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History of Monogram's Squarebody GM Pickups


Fabrux

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I contacted Revell over the weekend via Email and got a response today. At least it wasn't a "thanks, but no thanks". It was forwarded to their research and developement department. One can only hope, but maybe they'll start listening to people in the hobby more if we pester them enough.

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Guys...I know for a fact that the model companies do listen intently to what the modeling community says, as well as pay attention to what the modeling community actually does (e.g. spend money on newly manufactured kits). Unfortunately, in recent years )mabye the last 15 years or so), pickup kits (both newly tooled and reissues) have not sold that well. I am hoping that the limited reissues that we are seeing this year (including those 1970's vans) represent an attempt by the modeling companies to see if fresh reissues of pickup kits might be ready to reverse that trend, and sell well enough to justify reopening the pickup tooling banks for more reissues, and someday down the road, some fresh tooling.

My point is simply this - don't assume the model companies aren't listening if they don't issue a kit of your favorite subject. They do listen, but in the end they are businesses that have to manufacture and market successful products or they won't be around the day after tomorrow. They have to be cautious and combine customer input with many other factors (including historical and recent sales trends of similar subjects) before they take action.

Apologizing in advance for those of you that already know this....and I hope this was helpful insight for the rest of you.

TIM

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I made a discovery tonight. The dashes in the pickups and the Blazer/Jimmy are slightly different. The pickup dash depicts a full trim level interior while the Blazer/Jimmy are a lower trim level. The Blazer/Jimmy dash has the speedometer in the left large opening while the right opening is the fuel gauge. The smaller set of four pods are I believe 'idiot lights'. The vent opening pattern is different and the passenger side of the dash has no emblem while the pickup dash does.

In checking with my factory brochures the pickup seat appears to represent a Cheyenne or Silverado seat.

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I'm looking at a Pickup and Jimmy dash, I see what you mean about the differences. I'm not sure that one is supposed to be a lower trim level than the other, looks more like a case of a different person making the tool. You're right about the gauges being "off". I would say the the 4 gauges on the left are more undersized than "idiot lights", as even the trucks with the lights used the same size openings in the dash. BTW, on trucks with the factory tach, the gas gauge went in the pod , in place of the "fasten seatbelt" light.

As far as the trim level the kit represents, I'm going say it's most likely a Scottsdale, since it is packaged as a Sport truck. That package wasn't available on the Custom Deluxe or Cheyenne, and since the Pickup is a '76 (grille gives it away) it can't be a Silverado ('78).

Another thing that's odd obout the Monogram GM trucks is that they're all column shift 3 speed manuals. Most V8 GM 4x4s from that period were automatics with the NP203 Full Time transfer case (not available with 6 cylinder or manual transmission). That's one place where the MPC got it right.

Side note on that, GM did produce a manual transmission full time 4x4 pickup for 1 year, 1974. Almost always paired up with the SM465 4 speed. from what I understand, lots of chain breakage issues.

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It's a '63-'63 Corvette feul injection, the wide ribbed penum cover is the givaway. That feul injection, and its earlier version were never offered on any GM truck, unless you count the '59 El Camino, which is almost a truck, and the '57-'59 Sedan Delivery, which is included in most truck literature since it's a commercial vehicle.

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Did the Stepsides and Fendersides ever come with a box-specific, narrower rear bumper, or did they all use the Fleetside/Wideside rear bumper?

Here are the dashboards:

GMC Jimmy:

IMG_4858.jpg

Chevy Stepside:

c4s5.jpg

IMG_4935.jpg

IMG_4936.jpg

Edited by Casey
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There was a narrow step bumper and a narrow version of the regular bumper in the '70/'80s in addition to the wider bumper in both styles. Then there were all the aftermarket bumpers, usually dealer installed, as the rear bumper was not a standard item, it was an option well into the '80s. It wasn't uncommon to see new trucks come into the dealer with no rear bumper. Some dealers used factory bumpers, some sold aftermarket bumpers, like the Barton or Winchester (yes, the rifle company).

Here's a few brochure pix showing some of the different bumpers used on the '73-'87 Stepsides.

1981%20Chevy%20Pickups-09.jpg

1978%20Chevrolet%20Pickups-02.jpg

1986%20Chevy%20Facts-021.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...

Fellas, all the gmc/chevy 848 style kits(in autoglass terms, dw848 is w/s# for 73-87 gm trucks lol) can't hold-up to the best 1 I remember....MPC?AMT? can't remember but... the fall guy longbed with full lift kit, nice wheels/tires is the 1 I love and wish to find. as per the gmc/chevy differances, its only the grill, and accessories. ty

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That kit has its roots in the original MPC '78 Chevy C10 (only time the 2wd was produced) and the later K10 shortbed variants. There are actually 3 different cabs used with that kit. The original '73-'80 cab with Scottsdale trim, the '81-'87 cab with Chevrolet Custom deluxe trim, and one used for the GMC kits with no trim. While I will agree 100% that the MPC is a superior kit, the drivetrain for the '81 and later trucks is actually wrong, and there is a glaring error in the '78-'80 version. The drivetrain in those kits is the 350 2bbl V8 with the TH350 trans and an NP203 full time T-case in the 4x4s. On the original 3wd kit, the 2bbl V8 would be correct for a base V8 truck, but the 350 in the 4x4 with the full time T-case virtually always was a 4 bbl (I've never seen them any other way). On the subject of transfer cases, the NP203 would only be correct for the '78/'79, '80 should have had an NP205 part time case w/manual lockouts, and the '81-'84 should have the NP208 with either manual lockouts or the automatic hubs (the NP205 was optional in 1/2 tons in those years).

Personally, I would love to see Round 2 reissue those kits in their original form, without the Fall Guy lift and oversized wheels.

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  • 2 weeks later...

The Revell '99 Chevy has the round cover 10 bolt, which date back to the '88 Chevrolet and GMC 1/2 tons. That rear would be incorrect for a '70s truck. To my knowledge, there has never been an accurate Truck 12 bolt (it is different from the Passenger version) in 1:24 scale. In 1:25, there have been several, including the Revell '64/65 Chevies, as well as the afore mentioned MPC Chevy/GMC kits.

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  • 3 weeks later...

All the Monogram GM trucks, including the Blazer/Jimmy, have the same differentials front and rear. The rear is incorrect for a 1/2 ton, and does resemble a 14 bolt more than the correct 12 bolt.

Does anyone have close up pics of the front and rear rearend assemblies on these kits?

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I took some yesterday for you Casey,but for some reason the site wouldn't come back up. :rolleyes: These are from the '77 GMC,but they are the exact same tree for the Chevy truck. I would imagine it's the same for the Blazer,but I can't confirm that. Longbox 55 (Bill) should be able to identify these pretty easily. The rearend looks a little odd to me especially when it's on a finished model with that offset stump.

008-17.jpg

006-18.jpg

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

I believe what is wrong with the look of the monogram 14 bolt rearend is that the rearend is suppose to be in the middle between the springs in the rear.the driveline is suppose to be off to one side.I have owned many corperate rearends in my trucks and as I remember the driveline going to the rearend is not directly inline with the rearends pinion yoke.and on the model its inline instead of off to one side like to rear trucks are.....that what I think and do.Thanks,Chris

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