64 Dodge D100 Pickup Pro Street

[AmericanMuscleFan]

On 5/21/2022 at 4:19 PM, Steve H said:

Hi Francis, very sorry for your loss. Stay well my friend.

Steve

Thank you Steve, it was a beautiful ceremony, my uncle is now free of this horrible disease (Alzheimer).

Francis

On 5/21/2022 at 6:38 PM, ea0863 said:

Francis, so sorry for your loss. For whatever it's worth, most of us do this hobby for fun or relaxation. Others do it to a higher level to challenge themselves or for competitions. But the rare few such as yourself take it to an artform. Those creations that take you so long to make are, for me at least, on par with any other form of exquisite art that inspires me and motivates me. Even if all you made were ten such cars in your lifetime, it would be worth travelling to go see them! 

Thank you for your comforting words Emre, your appreciation of my work means a lot to me.  As I often say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I am aware that what I do is not for everyone but I am very happy if what I do can motivate others.

Francis

On 5/21/2022 at 11:09 PM, mustang1989 said:

Sorry to hear about your Uncle Frances. Looking forward to your return when you are able to bud. 

Speed of execution doesn't do it justice.......hmmm....buddy.....continue to take your time and do your thing because you are doing nothing BUT justice to this truck. There are times I wished I could build faster but then again....I'm glad I don't. When you get this sucker done you're gonna be a happy man with a super great turn out. Not many of us here can do what you do with these things so keep on truckin' pal. You're doin' great!!! 

Thanks Joe, right now it's back to work, I have some new pictures of my latest progress, they will be posted soon.  Thanks for your patience and understanding, I know you've been there too!

Francis

On 5/22/2022 at 10:00 AM, bobthehobbyguy said:

First off my condolences on your uncle.

Although you are frustrated with your build pace I can say without a doubt that it would take most of us a lot longer to achieve what you've done so far.  

Looking forward to seeing this artistic masterpiece finished. Know I will enjoy the next project you start.

Thanks Bob!  I knew from the beginning that this project would be a difficult one in every aspect.  4 years have passed since the beginning of the adventure and I can start to see an end to it.  Only a few more parts to assemble and details to add and it will be mission accomplished!  It's not time to give up as we say around here! 😁

Francis

[Straightliner59]

Sorry to hear of your uncle's passing, Francis. Unfortunately, life is so fleeting, that it can be frightening, at times. My condolences, my friend. 

[AmericanMuscleFan]

On 5/25/2022 at 3:32 AM, Straightliner59 said:

Sorry to hear of your uncle's passing, Francis. Unfortunately, life is so fleeting, that it can be frightening, at times. My condolences, my friend. 

Thank you for your comforting words Daniel !  You are right, life goes by at a breakneck pace and we need to enjoy every moment !!!

[AmericanMuscleFan]

Hello everyone,

I was finally able to find some time to finish the front of the truck, I wanted to wait until everything was finished before updating the thread.

The front bumper is now installed using the aluminum brackets I made earlier and the hood is also finally mounted on its hinges.  The hood is functional as expected and I put bare metal on the DODGE letters.  This last operation was more complicated than expected because even if the material is very flexible, there are limits.  So I was forced to use several small parts and to hide the joints as much as possible.

Despite some minor problems, I am quite happy with the results and I hope you like what you see as well.  I am more convinced than ever that the truck will finally be completed very soon and ready for the next show next fall.  I take as much care as possible not to have a catastrophe which does not add anything to my speed of execution... 🙄

Your comments are always welcome.

Francis

The front bumper finally installed.

The DODGE letters have been covered with Bare Metal.

Seen from another angle with less reflections...

The bumper brackets, I am very happy to see that the bumper is straight.

Close-up view of the brackets.

Another one... 😁

The hood is functional as I expected.  Fully open view.

Partially closed.  Sorry for the partially blurry photos, my camera has trouble focusing on all the details.

[comp1839]

Francis, all I can say is.......WOW!!!

[Steve H]

Yep… WOW!! Francis…. Hmmmm I’m actually at a loss for words. Just incredible sir. I’m assuming you realize that you have built an entire truck from scratch, in 1:25th scale, in 2 years. It’s incredible. To reflect on what you have done is amazing. Do you have a total parts count? I would love to know.

Cheers, Steve

[Straightliner59]

Hot dang! I am glad you went with the aluminum grille and bumpers, instead of the white that I would have. What a fabulous creation, my friend! The hood hinges are perfect. Excellent, excellent work, Francis.

[Scott8950]

Geez this truck is nothing short of amazing.  Great job Francis you should be proud of your work.

[bobthehobbyguy]

Another amazing update of this masterpiece.

[AmericanMuscleFan]

On 5/29/2022 at 1:08 PM, comp1839 said:

Francis, all I can say is.......WOW!!!

Thanks Dave !  Your "WOW" means a lot to me !

 

22 hours ago, Steve H said:

Yep… WOW!! Francis…. Hmmmm I’m actually at a loss for words. Just incredible sir. I’m assuming you realize that you have built an entire truck from scratch, in 1:25th scale, in 2 years. It’s incredible. To reflect on what you have done is amazing. Do you have a total parts count? I would love to know.

Cheers, Steve

Thanks Steve!

Yes, I realize that now that the project is coming to an end, but I must admit that I wondered several times what I had gotten myself into...  On the other hand, the construction was stretched over 4 years, when I joined the forum, it was already 2 years that I had started the project.

As for the number of parts, it would be possible to make a count but I did not launch out in this adventure...  If I remember well, the carburetor alone contains more than 50 parts, that gives you an idea. 😁

 

17 hours ago, Straightliner59 said:

Hot dang! I am glad you went with the aluminum grille and bumpers, instead of the white that I would have. What a fabulous creation, my friend! The hood hinges are perfect. Excellent, excellent work, Francis.

Thanks Daniel !

I first did a simulation with the grille and bumper in bare white plastic before painting in aluminum color.  I thought it was a bit dull and the look was too "farm truck" even if it's precisely this type of truck that inspired me... 😉

 

10 hours ago, Scott8950 said:

Geez this truck is nothing short of amazing.  Great job Francis you should be proud of your work.

Thanks Scott !

Love it or hate it, that's the kind of reaction this model of truck usually generates in people.  I'm one of those who likes it a lot, so I dare to assume that you're more on the same side as me! 😊

 

1 hour ago, bobthehobbyguy said:

Another amazing update of this masterpiece.

Thanks Bob !

I'm running out of updates soon, I hope you'll be along for the ride on my next project.  I can't promise you that it will be that extreme but I'm a "details" kind of guy so there should be some for those who like the genre...

 

Thank you all, Francis

[Butter 1]

HI Francis.

My thoughts are with you and your family.

 

 

[AmericanMuscleFan]

23 hours ago, Butter 1 said:

HI Francis.

My thoughts are with you and your family.

Thanks Ron !

[Butter 1]

Hi Francis.  

4 years in the making. Wow. Keep in mind that this is literally hundreds of precisely built models of various components all rolled together into one so don't beat yourself up for taking a while to build  1 model. This is so much more than just 1 model. 

[absmiami]

Love it

even like the color now

borrow an I Phone  - maybe from a kid ….  And treat us to a video of the hood opening and closing …

gracias

[absmiami]

Never mind a parts count - 65 pages - way to go …

[MeatMan]

Awesome!

[AmericanMuscleFan]

On 6/1/2022 at 3:26 PM, Butter 1 said:

Hi Francis.  

4 years in the making. Wow. Keep in mind that this is literally hundreds of precisely built models of various components all rolled together into one so don't beat yourself up for taking a while to build  1 model. This is so much more than just 1 model. 

Thanks Ron !   I have a modest collection of about 100 vintage kits, so it would take me 400 years to build them at this rate.  Hopefully, science will make giant steps forward so that I can build them all...  Maybe it would be better for me to make some choices... 😂

 

On 6/4/2022 at 12:00 AM, absmiami said:

Love it

even like the color now

borrow an I Phone  - maybe from a kid ….  And treat us to a video of the hood opening and closing …

gracias

Thanks Andrew !  I must be one of the rare bird on the planet without cell phone... maybe I invested too much in my equipment and not seeing the time, it must be time to change my rotary dial phone for a Touch-tone version. 🤔   For animation, I must have a Super 8 projector in the attic. 📽️

 

On 6/4/2022 at 12:02 AM, absmiami said:

Never mind a parts count - 65 pages - way to go …

You just saved me a week of work ! 😁

 

On 6/4/2022 at 9:36 AM, MeatMan said:

Awesome!

Thanks Dennis !

[Randy D]

Hello Francis,

  Watching this one coming together is a great treat for the eyes Sir !!!!!!  All your attention to the smallest details is really paying off.

Randy

[John Teresi]

Francis......Man,what can I say......this is just stunning........really looks AWESOME!!!!!

[Ian McLaren]

Francis you have certainly established yourself as one of the preeminent modelers of this hobby. Your planning, engineering, execution, finishing and assembly skills are simply off the charts and it has been an honor to watch you create this model, as well as being inspired to strive to push closer to the bar you are setting.  Well done my friend!

[AmericanMuscleFan]

On 6/5/2022 at 4:09 PM, Randy D said:

Hello Francis,

  Watching this one coming together is a great treat for the eyes Sir !!!!!!  All your attention to the smallest details is really paying off.

Randy

Thanks Randy !

Speaking of details, I work hard to improve with each project by taking inspiration from the greats of the hobby like you but I doubt anyone will ever be able to match your talent.   Thank you for your visit and encouragement, it is much appreciated! 😁

Francis

On 6/5/2022 at 4:34 PM, John Teresi said:

Francis......Man,what can I say......this is just stunning........really looks AWESOME!!!!!

Thanks John !

I'm really glad to see you back, we can never have too much inspiration and your great builds only add to it.  There's no harm in taking inspiration from the best! 😉

Francis

11 hours ago, Ian McLaren said:

Francis you have certainly established yourself as one of the preeminent modelers of this hobby. Your planning, engineering, execution, finishing and assembly skills are simply off the charts and it has been an honor to watch you create this model, as well as being inspired to strive to push closer to the bar you are setting.  Well done my friend!

Thanks Ian !

I must say I feel a little intimidated to get this kind of superlative considering the quality of the modelers on this forum (and you are one of them).  No matter how much time and effort you put in, there will always be someone who does it better and you have to know when to stop.  Even the most beautiful piece that we make could be improved by looking at it more closely.  My truck will be finished soon and I hope to have learned from my mistakes to help me do better next time!

I am very happy to have met passionate people like you on this forum, beyond the hobby, respect and friendship remains the best gift! 😊

Francis

[Mattilacken]

Incredible. Just incredible. When following along earlier I could never expect such a In your face like green! Would have suspected some thing more toned back. But it’s really good to show all the details! Great work with each and every part of this build! Can’t wait for 100’s of finished pictures! 

[AmericanMuscleFan]

Hello everyone,

I usually do what I say, but this time I decided to break my word...  After looking over and over again at the door handles I made a few months ago, I thought it was necessary to make new ones.  They are another very distinctive part of the D100 pickup and my first pair were just too short and I wasn't happy with how they looked on the truck.  These are the last parts made (redone...) for this build and I should finish the assembly in the next few days.  I'll take several photos of the final product and post them as soon as the build crosses the finish line.

Only one photo today but be patient (you've already been a lot) I promise to offer you many more for the grand finale! 😊

Francis

The revised door handles, the new ones are more representative of the original ones in my opinion, what do you think?

[AmericanMuscleFan]

5 hours ago, Mattilacken said:

Incredible. Just incredible. When following along earlier I could never expect such a In your face like green! Would have suspected some thing more toned back. But it’s really good to show all the details! Great work with each and every part of this build! Can’t wait for 100’s of finished pictures! 

Thanks Anton !  You have exactly captured my intentions, besides loving this shade of green, I wanted a color that would not hide too much of the details that I took so long to make.  A little bonus, the color looks rather "racing" and does not distort the truck too much because many were green when they left the factory.

Let's say that the HEMI was not an option but that's another story... 😁

Francis

[Russell C]

5 hours ago, AmericanMuscleFan said:

... what do you think?

The dimes you use for comparison keep getting bigger .... 😂