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Daisy Duke's Plymouth (DOH)


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Okay, on to my next project: Daisy's Plymouth!  I much prefer the look of the SECOND car used, the one that went over the cliff (actually I prefer how it looked BEFORE, but nevermind).  It just looks sleeker to me, plus it was used in more episodes (14 vs 9).

First, let's dispel some rumors and falsehoods:

     -Rumor # 1: Daisy's second car was a Plymouth Roadrunner, either '71 or '72 depending on where you read.

     -The Truth #1: Apparently it was probably a '71 Plymouth Satellite Sebring with some '71 GTX features including a non-Sebring hood.  Therefore, it shall henceforth be referred to simply as "Daisy's Plymouth".  Thanks to everyone in here who weighed in on this subject to guide me!

     -Rumor #2:  Daisy's first car ('74 Plymouth Satellite) was only used in the first five episodes, the ones filmed in Georgia.

     -The Truth #2Actually, the '74 Satellite was retained for the first four California Episodes (Swamp Molly, Luke's Love Story, The Big Heist & Limo One is Missing).  The Sebring/GTX's first appearance was in Episode 11, "Money to Burn."  It made a nice first entrance on this episode.  It finished the first season, and was used in 14 episodes of Season 2.

     -Rumor #3 Except for the dive off the cliff, Daisy's car was never really used much for stunts.

     -The Truth #3 Actually, besides spinning wheels and fishtailing to Daisy's fantastic driving, it was used for a jump in Season 2 Episode 2, "Gold Fever".  Additionally, before its tragic dive off the cliff to destruction, it did a 2-wheel bank between the Hazzard Sheriff cars.  

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Edited by Andrew D the Jolly Roger
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Under expert automotive guidance from you good folks here, I procured a Revell '71 Plymouth GTX as the base kit, and ordered the correct hood from Harts Parts resins.  I decided to make this a fully detailed build rather than the "curbside" closed-hood builds I've done for much of my Dukes of Hazzard fleet.  It will feature a fully super-detailed engine bay, similar to what I did with The General.  

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Edited by Andrew D the Jolly Roger
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Hollywood almost always uses more than one copy of any featured vehicle due to tight filming schedules plus mechanical issues.  Some features on these cars are often fictional.  This said, in my Dukes builds I try to balance or combine the sometimes fictional features with reality. 

I went through all the episodes in question searching for even one photo of the hood up on Daisy's car, maybe parked in front of the farm with the boys doing some minor maintenance.  Couldn't even find one; this actually made things easier; it means whatever I do can't be proven wrong.  I did find one scene with the hood up on the earlier-used '74, from the episode "Limo One is Missing," but of course it was the wrong car, and we couldn't see much anyway.

It was suggested that Daisy's character might have driven the Plymouth variant with the smaller engine, with a blue engine block.  I'm not sure if any muscle car kits actually offer smaller, "tamed" small-block engines, so I went with what I had.  Had to strip the paint and redo it in a more correct color.

I added a few details for the wiring, plus an aftermarket set of belts and pulleys.  There will be more hoses and wiring added after it's installed.

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I also removed the molded-on battery and water reservoir from the engine bay.  See, the trouble with molded-on details is that they LOOK molded on, and therefore more toylike.  So once removed their respective areas were rebuilt.  Those specific items will have separate items installed to replace them.

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One more for today.  For the filming, all identification logos/scripts on the vehicles were removed (i.e. all the "Charger" logos, the "FORD" from above the grill and tailgate on Jesse's truck, "PLYMOUTH" and "DODGE" from the Sheriff cars, etc).  Most of this is easy for Daisy's Plymouth, except for the grill and in front of the hood.  We'll deal with the grill later.  

For the removed emblem in front of the hood, there is a recessed area that was left untouched once the emblems were removed, and then painted over.  

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I tried removing the bit inside the recessed circle with a roto-drill, but I couldn't make it into a flat disc surface.  So I cut a tiny circle of sandpaper, smaller than the target area, and glued it to the end of a toothpick.  This, with a tiny dab of putty, exactly did the trick.

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There was CONSIDERABLE bodywork to be done with the Front Body Pan; this appears seamless with the rest of the body, so I wanted to install it before painting.  The rear one will be blended in after assembly and carefully retouched.  Additionally, the Front bit didn't completely fit, and the trim around the wheel well had to be rebuilt onto it and everything blended together.  

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52 minutes ago, Andrew D the Jolly Roger said:

Hollywood almost always uses more than one copy of any featured vehicle due to tight filming schedules plus mechanical issues.  Some features on these cars are often fictional.  This said, in my Dukes builds I try to balance or combine the sometimes fictional features with reality. 

I went through all the episodes in question searching for even one photo of the hood up on Daisy's car, maybe parked in front of the farm with the boys doing some minor maintenance.  Couldn't even find one; this actually made things easier; it means whatever I do can't be proven wrong.  I did find one scene with the hood up on the earlier-used '74, from the episode "Limo One is Missing," but of course it was the wrong car, and we couldn't see much anyway.

It was suggested that Daisy's character might have driven the Plymouth variant with the smaller engine, with a blue engine block.  I'm not sure if any muscle car kits actually offer smaller, "tamed" small-block engines, so I went with what I had.  Had to strip the paint and redo it in a more correct color.

I added a few details for the wiring, plus an aftermarket set of belts and pulleys.  There will be more hoses and wiring added after it's installed.

72fRCNE.jpg

n8fBS74.jpg

CBmDtCo.jpg

klV80DY.jpg

 

I also removed the molded-on battery and water reservoir from the engine bay.  See, the trouble with molded-on details is that they LOOK molded on, and therefore more toylike.  So once removed their respective areas were rebuilt.  Those specific items will have separate items installed to replace them.

BaYv8mp.jpg

pg2aLpe.jpg

They would have never used a 6 pack engine with a car that had the flat hood. You can swap the intake for a single 4 though. You can also get the 340 small block from the Duster kit. It has the best looking Carter Thermoquad ever made in that kit. It even looks better than all the holley carbs out there, except for a few resin versions. 

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1 hour ago, dwc43 said:

They would have never used a 6 pack engine with a car that had the flat hood. You can swap the intake for a single 4 though. You can also get the 340 small block from the Duster kit. It has the best looking Carter Thermoquad ever made in that kit. It even looks better than all the holley carbs out there, except for a few resin versions. 

Crud, was afraid someone would say that after everything I'd done...LOL 😎

I was actually counting on the fact that the carb will be completely covered up by the air cleaner, totally invisible, only there to hold up the air cleaner...so can I get away with that?

Edited by Andrew D the Jolly Roger
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3 minutes ago, Andrew D the Jolly Roger said:

Crud, was afraid someone would say that after everything I'd done...LOL 😎

I'm sure it will look good no matter which way you go, but just wanted to throw that out there. Lots of people don't know the Mopar world. lol I worked for them, so I have inside info. lol 

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59 minutes ago, dwc43 said:

I'm sure it will look good no matter which way you go, but just wanted to throw that out there. Lots of people don't know the Mopar world. lol I worked for them, so I have inside info. lol 

Yep, and I'm at an additional disadvantage not usually being a car builder, specializing in aircraft all my life....what you know fluently is foreign to me.

So, can I get away with the fact that the carb won't even be visible with the air cleaner?

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Fun project! I like that you're removing the under-hood molded in details to correct them; it's one of the shortcomings of Monogram's 1/24 kits. Tailpipes molded to rear axle is another compromise. The exhaust can paint nicely and look decent, but the other problem is the pipes are way under-sized, looking like 1-1/2 inch tubing! Will be following this one...

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1 hour ago, bisc63 said:

Fun project! I like that you're removing the under-hood molded in details to correct them; it's one of the shortcomings of Monogram's 1/24 kits. Tailpipes molded to rear axle is another compromise. The exhaust can paint nicely and look decent, but the other problem is the pipes are way under-sized, looking like 1-1/2 inch tubing! Will be following this one...

Oh, I know...took an entire evening of sandpapering to clean up the axle/exhaust bit.  I'm not as worried once it's cleaned up since the bottom will be coated in dust, mud and grime, which helps hide a lot of that kinda stuff. :D 

I already drilled out the exhausts, have yet to compare it to photos.  Probably should've done that first though....

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14 minutes ago, Andrew D the Jolly Roger said:

Yep, and I'm at an additional disadvantage not usually being a car builder, specializing in aircraft all my life....what you know fluently is foreign to me.

So, can I get away with the fact that the carb won't even be visible with the air cleaner?

Probably. Similar one was used with two 4 bbls. The carbs should be brass.

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1 hour ago, dwc43 said:

Probably. Similar one was used with two 4 bbls. The carbs should be brass.

Kewl! So, this'll be kind of like when I used to actually paint the boots and laces on the pilots of an aircraft only for them to be hidden under the instrument panel.  But WE all know they're there :D 

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3 minutes ago, Andrew D the Jolly Roger said:

Kewl! So, this'll be kind of like when I used to actually paint the boots and laces on the pilots of an aircraft only for them to be hidden under the instrument panel.  But WE all know they're there :D 

Yep. I've done it too. At least I know it's there, right. lol 

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15 hours ago, dwc43 said:

You can also get the 340 small block from the Duster kit. It has the best looking Carter Thermoquad ever made in that kit. It even looks better than all the holley carbs out there, except for a few resin versions. 

Do you mean the AMT '71 Duster kit?  I see that one and another by Revell.  And how noticably different do you think it will it look from what I've got now?  

And, if it is the AMT, I see it has 2 options for carb/air cleaners; I assume I'd go with the round air cleaner and smaller carb, yes?  Instead of the oval air cleaner and six pack?

Edited by Andrew D the Jolly Roger
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8 hours ago, Andrew D the Jolly Roger said:

Do you mean the AMT '71 Duster kit?  I see that one and another by Revell.  And how noticably different do you think it will it look from what I've got now?  

And, if it is the AMT, I see it has 2 options for carb/air cleaners; I assume I'd go with the round air cleaner and smaller carb, yes?  Instead of the oval air cleaner and six pack?

That's the one. It used to be red on the box art. It's got a great looking small block 340. Even though you can't tell a 273,318,340 from each other by looking at it. You have to check the block casting numbers on the real thing. 360 has a weighted front balancer, so you can look at it and tell. That small block would be more realistic looking, in your car. The six pack was not available after 71, so if you did the 74 version you would have to do a 400 or 440 or a small block 318 or 340. Only options for that year.  If you do research on DOH you will find most all of the cars had small blocks in them for driving and all the stunts except the jumps. They put 440's in the jump cars. Now the story always said the GL had a 440 and there's several episodes where you can see the engine sitting on the engine stand in the barn and with the hood up as well. But like you mentioned, you could never see the engine in the RR. Oh, there was one scene where it's covered in bird of chicken BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH and when they open the hood and it shows the engine fire you can only see the fan and it's a small block in that car. That scene might have been from one of the reunion movies. Can't recall. 

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1 hour ago, dwc43 said:

That's the one. It used to be red on the box art. It's got a great looking small block 340. Even though you can't tell a 273,318,340 from each other by looking at it. You have to check the block casting numbers on the real thing. 360 has a weighted front balancer, so you can look at it and tell. That small block would be more realistic looking, in your car. The six pack was not available after 71, so if you did the 74 version you would have to do a 400 or 440 or a small block 318 or 340. Only options for that year.  If you do research on DOH you will find most all of the cars had small blocks in them for driving and all the stunts except the jumps. They put 440's in the jump cars. Now the story always said the GL had a 440 and there's several episodes where you can see the engine sitting on the engine stand in the barn and with the hood up as well. But like you mentioned, you could never see the engine in the RR. Oh, there was one scene where it's covered in bird of chicken BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH and when they open the hood and it shows the engine fire you can only see the fan and it's a small block in that car. That scene might have been from one of the reunion movies. Can't recall. 

Perfect, thanks, got one ordered! (just the engine)

So, the round air cleaner option for that, then, and not the oval? I'm assuming the oval air cleaner was specifically to cover a six pack, yes?

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50 minutes ago, Andrew D the Jolly Roger said:

Perfect, thanks, got one ordered! (just the engine)

So, the round air cleaner option for that, then, and not the oval? I'm assuming the oval air cleaner was specifically to cover a six pack, yes?

You are correct. The round one is an unsilenced air filter. The base that holds the filter is smaller than the round lid on top. So it sucks all the air from underneath it. That's why there is no snorkel. 

 

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mopar unsilenced air cleaner | eBay

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I'd hate to see you pitch that sweet 440 Six Barrel after the work you've completed with it ; however , that Air Grabber-destined air cleaner likely won't clear the underside of  flat bonnet  .

The AMT 340 engine is a lovely piece --- but it's 1/25 scale vs. the Monogram , et al. , Satellite / GTX's 1/24 scale . That 340 was all-but-disappear in the boiler room of that GTX . If you're not averse to it : the engine from the 1971 Satellite-come-Dom's GTX has an aftermarket intake manifold with a single four barrel and aftermarket air cleaner . If you wish to go the small block route : the 340 from the early Monogram 1970 Challenger T/A could be substituted . Separate the 727 from the GTX's big block and put it in-place-of the 4-speed behind the T/A 340 . The only 'hanging modifier' would be the induction : no one to my knowledge makes a single four barrel induction for the old Monogram 340 .

I'm really digging on what you've done thus far ! Lots of research ; artistic licence ; wonderful modifications of / corrections-to the body ; and , most importantly , fun .

BTW -- Hamtramck Historical is your friend when it comes to anything Chrysler . Here's the 1971 Satellite pages ( see link ) . You may peruse via navigation the entire site . 

 The 1970 Hamtramck Registry - 1971 Plymouth Dealership Data Book - Satellite (hamtramck-historical.com)

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Well, unfortunately I'm totally ditching the engine....finally the evidence was overwhelming that I needed to go with the smaller-block engine, finished in blue.  So I purchased the engine parts from the AMT Duster.  Starting over. :angry:

In the meantime, here's what happened with the interior.  

Two modifications to be made: the steering wheel and the air vents.  In one episode (Gold Fever S2E2) the instrument panel is visible, showing the dashboard to be the style with two air conditioning vents.  Thanks to y'all in here for pointing that out to me!  I discovered this after I'd started painting, so, strip the paint, add the parts and start over.

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Steering wheel should be a more standard type instead of the stock racing item in the kit.  I started with the steering wheel from a Chevy pickup, carved down the central spokes, added a third spoke plus some other detailing.  The wood paneling color is done by painting it Military Brown, then going back over it with Tamiya Smoke.  This is basically a transparent black, and when applied unevenly over brown actually looks like wood paneling.

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An all-black interior is a problem since if you just paint it black, then almost zero details will show.  Here's how I bring it to life:

     -Flooring/carpet flat black

     -All the rest in semi-flat black

     -With a wide brush, drybrush dark gray all over the semi-gloss black areas to highlight and bring out the details

     -Mask carpet and then spray semi-gloss areas in a satin/flat clear mix

     -Drybrush dirt onto some of the carpet, especially driver's area.

Again, wood paneling done by painting first in Military Brown and then going back over that with Tamiya Smoke transparent black.

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Scratchbuild a CD radio for under the instrument panel, and voila!

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