MPC Highway Patrol Dodge Monaco

[doorsovdoon]

This will be a quick build. It's a simple kit with very basic detail, more so than the MPC Country Charger I recently did I'd say! Interior is already finished and I've got the body paint on. Just some detailing to do really. The only issue I found was the front wheels stuck out too far.. seems to me an MPC trademark that!

[1972coronet]

Looking GREAT , Gareth @doorsovdoon! You completely nailed that CHP paint scheme , too ; especially around the C pillars and below the backlight ; points on the rear wings / Dutchman panel are spot-on ( though some vehicles are either improperly restored , or there were production variations ; potential CHP shops' painting of the roof post-facto ) .

The interior is righteous , too . You even got those black rubber floor covers correct -- an oft overlooked detail . 

Thankfully Round2 tooled up a correct set of wheels and tyres for this iteration ; same with the pushbars and beacons ( too bad about the incorrect  transmission ; should be a Torqueflite automatic ) . But , that's just me being picky . 

Where did you get that proper tiller ? The kits Tuff-Grip is technically incorrect for a Police model , though certainly within the realm of 'special order' possibility . I have a spare tiller from my parts box ; the one from the MPC Dodge B-Van . 

If you're so inclined ; the innermost 'square' of the tail lamp lenses is supposed to be amber (see attached photo ) . One of the few U.S. cars to receive the ( in me mind proper ) amber signals .

As a side note : the 1978 Monaco / Fury were the last of the big block police cars . The top dog 440 Magnum / Super Commando was rated at 255hp with California Emissions -- which was darned good for the so-called 'Malaise Era' . Two years later , the St. Regis was hampered with a dog of an engine : 318 four barrel with a whopping 120hp ! The killer 360 four barrel wasn't available in California -- the 318 "powered" St. Regis wouldn't even get up to 100 mph !

[doorsovdoon]

Thanks, John. Yeah, that's one thing that really annoys me with older kits is they either have automatic gearbox and manual interior, or vice versa! Regarding the rear lights, I forgot to add the amber inner lens before I highlighted the chrome trim on them, I can pick those out easy enough later. What's a "tiller"? I know them as garden appliances, a rotavator if you will, Lol! "Tuff-grip" is another one lost on me! I have no idea what that is, even after Googling it, Lol. 

[Joe Handley]

He’s talking about the steering wheel when he says “Tiller”??

[Captain Spaulding]

Monaco is looking good so far.

[doorsovdoon]

1 hour ago, Joe Handley said:

He’s talking about the steering wheel when he says “Tiller”??

ah, ok. I just learned something new today! The wheel is from my spares tin cos the original steering wheel looked like it came from a 1:34 scale toy! I've no idea what it's from.

[doorsovdoon]

1 hour ago, Captain Spaulding said:

Monaco is looking good so far.

Thanks mate.

[Joe Handley]

36 minutes ago, doorsovdoon said:

ah, ok. I just learned something new today! The wheel is from my spares tin cos the original steering wheel looked like it came from a 1:34 scale toy! I've no idea what it's from.

No Problem, it probably dates back to the early days when cars still used a tiller to steer.

[doorsovdoon]

1 hour ago, Joe Handley said:

No Problem, it probably dates back to the early days when cars still used a tiller to steer.

ah, right.

John? ..you're old! ?

[1972coronet]

1 hour ago, doorsovdoon said:

ah, right.

John? ..you're old! ?

Haha ! I'm only 51 -- but I do enjoy employing arcane references and nomenclature . 

The other name -- Tuff-Grip -- was the style of sporty steering wheel offered by Chrysler from late 1970 - 1980 .

[slusher]

Real nice interior and dash detail Gareth..

[David G.]

Great work so far Gareth, spectacular interior detailing.

I'm curious, when I built my Monaco there were terrible gaps between the body and inner fenders in the engine bay.

Have those been addressed?

David G.

[doorsovdoon]

I have thought about sorting out the inner wings but looking at the real car I would literally have to scratch build the entire engine bay. It doesn't even come close to what it should look like under there, even the dreaded MPC Country Charger had better detail under the hood than this, the chassis too seemed lightyears ahead in comparison! Both the Charger and the Monaco chassis look almost the same and both fit each others bodies pretty well. Maybe the MPC Charger chassis can be used for a slightly more "realistic" build? My curiosity got the better of me so I got my Charger out and pulled out the chassis to see how close they are to each other, you could almost do a direct swap! Ignore the Charger chassis sitting high in the Monaco, I glued the firewall to the windscreen panel and can't push it in. But it shows the wheelbase, width and length matches up almost perfectly.

[doorsovdoon]

[Joe Handley]

I do like the AMT ‘68-‘71 B-Body floor and engine bay under these, not sure if Revell Chargers from the same model years will fit though.

[doorsovdoon]

1 hour ago, Joe Handley said:

I do like the AMT ‘68-‘71 B-Body floor and engine bay under these, not sure if Revell Chargers from the same model years will fit though.

Yes, the Revell Charger chassis would be even better if it fits, I don't have a Revell Charger to see how well the chassis would fit into the Monaco unfortunately.

[1972coronet]

1975 & later B-bodies have completely different engine compartments than their predecessors' (see images ) .

For an accurate boiler room in the 1977-1978 Monaco [ et alia ] , one would have to scratch build the majority of it . Then there's the 'generic' Chrysler big block / 4-speed combo... and the rear axle assembly is incorrect ( the 8.75" diff was dropped after 1974 . The 9.25" --resembles a Dana 44-- rear is the only correct rear for a 1975 & later B , C , M , and R body ( small blocks sometimes employed the 8.25" rear ) . 

I'm planning to keep the bonnet shut when I get around to building my copy of this kit .

TOP : 1975 Coronet ( name was changed to 'Monaco' for 1977 ) with 440 Magnum .

BOTTOM : 1977 Monaco with 318 .

Edited July 18, 2021 by 1972coronet

[doorsovdoon]

Yes, it's very different under the hood to a Charger. I'm just exploring something I could use with a little more detail than what comes with the Monaco kit, I don't blame you wanting to glue the hood shut on it, Lol! Under the hood comprises of two square boxes for wheel tubs and a block of plastic for the radiator, probably the worst I've seen when it comes to engine bay detail, not to mention the inaccuracies you listed. ah well, it looks good enough on the outside and the interior is pretty darn good too.

[oldscool]

Looking good so far in spite of the engine compartment fit.

[doorsovdoon]

On 7/18/2021 at 10:04 PM, oldscool said:

Looking good so far in spite of the engine compartment fit.

Thanks, Gerald. Yeah, it's pretty cr@p under the hood. I might glue it shut and keep the engine for something else.

[doorsovdoon]

Got the BMF done today.. well, the side rubbing strips anyway. No matter how carful I was, the BMF just wasn't cooperating today. The weather is so hot here at the moment that it's literally melting the adhesive on the foil and slipping as I run the knife over it, so after three attempts there's now hairline track marks going off in all directions! It's too badly scratched to BMF now, the knife wants to keep following the track marks. So, Molotow to the rescue!

[espo]

Your build is looking great. I have to wonder if your foil issues might have to do with the quality issues they have been having lately with bare metal foil .  

[doorsovdoon]

5 hours ago, espo said:

Your build is looking great. I have to wonder if your foil issues might have to do with the quality issues they have been having lately with bare metal foil .  

Thanks mate. It's just cheap foil ducting tape from the hardware store. I think the adhesive is designed to go gooey under certain heat as it's really meant for heating pipes.

Edited July 20, 2021 by doorsovdoon

[doorsovdoon]

1 minute ago, doorsovdoon said:

 

delete

Edited July 20, 2021 by doorsovdoon
double post

[slusher]

3 hours ago, espo said:

Your build is looking great. I have to wonder if your foil issues might have to do with the quality issues they have been having lately with bare metal foil .  

I was thinking the same thing David.  Gareth the Amt 71 Charger chassis and the Amt Roadrunner chassis is both used in other builds but I forget what..