Cues, a pool hall and bar.  He walks inside and goes over to the bar and orders a draft beer and pays for it.  He turns towards the middle table out of three in the hall and observes a small group of people shooting pool.  There is a small stack of money under a caulk cube on the edge of the table and the players are all talking smack to each other.  One fellow wearing a leather jacket appears to be the leader of the group judging by his actions and he seems to be the only one with a gun which is tucked in his belt.

The Build

I started working on the engine with painting and detailing along with adding some parts like the carb and the belt assembly.  I have been widening the wheel tubs in the bed and these are getting a coat of putty to smooth everything over.

McNally will return...

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Edited by mrmike
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  • 2 weeks later...

The Story

McNally walks over to the table and says Hello to the Throttles.  "What do you want?"  "Just a little conversation," he says as he puts a Fifty Dollar bill on the table.  "Talk is cheap and it'll cost you double that to talk to us, but," says the ring leader who then breaks the pool cue in half on the table and raises it to hit the Boston PI.  McNally pulls his .45 caliber SIG P227 from his shoulder holster and aims it inches away from the ringleader's face.  "Everybody stays here while you and I talk outside," says McNally as he grabs the ringleader's jacket and pulls him away from the table.

The Build

I got some painting done this morning.  The engine is in process.  I need to add plug boots, wire the engine, find an aftermarket air cleaner, and paint the transmission.  I want to lower the front suspension by cutting off the spindles and raising them about 1/16 to 1/8 of an inch.

More to come...

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The Story

McNally drags his prisoner outside the bar and throws him across the hood of a car.  "I'm looking for a stolen and restored '65 Chevy Pickup.  Talk!"  "We don't boost no trucks, man!  We only do high-end luxury and sport cars!  There's more money in it!"  "And, if you did know of someone who wants a restored Chevy truck, would you tell me?"  "Yeah!  I heard of some guy named Davey in Brighton.  He was looking for one last week!"  "Ok," says McNally.  "If I have to come back here to find you, there's no place anywhere to hide from me!  Beat it," and the guy runs back inside the pool hall.

The Build

Been working on the interior today.  The dash needs to be detailed.  The chassis has been detailed.  I broke off two of the bumper mount brackets by accident.  A mockup with the engine, chassis, and interior.

McNally will return...

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Edited by mrmike
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The Story

McNally swings by Mrs. Mathias' home with the hope of getting a few answers about her son, David.  "Why did David leave home," he asks?  She says, "Things between David, Peter, and myself haven't been going at all well.  We all have been arguing over everything for the last 6 months or so.  Then David announces that he bought a house in Brighton and that he is moving out.  I haven't seen him since then."  He asks, "Does he have any interest in the old Chevy?"  Carol says, "No, he doesn't.  Peter bought the truck 4 years ago as a father/son project and a year later, David lost all interest in it.  David said he doesn't want anything to do with it."

The Build

I finished detailing the interior and I am really proud of the clean job I did.  The chassis has been detailed and is awaiting the engine and driveshaft.

McNally will return...

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Edited by mrmike
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The Story

McNally arrives at home and in the kitchen, he makes himself a sandwich with left over roasted chicken, lettuce, tomato, and mayo with a cold beer to wash it all down.  He hears a knock at the front door and goes over to answer it and finds Lt. Det. Troy.  "Got a cold beer for me," asks Adam?  "In the fridge as always, Adam."  Adam opens the bottle and takes a long swig of beer, sits at the table while McNally eats his sandwich.  "Want a sandwich," asks McNally?  "No thanks.  I'm heading home to dinner to my wife and son.  Here's the autopsy report for you," he says pulling out several sheets of paper from his jacket pocket.  McNally puts his sandwich down and picks up the report and reads it.  "Thanks Adam."  "How's the search going?"  "Slow.  I'm still searching for clues."   "Well, you got the autopsy report and I gotta get home to dinner," says Adam who finishes his beer and tosses the empty bottle away.  "I'll talk to you later."  Adam pops a piece of gum into his mouth and walks out of the house and back to his car.

The Build

I drilled out the backs of the wheels and they fit over the spindles perfectly.  Then I added a dual exhaust system.  I'll re-arch the pipes to clear the rear bumper later.

McNally will return...

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

The Story

McNally finishes his dinner and decides to pay a visit to David at his home in Brighton.  He arrives at David's house and rings the door bell.  David answers the door and McNally identifies himself by showing his ID.  Inside the house are two guys in the living room playing with the gaming platform and another standing at the end of the hallway to the kitchen and opening a can of beer.  He asks David about his father's truck to which David says he hasn't seen the truck in years and it was covered with gray primer when he saw it about a year ago. 

David asks his room mates if they know anything about the truck and they shake their heads and say that they know nothing about the truck.  McNally hands David his card and to call him if he thinks of or sees the truck in passing.  David says he'll do that and McNally walks out the front door.  As David closes the front door he says to someone behind him, "Hey Davey, wanna shoot some hoops?"  McNally turns and runs back into the house and says, "Which one is Davey?!!!"

David points to the guy in the kitchen who then throws his can of beer at McNally and runs out the back door with McNally giving chase.  Davey runs down the driveway and up the street with McNally hot on his heels.  Just before reaching the intersection, McNally leaps onto Davey and tackles him, forcing him to the street.  McNally slaps the handcuffs on Davey and leads him back down the street to him car.  He searches Davey only to find a set of house keys and a small pocket knife.  He then pulls out his cellphone and calls Lt. Macklin at the Auto Theft Squad.

The Build

I know, I know...it's been a while since I worked on the Chevy.  I went to paint the cab and hood and I messed up the paint job really bad.  Like I have said in the past, painting is a hit or miss for me and we even discussed painting briefly at my Club meeting yesterday.  I am fortunate enough to have a newer release of the '65 Chevy, so I stole the cab and hood from that kit and will start over again cleaning, priming, and painting.  I am still going with the two-tone paint scheme of Tamiya TS-45 Pearl White over Tamiya TS-92 Metallic Orange.  The original cab and hood will be stripped later when I get to building the other Chevy Pickup kit

McNally will return...

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