80's Chevy or GMC PU

[Stephen H]

Does anyone know if there is an 84-87 Chevy or GMC Shortbed PU on the market? I had a 85 Silverado when I was 16 and loved that truck so I wanted to build a Sport Truck version but I can't seem to find one. Thanks for any info

[Joe Handley]

I want to say the "Fall Guy" GMC and the reissues of that will be the closest to what you're looking for.

[Guest Dr. Odyssey]

Can't you just sand or cut off the front of the bed to make it short? And section the frame-driveshaft too...

[Guest]

The AMT '84 GMC is about the closest you will get. It was the former "Fall Guy" truck and is a short bed 4X4.

[Stephen H]

Cool TY. I will try to find one of these. Haven't not been very lucky in locating one so far.

[Longbox55]

There are a few other variants of that kit, the '84 GMC (ex Fall Guy) was the last reissue. If you want a Chevrolet in the '81-'87 body style, look for the Ground Pounder or Mule Skinner. Both are Stepsides 4x4s. There is also a Hardcastle & McCormick version that has the GMC cab and grille that is a Stepside.

[promo55]

Revell/Monogram is reissuing a '70's style Chevy or GMC pickup this year. It is a shortbed Fleetside 4x4 and includes a snow plow. I have no release on this, as yet.

[Stephen H]

I will look for these. Looks like no matter what I will be doin some fab work since I want that lowered sport truck look.

Edited February 9, 2012 by Stephen H

[Longbox55]

In that case, you might look into picking up one of the Chevy/GMC van kits (A team or Vantasy will be the easiest to find, as they're recent issues) for the suspension.

[Chris guthro]

yea the vans from that generation carry the same front suspension as the 2wd 1/2 ton pickups! the one revell is releasing is a late 70s i think with the rounded front end. the amt fall guy kit is a 84.

[Rob Hall]

IIRC, the only 2wd version of the MPC '78-84 Chevy/GMC pickups was the original '78 Chevy. Revell also did a 2wd Chevy pickup of that era, sat with a rake, always issued as a kind of street machine..kind of simplified compared to the MPC.

[Casey]

yea the vans from that generation carry the same front suspension as the 2wd 1/2 ton pickups! the one revell is releasing is a late 70s i think with the rounded front end. the amt fall guy kit is a 84.

Pick up the just released Revell (ex-Monogram) 1/24 Chevy Van:

...and use the van's front suspension with the soon-to-be-released 1/24 ex-Monogram '77 GMC 4x4 pickup. You'll still need to change the front end to the rectangular headlight style, though.

Edited February 10, 2012 by Casey

[Art Anderson]

Of all that generation of Chevy/GMC pickups, the only ones having correct cab and box shapes were the MPC kits, frankly. There was quite a family of this series, starting with the MPC snap-kit '77 Blazer, then the '78 2wd Chevy Stepside, followed by a gaggle of 4X4's with short boxes and lift kits. If you want one with a Fleetside box, the only one done by MPC was the "Fall Guy" truck, which is, IIRC, in the era 1980-82 GMC. MPC's Chevy 4X4's were 1981-82 only, no 83-87's were produced by them. Pretty much everything between all the pickups is interchangeable, even the '77 Blazer snapper can be adapted to the later kit parts for more detailed suspension (Modelhaus' Suburban of this era was mastered from that '77 Blazer by a modeler out in Kansas, who did an excellent job of it).

If you try mix-and match of MPC parts with say, the Revell '76 Chevy pickup, you likely will be disappointed, as Revell didn't do a very good job at all capturing the lines and shapes (first issued as "Billy Carter's Pickup"); and the same would be true with any Monogram Chevy or GMC from that era, Monogram wasn't nearly as accuracy conscious then as they became later.

Hope this helps!

Art

[Guest Dr. Odyssey]

<p><p>

Pick up the just released Revell (ex-Monogram) 1/24 Chevy Van:...and use the van's front suspension with the soon-to-be-released 1/24 ex-Monogram '77 GMC 4x4 pickup:You'll still need to change the front end to the rectangular headlight style, though.

Isn't that the old Revell Van?  I mean originally the California Cruiser issue?

[Casey]

<p><p>Isn't that the old Revell Van? I mean originally the California Cruiser issue?

No, note the scale difference between the two.

[Fabrux]

The Revell Chevy is about a '75 or so, judging by the grille. The cab is close, but the rear wall is a separate piece and the chassis is absolutely horrible. The bed isn't even GM; its a California Stepside unit. The MPC kits start in at least '75 and were updated continuously up to at least '82; the Mule Skinner is an '80. Almost all the MPC pickups were 4x4 and stepside beds; the only 2WD release I've seen is the 1978 Chevy Stepside. The last issue that I can find of the MPC pickup is the Sodbuster, which is the '81-'82 style.

The Monogram pickup was reissued a few times and depicts an '80. They're 1:24 scale and don't match up with any MPC or Revell offerings.

Unfortunately there were no '84-'87 offerings, as mentioned above. Should you want to go newer, I have actually seen someone take the MPC '88 Chevy grille and flatten it out to create the '88-'94 grille used on crew cabs, Blazers and Suburbans. You'd need the '84 GMC's cab to have the proper front fenders.

[Guest]

The Revell/ex Monogram van front suspension won't work under any pickup because it has the offset A arms. The driver's side A arms are quite a bit longer than the passenger side. I don't know if that is accurate to the real van or not,but I know it won't work under a pickup.

[Stephen H]

Thanks all for the info and help. I was just lookin for a good Shortbed truck so I can drop it a bit and make it a Sport Truck look.

[Chris guthro]

well take a amt 84 gmc 4x4 kit and put a camaro front end under it

? make it a custom!

[Rob McKee]

Pick up the just released Revell (ex-Monogram) 1/24 Chevy Van:

...and use the van's front suspension with the soon-to-be-released 1/24 ex-Monogram '77 GMC 4x4 pickup. You'll still need to change the front end to the rectangular headlight style, though.

I haven't seen this in the shops yet. I knew it was going to be coming out but thought it was in May or so.

Now I am excited. I am building one of the older releases but I would like to do a couple of more.

[Stephen H]

well take a amt 84 gmc 4x4 kit and put a camaro front end under it

? make it a custom!

I could work on that once I get things going. Right now I am a def a newb as far as model building is concerned. BTW my truck looked almost exactly like your avatar but Black and Red.