NOBLNG Posted October 3, 2020 Share Posted October 3, 2020 (edited) I want to build a replica of my truck which is on a Chevy Blazer frame. It may be a little early to start a build thread on this, as I don’t intend to get seriously into it just yet. But I think it’s going to be a lonnngg winter. ? Just a couple teaser pics with a cardboard box I made to get an idea of the proportions. And the possible donor kits so far? Comments welcome as always. Edited October 24, 2022 by NOBLNG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis Lacy Posted October 4, 2020 Share Posted October 4, 2020 Sweet! Always liked these old Willys trucks and wagons. Looking forward to seeing it come together. What’s the spice for the cab? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOBLNG Posted October 4, 2020 Author Share Posted October 4, 2020 The main thing I want to do to the cab is fix that awful windshield somehow.? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slusher Posted October 4, 2020 Share Posted October 4, 2020 Nice start Greg you have my attention... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOBLNG Posted October 4, 2020 Author Share Posted October 4, 2020 (edited) The only useable pieces I see are the cab, hood, hood ornament, and maybe the grill and headlights? And the dash is quite nice actually. I’m not quite sure how to proceed with this yet, so bear with me. ? If any one has modified Die cast bodies or has a link to something, I’d be interested. I am specifically wondering how to bring the centerline of the windshield Forward so it is not a flat windshield. Leading vs bondo? I’d love to cast the cab and hood, but I have next to no experience with it.? Edited October 4, 2020 by NOBLNG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dino246gt Posted October 9, 2020 Share Posted October 9, 2020 I did a lot of scratch building to come up with this one: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOBLNG Posted October 22, 2020 Author Share Posted October 22, 2020 (edited) Thanks for the pic Dennis. That is one beautiful wagon! I have had no luck finding a casting of this cab, so this will likely be a one-off build. I’ve started work on the box, and stripped all the paint off the cab. Edited October 23, 2020 by NOBLNG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldmopars Posted October 23, 2020 Share Posted October 23, 2020 Looking good. I have a suggestion for the windshield. Get some really thin styrene strip, maybe .010 and 1/8in wide. Glue this with epoxy inside the window frame at 90 degrees to the sheetmetal. Then shape that to the correct peak and then use it to fill in and shape it to the body using Bondo or other putty. No matter what you do, it will be a challenge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gotnitro? Posted October 23, 2020 Share Posted October 23, 2020 Really fun looking truck, and your nailing that box ! So for the angled windshield, since your cab is metal I'd try something like milliput. Its a 2 part epoxy putty akin to jb weld but used in the hobby world mainly. Its easy to apply and work shapes into before curing . I'd try to roughed up the area for some tooth, mix the putty together and apply to the windshield frame from the center outwards. Moisten the putty slightly allows working time and smooths it very nice.. Just a thought Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOBLNG Posted October 23, 2020 Author Share Posted October 23, 2020 11 hours ago, Oldmopars said: Looking good. I have a suggestion for the windshield. Get some really thin styrene strip, maybe .010 and 1/8in wide. Glue this with epoxy inside the window frame at 90 degrees to the sheetmetal. Then shape that to the correct peak and then use it to fill in and shape it to the body using Bondo or other putty. No matter what you do, it will be a challenge. Thanks. I’m not 100% sure I follow, but I get that you mean I should make a guide to get the shape even and correct. Good thought...I was just going to slather it on and start filing.? 1 hour ago, gotnitro? said: Really fun looking truck, and your nailing that box ! So for the angled windshield, since your cab is metal I'd try something like milliput. Its a 2 part epoxy putty akin to jb weld but used in the hobby world mainly. Its easy to apply and work shapes into before curing . I'd try to roughed up the area for some tooth, mix the putty together and apply to the windshield frame from the center outwards. Moisten the putty slightly allows working time and smooths it very nice.. Just a thought Thanks. I have some of the superfine milliput and also some Tamiya epoxy and also some JB weld. I will mix up some of each and try them on the old stake bed to see which sticks best and feathers out nicely. I will lightly sand blast the area to be puttied also.? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brizio Posted October 24, 2020 Share Posted October 24, 2020 Nice work on the bed! Few years ago I build one with a short bed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOBLNG Posted October 26, 2020 Author Share Posted October 26, 2020 On 10/23/2020 at 7:56 PM, Brizio said: Nice work on the bed! Few years ago I build one with a short bed. Cool! Got any pics of it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOBLNG Posted October 26, 2020 Author Share Posted October 26, 2020 I bought the AMT Blazer hoping to use the frame and axles. However, the axles are not near as good as the GMC pickup pieces and the frame scales out to be a 103-1/8” wheelbase. My truck has a 106-1/2” wheelbase, but for aesthetics I am going to stretch it to 114”. This makes it a lot easier to shorten the GMC frame. The GMC is 1/24th scale, but the axle width looks OK, so I don’t really care. I will be going for an overall look here, not technical accuracy. Thanks for lookin’. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOBLNG Posted October 26, 2020 Author Share Posted October 26, 2020 I also got a good start on the tailgate. It took me 3-1/2 tries to get that “W” to look decent.? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brizio Posted October 27, 2020 Share Posted October 27, 2020 15 hours ago, NOBLNG said: Cool! Got any pics of it? I was thinking to build a stock Willys pickup, but I went in a different way. I saw a video online of a guy that put a Deutz motor on his Willys, and I build this. Bed, chassis and motor are scratchbuilt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOBLNG Posted October 27, 2020 Author Share Posted October 27, 2020 (edited) 59 minutes ago, Brizio said: I was thinking to build a stock Willys pickup, but I went in a different way. I saw a video online of a guy that put a Deutz motor on his Willys, and I build this. Bed, chassis and motor are scratchbuilt. That’s COOL! Where did you get the cab? Is it a resin Copy? Edited October 27, 2020 by NOBLNG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brizio Posted October 28, 2020 Share Posted October 28, 2020 11 hours ago, NOBLNG said: That’s COOL! Where did you get the cab? Is it a resin Copy? The cab is metal, from a diecast truck. I believe is the same brand your is. I don't remember where I bought it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slusher Posted October 28, 2020 Share Posted October 28, 2020 Really nice work on your truck! Looks like you nailed the tail gate!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dino246gt Posted November 3, 2020 Share Posted November 3, 2020 Wow, that bed and the tailgate are awesome! Great scratch building skills! Love those Willy's pickups and wagons, wish Mobius did a styrene kit of them! Or Revell. But for now we just have to scratch build our own! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOBLNG Posted November 3, 2020 Author Share Posted November 3, 2020 (edited) 2 hours ago, dino246gt said: Wow, that bed and the tailgate are awesome! Great scratch building skills! Love those Willy's pickups and wagons, wish Mobius did a styrene kit of them! Or Revell. But for now we just have to scratch build our own! Thanks. Yes it would be nice! I just ordered another one off e-bay. I may try to cast that one....either by finding someone local who can do it for me or maybe cutting it up and casting flatter sections myself? Edited November 3, 2020 by NOBLNG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOBLNG Posted November 14, 2020 Author Share Posted November 14, 2020 I made the rear window smaller like the earlier trucks had and smoothed the back of the cab. I also made a jig to get the Milliput contoured close to what I want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOBLNG Posted January 9, 2021 Author Share Posted January 9, 2021 (edited) I think this pickup cab was derived from a wagon which would maybe account for the lower roof profile? So I was all set to start sketching out new profiles for the roof mods when I had a revelation. Why not take photos of my actual truck and resize them. Once the photos spanned the drip rails of the diecast nicely, I made templates out of them. I then slathered on the miliput . I couldn’t get the cowl shape quite right since it should start sloping up to the windshield sooner whereas the die-cast has that area pretty flat. so I wound up filing the vent lid off and making a new one from .030 styrene. I also re-shaped the front edge of the fenders and rounded the sides a little. And I added the ribs on the back of the cab. I also filed off the trim on the lower edge of the hood and side of the cab. Edited August 3, 2022 by NOBLNG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOBLNG Posted January 9, 2021 Author Share Posted January 9, 2021 (edited) I made a windshield “gasket” out of some thin styrene to get an Idea of how it will look. I want to file a small recess all around the opening to set the gasket into, but I’m afraid I may destroy it. I tried doing one on the rear window with my dremel and it wasn’t easy...especially where it transitions from die-cast to Milliput. I am going to try to cast this first and then maybe experiment on the casting. Edited January 9, 2021 by NOBLNG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOBLNG Posted January 13, 2021 Author Share Posted January 13, 2021 (edited) I wasn’t happy with the rear window groove I made, so filled it in with Milliput and made a new flange to fit inside the opening. The groove was ragged, and the window was starting to look a little larger than it should be. I then made a new window “gasket” from .040 half round I did the same with the windshield, after glueing a lip of styrene inside the opening. It looks much better I think than the “Buddy Holly” look I had with the prototype. Edited January 13, 2021 by NOBLNG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOBLNG Posted January 13, 2021 Author Share Posted January 13, 2021 (edited) I made a new floor pan and firewall since the diecast didn’t really have them. This will also give me a base to add some cab mounts to. Edited January 13, 2021 by NOBLNG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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