89AKurt

Made the other taillight, and removed all the upper trim, and added to the stake pockets tonight. Ground a worn-out blade to the shape of the door handle dip to scrape somewhat smooth, then steel wool to finish. Next thing is to make the door handles. Also scribed the door jamb lines with the Tamiya scriber. Guess I should remove the molded on windshield wipers and use photo-etch ones.

using steel wool

of our super

by super sensitive

Refined the taillight fitment. Added to the second and third stake pocket, they aren't wide enough, and drilled square holes (not so easy ?). Drilled out the sidelights, will put in backing later. The real truck has a wall inside the bed, but skipping that detail. Cut off the door handle, started on the dip. Removed the top trim. (all this only on the driver side) This is what the door handle looks like on my '68, the knob has the tendency to get stuck inside, remedy was baling wire. ?

Started on the easy stuff today, painting the exhaust. ? Mixed brown and steel, then sprinkled baking soda on the wet paint as I went along. Look forward to putting on the perfect tip. Not doing anything else under here, not wishing to spend forever, and buy another kit. Tailgate, first thing was to shave off the fancy trim (will do same technique for side trim). Drew the letters. Next was scribing the edges with a fresh #11 blade. Working on the bumper, always seem to never have the perfect fill on such tasks. Really just wanted to try out the new Tamiya scribing tool, which is AWESOME. I usually don't like using a magnifying glass, feel like I go cross-eyed, but really needed it this time. This would be the perfect thing to do with photo-etch, just shave down the thickness of the metal, and also to have a stencil to paint, which lucky me doesn't need to. Wanted to avoid that, so started on the taillights. I'm keeping in mind how to be able to cast replicas of these parts, at least for my next project(s), or to sell. The challenge now is making lenses, so that will be on my mind. Ground off the kit taillight area, using the mold line for the edge. Also noticed the kit does not continue down under the light, which is covered by the bumper, but for the ranch bumper it shows up. Can see why AMT shortened the width of the tailgate, a bit too much body to the corner.

Hey, there you are! One reason I'm building this, because of your fabulous build. Thanks to you, I have the fender badges that work for the '68 I hope to do someday, but same guy didn't make a '69, but since my truck had those removed, no big deal. Your solution would have been so much easier, but too late now.....

Thanks! It's a really simple shape to do, unlike race bucket seats.

Looking really good! Hobby Design has benefited from my disposable income. ? Love their product. I've done valve stems on many builds, that aren't Box Stock.

I've never seen such a thing. You have any links you used for reference? 1/43 is another world of modeling. Love the wheels. For anyone suspecting decals are bad, was there extra printed stuff that could have been used for a test? I know there are tricks to save such decals, but don't know.

I grew on me, and the family who had it, loved it so much, it's back in the fold. ❤️ Basically have the interior done. I'm thinking of casting the seat, and the door cranks, maybe the panels too, so all that is attached with Tacky glue, which works for permanent too. Took a break with dinner, and shooting pool, but was thinking about this project so much that I sucked. ? Masked and sprayed the dash, and the steering column needed the green which requires the airbrush, no brushing it. Used photo-etch screw heads for various knobs, Bare Metal foil on the radio and heater control box, aftermarket gauge faces which included the radio and heater control panel. Last part made was the shifter indicator. Been using photos of the real truck for reference, such as when I replaced the turn signal switch and wire harness. Oh shoot, forgot the hazard switch. ?

like bullet-proof not gonna cheat

Just about finished the interior. The real truck had a carpet dash pad, the original vinyl pad was removed, (my '68 still has it but looks like ****) made from holiday packaging. Made the gas pedal like the one I fabricated from scrap metal, the OME plastic paddle is a joke. The shifter and turn signal are made from 2 sizes of guitar string (wire), with little knobs made from stretched sprue. Started the shift indicator, will finish during final assembly. Will also have the high/low beam switch on the floor. The steering wheel rim should be half that diameter, but as it is, was broken, the real one had huge cracks all over, would really make the puppy delicate, ain't going there! 4 gauges were eliminated, liquid cement was used to texture that area. Lowered the seat mounts after test fitting for the pictures, it's a tight fit under the steering wheel, but not this much! ? Texture added to the seat, with stippled acrylic paint. Added tile grout to do the rubber floor mat. Painted the chassis and heater parts flat black, then the door handles gloss black. Tamiya primer on body parts, then I was dying to see how the Splash paint looked, AWESOME! Custom mixed Testors 'jade green' and a military green, for the arm rests, steering wheel, dash pad, and the seats. I'm planning to make copies of the bench seat (and other parts), so not worried about the paint at this time. The original owner had the interior re-painted, was originally the jade green, discovered when I worked on the steering column. The bumper was not satisfactory to continue, so only painted the door cranks Alclad 'chrome'.

I emailed with questions, still need to review, but it's now the wheels that is the issue. Thanks!

Made progress on the interior. All I did was use a steel ruler, and use the knife to score plastic sheet. Made armrests from the kit door panel. Cut out the window cranks and door handles. Added guitar string to the shaped heater box. Made the pedals (except gas pedal, that will be a duplicate of what I made for the real truck). Used steel coffee can for the pedal levers. Next will be detailing the steering column, gas pedal, then later the seatbelts. Some tiny details too, will see.

Thanks!

Made the mistake of getting 1/24 scale slot mag and tires, these are really nice units, but too big DUH. I have the AMT Chevy Blazer "Crew Chief", which has about the correct tires, in 1/25 scale. Any leads on where to get 6 lug 15" wheels?

I found an Italeri military truck with those evil tires, searched and found two different makes of wheel/tires for them. Never know, if enough people got pissed off about this, should be replacements.

Oh, so that's what this bumper goes to! 3 tries with the paint, I feel your pain, no wonder it lurked for awhile, came out really nice! I still prefer BMF over the Molotow pen.

obscured by looming

It's a toss-up between Corian, and newspaper printing plate, for my favorite scratch-building material. Roughed out the shape with the bench sander earlier. Tonight used files to rough shape the pleates, after scribing with the knife using the steel square. Also scribed where the stretched sprue piping went. Not doing the rips, or blanket cover (if I did that, would photo reduce a Navajo rug just for fun).

Thanks! Be sure to drill all the holes in the seats. ? Have you checked the prices for the Fujimi wire wheels set? ? ? I know right? Thanks for the comment.

if it's black

For which truck exactly?

Very nice! Did you make the license plate?