Sportsides

[Terry Jessee]

I did the first prototype for AMT's Chevy Sportside in 1989. I had done a story for that "other" magazine on building a Sportside using a resin box. The model required shortening the chassis. It was a fairly simple conversion, but was one of the first stories on using resin parts. 

John O'Neill--who was marketing director at AMT at the time--called me and asked if I would be willing to part with it. He wanted to propose a Sportside at AMT's new products meeting, and thought having the built one would be an incentive. As you can see, the model was still in primer at the time of the story, so he asked if I could paint it "some kind of red." I used GM Garnet metallic, finished up the model, and sent it off. 

When the kit was still in the test shot phase, I got a test shot in red plastic (late stage test shot--nearly complete). "Days of Thunder" had just been released, so I did mine in a DoT color scheme. I left the inside  center of the front bumper unpainted just to show what it was, and used it for a first look segment in a column I wrote at the time. Eventually I sold the DoT truck, but if you ever see one with the red unpainted plastic underneath the front bumper, it's probably mine.

 

Edited July 20, 2022 by Terry Jessee

[vincen47]

Really cool history. I’m sure I’m not the only one who appreciates your contribution to the hobby, and reading the stories about it.

[iamsuperdan]

Very cool info. These OBS GM trucks are my all time favourite trucks. I have a couple dozen of these kits in the stash, including a couple of the Sportsides.

That DoT themed truck is great.

  

 

 

[Mattilacken]

Really great to hear your story and se Thea builds! I appreciate it a lot, both the contribution as well the story! Thanks allot!

[PappyD340]

Cool pair!