MPC 1969 Country Charger

[espo]

Just now, Oldcarfan27 said:

All the mods he's doing can also apply to other model kits. 

Glad he's doing a pictorial.

I agree. Gareth always seems to sweat the small stuff in the detail department. 

[doorsovdoon]

Thanks guys. Yeah, I like this kind of model building, though a lot of the fabrication is just to make everything fit better.

[doorsovdoon]

Made some inner rear wheel tubs and cut out the fuel tank. The fuel tank had very little detail and I'd normally just leave it, but I had a nicely detailed tank in my spares I've been trying to find a use for, and it fits perfectly after filling the hole that was left.

Edited April 20, 2022 by doorsovdoon

[doorsovdoon]

I was trying some colour out and ended up with a cool weathering effect! Looks like a restoration project, Lol.

[1972coronet]

Have you ever built the new-tooling snap kit of the Coca~Cola 1969 Charger? By all accounts, it's a quantum leap beyond this Dead Sea Scrolls thing.

[doorsovdoon]

4 hours ago, 1972coronet said:

Have you ever built the new-tooling snap kit of the Coca~Cola 1969 Charger? By all accounts, it's a quantum leap beyond this Dead Sea Scrolls thing.

I've yet to build one. They do indeed seem to be lightyears ahead from this old fossil. It says a lot for this kit when the snap version is superior to the regular version.

[David G.]

As always, I'm enjoying following along as you walk us through all the mods and repairs you make to this kit.

Good call on the weathering, were you inspired by Roadkill's General Mayhem Charger?

 

David G.

 

[doorsovdoon]

On 4/21/2022 at 12:02 PM, David G. said:

As always, I'm enjoying following along as you walk us through all the mods and repairs you make to this kit.

Good call on the weathering, were you inspired by Roadkill's General Mayhem Charger?

David G.

 

Thanks David. No, though I have seen that car in many videos. I followed the guy who restored it for Roadkill. It looks the same on the outside but underneath it's a brand new, and very improved car!

[doorsovdoon]

Moving on to the front suspension and steering. I cut off the blocks of plastic for the front wheel locations as both axle holes really aren't in the right place for the right stance. After you correct the firewall and inner fender rails it gets the chassis sitting nice to the rockers, but this messes up the ride height again if using either of the original axle holes. The rear is fine and can be left alone. I made some control arms and a simple looking shock absorber so I can position the wheels exactly where I want them. With enough work you could actually make all this functional including the torsion bars!

[doorsovdoon]

After the suspension mods, I was unable to use the wheels that come with the kit. I had to make up my own from various different wheel hubs and axle pins. I could just glue them on solid, but where's the fun in that?! Lol

[Oldcarfan27]

Wow, this is definitely a labor of love!

[doorsovdoon]

Found some air cleaner housings and an auto gearbox. Which of the air cleaners looks more suited to the 440? Not sure what car the gearbox is from. I'd like to go automatic with this one but the starter motor is on the wrong side but I could cut the bell housing off.

[NOBLNG]

Wow Gareth, I sure admire your perseverance….and your fabrication skills! Excellent work on this one.?

[doorsovdoon]

26 minutes ago, NOBLNG said:

Wow Gareth, I sure admire your perseverance….and your fabrication skills! Excellent work on this one.?

Thanks Greg. I've still the rad support and steering rods to fabricate but I run out of styrene, lol! I've ordered more but will take a couple days. I think there's about as much Evergreen styrene on this build as there is of the kit itself!?

[doorsovdoon]

Made up a new radiator support. The radiator is from the kit but needed some building up.

[doorsovdoon]

Got the steering and front suspension done today. Got rid of the flimsy rear valance halves and replaced it one complete piece, just need to do a set of reverse lights. I think that's it regarding the mods and upgrades. On to paint!

[slusher]

You have every thing. In primer looking forward too paint!

[FLHCAHZ]

Looking forward to seeing some pant on it!

[doorsovdoon]

Some more progress. Got the body painted and the chassis detailed, also finished up the interior. The chrome came off the front grille so I had to use chrome paint, which doesn't look too bad to be fair. I also trimmed down the headlight covers and added some trim around them. 

 

[doorsovdoon]

Engine near completed, just the wiring to do. Rear light panel painted and trunk stripe added. The trunk stripe is from the Revell '68 Charger, I split it down the centre line of the two halves and placed them together to make the '69 stripe. 

[Oldcarfan27]

On 5/2/2022 at 2:50 PM, doorsovdoon said:

The interior in this kit doesn't look half bad, considering the butchered mess they started with in the original General Lee/K&K Insurance Daytona aberration. You've improved the chassis a lot with the details you've added and corrected. 

Hard to believe it's the same kit!

Edited May 6, 2022 by Oldcarfan27

[doorsovdoon]

11 hours ago, Oldcarfan27 said:

The interior in this kit doesn't look half bad, considering the butchered mess they started with in the original General Lee/K&K Insurance Daytona aberration. You've improved the chassis a lot with the details you've added and corrected. 

Hard to believe it's the same kit!

Yes, the interior is not bad for such an old kit, at least the front seats don't look like blocks of Lego! lol. Dash has some decent detail too.

[doorsovdoon]

Getting some plumbing done using solder wire and some old telephone cord. No rad hoses in this kit so have to make my own.

[slusher]

Really nice progress Gareth, excellent scratch building skills you have friend!

[doorsovdoon]

17 hours ago, slusher said:

Really nice progress Gareth, excellent scratch building skills you have friend!

Thanks buddy. I'll post some pics later, I finished it up about an hour ago.