Chuck Most

Found a home for the Pontiac 250 OHC I stole from an MPC drag transport truck.

This is an old Revell-Monogram kit (from the F Series 50th Anniversary set), lowered on AMT pad printed Firestones and powered by a 460 big block from a Monogram Ford F350. It has a carburetor in place of EFI and a '60s Nascar air cleaner assembly just for fun.

This came together in the Power By Ford Community Build. AMT kit with axles and a transfer case from a 1972 GMC Jimmy, MPC Desert Dog tires, and wheels from an AMT Modified Stocker. Engine is a Ford 351 Windsor I had left over from a previous project.

Forgot all about the Dana in the mockups. That's taking me back to a time in my life I don't want to relieve. ?

This is painted the same colors as the 1:1 I owned for 17 years, Royal Blue Metallic and Oxford White. The wheels are modified Moebius units in Monogram F350 tires. The F250 fender emblems came from Ray's Kits Decals. And just for fun it has a Lightning intake. Eventually I'll do an actual replica of my former '94 but for now this will work as a proof of concept.

The Fordified '55 is a done deal... ... Maybe needs a little extra under hood work.

Happens to the best of us.

Lovely build of an actual working pickup. Tamiya Camel Yellow suits it perfectly. You're making me want to try my hand at a much scabbier looking version. ?

Well... in 90's Ertl's defense it is accurate for an XLT with power windows. ? But yes, not much help when your intent is to model an XL.

1968 was right around the end of the Ford O Matic if I'm keeping my terminology straight. So I would avoid that one. Automatics were getting way more common by then but with the 300 six I'd keep the manual.

You could get a Fordomatic or a three speed manual in an F100 in 1960. I can't remember how many pedals are molded into the floor but I'd go with whichever transmission that suggests. Kit transmission looks like a manual but it's a stubby '60's annual kit transmission. Or, add some parts box pedals. Or... Paint the floor matte black and use whichever transmission suits you.

The Windsor is pretty nicely settled into the '55. I also put some Ford V8 emblems on the fenders, from the AMT Sunoco '34 Ford kit.

Look at the back. For whatever reason it makes me think Dana, with a scallop like the back of a 9". Like you put the 9" and a Dana in the pods from The Fly and something weird came out. I always assumed it was a compromise so Moebius could use the same axle in all the kits, but that theory went out the window when the F250 came with an actual Dana. ?

Dug out a project that stalled out some time back. '55 Chevrolet 3100 with front and rear axles from a '72 Jimmy. Since I had a 351 Windsor I ended up not using in another project, I figured now's the time.

Built this last year. Full post about it here https://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/topic/185149-1967-ford-f350-open-road-motorhome/

Go on.... ?

It's the only part of the kit that's come close to giving me fits, so far. Might just get a couple more of these to just invent a use for later.

"Yes, but..." 1. A retrofitted Spitfire is still, spiritually and visually, a Spitfire. No matter how "off" they look at night after seeing mechanical ones for decades. Barring that... 2. How many kits in the potential Round 2 tooling bank besides the Charger would use the retrofit flasher? Today it's mostly a "decoration", for want of a better term. But years ago MSP would perform what's called a side stop. If the trooper wanted you to pull over, instead of hitting the lights right behind you, they would pull alongside you and light up the hailer (aka "hood light" or "shark fin") and signal you that way. Today I know of a couple troopers who will turn it on at night when they pull into a driveway to a location they've been called out to, so that whoever called them will know it's a trooper without drawing as much attention as activating the beacon would. But much like the characteristic blue paint job, door seals, and drum beacon, it's mainly there for tradition's sake now.

AMT kit, lowered and fitted with some AMT printed Firestones. The engine is a Moebius 300 inline six with a homemade turbo and EFI setup. It has Lightning bumpers and the whole mess is hosed down in Testors Star Spangled Blue.

The turbo 300 F-150 is done, there will be an Under Glass post shortly. And the '50 Chevrolet will have a rear mounted fuel tank, with a filler sunk into the bed floor. Here's the beginning of that.

Then you just need to take care of the inaccurate engine bay. And the two door interior tub. And the inconsistent wheelbase side to side. And so on. ?

You can... You can just build a model with only whatever comes in the box? When did this become a thing? Man, knowing that would have saved me quite a few headaches. ??

I don't think the body even has scripts to sand off, so skip step two. Even though the kit is a Dodge it's always had Plymouth taillight lenses so you're ahead there. Even though the CHP reissue has new wheels they aren't the 1978 six holers, which isn't a problem if you want to do a '77 I suppose. Like I said, that MPC Monaco is a subject that needs the Round 2 "let's just make a better version" treatment. ?

Now I see the divot for the shifter. ? Not sure why you guys provided a red (instead of amber) flasher in the F100 kits but it definitely came in handy for this. Having a red flasher on a non-police or fire vehicle can land you in all kinds of hardship. ? Would be nice to see an MSP version of a Round 2 kit at some point. If nothing else it's a nice nod to the Michigan origins of AMT and MPC. A hailer, an actual Unity Spitfire gumball and graphics would be about all you'd need for the Charger. I suppose the same is true of the Lindberg Charger kit, but I have no familiarity with that one. If the Lindberg P72 molds are still around, same as above plus a new push bar and steel wheels with separate caps. MPC Dodge Monaco in a pinch, it would need to be Plymouth-ized and get either new bumpers with guards or separate guards on top of the additional parts needed for the Crown Vic. But that kit is begging for the '63 Nova Craftsman wagon treatment anyway... I.E. just start over.? I know Lindberg did a 1:20 phantom Jeep Grand Cherokee but let's not go there.

Introducing the "ugly sister" to Fred Sanford's truck. It's on display at a local used car lot. I dare say it would look better in my yard. ? Door lettering appears to be legit, not "fauxtina". And if it isn't, the rest of the truck more than makes up for it. Judging by the plate it hasn't been road legal since 1964, unless the plate it's wearing was just slapped on later to coincide with the year on the door. I'm not sure what One Twenty II was or did. Could have been a store. Could have been some weird secret society. All I know is today there's nothing in Sumner but a gas station/grocery store (Wilson's Grocery), a riverside park, and three churches. Other than that it's all farms and private residences. Whatever One Twenty II was there doesn't seem to be a trace of it there today. The barrels might suggest a brewery, though Sumner seems to have more recreational smokers than recreational drinkers, if you know what I mean. Or maybe the barrels are just there to look cool. Truck appears to be composed mostly of rust, Bondo, and lichen at this point. Given a few of the still-present custom touches (spotlight, outer grille bars removed, "auxiliary" parking lamps, steering wheel) I have to wonder what the now-missing front bumper looked like. Bet it was gnarly. Or a plank from an old barn. Monogram/Revell '50 F1 would get you at least most of the way there, depending on how close to "replica" you want to get.