McNally's Charger

[mrmike]

With the drama that nearly drove me away gone and calm has settled over the MCM forum, I have decided to come back with a new WIP. 18 months ago I built an '06 Mustang elsewhere and added a short story to it to demonstrate what was driving my build.

The Build

I'm doing it again with a new build of Testors '06 Dodge Charger Daytona that I bought for $20.00 when the kit was first released.

The paint is Testors Colors By Boyd Orange Pearl.

The body has the front and rear bumpers added and is ready for primer.

This WIP is about the model and not the story. The story is only to demonstrate what is driving this new build.

The Story

As a Boston Firefighter pours water upon the smouldering remains of McNally's Mustang, McNally wonders to himself, "Well, this is the second bad thing to happen to me this week." The first was his long time girlfriend, Tracy, had left him citing that she could no longer tolerate his dangerous profession. McNally decided to bury himself in his work to help ease the pain of his broken heart and now his Mustang was nothing more than a pile of twisted metal thanks to a RPG (rocket propelled grenade).

McNally felt a hand on his shoulder and heard the words, "You OK, buddy?" The hand belonged to his good friend, Det. Sgt. Adam Troy. "Let's go down to my office and fill out the report." McNally looked at his friend and said, "OK, let's go." Two hours and one really bad cup of coffee later, McNally called his friend Vic, at Vic's Garage and asked him if the Mustang had arrived there yet and if Vic had any leads on another set of wheels for him. Vic told him that the Mustang had arrived and that he should have something for him when he got to the garage.

After looking over the wreckage and finding nothing salvageable, McNally asked about another car. Vic said, "Come with me." In the corner of the garage was an orange '06 Charger Daytona and Vic told McNally that the car was a bank repo that he got last week and the bank wanted to sell the car fast. "And, it's got a Hemi", Vic said. "Who's got the title?" asked McNally. "Chelsea Bank And Trust", Vic said and McNally headed to the bank to buy the car.

More to come.....

[Ron Hamilton]

This is going to be good.

[mrmike]

I certainly hope so, Ron! I've been wanting to do another build with a storyline and this seems to be a good one for it.

[Joe Handley]

Sounds like fun, you going to build the Mustang he had too?

[charlie8575]

I see you read quite a bit of Robert B. Parker, too, Mike.

I'll enjoy the story and the build.

Charlie Larkin

[mrmike]

Joe, I did build the Mustang elsewhere, but not as the wreck as decribed in the story. Have a look.

The license plate is an homage to TV's Spenser For Hire.

Charlie, is it that noticable that I read a lot of Dr. Parker's novels? Let see, what are the giveaways.....a Boston PI with one name, use to drive a Mustang, constant assassination attempts, a friend in the Boston PD.....yeah, there is some influence here I think! With Dr. Parker's passing early this year, I read that there are two more Spenser novels at the publishers as well as a few others (Jesse Stone). I'm gonna miss him!

[charlie8575]

Charlie, is it that noticable that I read a lot of Dr. Parker's novels? Let see, what are the giveaways.....a Boston PI with one name, use to drive a Mustang, constant assassination attempts, a friend in the Boston PD.....yeah, there is some influence here I think! With Dr. Parker's passing early this year, I read that there are two more Spenser novels at the publishers as well as a few others (Jesse Stone). I'm gonna miss him!

That's good to know. He will be missed by all of us who enjoy a good detective story. I remember in 1998 he came to speak when I was a student at Ftichburg State College and I got an autographed copy of what I believe was the first Jesse Stone book. He was absolutely hilarious and very insightful.

One question about the Mustang- that plate is red. When Spenser was shot, we were still using the green plates with the red ones only slowly starting to show up, and then in 1988, (vanities and reserved [low-number plates to the rest of the country],) did the show use red plates?

I'll have to see if I can find a re-run someplace and watch.

Charlie Larkin

[mrmike]

Charlie, the plate is circa 1988 and was made on the Amce License Plate Maker site. I figured it was close enough to what I needed for the build. Spenser For Hire used green-lettered plates during its run 1985-1988.

Ahh.....the joy of paint! Since this paint is enamel, it'll take a while to dry.

More to come.....

[charlie8575]

That looks great, Mike. The Charger does look nice in that metallic orange.

Charlie Larkin

[mrmike]

Thanks Charlie!

The Story

It seems as it took forever for McNally to complete his business at the bank and get himself over to the Registry and get the Charger registered, but during his idle moments he went over his notes on his PDA and tried to put the many pieces of his case into order. What did a domestic case have to do with a rocket propelled grenade? He made it back to Vic's shop 4 1/2 hours later to see Vic taking the Charger off the lift after install 4 new tires and making a quick tune up. "She's ready to go, my friend!" said Vic. "Thanks Vic, gotta a screwdriver?" Vic hands him a screwdriver and helps put the new plates on the Charger. "By the way, ATF was here going over the Mustang a little while ago." "Thanks Vic, I'll keep an eye out for them." McNally gets into the Charger and pulls it out of the garage.

The Build

I partially assembled the motor and painted it with Mopar Street Hemi Orange. Yes, the instructions say to paint the block semi gloss black, but IMHO, a Hemi is orange.

More to come.....

[Car Crazy 81]

Mcnally's Charger is looking sweet there, Mike i'd enjoyed the Mcnally Mustang build on the SA forum. Keep up the great work, my friend. I'll be watching this build like a hawk.

[mrmike]

Thanks Rick! I'm glad that you are enjoying McNally's Charger and Mustang. Building the Mustang allowed me a certain amount of freedom for building and to have a story behind the model.

[mrmike]

I was going to do some painting tonight, but I decided to so a little assembly instead. The motor is partially assembled and installed into the chassis with the trans.

I started assembling the various chassis componants.

Since McNally is a car guy, he just can't leave things alone. He changed the stock air filter assembly to a K&N conical air filter for better breathing.

MOre to come.....

Edited August 8, 2010 by mrmike

[gilsdropshop1]

looking good! where did u get that air cleaner from looks good.

[mrmike]

looking good! where did u get that air cleaner from looks good.

Gil, the K&N air filter is a resin piece that I got from from Scale Dreams.

Mark, I have several of Dr. Parker's novels including many of the Jesse Stone series. His Spenser novels are my favorite and I need to find more of the older novels.

[Space Cowboy]

Mike your stories and this build is great entertainment. The build is looking great and the story is great listening..Keep up the super job..

[Rick R]

I watched the episode of Spenser:For Hire, The Long Hunt, yesterday online, and I wish McNally the best of luck as well as really good aim at the conclusion.

[charlie8575]

Good looking model & a great way of presenting it so far Mike!!

I too am a major Spenser fan & am going to miss Robert Parker's great books. He was the closest we had to a modern day Raymond Chandler, (even to the point of being picked to complete an unfinished Phillip Marlowe novel, "Poodle Springs", & then following up with his own sequel to Chandler's "The Big Sleep", "Perchance To Dream"), & I guess I'd been reading his work for around 26 years. I can also highly recommend his novel about a family of Boston cops, "All Our Yesterdays".

I read Poodle Springs in college and I enjoyed it greatly. I'll have to check out Perchance to Dream. Come to think of it, I need to read more Raymond Chandler.

Great build so far, Mike. Will this be gracing our presence at Classic Plastic this year?

Charlie Larkin

[mrmike]

Thanks everyone!

I watched the episode of Spenser:For Hire, The Long Hunt, yesterday online, and I wish McNally the best of luck as well as really good aim at the conclusion.

Rick, that is a good episode, but I found Rita Fiore to be a bit of a pain and not really Spenser's type and a completely different character from what Dr. Parker had written her to be in his books. Lets see, who would I rather have Spenser with...Susan or Rita? Susan for sure!!!!! McNally is a good shot and only draws his Smith and Wesson when it's needed.

Well, nothing done on the Charger tonight, but I do need to finish the motor with the belts and pulleys and then add the radiator assembly.

[Agent G]

Thanks everyone!

Rick, that is a good episode, but I found Rita Fiore to be a bit of a pain and not really Spenser's type and a completely different character from what Dr. Parker had written her to be in his books. Lets see, who would I rather have Spenser with...Susan or Rita? Susan for sure!!!!! McNally is a good shot and only draws his Smith and Wesson when it's needed.

Well, nothing done on the Charger tonight, but I do need to finish the motor with the belts and pulleys and then add the radiator assembly.

Someone still carries a S&W?

Hung mine up in '89.

Love the color BTW!

G

[mrmike]

Wayne, did you retire or go for a different firearm?

THE STORY

As McNally drives away from Vic's Garage, he marvels at the power and ride of the Charger. It has more room than the Mustang and a bigger trunk for his extra gear and even though the color is a bit bright for his sleuthing, he likes it anyway. He's off to find the ATF agents who where looking over the destroyed Mustang to find out what their involvement is about.

THE BUILD

I have completed the chassis and now the steering is posable. I wanted to lower the suspension, but I think it can only be done on the front. I decided to build it OOB and will live with it.

The interior is next along with more painting.

More to come.....

[Agent G]

Started in '79 and was issued a Model 10. Upgraded to a 681 which is what I was carrying until we adopted the Beretta 92 in 1989. I didn't retire until '07.

Gotta Glock 19 for work now.

G

[charlie8575]

Looks good, Mike. The orange is a little bright for undercover work, but it does look good.

Charlie Larkin

Someone still carries a S&W?

Hung mine up in '89.

Love the color BTW!

G

New England gumshoe...New England cannon. It works.

Charlie Larkin

[Rick R]

Too bright for UC work?

Ha!

Check out the Mannix Roadster! There's yer undercover! Jay Leno described it as 'a 20 foot long silver thing with a head stickin' up in the middle! Bad guys'd look around, see it and say, Hey look! Mannix finally got here!' Then they'd go hit him in the back o' the head!'

My own dramatic PI creation uses either a black Tahoe or a renter for UC work, and like Mannix, only destroys borrowed cars.

'Hi! I'm Joe Mannix! Bad guys are chasing me! I need your car!'

'Yeah, okay, go ahead! I didn't like it anyway!'

Car looks great, Mike! Al little too shiney down under if it's in the NE, but it'll weather nicely.

On the question of Rita v. Susan, I remember that Dr. Parker commented on the casting of Barbara Stock with the comment that he wanted to sit in at the casting Physical. The TV Susan was a bit more tedius than the book version, but still fun to look at.

Edited August 12, 2010 by Rick R

[mrmike]

Wayne, it appears that you have had variety of handguns for your job. And while I am not involved with law enforcement, I have always liked S & W and have inherited my fathers Model 39 that he used for protection where he worked.

Charlie, very well put!

Rick, the Mannix Roadster was a huge 2 seater with sort of a spy car feel to it. Not quite like 007's DB5, but sorta close to it. Give McNally's new ride some time in the salt coated, snow covered roads around Boston and it'll start aging!