mustang1989 Posted April 15, 2022 Share Posted April 15, 2022 It's been a while since I've been in here to look at your work but I swear to you man.......I am truly inspired as well as impressed every single time that I visit this thread. This truck......is a thing of beauty Francis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmericanMuscleFan Posted April 16, 2022 Author Share Posted April 16, 2022 On 4/13/2022 at 3:24 PM, Mattilacken said: Just amazing! Love the small details, like the screws in the taillight!! Thanks Anton! As I mentioned earlier, sometimes it's the most unexpected or easy details that get the most comments... I'm glad you like it! Francis On 4/13/2022 at 8:55 PM, chris chabre said: PHENOMENAL!!!! Thanks for your comment Chris! Francis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmericanMuscleFan Posted April 16, 2022 Author Share Posted April 16, 2022 On 4/15/2022 at 9:09 AM, mustang1989 said: It's been a while since I've been in here to look at your work but I swear to you man.......I am truly inspired as well as impressed every single time that I visit this thread. This truck......is a thing of beauty Francis. Thanks Joe! I hope to put the finishing touches to this project in the next few weeks, the hardest part is behind me so I dare to hope for a happy ending... 😊 Francis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmericanMuscleFan Posted April 20, 2022 Author Share Posted April 20, 2022 Hello everyone! Sorry for the delay in updating the thread but the time spent on my latest progress was not planned. The interior is not my favorite part of the build but it has to be done anyway, I thought the small pickup's interior would make the ordeal shorter but it was not. Overall, I'm pretty happy with the final result but I only have a picture of the completed interior. When the truck is finally completed, I'll do a good cleaning on my workbench and try to improve the lighting, among all the pictures taken, only one was acceptable but will give you a good idea of the whole. I decided to make a switch panel and moved the RPM to the side of the dash because I thought it hid the dash gauges too much, I really like this part and want it to be visible... The racing harnesses were particularly time consuming to assemble and it is always difficult to make them look realistic. In my haste to get this done, I forgot to take pictures of the seats before I put them in the cockpit but I'll try to take more pictures later. I used real fabric strips and a photoetch kit from Scale Motorsport, the shoulder straps are secured to the roll bar behind the seats. The assembly continues... Francis Dashboard with aluminum knobs and black ABS glove box button. Close-up view of the gauges, the odometer reads just above 36,000 miles. Main switch panel in the rotary table. Different vue. All components before assembly on the dashboard. Installed on the dashboard. The interior is finally completed, I will assemble the doors and its details a little later. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve H Posted April 20, 2022 Share Posted April 20, 2022 Hello Francis! First, I really hope I get to see this in person some day, truly amazing. What an incredible work of art, every individual piece, and the sum of all the parts, just fantastic. This definitely belongs on the cover of the magazine, along with a multi-page spread. Your craftsmanship is pure perfection. Does the turn signal work?! That interior is great stuff, I love the odometer. You continue to raise the bar, very inspiring. Thanks for sharing this journey with us. Cheers, Steve 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bytownshaker Posted April 20, 2022 Share Posted April 20, 2022 Francis this build is beyond words. Edgar 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmericanMuscleFan Posted April 20, 2022 Author Share Posted April 20, 2022 11 hours ago, Steve H said: Hello Francis! First, I really hope I get to see this in person some day, truly amazing. What an incredible work of art, every individual piece, and the sum of all the parts, just fantastic. This definitely belongs on the cover of the magazine, along with a multi-page spread. Your craftsmanship is pure perfection. Does the turn signal work?! That interior is great stuff, I love the odometer. You continue to raise the bar, very inspiring. Thanks for sharing this journey with us. Cheers, Steve Thanks for your "way too" kind words Steve! As they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and it seems that the expression fits you perfectly my friend... It will soon be 4 years since I started this project and it seems to me that I have reached my limits. I am very happy to see the light at the end of the tunnel because it is not the time to turn corners when it comes to the last details. My full time job limits my progress and I hope that once retired I will be more productive... I will now concentrate on the front part and I hope for good results because this part is very distinctive for this model of truck, even a non-expert can conclude that it is a Dodge so there is no room for error... 😁 Thanks again for your great support, Francis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmericanMuscleFan Posted April 20, 2022 Author Share Posted April 20, 2022 2 hours ago, bytownshaker said: Francis this build is beyond words. Edgar Thanks Edgar! The next update will be on the front end assembly, I put a lot of effort on the grill and all the front components so I hope for the best... to be continued! 😊 For now it's back to work...🙄 Francis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter 1 Posted April 20, 2022 Share Posted April 20, 2022 Beautiful dash!!!! Looking forward to the front end assembly update. (I look forward to all your updates.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobthehobbyguy Posted April 21, 2022 Share Posted April 21, 2022 Amazing work on the interior. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davewilly Posted April 21, 2022 Share Posted April 21, 2022 great work on this full reworked build. some great details. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Williams Posted April 24, 2022 Share Posted April 24, 2022 Just sensational! Easily once more Francis, smiling again! Mike.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmericanMuscleFan Posted April 24, 2022 Author Share Posted April 24, 2022 On 4/20/2022 at 3:07 PM, Butter 1 said: Beautiful dash!!!! Looking forward to the front end assembly update. (I look forward to all your updates.) Thanks Ron, more updates to come later but expect them to end one of these days... 😁 Francis On 4/21/2022 at 11:15 AM, bobthehobbyguy said: Amazing work on the interior. Thanks Bob, this is one of the aspects of the build that I was most looking forward to completing! Francis On 4/21/2022 at 11:56 AM, Davewilly said: great work on this full reworked build. some great details. Thanks a lot Dave, I've lost count of the hours I've spent on this thing but I really appreciate your comments. Francis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmericanMuscleFan Posted April 24, 2022 Author Share Posted April 24, 2022 1 hour ago, Mike Williams said: Just sensational! Easily once more Francis, smiling again! Mike.. Thanks Mike! Your smile means a lot to me, we can't say we've had much to be happy about lately but it's often the most unexpected details that can make a small difference... 😊 Francis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nazz Posted April 24, 2022 Share Posted April 24, 2022 Another great chapter Francis. The dash looks perfect ans does the rest of the interior! Amazing work. Jerry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmericanMuscleFan Posted April 25, 2022 Author Share Posted April 25, 2022 22 hours ago, Nazz said: Another great chapter Francis. The dash looks perfect ans does the rest of the interior! Amazing work. Jerry Thanks Jerry! The book is in its last chapters, only a few pages left, I still have a few plots to complete and hope for a happy ending! 😁 Francis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claude Thibodeau Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 Hi Francis! Great work. But now, I'm puzzled... You say the odo reads a smidge over 36K... Do we understand that you waited for the manufacturer's powertrain warranty to expire BEFORE the drag racer makeover? Or is-it just a coincidence? Come to think of it, your friendly Mopar dealer would have refused any warrantyy repair once he realized you actually raced this truck... Keep at it, really impressive! CT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmericanMuscleFan Posted April 29, 2022 Author Share Posted April 29, 2022 On 4/25/2022 at 8:33 PM, Claude Thibodeau said: Hi Francis! Great work. But now, I'm puzzled... You say the odo reads a smidge over 36K... Do we understand that you waited for the manufacturer's powertrain warranty to expire BEFORE the drag racer makeover? Or is-it just a coincidence? Come to think of it, your friendly Mopar dealer would have refused any warrantyy repair once he realized you actually raced this truck... Keep at it, really impressive! CT Thanks Claude! The mileage of the odometer does not mean much, in fact, it is the choice of vehicle that should surprise more considering the offer of models of this car manufacturer. 36,000 miles is not much for a vehicle of this age, but that's a lot of round trips on the quarter mile... 🤫 When it comes to drag racing, dealerships are usually tough, so it's better to have deep pockets and enjoy yourself without restraint! 😁 Francis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Straightliner59 Posted April 30, 2022 Share Posted April 30, 2022 I've been looking forward to seeing this finished, since I first discovered the thread! It's getting so close, my friend! I love this era of Dodge trucks, and yours is and is going to be fantastic. Excellent work, throughout! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comp1839 Posted April 30, 2022 Share Posted April 30, 2022 Claude between you, Tim and a few others on this board, you guys are setting the bar way, way, way up there!!! your skills are off the charts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmericanMuscleFan Posted April 30, 2022 Author Share Posted April 30, 2022 7 hours ago, Straightliner59 said: I've been looking forward to seeing this finished, since I first discovered the thread! It's getting so close, my friend! I love this era of Dodge trucks, and yours is and is going to be fantastic. Excellent work, throughout! Thanks Daniel, I had a little setback due to a small health problem (nothing too serious according to my doctor) and I didn't progress as planned but I hope to put some hours on the truck in the next few days. I can't wait to see the front completed, it's one of the most important parts in my opinion. Francis 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmericanMuscleFan Posted April 30, 2022 Author Share Posted April 30, 2022 2 hours ago, comp1839 said: Claude between you, Tim and a few others on this board, you guys are setting the bar way, way, way up there!!! your skills are off the charts. Thanks Dave, I don't know if your message was meant for me, Claude Thibodeau is a very talented and prolific modeler! Tim (Codi) is one of the reasons I'm on this forum, his work is a constant source of inspiration. Your work is a new source of motivation and I don't think it's possible to have too much... 😁 Francis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comp1839 Posted May 1, 2022 Share Posted May 1, 2022 Francis, my apologies to you and Claude. i meant to type Francis but, there was a disconnect somewhere between my eyes and my hands.......oh that's right .....it was my brain!!!! thanks for pointing out my error.🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmericanMuscleFan Posted May 1, 2022 Author Share Posted May 1, 2022 15 hours ago, comp1839 said: Francis, my apologies to you and Claude. i meant to type Francis but, there was a disconnect somewhere between my eyes and my hands.......oh that's right .....it was my brain!!!! thanks for pointing out my error.🙂 No problem Dave, I've made the same kind of little typo several times myself, what matters is the message and coming from a machinist of your caliber it's an honor I accept with great humility! 😊 Francis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmericanMuscleFan Posted May 8, 2022 Author Share Posted May 8, 2022 Hello everyone! Sorry for the long delay in updating, but I haven't had much bench time lately, a little health problem and a couple of otherworldly departures in my immediate family have kept me away from the build. The nice weather is slowly setting in, so it's time to finish this project before moving on to the next project. The last details are the ones that require the most time and care, because they are the most visible and in some ways the most important when you have spent so much time to get to this point in a project. The grille and front panels are now in place, they are held in place by small brass rivets (to simulate screws) and not glued so they can be removed like on the real truck. I ran wires to the headlights and turn signals trying to route them as closely as possible to what I could find on the internet. I also made the brass hood striker plate, this element being very visible when the hood is open, I thought it was worth making a replica even if it doesn't have all the details including the release lever. I still have to install the front bumper and I'll take some pictures of the front of the truck when it's done. As usual, your comments are welcome, There are probably not many on the forum so don't forget to wish your wives and mothers a happy Mother's Day! Francis Hood striker plate made with brass, the small rod is soldered in place at one end. The iconic front grille was finally installed with small brass bolts. The "100" nameplate has found it's place in the center of the grille. You can see that the electrical wires come out of the headlight brackets that are bolted to the radiator support with aluminum bolts. A glimpse of the front assembly, it looks promising so far! 😊 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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