AMT - 1969 Chevrolet pickup: The Green Barge

[89AKurt]

3 hours ago, Danno said:

Yep. Rendered me speechless at least twice now. Working on three, aren't you?

? Now I'm in shock.  Yes, resurrected one that was in Bring Out Your Dead awhile ago.

Have the back bumper finished.  Added the trailer electrical plug, two photo-etch nuts, sheet styrene to the edge of the flat panel.  Painted Testors flat aluminum, but it didn't look to scale, so second coat of Alclad 'dull aluminum'.  That Alclad pulls from inside corners, it's the only paint I've ever seen that happen, but for this project I will cut those areas out and wash rust in there, should fake it until I make it.

The tailgate has been the most time intensive part of the whole truck.  Some wet-sanding is due, then make another mold.  Final thing tonight was adding the rare-earth magnet in the bed stake pocket.  You can barely see the steel plate in the tailgate.

[89AKurt]

I'm working on two projects at the same time, common link is the diamond plate.  Bumper has the license plate and bumper sticker glued on.

The tool box is painted with Alclad 'polished aluminum'.

I'm making copies of the revised tailgate, and tool box.

Having a very steep learning curve with resin casting.  Patience, still something I have trouble with. ?

Had someone already request copies via Fakebook, think this will work.

[89AKurt]

Think I'm way too obsessed about the tailgate? ?  The folding support could be a photo-etch detail, but since there isn't room when it's closed, faking it for only the open position.  When I researched, eyes wandered and saw something else to make correct, the end of the bed floor.  Good thing this area is beat up, another easy fake it until I make it.  Weird thing, pivot points are exactly the same location, length of supports the same, but have about a 1/16" error, so had to quit.

[72 Charger]

Really nice neat work . its a shame you cant make the tailgate stay work. It looks like you have enough room?

[89AKurt]

1 hour ago, 72 Charger said:

Really nice neat work . its a shame you cant make the tailgate stay work. It looks like you have enough room?

Oh hi there, thanks for the comment.  This project is on the back burner at the moment.  On the real thing, there is barely any room, would have to remove under the skin to paper thin, which would make it vulnerable to getting screwed up.  As it is, on the real thing, the arms can interfere and screw up the bed side, there is a nice dent where that's happened over the decades.  Plus the plastic pin would end up being about 2" (to scale) thick, taking up even more space.  A dude has got know know his limits.

[89AKurt]

Chromed parts came back today!   Now I have a good excuse to resume on this project. ?

[89AKurt]

Since I'm on a roll, and finished the Canopy Express, evaluated the wheels.  Not really into spending more money on taking a gamble, looked through my parts stash and think I will use the tires that came with the Ferrari 275 NART (far right Dunlop racing). ?  Even though the wheels are 1/24, they are really nice with correct 6 lugs and center cap.  Looking at improving the headlights too with clear lenses.

[89AKurt]

Modified the wheels, did not use the resin backs, the kit parts have .020 sheet glued around behind the rim to make wider.

Painted with Alclad 'polished aluminum', just picked up their clear gloss so had to give it a shot.

Seems like it works, and hope it reduces the rubbing off when barely touching it.  Glued halves together with 4 drops of superglue, then wrapped with aluminum tape.  Added valve stems.

Though not exactly the right size wheels and tires, think it looks good enough.

[Belugawrx]

This is really looking good Kurt !

I like the Alclad Aqua Gloss, it doesn't take the chrome finish away, and it isn't fragile to oils from your fingers. win win

Cheers

[89AKurt]

1 hour ago, Belugawrx said:

This is really looking good Kurt !

I like the Alclad Aqua Gloss, it doesn't take the chrome finish away, and it isn't fragile to oils from your fingers. win win

Cheers

Thank you!   Good to know, figured same brand stuff should work best.

Glued the interior together for the last time.  Added seat belts, amusing thing with this Model Car Garage photo-etch, they reversed the GM logo.  I looked for narrower white ribbon, does not exist, so used what I scavenged from a gift package.  Also added .02 sheet to the back of the buckles.

[89AKurt]

Finally getting to what makes this a '69 instead of a '72, the resin grill.  Anyone know if this is based on the MPC kit?  Fixing a pet peeve.

Took some tweaking to get it to fit.  Will need to fiddle with the hood, have about 1/8" thickness to work with. ?  Another thing that was bugging me, the firewall recess behind the engine.  Used wine bottle "foil" (seems to have plastic laminated over aluminum), will sand the edges to feather in.

[afx]

Coming along nicely.

[89AKurt]

20 hours ago, afx said:

Coming along nicely.

Thanks, now I (we) have a legit excuse to be trapped at home with nothing better to do.

Why it takes me forever to build some projects...... I'm obsessing about the grill now.  ?  It helps to have the real thing parked outside my office/shop/hobby room. ?  Since I spent so much effort on the hinges, made the latch.  No, it's not operable either, but does hold the hood in place when closed.
Real deal:

Scraped and sanded down the leading edge of the hood to match the resin grill.  Went a little overboard and had to fill in the mistakes.

Pin is stretched sprue, melted an end and sanded to shape, wound thin copper wire for a spring.  The support is made from left-over Ferrari Modena windshield frame, not accurate but after it's painted flat black/rust, nobody will know or care.  Latch is aluminum flashing, styrene, and coffee can steel for the latch.

Headlight reflectors is wine bottle foil (I think, could be some other drink/food packaging), pressed in holes drilled in Corain.  Superglued on with 4 drops and made sure they were centered, then ran a line around the edge, sprinkled on baking soda, waited a few minutes, then really slathered the whole reflector with super glue and sprinkled on more baking soda.  After awhile, lightly rubbed off excess, applied the last layer of glue, much later sanded a little.  The back isn't seen so not concerned about neatness.  Airbrushed gloss black and called it a day.  The real deal is aluminum, so will paint after masking.

[Danno]

? 

[Rusty92]

Very nice. You have a great eye for details!

[89AKurt]

10 hours ago, Rusty92 said:

Very nice. You have a great eye for details!

Thank you, that's what having OCD does. ?

Got the grill painted.

While that was in the cab drying, scratch-built the steering shaft/box.  Because there is no suspension or chassis detail, didn't get very accurate and detailed, because when all this gets painted black, it sort of disappears.

One thing I noticed, the trim on the right side of the bed is not in line with each side, the other side is fine.  This is another reason I don't care if AMT re-pops this kit.

I blow at brush detail painting, not really happy with the grill. ☹️  I've noticed on real trucks that are restored, almost nobody does the black accent or letters, the truck I had was original and still was in decent shape.  The headlight surrounds are supposed to be black, most restored trucks aren't done correctly.  The mesh on my truck was very delicate, due to UV rays, and weathered to a grey.   Headlight lenses are barchetta aftermarket.

Final detail was to sand off the raised scroll detail down the middle of the side trim.  Tamiya primer, the Testors 'leather' and 'flat black' rust in the bed and fender wells.

I would have got more done, but last snow storm knocked some limbs down, so got some free firewood.

[AmericanMuscleFan]

This is a FANTASTIC build Kurt!!!  Your attention to details is outstanding and you made miracles with everyday material so this is the mark of a great builder!

I just found your build since I don't check very often this category. My current build ('64 Dodge D100 Pickup Pro Street) was first placed in this category on my first post but I had asked to the forum administrator to move it in the Drag Racing Models since it will be a racing truck.

I will check frequently for you progress so keep doing your great work and stay careful during these disturbing days!  Cheers, Francis

[89AKurt]

6 hours ago, AmericanMuscleFan said:

This is a FANTASTIC build Kurt!!!  Your attention to details is outstanding and you made miracles with everyday material so this is the mark of a great builder!

I just found your build since I don't check very often this category. My current build ('64 Dodge D100 Pickup Pro Street) was first placed in this category on my first post but I had asked to the forum administrator to move it in the Drag Racing Models since it will be a racing truck.

I will check frequently for you progress so keep doing your great work and stay careful during these disturbing days!  Cheers, Francis

Well thank you very much!  It's difficult to see everything posted, and will be deluged with the forced quarantine nowadays, which I'm sure many here are really sad and wondering why everyone else is already showing signs of cabin fever. ?

So far today, all I've done is paint the bed and firewall with something close to the original color of the truck, which I found when working on the steering column, the interior had been repainted the green too.  Put into the cab of my '68 to help cure, and then took pictures of my last completed projects.

The original owner had a plastic bed liner, and saddle tanks, and chrome bed edge protectors which blinded me every time I walked by the truck. ?  Lost about 186 pounds of useless weight when I removed all that.  So this model is not going to be an exact replica, but close.

[Can-Con]

Look'n good Kurt. 

And, yes, that grille is a copy of the MPC part. 

The AMT one has the bumper molded to it, which could have easily been cut off before the mold was made BUT, the AMT part is missing the outermost trim strip around the outside of the part. 

Here you can see the difference on the one I used on my truck. It's a copy of the AMT part with the bumper separated and the headlights done. I hadn't noticed at the time but now that I know, I can't not see it.

Edited March 22, 2020 by Can-Con

[89AKurt]

3 hours ago, Can-Con said:

Look'n good Kurt. 

And, yes, that grille is a copy of the MPC part. 

The AMT one has the bumper molded to it, which could have easily been cut off before the mold was made BUT, the AMT part is missing the outermost trim strip around the outside of the part. 

Here you can see the difference on the one I used on my truck. It's a copy of the AMT part with the bumper separated and the headlights done. I hadn't noticed at the time but now that I know, I can't not see it.

[...]

Thank you.  You did a really nice job on your pickup, considering what you had to work with.  OMG that grill is really bad, just another reason why AMT shouldn't waste everyone's time, as you said the perimeter isn't correct, and the center bar with the turn signals is just wrong.  But at least the headlights look more realistic.  I separated the '72 grill from the bumper and filled in the turn signals, then made a copy, and got that chromed.

When looking how the colors are separated, I discovered another lack of panel line, A-pillar to cowl, so scribed that.

Squirted Testors gloss white.

I should have done the mirrors first, DUH!  While that paint cured, made the RV mirrors, using steel wire for the A brace and L to the mirror.  Bending a 90° for the short part kept breaking, so decided to use solder wire, which is packaged by Inside Jobs cottage industry aftermarket who was at a model show.  I made a resin copy of the mirror, not really thrilled with my work, the original looks much better.  Use an bench vise for an anvil, punch and hammer to smash the wire flat.



It's going to be super vulnerable to breakage, have to expect numerous repairs.  Used another kit for the mockup, can see what I modified so far.

I'm disappointed in Splash paint, they have excellent service, color match is perfect, but it's solvent is too temperamental.  I sprayed quick coats, it splatters out but dries sort of flat, but I found it telegraphed the sanded off details.  The Tamiya primer did not do this.  Will have to wet-sand and try another session, spraying even faster and stopping much longer to allow it to dry.

[89AKurt]

Wet-sanded the green, painted a second coat, this time really fast back & forth, around and around I went.  Better luck.  Still did a final wet-sand, both colors, before spraying "Dullcoat" over the whole body (the real truck was never waxed and had a dull patina).   Painted the mirrors.

Painted everything else a variable mixture of "Dullcoat", dust, leather, flat black.  Got the driving lights that were cut out of the custom grill shaped, and painted.

I had painted black in the cowl grill, but paint covered it, so used this pen to detail.

[89AKurt]

Getting to the fun part now... Bare Metal foil the limited amount of trim.  Using two sizes of Micron pens to do the black.  I use a cedar stick to burnish, starting at the top line, then working down to the next.....

Front bumper is getting attention, driving lights aren't exact replicas, but good enough.

Can hardly wait to get my door handles on, that's going to fix a pet peeve of molded on door handles.  The glass is a little messed up, thinking of wet-sanding and polishing, need to get some Future and try that, since I read so many use it.  Thinking of removing the vent wing part of the windshield, it looks like bullet-proof glass behind the trim molding.  Making taillight, back-up, and sidelight lenses is another upcoming task.

Edited March 24, 2020 by 89AKurt

[espo]

This is really coming together nicely. The colors look perfect.  

[AmericanMuscleFan]

Beautiful truck and nice job with the Bare Metal and the paint job!  I really love this chevy body style (in fact, all early '60 to '70 truck). Keep doing your great work!!!

[89AKurt]

15 hours ago, espo said:

This is really coming together nicely. The colors look perfect.  

Thanks.  Hard to miss with white. ?  The green is a perfect match too.

8 hours ago, AmericanMuscleFan said:

Beautiful truck and nice job with the Bare Metal and the paint job!  I really love this chevy body style (in fact, all early '60 to '70 truck). Keep doing your great work!!!

Thank you.  Owning the truck grew on me, it was a random acquisition (long story).

Another reason I don't care if AMT does a reissue, the sloppy assembly of bed, body to chassis leaves opportunity for error.  It's first load. ?

Added details to the engine bay, the steering shaft/box, heater and radiator hoses, fan shroud.  The other detail is the Detail Master wipers, the execution is a royal PITA, the photo-etch is incredibly fine and detailed, first time I tried to make one was a disaster.  But over the years, got the tools such as pliers, and the really cool tool is the bender, made a HUGE difference.  But the arms are still a pain to bend, because the sides go to a point.  Anyway, still a 100% improvement over the molded on wipers.  Used food package for the vent and back window glass, and added a tint film to the back window.

Lights are made from colored clear sprue, the flat part with the numbers, which were sanded off.  Used the Tamiya scribe, a photo-etch saw, and Testors canopy glue.  Used the Farmers Insurance sticker for the reflectors.  The backup lenses are a Porsche 911 turn signal cut in half.  The lenses never sat in the bucket straight on the real truck either. ?

Added the stainless steel tubing exhaust tip.

Pictures taken with the flash.