History of Monogram's Squarebody GM Pickups

[Luc Janssens]

[Fabrux]

10 hours ago, 89AKurt said:

Asking the Admin team, any way the title can be improved by adding SQUAREBODY?  I know this is an old thread that was dredged up, but come on people, try to be specific when starting a thread.

I'm sorry, did you write the article? My original title was pretty specific, I thought. You're the first one to complain in eight years. ?

[89AKurt]

3 hours ago, Fabrux said:

I'm sorry, did you write the article? My original title was pretty specific, I thought. You're the first one to complain in eight years. ?

Thread title is all I was addressing.  When people scan topic titles, it helps to be specific.  I think '68-'72 Custom Series when I see "Chevy" pickup, just because I've owned a '69, and currently a '68.  I also owned a '48 Advanced Design last century.  I'm on the forum with the original name of 67-72 chevytrucks, they have each generation broke into separate forum categories, because Advanced Design owners sort of don't care about Squarebodies.   So when I saw "History of ... " was expecting pre-war to 8 years ago.  I don't know if the tag feature existed 8 years ago, did you include 'Squarebody' at that time so searches go right to your through article?   Sorry I'm being so specific, it's annoying when people start generic threads with zero specifics, like "another box stock done".

[Casey]

On 5/20/2020 at 9:34 PM, Fabrux said:

I'm sorry, did you write the article? My original title was pretty specific, I thought. You're the first one to complain in eight years. ?

Your post title is just fine, Chris.

Edited May 22, 2020 by Casey

[Casey]

17 hours ago, Luc Janssens said:

 

Thanks, Luc. It sure looks like the Pulldozer has the undersized door handles mentioned earlier in this topic.

[Rob Hall]

31 minutes ago, Casey said:

Thanks, Luc. It sure looks like the Pulldozer has the undersized door handles mentioned earlier in this topic.

Interesting, it looks like they got the labels in the catalog reversed on the Ford and GMC High Rollers. 

[Luc Janssens]

6 minutes ago, Rob Hall said:

Interesting, it looks like they got the labels in the catalog reversed on the Ford and GMC High Rollers. 

Indeed, good catch Rob!

38 minutes ago, Casey said:

Thanks, Luc. It sure looks like the Pulldozer has the undersized door handles mentioned earlier in this topic.

My Sheriff's and regular Blazer also.

[Casey]

From the 1980 Monogram catalog:

 

Courtesy of the Box Art Den, the 1977 catalog...:

 

...and 1979 catalog:

Edited May 22, 2020 by Casey

[stavanzer]

Man, I wish somebody, would restore the Blazer/Jimmy tooling. I've been chasing that Sheriff Blazer now for a year or so, and keep missing out. I'm about ready to just buy the next Blazer/Jimmy I find and convert my own Po-Leece Car...

[Fabrux]

Curiously the Blazer for the catalog shoots has the correct door handles!

I like the catalog Pulldozer graphics better, I think.

[Luc Janssens]

On 5/23/2020 at 2:29 AM, alexis said:

Man, I wish somebody, would restore the Blazer/Jimmy tooling. I've been chasing that Sheriff Blazer now for a year or so, and keep missing out. I'm about ready to just buy the next Blazer/Jimmy I find and convert my own Po-Leece Car...

There's funny thing about this version, which is... that they come with Mpc tires, the same which came in their Warlock Dodge uteline, an extra leaflet included in the box shows how to remove the "spider" from the tire prior to mounting the wheels.

[Casey]

25 minutes ago, Luc Janssens said:

There's funny thing about this version, which is... that they come with Mpc tires, the same which came in their Warlock Dodge uteline, an extra leaflet included in the box shows how to remove the "spider" from the tire prior to mounting the wheels.

Edsel-Dan mentioned that on page one:

On 3/6/2012 at 9:14 PM, Edsel-Dan said:

Kit in hand. Rims are the 6 lug/5slot listed. (Chrome) Tires are Formula Dessert Dog PCV's instead of Solid AT's shown on box and instruction sheet.

Here is a scan copy of the supplement.

Notice that the outer rim is wider than inner. Due to that, the MPC/AMT Formula Dessert Dog PCV's do not fit well. They are tight, and tend to slip in away from the outer face.

Edited May 24, 2020 by Casey

[Casey]

13 hours ago, Fabrux said:

Curiously the Blazer for the catalog shoots has the correct door handles!

But the Jimmy appears to have the undersized handles...

[stavanzer]

So, I wonder where the Blazer/Jimmy tooling is today. Revell or Atlantis? Either way, I'd be really happy to have it come back.

[Casey]

9 hours ago, alexis said:

So, I wonder where the Blazer/Jimmy tooling is today. Revell or Atlantis? Either way, I'd be really happy to have it come back.

The 1/24 Monogram Chevy/GMC K-series pickup tooling is in China, but maybe the Pulldozer/Mad Mudder tooling remains in the U.S. with Revell, as it was last in production in 1999:

 

Granted that was 20 years and three owners ago, but the Blazer/Jimmy specific versions haven't been produced since, what, 1983? I still think the Blazer/Jimmy is gone for good, and the PD/MM version what remains of it.

Edited May 25, 2020 by Casey

[stavanzer]

Well, I like the PD/MM kit a bunch so,I'd be happy to see it return too.  If the Top is still in the tooling, that is all that you have to have to build a stocker, as long as you could get parts from the K series Pickups.

[Casey]

If anyone has (or is willing to take) clear images of the parts as they are still attached to the runners, it would be interesting to compare the Chevy Blazer/GMC Jimmy with the Pulldozer/Mad Mudder to see what was replaced, eliminated, or changed between the various versions. I think the Hickey(?) style hood included with the Jimmy was mentioned on one of the first few pages of this topic, but the pics I took of the Jimmy kit I once had are sadly long gone.

Here's a comparison of the clear parts from the Mad Mudde (top image) and Sheriff's Blazer (second image), showing how the rear cap's "glass" was either closed off by a gate, or possibly, eliminated:

 

Sheriff's Blazer "glass":

 

Bonus image of the Mad Mudder parts:

[Fabrux]

I have the Pulldozer; I'll take pictures this weekend. ?

[Casey]

On 3/6/2012 at 8:43 PM, Fabrux said:

With a monster truck craze sweeping the nation in 1985, the GM pickup tooling was revisited again. The first kit issued was the Monster Mash, kit 2420.

From the '86 Monogram catalog, both the Monster Mash and Hammer Head (sporting a GMC grille), still in preliminary dress:

Edited May 28, 2020 by Casey

[Fabrux]

Monster Mash also appears to have a bare body, too! ?

[Goose1957]

Hmmm, I'll have to dig my Hammerhead model out that I built in college. I swear it has a Chevy grill on it and I built the kit box stock, except for the decals. I think I even left it in bare plastic as it was molded in blue metallic plastic. I'll dig around for it and post pics if I find it. 

Jeff 

[disconovaman]

On 5/31/2020 at 9:47 PM, Goose1957 said:

I'll have to dig my Hammerhead

I built the Hammerhead back in the day too. I dont have it anymore though... Sounds like ours was close to identical... Yeah... it was definitely a Chevy, the GMC was available too, not in the monster truck though I don't beleive. The Metallic plastic was inspiring...

[Casey]

On 5/24/2020 at 11:54 AM, alexis said:

So, I wonder where the Blazer/Jimmy tooling is today. Revell or Atlantis? Either way, I'd be really happy to have it come back.

I stumbled upon this Monogram SSP flyer on eBay, showing the Sheriff's Blazer was on the list, but I don't think the reissue ever happened?:

[Daddyfink]

3 hours ago, Casey said:

I stumbled upon this Monogram SSP flyer on eBay, showing the Sheriff's Blazer was on the list, but I don't think the reissue ever happened?:

Sadly, they didn't follow through on it. Wish they had and I hope they do someday. 

[stavanzer]

I'm all in for that Cessna 180 on Floats, as well! What a cool kit!