AMT Matchbox Toyota Hilux 4x4

[Spottedlaurel]

Finished this simple snap-fix kit today, not quite a year after starting it.

WIP thread here:

It's based on a rare surviving UK example seen in this article here: https://mag.toyota.co.uk/toyota-people-guy-nicholls/

I usually take a stock kit and modify it a little, this time I've spent time and effort taking it back to as close to standard as I can.

The kit went together really nicely, I could have easily built it OOB but in removing/smoothing-out a few elements I gave myself some work to do.

The wheels were from an Italeri Land Cruiser kit, with tyres from a later Aoshima Hilux. They are perhaps a little chunkier than the originals, but I think that can be got away with on a 4x4. The plain steel wheels are such an integral part of its look I had to fit them (and I now get some nice spares to use on another project).

Paint was an automotive can of Fiat Red Orange, which seems to replicate the original pretty well. I had one or two issues along the way, requiring a partial repaint of the finished bodyshell.

Rear bumper cut off the chassis and roll bar, etc removed.

Removing the bullbar off the front end made a big difference to its appearance. I was going to reconstruct the remnants of the original bumper but then I had an Aoshima Nissan Terrano kit arrive with a spare front bumper which was close to the original Hilux item, so I narrowed and filled that. Indicator lenses are thin sheet styrene covered with BMF then painted with Humbrol clear orange. I made up UK-style plates with the original LAL 45V registration by printing a CAD image onto normal paper then laminating it by sticking selloptape both sides. It might eventually yellow, but will be easy enough to replace as and when necessary. Brightwork was by a mix of Gundam marker and BMF, 'black' trim my favourite Revell #9 enamel all done by brush.

 

Lots of black vinyl and plastic inside, I didn't spend a lot of time on this. I trimmed out the quarterlight frames, as the 1:1 didn't have them. Being LHD this is where my build deviates most from the original. I don't think I'd be capable of neatly swapping the dashboard and steering column over, in hindsight the easiest way would have been to scan the original, mirror the file and then 3D print it in RHD format.

Not a lot to say about the underside, other than painting the exhaust I kept my detailing very basic. The body fitted onto it in a very positive way, unlike some of the multi-piece trucks I have to build someday (Datsun 620, Ford Courier and the like).

Just noticed one or two paint chips - the can is almost empty and I don't want to use the rest of it for touch-ups until a 1:24 tractor build my son is doing in the same colour is ready to put together.

This was an enjoyable kit to build, with my early example being well-moulded and fitting together nicely. Any difficulties were of my own making with the conversion back to standard.

Thanks for looking.

[espo]

Great looking OOB build. and the photography adds a great deal to the appearance. 

[galaxyg]

Nice looking classic Hilux. Removing that bull-bar really does make a lot of difference as you say.

[mikemodeler]

Very nice build, remember these being around back in the day with many getting big wheels and tires. That front bumper is a definite improvement over the kit one.

[slusher]

Looks great!

[stavanzer]

Wow!

A truly Awesome Build.

Your UK trucks look much different than the ones I worked on.

[spencer1984]

That turned out great, nicely done!

[ChrisR]

Looks great!

[PappyD340]

Very nice!