Jump to content
Model Cars Magazine Forum

'60 Chevy Fleetside Pickup from HGTVs "Home Town"


Recommended Posts

My new project is the AMT 1960 Chevrolet Fleetside Pickup.  I am using this kit to replicate the pickup truck used by Ben Napier on HGTV's Home Town TV series.  There are some differences between the '60 and the '62 pickups.  The hood and the grille are  different as the '62 has a smooth hood and single headlights.  Ben's pickup is also a V8/auto trans with dual exhaust and this kit has a six cylinder/manual trans with single exhaust.  The differences really doesn't bother me too much as I will build the '60 as is and I may use the hood from the Revell '65 Chevy pickup which is a bit too wide for the AMT '60 Chevy Fleetside, but I could cut it down. 

I am aware of a '62 Chevy pickup annual kit, but they are too expensive to even bother trying to find one.  I am also fine with the straight six/manual trans in this kit.  The V8 can be found in a Revell '63 Impala kit, but I think that for the ease of building, I'll stick with the six.  I will be adding the wheels, hubcaps and tires, and the rear view side mirrors gifted to me by fellow Club member Tim.  I have the step n tow rear bumper from the Moebius '72 Ford Sport Custom pickup and I wiil need to source the decals for the doors.  My paint will be Polly Scale St. Lawrence Blue shot through my Badger Universal 360 airbrush.

More '60 Fleetside to come...

ben-truckt-not-just-paper-and-paint.jpg

60Fleet01.JPG

60Fleet02.JPG

60Fleet03.JPG

Edited by mrmike
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think you could use Hoods and Grills from any of the Revell or reissued Round 2 models. I even used the Hood from the Revell Suburban on the reissued AMT pickup and it's as if the same kit designer worked on both kits. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, espo said:

I think you could use Hoods and Grills from any of the Revell or reissued Round 2 models. I even used the Hood from the Revell Suburban on the reissued AMT pickup and it's as if the same kit designer worked on both kits. 

Like I said, the Revell '65 Chevy hood is too wide unless I cut it down.  Probably about 1/8th inch.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If the truck is a 62 with  a V8, why compromise?  By the time you have parted two kits you could find an original or resin. An old built up would work.

Anytime I want something like this I set up an eBay search agent and they email you anytime something is available.  Give it a bit of time, bid low and eventually you’ll get lucky. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, Tom Geiger said:

If the truck is a 62 with  a V8, why compromise?  By the time you have parted two kits you could find an original or resin. An old built up would work.

Anytime I want something like this I set up an eBay search agent and they email you anytime something is available.  Give it a bit of time, bid low and eventually you’ll get lucky. 

I am curious, how much difference in the 62 and the 65? I will watch whatever you build...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks guys!

14 hours ago, Tom Geiger said:

If the truck is a 62 with  a V8, why compromise?  By the time you have parted two kits you could find an original or resin. An old built up would work.

Anytime I want something like this I set up an eBay search agent and they email you anytime something is available.  Give it a bit of time, bid low and eventually you’ll get lucky. 

I prefer not to use someone else's junk!  Since I have gotten this kit, I have discovered more about Ben Napier's '62 Chevy.  A little kit bashing is fine for me and rebuilding something I built years ago is also fine, but I am not about to wait for something I want to show up on ebay and then find out they want x-amount of dollars for a rare piece of a gluebomb that is missing parts.  I want something that is close to Ben's truck, but it doesn't have to be 100% correct.  I have the parts and the kit I need and I am forging ahead with this build.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I took the first step to making the Revell hood fit the AMT body by sawing it in half and sanding the cut with a sanding wand.  Looks pretty good!  Now to shorten the hood front.  

More '60 Fleetside to come...

60Fleet04.JPG

60Fleet05.JPG

60Fleet06.JPG

Edited by mrmike
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am glad you are doing this, I will follow. I love the show and have though many times, I should build that. However my current project list is too long. Looks like you are on the way to a great looking truck.

BTW, I don't know if you have seen the truck lately, but in a recent episode he had upgraded the wheels to some nice looking 17-18in Corvette rally style wheels. I only got a quick look, but I think that is what they are. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had noticed the wheel change this season on Home Town.  I have wheels and tires to make the previous seasons versions of Ben's truck, so that is what I'm going for.

Edited by mrmike
Link to comment
Share on other sites

After an initial coating of Bondo and some sanding, I applied a coating of Mr. Dissolved Putty and sanded that.  Now, to spritz some primer on the hood and see just how much more sanding and putty I will need.

More '60 Chevy to come...

60Fleet10.JPG

60Fleet11.JPG

60Fleet12.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

Some work done on the Home Town Chevy pickup.  I got the Revell wheels and tires assembled, the engine painted with Polly Scale St. Lawrence Blue and the distributor painted and wired.

More Fleetside to come...

60Fleetside16.JPG

60Fleetside17.JPG

60Fleetside18.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Al!

I finished the Chevy engine tonight.  All wired and ready to go!  I assembled the chassis and will paint the entire unit as one in semi gloss black and then pick out the details as needed.

More Fleetside to come...

60Fleet19.JPG

60Fleet20.JPG

60Fleet21.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, mrmike said:

Thanks Al!

I finished the Chevy engine tonight.  All wired and ready to go!  I assembled the chassis and will paint the entire unit as one in semi gloss black and then pick out the details as needed.

More Fleetside to come...

60Fleet21.JPG

It’s coming along nicely! Engine looks great. FYI, those wings attached to the frame are actually part of the cab floor. I made the mistake of painting them black along with the frame at first on my ‘65 Chevy, then re-painted them body colour.

929A6FAD-628C-4176-8806-34276B28F7C5.jpeg

Edited by NOBLNG
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Greg and Carl!

9 hours ago, NOBLNG said:

It’s coming along nicely! Engine looks great. FYI, those wings attached to the frame are actually part of the cab floor. I made the mistake of painting them black along with the frame at first on my ‘65 Chevy, then re-painted them body colour.

929A6FAD-628C-4176-8806-34276B28F7C5.jpeg

Greg, I had noticed that earlier and my thought was to paint the bottom of the interior floor and those wings black and just be done with it.  Maybe, I'll paint them body color instead.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have been playing around with the '65 Chevy hood and I am really starting to hate it.  I doesn't matter how much I sand from whatever side, it just doesn't want to fit.  The right side character line is just too high.  I assembled the '60 Chevy hood and, of course, it fits a whole lot better.  Nice and flush and character lines all line up.  I think I am going with the '60 Chevy hood instead.

More Fleetside to come...

60Fleet22.JPG

60Fleet23.JPG

60Fleet24.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I got the interior completed and the chassis is nearly done.  I made a clear lens for the dash gauges.  The go-cart is nearly done, but I noticed a sink mark in the top of the right exhaust pipe.

More Fleetside to come...

60Fleet25.JPG

60Fleet26.JPG

60Fleet27.JPG

60Fleet28.JPG

60Fleet29.JPG

60Fleet30.JPG

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...