MPC 1975 Datsun Pickup

[pharoah]

I've noticed the complaints about the  flipnose Datsun.I have no idea why MPC did it that way. it's like they never looked at a real truck. You can't have the hood open righ in fromt of the windshield,that's where the back of the dash and the wipers are. Here is a picture of a real Datsun I did in the early 80's. It had been hit in the right front. The fender have to cut because they would hit the doors when you raised the front.I got the idea from Truckin' magazine. I should build a model of this.BTW,if any of you need some detail shots,let me know. I have lots of them,and the kit has a lot of errors.

 

[Zarana-X]

I've noticed the complaints about the  flipnose Datsun.I have no idea why MPC did it that way. it's like they never looked at a real truck. You can't have the hood open righ in fromt of the windshield,that's where the back of the dash and the wipers are. Here is a picture of a real Datsun I did in the early 80's. It had been hit in the right front. The fender have to cut because they would hit the doors when you raised the front.I got the idea from Truckin' magazine. I should build a model of this.BTW,if any of you need some detail shots,let me know. I have lots of them,and the kit has a lot of errors.

 

I just started the Datsun Monster truck. I think I may try to fix the nose like this. 

[unclescott58]

From a Japanese model board, I think

 

http://www.hobidas.com/blog/j-tipo/desktop/nissan-datsun/

That above ☝️is what I'm looking for. A nice factory stock Datsun pickup truck.

Scott

 

[Tom Geiger]

I've noticed the complaints about the  flipnose Datsun.I have no idea why MPC did it that way. it's like they never looked at a real truck. You can't have the hood open righ in fromt of the windshield,that's where the back of the dash and the wipers are. Here is a picture of a real Datsun I did in the early 80's. It had been hit in the right front. The fender have to cut because they would hit the doors when you raised the front.I got the idea from Truckin' magazine. I should build a model of this.BTW,if any of you need some detail shots,let me know. I have lots of them,and the kit has a lot of errors.

Keep in mind that when this kit was issued, the main target audience was kids.  

Edited May 7, 2017 by Tom Geiger

[pharoah]

Keep in mind that when this kit was issued, the main target audience was kids.  

That's true,it was aimed at a lot of us here. lol

They would have had to retool the entire body,interior tub, and front end,too.

[gray07]

we have a garage here in town tat has a Toyota as a towtruck, but he only works on small cars, it has duel wheels and everything, and if u go to northern Indiana under autos and search dumptrucks, there is a I think 84 Nissan dumptruck.

[Casey]

[stavanzer]

Awww, Dang!

Another "Must-Buy" kit from Round2. The Monster Truck version doesn't move me but this one does.

[Luc Janssens]

Me like!....now if they could do the same with the full size Dodge truck.

[blunc]

I built this from the Datsun kit in the mid '80s

[mikemodeler]

Me like!....now if they could do the same with the full size Dodge truck.

They should do whatever it takes to bring that back, it would sell like crazy!

[Daddyfink]

Oh yes! Now I can build it without touching my originals! 

[unclescott58]

It's on it way. Round 2 is showing with their September 2017 releases. Looking forward to it.

[pharoah]

is it here yet?

Is it here yet?

Is it here yet?

[Rob Hall]

Tower Hobbies says late October.

[pharoah]

Tower Hobbies says late October.

Doh!

[Casey]

For those looking for alternatives to the stock styrene tires, consider the Armstrong bias-ply skinnies found in the IMC and subsequent Lindberg reissues of the Little Red Wagon Dodge A-100 pickup kit. They are very close in O.D., have a much better zig-zag tread pattern, and the stock Datsun wheel/dog dish hubcap pieces fit inside them quite well:

[martinfan5]

I am using the skinny tires that came in the kit, is that not a good idea?, what am I missing?

[Casey]

1 hour ago, martinfan5 said:

I am using the skinny tires that came in the kit, is that not a good idea?, what am I missing?

I think those are a better choice than the styrene tires (one half of which is shown above in the image I posted), but I think there are better options available. Now, I will grant you "better" is a subjective word, so to each their own. The kit's narrow tires have a really chunky tread that I don't care for, so I would replace them without hesitation.

Would the tires in the Sunny kit be an upgrade? I'd have to go look at your review topic to refresh my memory, but they might be a good choice, too. There really are not a lot of close-to-stock small pickup tire options out there, though, especially for 2WD trucks. I mean, which kit includes a 6.00 x 14 tire like this: 

[martinfan5]

1 minute ago, Casey said:

I think those are a better choice than the styrene tires (one half of which is shown above in the image I posted), but I think there are better options available. Now, I will grant you "better" is a subjective word, so to each their own. The kit's narrow tires have a really chunky tread that I don't care for, so I would replace them without hesitation.

Would the tires in the Sunny kit be an upgrade? I'd have to go look at your review topic to refresh my memory, but they might be a good choice, too. There really are not a lot of close-to-stock small pickup tire options out there, though, especially for 2WD trucks. I mean, which kit includes a 6.00 x 14 tire like this: 

Good question, I can break out the tires and do some comparing and stuff with the wheels, but I think the Sunny tires might just a tick too small maybe.

[Casey]

1 hour ago, martinfan5 said:

Good question, I can break out the tires and do some comparing and stuff with the wheels, but I think the Sunny tires might just a tick too small maybe.

Yeah, the sidewall would be too short it looks like.

I measured the Armstrong tires and the styrene halves, and the O.D.s are 1.090" and 1.084" respectively, so that's close enough for me. 

[martinfan5]

Just now, Casey said:

Yeah, the sidewall would be too short it looks like.

I measured the Armstrong tires and the styrene halves, and the O.D.s are 1.090" and 1.084" respectively, so that's close enough for me. 

I am all for close enough these days too sometimes, its just for fun afterall.

[Rob Hall]

Random quasi-related tire thought..wonder what would be a good whitewall radial tire for an '80s car..  Really would like to find some that would look credible as stock whitewalls on Revell's  '80s Cutlass and '80s Caddy..the typical 60s-70s tires seem too narrow.  I wonder about the tires in the new '76 Torino kit..

[stavanzer]

Well, Santa was good to me, I finally got one of these kits. It looks great! Now to try and get another parts tree of the two piece tires for the stock version and I'm set.