'31 Model 'A' Pickup

[Fletch]

Got started on this project a couple of days ago. I have seen may of these built over the past couple of years but all had one thing in common the builder glued the doors shut. The goal of this project is to build a Mini-Craft '31 Model 'A' Pickup in Hot Rod Style and have opening doors when completed. One of of the other forums we're in the middle of a challenge using the artwork of Keith Weesner as the inspiration. There are several of Keith's pieces that use the '30/'31 Model 'A' pickup as the basis of the artwork. This build is going to be somewhat loosely structured around the piece called Emerald Tide.

Here is where the project is as of this evening.

The cab was chopped aprox 6 scale inches, the cowl and lower windshield still needs to be reattached to the upper windshield. This is most likely going to require epoxying brass or steel wire on the inside of the posts.

The bed was shortened by aprox 9/16" in order to get it to the length that I wanted it.

The cab and bed reunited after the cuts and reassembly.

Hosted on Fotki

As I get farther along in this build it becomes more obvious that the mold maker took a lot of liberties in producing the patterns for this kit. The firewall and the bedsides do not have any where close to the profile they should have. So, as modelers we have one of two choices; 1.Fix the problems. 2.Live with them. Some of the incorrect areas may get rebuilt to look more correct and others may get the that's close enough treatment.

Stay Tuned.

[Smart-Resins]

Very cool. I will be watching this! Jody

[RAT-T]

VERY COOL!!!

I STARTED ONE OF THESE A YEAR OR SO AGO, & I DID JUST WHAT YOU SAID, I GLUED THE DOORS SHUT SO I COULD CHOP IT.

ANY UPDATES ON THIS?

[Danno]

Cool!

Watching ...

[flamefink]

I've heard a lot of people bash the bed in that kit, but it actually isn't all the incorrect. The truck is a 31 and in the late 31 transition period a lot of things got weird. There was what they call a "wide bed" which looks a lot like a 32 bed... and that is the bed they depicted in that kit.

A quick fix to make it look like the earlier Model A/T bed is to cut the lower 1/4" off the sides and replace it with a section of 1/4" tubing split into quarters lengthwise.

[Chuck Most]

Man, I've gotta go big-scale one of these days!

[RAT-T]

HERE'S ONE I STARTED A WHILE BACK

[tooltas]

i got one it a tricky little bugger....

[eviltwincustoms]

Nice build, don't see the pic you are loosely building off of. Is it more of a Hot Rod or Rat Rod? Anyway I will be watching this one close to see what happens. Gotta love opening doors and anything else you can make function.

[Mr.1/16th]

LOOKING GOOD!!!