Jeep Gladiator

[Gluhead]

I've been working on my Jeep Honcho > Gladiator conversion while I wait for this or that to come together on other projects. I've grown seriously fond of these over the last decade or so, but something always ends up taking priority and pushing this back in the box and on the shelf. Lately I've had more itch to make stuff out of nothing than actually finishing anything...heheh...and this one is perfect for scratching that kind of itch.

It's still pretty rough at this point, but I'm very happy with it as a starting point. I'm not using the kit wheels and tires, by the way. They're just stand-ins until I get to that point of the build. I'm not one for sky-high lifts and monstrous tires, but it'll definitely be stouter than stock.

Anyway, I'll shut up and let the pics do their work. I always welcome comments, suggestions, and constructive criticism.

Enjoy,

Glu

[bryan_m]

Very cool! nice conversion project

cheers

bryan

[91blaze]

Wow, this is a pretty nice conversion. I've always loved Jeep pickups and wish the models weren't so hard to find. What did you use for the headlights and turn signals?

[Gluhead]

Thanks, guys.

The headlights are a parts box mash-up of unknown lenses and buckets with a trim rim made out of a dog dish hubcap from the AMT '51 Chevy. I didn't have a spare Jeep CJ laying around or they would have been a lot easier.

I was tempted to make the grills that are supposed to be where the turn signals are, but I like the amber there better. They're more parts box stuff, with a lense from some big rig kit that I scratched lines onto the backside. I'm not entirely happy with that part, but there are proportion issues that make this conversion a challenge...and these fit without throwing everything else back out of whack.

[mikemodeler]

That is a real cool conversion, something I would consider buying if it were available.

Maybe Revell can re-issue that kit someday soon.........

[1930fordpickup]

Looking good so far !!!

[Dr. Cranky]

I'm digging it, looking forward to more.

[Casey]

Though this is a '72(?) J-10, it does show some details:

Still kickin' myself for not grabbing this Gladiator grille!:

The conversion's looking good, but go for the inboard round grilles.

[Gluhead]

Thanks for the encouragement, guys.

Yeah, Casey, it would be great to have them in there. The problem is this body has some proportion issues and the opening for the whole grill area is actually too tall to simply scratch up a scale Gladiator far and pop it in there. I had to take a lot of creative liberties with the framework around the light "trays" for lack of a better term, to be able to come even remotely close to the correct proportions of that area. Even so, my "trays" are still more square than they should be, and there's just not a lot of room left for a full size inboard grill. If someone does end up casting this, I'd take a shot at them and see if I could get it "close enough." But if not, I'll save myself the frustration.

It didn't show in the first pics, so I took a few more. Proportion issues aside, I did manage to get the top to bottom "in and out" shape in there behind the headlight door. It's real easy to see on Casey's first pic how the sheet metal tips in at the top and out at the bottom. Recreating that took some chin scratching. I ended up making a slightly oblong hole and a matching plug. Imagine the plug on an axle at the horizontal centerline and simply tipping it back at the top and gluing it in. A little shaping on the top of the hole and the bottom of the plug to get the bevel, and there it is.

To get the same effect for the turn signals, I just need to elongate the hole a little and tip the bucket (it's a motorcycle light with a full bucket, mounted from the backside). I just haven't done it yet.

Edited August 10, 2012 by Gluhead

[Gluhead]

I've also got the rear cab wall nearly wrapped up.

[hjracing]

Wow! I like your scratch building skills! I have a long time thinking in a project like this. I'll keep an eye on this build.

[jeffs396]

Great stuff going on here Chris!!!

I'm working on my 1:1 J-20 as we speak.

I can relate to the proportion issues this kit has, that's probably why I'm not further along with my replica

[Gluhead]

Thanks, guys.

Yeah, oddly enough, it really doesn't look all that far off until you go to change something on it. Then it smacks you in the face and says "think again!"

It's all good, though. It'd be boring if everything just fell together. Challenge keeps life interesting.

[heepey]

+1 ! The grill/headlight area is the main reason my M715 project went back in the box. The proportions on this kit are definitely an issue.

If your panels ever get cast that might get my conversion back on the bench. At least the M715 didn't have a grill insert to worry about.

[Helix]

Nice work mate, look forward to the progress

[Chuck Most]

I'll most certainly be keeping an eye on this- one of my long-running projects is building the Jeep driven by Earl Basset (Fred Ward) in the first two Tremors movies. You are very right about the proportions to the grille on the Revell kit- might be too narrow, might be too tall, might be both. That being said, still love this subject, and this kit!

[slusher]

Very cool project...

[Shardik]

Amazing building skills. I'm fascinated by the way you handled the rear cab wall. Would you consider showing us a step-by-step?

[01blueedge]

this is looking great lots of good scratchbuilding

[Gluhead]

Thanks, guys.

Johann, the back is pretty simple, really, but the first pic up there is the earliest that I took in that process. Basically, I filled the open cab rear with one piece of sheet stock. Then I make a masking tape template of the entire back which I use to pencil in the new pieces that are layered onto the base wall - the reveal around the outside of the roof area, the reveal around the rear window, the beltline ledge, and the outer cab wall.

The window reveal and beltline ledge are easy, just cut them out and a little file work to fine tune, and glue them down. The reveal around the roofline takes more diligent test fitting as you go to make sure there are no gaps, but it's not that bad. The outer cab wall took about 80,000 test fits as I whittled it to fit the side walls with no gaps, but it was worth it to have it be one piece. With it being separate, doing the ribs is pretty straight-forward. You can see my pencil marks on there, and the starter holes. I use those to get my files in there and shape the ends of the valleys, then slice out the bulk of the material with a cutoff wheel on the dremel, and use a flat file to get to the line, even everything out, and finish them all off with a slight bevel.

Yep, that would have been a lot easier with pictures. Heheh. Next time I do one of these, I'll make a point of taking them as I go.

Nobody has pointed it out yet, but I goobered up one of the short, middle valleys. I guess it isn't every noticeable, but it sticks out like a sore thumb to me. lol.

[Foxer]

That's some nice work .. front and back. Getting all those cutouts on the rear to look equal is not easy!

[Randy D]

Hi Chris,

Awesome scratch work!! Like the amber lights better than the grills too.

Randy

[Modelbuilder Mark]

I always like the body style on that, very aggressive. I look forward to seeing more on this one.

[Gluhead]

Thanks, guys. I'll be back on this one in a couple weeks or so. I may have to make some compromises on the grill...getting 6 slots per side is proving to be a huge challenge. Unless I can find someone who's up for helping me out with photoetching it? That may end up being what I need to do to get something passable.

[ll Brandon ll]

Nice work on those headlights! Keep going.