Sport Utility Vette

[skmodelcars]

This is based on something I did when I was about 13 or 14. I had an MPC '78 Corvette with the wheels and suspension all busted up. I also had an MPC Super Snap Blazer with a screwed up body. I took what was left and just stuck them together.

But that was then and I no longer have that build. This one's a little bit nicer! NOTE: This is FINISHED! I'm describing the modificationsI I made to build it!

This is a Jimmy Flintstone resin body to be used with Revell '68 or '69 Corvette kits. The interior, central section of the Corvette floorpan, firewall, master cylinder,hood, and taillights are from a Revell '69 Corvette parts kit.

The chassis itself is from a built Monogram Jeep CJ7 with a hopelessly trashed body. The engine, axle assemblies, and steering shaft are from another Monogram CJ7 kit.

Here's the body after I decided to make the hood a flip front.

The '69 Corvette kit hood and a custom option nose cone from an MPC '78/'79 Corvette kit are Super Glued to the fender unit. The SD body had a short shot along the nose cone though I don't have a picture of it.

The axles the Jeep kits use have gaps on top of them!

I added pieces of pumpkins from the parts box in case they'd be seen when done.

[skmodelcars]

I figured since there was plenty of clearance I would use the Jeep's cargo area and cut out the Corvette's nearly useless cargo area!

[skmodelcars]

The white on the Jeep frame is styrene strips added for the body mounts.

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I drilled holes in the MPC Corvette custom grille for the parking lights which I scratchbuilt from aluminum tube and clear sprue.

The frame rails had to be extended at both ends of the chassis.

Edited February 13, 2012 by skmodelcars

[sports850]

Looks great , I love this type of build - bush mechanic's at it's best

[skmodelcars]

Thank you, Ian! With this body you're stuck drilling out the holes for the taillights. I also decided to scribe panel lines as if this vehicle has a tailgate!

Here's the hinge for the flip front and the start of the front tube bumper.

This radiator, like many kit radiators, has mold marks SOMEWHERE.....

[skmodelcars]

Here are a couple pics of the interior!

The engine!

[skmodelcars]

The chassis! I scratchbuilt the exhaust pipes and tail pipes to adjust for the length of this beast!

The finished build!

I added a rock plate to the front from a busted up one from a RedCat Sumo RC car!

This afternoon I had to reglue the right tail pipe back on and I straightened the engine. The chassis shot shows it cocked enough to notice! I'm now happy with how this turned out! Thank you for looking!

[skmodelcars]

I'll be taking some new pics since I also redid the license plates. The engine shots didn't show how the engine was cocked but there'll be new pics of that as well.

[crazyjim]

A 4x4 Corvette station wagon. I think I've seen it all now. Pretty neat build.

[hotrod59f100]

Cool idea.i seen a 1.1 corvette 4x4 in auburn,ny once. Btw looks great ,would look good in a monster truck diorama with crushed cars lol.

[W-409]

Great looking Vette 4X4! That looks very good, I mean that the chassis fits nicely with Corvette body. Finishing is cool.

[gray07]

This is so cool, i would drive this anywhere,

[greymack]

Hi there well this is a wonderful build shouldn't all vettes be 4x4?

[race06]

The ol Jeep CJ trick. I LIKE IT! nice job

[skmodelcars]

THANK YOU, all for the kind comments!!

[skmodelcars]

Here are more details about this build:

Body: Jimmy Flintstone '68 Corvette Sedan Delivery. Needed LOTS of reshaping around the A-pillars and overall cleanup, had to drill holes for the taillights, valance panel had a short shot, molded without hood or headlight covers, inconsistent thickness throughout the body. Also scribed panel lines as if this vehicle actually had a tailgate! The Vette Van I built Summer 2010 almost ended up here before I built it the way I did. The Revell '69 Corvette kit's lack of body and suspensions helped me make this decision!

Front Fascia and grille: Custom option from an MPC '78-'79 Corvette kits to correct the valance panel short shot and give it the look I really wanted. Almost filled the grille opening with off road lights. Decided on the grille and added the scratchbuilt parking lights.

Headlights and headlight buckets: AMT Street Customs '76 Corvette based on the mid 1970's Eckler Custom Corvette. This style of headlights is part of the look I wanted. Headlights are chrome parts and I applied a few coats of white glue for a clear white appearance.

Interior, windshield, central part of chassis, hood added to flip front, firewall, taillights: Revell '69 Corvette parts kit. The inner Driver's side of the cowl and front edge of the dash needed LOTS of filing to fit into the body properly with the windshield installed. I left the windshield out when I fitted the body to make the flip front hinges. The flip front had HUGE gaps all the around at final assembly time and added LOTS of time these last few days! LOTS of trial and error here!

Engine, running gear, interior cargo area, steering wheel, 4 wheel drive shifter, radiator, wheels, master cylinder, battery, mufflers and tailpipes: Combination of Monogram Jeep CJ7 kit and old built one. I initially wanted to use a Chevy Big Block but decided to keep it simpler! After all, how heavy would this vehicle be if it actually existed?

Off road lights: Roof: MPC Blazer Super Snap. Front: Monogram '80 Bronco. Rear : AMT '84 GMC pickup. Rear backup lights: AMT Chevy Rescue Van kit. This was the REALLY HARD part of planning this build! I wanted ones that were molded decent and weren't too tough to install. At one point it would have lights ALL OVER the roof, grille, and front, and rear bumpers!

Gas cap and its decal: Revell '63 Corvette roadster snapper. Just thought I'd have it where the Jeep had it!

Scratchbuilt: Rear window, Parking lights, Bumpers, front(ahead of front wheels) and rear(Behind rear wheels) frame extensions, exhaust from manifolds to mufflers and tailpipes out to the rear, radiator supports, flip front hinges, steering shaft to firewall, rocker moldings were traced from a Revell '68 Corvette roadster kit onto strip styrene and cut and shaped as needed.

The round tube bumpers were a no brainer for the look I wanted and took LOTS of trial and error! The front bumper would've had to be WAAAAYY out front to not interfere with the flip front opening so it had to go on the flip front hinges. Plus the body sits kind of high on the chassis and I didn't want to deal with a huge gap between the fascia and bumper. I almost foil tooled a tread plate pattern for the rocker moldings but as the build progressed I wanted the trim more black. Just felt

too much chrome would look out of place for what this is.

Paint: Duplicolor BGM0398 Bright Red for the body. Bumpers and rocker moldings are Acryl Semi Gloss Black. Interior is Folk Art Apple Spice acrylic and Jeep cargo bed is Acryl Guards Red. The difference between the Guards Red and Duplicolor isn't too noticeable. Good old acrylic paints and a 1/4" natural bristle brush are pretty standard for all my builds except the body paint and silver details.

Last but not least: LOTS of trial and error!!!! Thank you for looking!!!!

Edited February 17, 2012 by skmodelcars