QuikTimz Posted January 30, 2021 Posted January 30, 2021 Please accept my apologies in advance for the long-winded post... I have been (unsuccessfully) trying to find a 58-59 Apache Fleetside pickup w/small rear window for a few years now...I apparently missed the boat on Modelhaus Resins, (as my search didn't begin until after they retired), and those kits rarely come up, and are pricey at best... I had looked to see if there had been any promos made, but wasn't very successful at finding any mention of them, as most of the promos of the era seem to be passenger cars...until I stumbled upon one (at a GREAT price), which I snapped up... And now, my dilemma: I can't seem to find any information regarding this truck, and I'm hesitant to modify it as planned, as it could be quite rare...it's not perfect, but it IS around 98% complete, (only missing the taillights) and only suffers the typical warpage displayed by other promos of the era...I suspect that it is an SMP brand promo, but there are no markings at all...the chassis plate and axles are made to accept a friction motor at either end, but has never had one mounted (the screw holes are unmarked, and the axles have the same patina along their length, so they've probably never had a gear on them)... Can anybody help shed some light on this promo, or point me in a direction that might?
Mark Posted January 30, 2021 Posted January 30, 2021 I don't know how rare it is, but I'd clean it up and try to find taillights for it, as opposed to modifying it. The warpage isn't just warpage...there is some shrinkage too. Any fixes that have been conjured up over the years have proved to be temporary at best, and usually revert to the prior-to-the-repair shape. I'd keep looking for a resin piece (Modelhaus or other), or look at modifying a '55-'57 kit to the later styling.
espo Posted January 30, 2021 Posted January 30, 2021 I agree with Mark I'd just clean it up and keep as is.
ChrisBcritter Posted January 30, 2021 Posted January 30, 2021 (edited) You could improve its looks a little by gluing a couple thick (3/32"or 1/8") metal rods with CA inside the rocker panels and clamping them straight. You'll want the slower, thick CA for this, and go over the rods with coarse sandpaper first. Good luck! Edited January 30, 2021 by ChrisBcritter
Oldcarfan27 Posted January 30, 2021 Posted January 30, 2021 How about making a resin copy and fixing that? Then you can make as many as you want.
Mark Posted January 31, 2021 Posted January 31, 2021 If I went to the trouble of making a copy, I'd start with a '55 kit cab and modify the front clip to '59 spec, to accept a casting of the promo grille.
QuikTimz Posted January 31, 2021 Author Posted January 31, 2021 16 hours ago, Oldcarfan27 said: How about making a resin copy and fixing that? Then you can make as many as you want. Now THAT is an interesting idea that hadn't occurred to me, especially as I know someone that purchased a well respected resin manufacturing company (that has been inactive for several years). He's been building inventory, and is scheduled to open within the next 30 days... I wonder if the tiny bits of brown clay that are stuck all over it in the nooks and crannies are from somebody doing exactly this...
Kromolly Posted January 31, 2021 Posted January 31, 2021 That would be a nice one to have available. My dad bought a '59 Fleetside short bed new and passed it on to me in the mid '70s. I was too young and ignorant to realize how cool that Fleetside bed was, thought HAD to have a stepside. ?
Oldmopars Posted January 31, 2021 Posted January 31, 2021 I agree with the others, clean it up, make a mold and make copies. I think the list of folks that would by one is long.
misterNNL Posted January 31, 2021 Posted January 31, 2021 You might check to see if anything is available that is 3D printed.
QuikTimz Posted April 7, 2021 Author Posted April 7, 2021 Greetings everyone...resurrecting an old thread here in hopes of finding new info about the promo, or even better yet, a lead on a resin kit! (I really just don't have the heart to destroy this one: I want to build a replica of my buddy's big tire drag truck) I've had no luck at all finding any info at all on this promo, other than a couple of other pictures of different colored ones... I did track down a company developing a master for a resin kit offering, but, they closed the doors, and will not consider selling the master, a mold, or any prototypes, so the search continues...
Tom Geiger Posted April 7, 2021 Posted April 7, 2021 If you cannot find plastic or resin, Motormax does this 58 in diecast 1:24 scale. With Round 2 doing modified tools these days, turning their 55-57 pickup into a 58-59 would be very successful!
QuikTimz Posted April 7, 2021 Author Posted April 7, 2021 (edited) Hi Tom - Thanks for the reply! I'm aware of these (and even like that they are the actual rear window style I need), but all the other items I've collected for the build are 1/25... If nothing else comes to light when that project comes on deck, one of them will be my "victim", lol... On another subject, what's up with the model club? Are all meetings suspended indefinitely? There's no updated schedule... Edited April 7, 2021 by QuikTimz
Tom Geiger Posted April 7, 2021 Posted April 7, 2021 Hi Bob- Yes we haven’t met this year, holding a monthly Zoom instead. No plans right now about going back to physical meetings. We will have to see how the year goes. And with Covid cases up in NJ, it’s not looking good!
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