1953 Chevrolet tow truck

[Nitromethane]

This is an out-of-production Jada 1/24 scale 1953 Chevrolet tow truck that I picked up at a thrift shop a few weeks ago.  It looked quite good except it was missing its steering wheel and column, windshield wipers, side mirror, both turn signal lights, both door handles, both rear service lights, one taillight, the front bumper and all the tow rigging, hardware and one complete arm of the tow lift. The tow lift arm and all the accompanying hardware was scratch built and I apologize for any and all lack of authenticity and functionality. It was a fun but challenging project and definitely worth the dollar cost of the truck.

Materials used:

turn signals: hearing aid batteries
windshield wipers: straight pens
steering wheel and column: "O" ring and nail
side mirror: wood toothpick and flat metal
door handles: bent florist wire
tow arm: wood popsicle stick
tow cable: elastic thread
tow arm end: top of cigarette lighter
tail light: #10 automobile fuse
front bumper: two edge-glued popsicle sticks
warning signs: stickers from 1/32 plastic model kit
front bumper bracket extensions: candy sucker stick
 

 
Thanks for looking...

[randyc]

That's pretty cool and I can't tell where the parts were incorporated if you hadn't shared that.  I have an LE Danbury GMC 53 pickup that a firend found cheap - like $10 that only seems to need a bumper.  I keep putting bumpers in the case with it as I find them - will fix it one of these days and will make a nice display piece.   I don;t have a spare proper bumper so it will probably be some sort of car bumper, but who cares, really?  

Glad to see more folks in this section saving and collecting and building diecasts.   

[Tom Geiger]

Nice restoration!  Just be careful that the hearing aid batteries stay intact and don't leak over time.

That Jada tow truck is a decent copy of the Danbury unit.  There were a lot of those made and still available around the secondary market.  The later ones came with "Donk" style wheels and tires (ugh!)

That truck is rich with parts for models!   I've seen the entire wrecker bed installed on models, most memorable is a 1958 Dodge resin kit that was done very well! And the wheels / tires are excellent.  In fact  Ma's Resin copied them.  And the cab gives all the lights, mirrors etc.... all the parts someone stole off yours!