1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limitied

[mrmike]

My lastest project is Tamiya's Jeep Grand Cherokee Ltd. and the return of McNally, Boston PI.  The story is titled, "Bad Karma".  Anyone described in this story is not related to anyone living or deceased.

The Build

When I opened this kit, I was surprised by the glossy plastic.  I decided not to paint the body since the swirls are minimal and I can polish the body to my liking.  I'll research this so I can add plug wires and add any other details.

The Story

McNally drives out to Quincy and an abandoned warehouse where a potential client ask to meet him them.  The call sounded suspicious at best and being that it was in the midst of winter, he drove out in his '73 Bronco.  He pulls into the parking lot and gets out of the 4X4 with his Smith & Wesson Model 66-2 .357 Magnum at his side and walks over to the warehouse entrance and he looks in through the broken door at the smelly mess inside.  After a few minutes of looking around inside, he hears a woosh and an explosion outside and he runs out to see his Bronco going up in flames and smoke.  He pulls out his cellphone to call the Police and the Fire Department just as a bullet hits the wall behind him and he takes cover behind a stack of pallets on the dock and fires the .357 Magnum in the direction the shots may have come from.

McNally will return...

 

Edited February 22, 2019 by mrmike

[maxwell48098]

Here's my version that was a replica of the cpompany car I had at the time.

[mrmike]

Looks great, A.J.!

The Story

McNally and the QFD Fire Captain noticed that the gas caps where lying on the ground, suggesting that someone had stuffed rags into the filler necks and lit them like a Molotov Cocktail aka a fire bomb.  He will have to go down to the Quincy Police Dept. and fill out a lot of paperwork and then he calls a cab to make the trip back to Boston.  Once he gets back home, he drives his Challenger SRT8 over to Vic's Sales and Service to find another 4X4.  Vic says he doesn't have any and to check back in a couple of weeks.  McNally drives over to a news stand and grabs a copy of the Truck and Auto Want Ads to start a search for another 4X4 for the winter.

The Build

I wanted a grille guard for this Jeep and using a couple pieces of sprue and the bumper overriders from the Yodel Plymouth Fury, I fashioned a grille guard.

McNally will return...

[mrmike]

The Story

After eating dinner, McNally sits down in his easy chair to look through the Truck and Auto Want Ads.  He finds a Jeep Cherokee and calls the number and it goes to voice mail and he leaves a message.  A few minutes later his phone rings and it's a salesman from a dealer and he is invited down to the dealer to look around.  His reply was, "No thanks."  After several tries, he finally gets an ad for a Jeep Grand Cherokee Ltd. and the person is a private seller who agrees to show him the Jeep at 10 AM in the morning.

The Build

I think the grille guard sticks too far out from the front bumper, so last night I trimmed the bumper guards and and refitted the guard.  It looks 100% better!

McNally will return...

[espo]

Need to add a wench to the front grill guard. I like the way you're building this. 

[Oldmopars]

33 minutes ago, espo said:

Need to add a wench to the front grill guard. I like the way you're building this. 

Not sure how you would strap a wench to the bumper, she would really block the view, but a winch would be handy.

[mrmike]

Sorry David and Scott, but no winch for this Jeep.  A winch would look big and awkward on the front of this Jeep.  The purpose of this Jeep is that of a winter runabout for McNally, not an off-road runner.   

[mrmike]

The Story

The following morning, McNally gets into his Dodge Challenger SRT8 and drives to Winchester, but not without stopping at a drive-thru and getting a sausage biscuit with egg and a large coffee.  He arrives at the address given by private seller, a girl named Casey Westerfield, a Boston Police Officer who works the night shift.  "You look familiar to me," she says.  "Didn't you use to protect that Hollywood star?"  McNally says, "Francine Aaron.  That was a couple of years ago."  Casey shows McNally the Grand Cherokee and after looking the Jeep over and taking a short test drive around the block, without license plates, a little haggling and they agree on a price.  McNally will get the remainder of the cash and they will conclude the deal tomorrow.

The Build

I spent the afternoon polishing the Jeep with some Novus 2 and what a shine!  I have started work on the chassis.  I finished the engine minus the distributor which is not included in this kit.  I guess I'll have to make one!

McNally will return...

[espo]

Very nice finish on the body. I like the after market red sway bars. 

[mrmike]

Thanks David!  I wanted something on the suspension system to stand out a bit more than just painting everything semi-gloss black.  I thought red on the sway bars would help.  I may try to paint the coil springs red as well.  Maybe use a red Sharpie instead of paint.  We shall see...

[mrmike]

I just found an error in the original posting of my topic and the Edit feature was removed from all original postings.  This error is going to bug the pee out of me and what is worse is that I can't fix it like I could before.  This is rather annoying to me, but I also understand the security risk that is able (if I have read that topic correctly) if I was allowed to correct my misspelling.  I guess I'll have to live with my mistake, not that I'm perfect or anything!  

[mrmike]

The Story

McNally is investigating the murder of Boston City Alderman David Camillo.  He was trying to push a bill through the City Legislature requiring all older buildings in Boston to be rehabbed if possible instead of being torn down.  The Alderman's death may be connected to the attempt to kill the Boston PI.  This bill has many people angry because of the many clauses held within.  Not all of the clauses are related to rehabbing old buildings.

The Build

I attempted to paint the coil springs that are in the kit with one taking flight over the bench and disappearing.  This morning, I search and couldn't find the spring and I dove into my tool box of extra screws and bits and pieces and found a similar shaped, but longer spring that I cut up into fours and painted them red to match the sway bars.  I found a Parts By Parks wired distributor and drilled a hole into the engine block and mounted the distributor with a bit of CA.  Next to drill holes for the plug wires.  I've been detail painting the chassis and trying to get the front sway bar located properly.  It's a tight fit here.

McNally will return...

[mrmike]

The Story

After a trip to his Credit Union, McNally gets the remainer of the cash needed to buy the Grand Cherokee.  He gets into his Challenger SRT8 and drives over to see Louie Bailer at Bailer Construction Co.  Louie works out of an old construction trailer and has his fingers in the many little things that could make him money under the table.  The construction yard has an old backhoe, a beat up pickup truck, a dump truck with no cab, and construction supplies in a mess all over the yard.  In the trailer, Louie doesn't want to talk to McNally and has Helo, his very large and heavy "aid" throw him out of the trailer. 

As Helo aproaches McNally, Helo gets kick in the groin and losses his Colt .45 pistol to the Boston PI who removes the magazine and the slide and he throws them on Louie's desk and leaves the trailer.  Louie is guilty of something here judging by his actions.  

The Build

The chassis is nearly complete.  As a mockup showed me, I didn't like the fact that I could see in the back of the spare tire through the driver's side rear window.  I found a spare tire and wheel to fit inside the spare tire cover at streetrod's house yesterday.

McNally will return...

[Vince66]

Had a 1994 Grand Cherokee inline 6 in green and a 1995 Grand Cherokee Limited 318 in green mettalic fun rigs. 

Great build brings back memories thanks

Edited February 28, 2019 by NothingAsFineAsaW9

[Gramps46]

Had a 93 white with gold limited.  Enjoying this thread.

[mrmike]

Thanks guys!

The Story

McNally completes the purchase of the '96 Grand Cherokee Ltd. with Casey who happens to be a Boston cop.  He promises to get the Jeep out of her driveway by the end of the day.  As he stands in line at the MV Registry, he senses someone standing next to him.  It's Lt. Det. Adam Troy and he asks about McNally's visit to Louie Bailer.  McNally had heard of Louie being vocal against the Construction Bill facing Boston Legislature.  Adam tells McNally that SWAT will be hitting Bailer Construction before the day is over.  McNally says he wants in on the operation.

The SWAT team is armed and ready for the assault on Bailer Construction.  Police Detectives have been watching Bailer for sometime and they have evidence that Bailer had a Boston Alderman murdered since that Alderman introduced the Contruction Bill.  McNally suspects that there is more to this case and he will continue looking into it further.

The Build

It may be hard to tell, but I have been painting the flat black trim and I added some chrome around the grille openings.  I used a black Sharpie on the glass.

McNally will return...

[mrmike]

The Story

Several blocks away from Bailer Construction are several Police cars and a SWAT van waiting.  The word is given and they take off down the street at a high rate of speed.  They pull into the yard and shooting starts from the office trailer with the SWAT van leading the way since it is armored.  After a few minutes, the back door opens and a slender man runs down the steps, almost slipping as he tries to run.  He has no traction in the snow with his shiny leather shoes on and he does slip and fall to the snowy ground.

Louie Bailer tries to get up and he sees a pair of boots standing in front of him and the boots belong to McNally, Boston PI.  McNally cuffs Louie and picks him up off the ground and he keys his two way radio and says, "This is McNally and I have one in custody."  A moment later and the shooting stops with two men dead in the trailer and one in custody.  McNally leads Louie to the front of the trailer and the Police officers and detectives.  He is read his rights, arrested by BPD and place in the back of a patrol car.

The Build

I painted the inside of the Jeep body and this will require a second coat.  I flocked the interior, but I really don't like flocking since the fibers get everywhere I don't want it.  My revised spare tire cover with the wheel and tire inserted.

McNally will return...

[mrmike]

The Story

Louie Bailer and his remaining henchman Ian, are being questioned in Interrogation and the questioning stops when they both say, "lawyer".  McNally takes a copy of The Herald and goes into the Interrogation room where Louie is sitting and sits down at the table, puts his feet up and opens the paper and starts reading.  Louie complains that he is in pain from slipping on the ice in his construction yard and McNally ignores him.  Louie continues to complain with McMally eventually saying, "Yeah, yeah , yeah."  Louie finally says, "You probably think that Alderman Portis is leading me around by the nose, don't you?"  McNally finishes reading his article, folds the newspaper and quietly walks out of the Interrogation Room.  He tell Lt. Troy that he has to check something out and he leaves BPD Headquarters. 

The Build

Been working on the dash and other smaller parts for the Grand Cherokee Ltd.  The woodgrain decals for the dash gave me fits, so I used an orange Sharpie with black stipling to create woodgrain for a smaller space.

McNally will return...

Edited March 3, 2019 by mrmike

[mrmike]

The Story

McNally drives out to visit Alderman Jamie Portis at her home.  Alderman Portis is a strong willed person and McNally suspects her of leading Louie Bailer since he is only good at taking orders from a higher up.  She once said that the Construction Bill was a waste of time all the while she was kind of promoting it.  It is possible that she gave to order to have Alderman David Camillo killed so that the Construction Bill would die in Committee.  It is believed that tearing down a building and building a new one in it's place would cost more money in the long run than rehabbing an old building and that extra money would be going into someone else's pocket.

The Build

The engine compartment is nearly complete and the interior is done!

McNally will return...

[mrmike]

The Story

McNally knocks on the door of Alderman Portis' home and she answers the door and allows the Boston PI in.  She offers to take his coat and hang it up, but he tells her he is carrying his gun.  "That doesn't bother me, Mr. McNally," and he takes off his coat and she hangs it up next to the door on a coat hook.  She offers him a cup of coffee to which her refuses since he has had too much coffee already today.  They sit in the kithcen and he asks her about Alderman Camillo and Louie Bailer.

She says she doesn't know Louie, but she praises Adlerman Camillo as a great man.  He asks her about Louie Bailer and his henchmen and she why she had Camillo killed and she produces a snub-nose .38 from her sweater pocket and demands his gun.  He says that the cops know he is at her house and that they have surrounded her home.  She says, "You can't fool me like that," as she turns her head towards the window and McNally grabs her wrist and shakes the gun from her hand and cuffs her.  He calls the Police and Lt. Det. Adam Troy from his cellphone.

The Build

The head and taillights have been detailed.  The fog lights normally go on the front bumper of the Jeep.  I made a set of brackets to mount the lights on the grille guard.  The grille guard has been mounted to the front bumper.

 

More to come...

[mrmike]

The Story

The Police arrive and swarm Alderman Portis' home.  The snub-nose .38 revolver is bagged and tagged for forensic evidence as it may be the weapon used to kill Alderman Camillo.  Lt. Det. Troy tries to question Alderman Portis and all she will say is "lawyer".  Lt. Troy walks into the living room and notices McNally sitting in an armchair writing notes in his notebook.  Adam asks, "What are you doing?"  McNally replies, "Just jotting down a few notes for my report.  Don't want to leave anything out."  Adam replies, "Stop by Headquarters in the morning and we'll go over everything."

McNally closes his notebook, gets up from the chair and puts his coat on that was hanging by the front door.  He walks outside and sees that it is snowing again, but very lightly.  He gets into the Grand Cherokee Ltd. and starts it up and lets the Jeep warm up a bit before leaving for home.  A cop comes out to move his cruiser out of the way so McNally can leave and the cop takes the spot that the Jeep was parked in.  Tomorrow is another day for the Boston PI.

The Build

I have finished my Tamiya Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited V8.  I would like to thank all those who have taken the time to view and to comment on my WIP.