Johan 1955, Powell pickup

[Jonathan]

On 11/19/2022 at 2:38 PM, Dave Van said:

I see why they picked this subject. For a 3D design it's as easy as any truck ever made. I just started 3D design for some model trains tuff and this truck is so simple the art needed to produce it is easier than say a Studie or Hudson P/U that might be more popular. 

A Studebaker or Hudson pickup would be very popular   Maybe that's next?  One can only hope.

[niteowl7710]

30 minutes ago, Jonathan said:

A Studebaker or Hudson pickup would be very popular   Maybe that's next?  One can only hope.

Studebaker's legacy is owned by Eaton, and as we know from Moebius Hudson is owned by Stellantis.  I doubt either one would allow Okey to commercially advertise products using their names that are obviously for-profit with his attaching the Jo-Han name to it (as opposed to being just a guy who prints some 3D aftermarket stuff).  The Powell name and company died with the last of the Powell Brothers in the mid-60s, I'm not even sure there is a person to ask for permission to use the name at this point.

The subject is an interesting read, it sounds like every single one of those early Plymouth chassis they used for these things was recycled out of L.A. Area junkyards.  Talk about gambling with your safety.

[Rodent]

That truck looks like something they would drive on The Simpsons. Coincidence maybe that Homer's brother's car company was Powell Motors?

 

[stavanzer]

Nice Catch Steve!

[Mr. Metallic]

Reported over on Spotlight after some direct conversations with Okey himself

1- final approval for production from the Powell estate has been received.

2- 3 versions of the truck are coming. Body only, body and interior, and Curbside +

3- Main reason this subject was chosen was ease of obtaining licensing. The Powell family has been very easy to deal with apparently.

[Richard Bartrop]

I'm a sucker for subjects that make people go, "What the heck is that?", so this has my interest.

[Brian Austin]

Shouldn't Jo-Han be considered an aftermarket company at this point?  ?

[chryslerjunkandstuff]

Well, that's cooler than the other side of the pillow!

I'll be needing one of these for sure..

[Greg L.]

I got to see the red and white one at an AACA car show in Richmond a couple of years ago. I never thought I would get to see one in person.  It's been a project I was tempted to build for a while.  

 

[Greg L.]

More photos of the truck.  It was for sale too, saw online recently.  The Powell brothers also made motorcycles too and one was in the bed.

[Bainford]

Nice photos, thanks for posting. These are the best up-close-and-personal photos I've seen of a Powell. Really dig the fishing rod stowage. I always thought that was a rather innovative feature for such a basic vehicle. Years ago I was going to scratch build one of these, figuring its straight panels and lack of compound curves would make for a fun, first-time full body scratch build. 

[Tom Geiger]

11 hours ago, Bainford said:

Nice photos, thanks for posting. These are the best up-close-and-personal photos I've seen of a Powell. Really dig the fishing rod stowage. I always thought that was a rather innovative feature for such a basic vehicle. Years ago I was going to scratch build one of these, figuring its straight panels and lack of compound curves would make for a fun, first-time full body scratch build. 

Ditto! I too saw this as a scratch building project and had an eye out for scale drawings to get the dimensions right, but I dawdled.

Procrastination wins once again!

[Casey]

Seems to be a very fitting subject for JOHAN Models to take on-- an obscure, mostly forgotten vehicle from long ago, cobbled together from refurbished parts which were already outdated. At least people will finally have a use for that AMT '41 Plymouth Coupe they have in their stash. ?

[charlie8575]

I happen to like 1940-'48 Mopars, so I have a bunch of Plymouths. I can certainly use a chassis.

To answer a couple of wags, the Plymouths were used because the parts were the same on literally millions of cars, from the mid 1930s into the early 1950s, even the suspension parts, and the bulk of the engine until 1959, so parts availability wasn't a big deal; they were also very inexpensive to buy used, so the Powells bought them by the dozens through newspaper ads, and I believe working with a few dealers. Wouldn't shock me if a few chassis were bought out of the yard, either.

The other reason the Plymouth was chosen was of all the low-priced cars, they had, by far, the strongest frame.

I really hope this works well for Okey. I plan to get one.

Charlie Larkin

[stavanzer]

Any more news on the progress of this kit?

I can see one built as a Speed Shop parts delivery truck.

[niteowl7710]

3 hours ago, stavanzer said:

Any more news on the progress of this kit?

I can see one built as a Speed Shop parts delivery truck.

Okey was at NNL East where he plastered everything he could find, including the bathroom wall (which I found a fitting statement on JoHan under his guidance) touting the Powell and supposed test shots of the AMC AMX and when I went by his table there was a whole pile of bupkiss. I saw no AMXes of any sort, no Powells unless he managed to sell his entire supply in the first 10 minutes, and instead it was just the random odds and sods of parts he's always trying to move. Although there were a couple of 3D printed engines floating around. But there was no evidence of this grand revival, and certainly not enough to justify wallpapering the facility with 2 dozen fliers.

Edited April 26, 2023 by niteowl7710

[wrenchr]

It would be nice if Round 2 could / would buy the Johan name and you know they would firm up the legal stuff and then could clone some cool stuff. We win. 

[stavanzer]

8 hours ago, wrenchr said:

It would be nice if Round 2 could / would buy the Johan name and you know they would firm up the legal stuff and then could clone some cool stuff. We win. 

This ^^^^^^

[wrenchr]

5 hours ago, stavanzer said:

This ^^^^^^

There is a ROI there I'm sure. 

[charlie8575]

On 4/26/2023 at 2:01 PM, niteowl7710 said:

Okey was at NNL East where he plastered everything he could find, including the bathroom wall (which I found a fitting statement on JoHan under his guidance) touting the Powell and supposed test shots of the AMC AMX and when I went by his table there was a whole pile of bupkiss. I saw no AMXes of any sort, no Powells unless he managed to sell his entire supply in the first 10 minutes, and instead it was just the random odds and sods of parts he's always trying to move. Although there were a couple of 3D printed engines floating around. But there was no evidence of this grand revival, and certainly not enough to justify wallpapering the facility with 2 dozen fliers.

Okey made it?

I didn't even see him. Maybe just as well. I was a little tight this year...work slowed waaaaaaaaaayyyyyyy down the last couple of months, and my taxes turned into a nightmare, so I had to file an extension until I can sit down with a friend of mine who's a CPA and see if we can figure out what I did/'nt.

Charlie Larkin

[Robberbaron]

Now that we know that this Powell is going to be 3D printed, shouldn't this topic get moved to the "Truck Aftermarket / Resin / 3D Printed" section, where it belongs?

Just slapping the "Johan" name on stuff like this doesn't mean it belongs in this section, with legitimate injection molded styrene kits.

Edited April 29, 2023 by Robberbaron

[Luc Janssens]

On 4/27/2023 at 10:55 AM, wrenchr said:

There is a ROI there I'm sure. 

I only see opening a can of worms, besides looking at Round-2s back catalog they themselves have plenty of subject matter worthy of a re-tool.

Edited April 29, 2023 by Luc Janssens

[bobthehobbyguy]

Well it's been more than 6 months since this was announced. The ideal place to kick this off would have been the nnleast.  I have to think that he doesn't have the money to make any of the Powell kits. Unfortunately this looks like a lot of wishful thinking at this point.

 

[stavanzer]

28 minutes ago, bobthehobbyguy said:

Well it's been more than 6 months since this was announced. The ideal place to kick this off would have been the nnleast.  I have to think that he doesn't have the money to make any of the Powell kits. Unfortunately this looks like a lot of wishful thinking at this point.

 

Again.....?

[Casey]

On 4/28/2023 at 9:01 PM, Robberbaron said:

Now that we know that this Powell is going to be 3D printed, shouldn't this topic get moved to the "Truck Aftermarket / Resin / 3D Printed" section, where it belongs?

Just slapping the "Johan" name on stuff like this doesn't mean it belongs in this section, with legitimate injection molded styrene kits.

Maybe we should just let it die, like JO-HAN did in 1992.

It's just kind of sad what become of JO-HAN, even it was only the name and a bunch of leftover, N.O.S. parts.