1979 Ford Pickup - Boxart Truck

[Tom Geiger]

Dave Burket asked me to participate in the box art for the Model King release of the '79 Ford pickup. He was using several builders and styles on the box, so he asked me to do a red sports truck with some minor mud. So here's what I delivered from his test shot.

The provided test shot didn't come with chrome, so I used Alclad spray can on the bumpers. I did it over a Duplicolor metallic blue, which gave it an unusual tone. I was under a deadline and didn't have any gloss black paint. To make the model different from the other box builds, I did the grill in body color and black. Details like the front bumper guard, the bed roll bar are just pinned in place so they could be removed if the photo session dictated. The mirrors are still only pinned in place since the model was mailed and I didn't want them to break off in transit,

I really wanted to fix the windshield height issue, but this being a box art build, it had to represent what was actually in the box. I did add the drip rail because it was bad in the test shot, and I was told it would be fixed on the tool.

And here we are without the roll bar but with the bed cover. Note that to use both the roll bar and the bed cover, it all would need to be glued in place at the same time. That would be glue on the bed cover, then stick the roll bar through it with glue on the feet,

Engine built box stock with some minor weathering.

Interior was detail painted and carpet was flocked. Seat was two toned.

I did weather up and detail paint the chassis.

Here's Doug Whyte's actual photo that appeared on the kit box side panel. That is my dog TJ photo shopped into the window.

And here's the money shot.. the photo as it actually appeared on the box!

And once I got it back from the photo shoot, I added license plates to commemorate the occasion.

It was fun to build the truck for the box art, although it was building under a deadline that was much tighter than my normal work and I felt the obligation to get it done. And I got "Build a Box Art Model" off my Bucket List.

[cobraman]

Very nice.

[jeffs396]

Very nicely done Tom!

I've always wondered who did the box art builds on that kit, now I know one of them anyway!

[jw78z28]

_{Sweet. can't wait for these to hit the store shelfs}

[Rob Hall]

_{Sweet. can't wait for these to hit the store shelfs}

I hadn't heard anything about a reissue...MK issued this back around 2006-2007.

[Tom Geiger]

There were four trucks on the box. I did the red one, Steve Goldman did the blue one, Doc Wiseman did the weathered beater and the last one was done by Tim Alhorn.

Here's Steve Goldman's blue truck along with mine at Toledo in 2006.

The Doc Wiseman beater truck.

Doc's and mine together at the Liars Show in 2006. I've never met Tim Alhorn nor seen his truck in person. He's from Michigan.

[Rob Hall]

Tim's was gray? IIRC the box top kit was gray or silver. I have 4 of these kits, but they are in storage and I haven't seen them in years.

Edited March 24, 2013 by Rob Hall

[slusher]

Great looking build...

[1972coronet]

Congratulations on your build and its likeness' contribution to the box art , Tom !

Your version is gorgeous ; and that photoshopped pic of your canine companion tops it all of nicely !

As a side note , in regard to the chrome : have you ever utilised the aerosol "chrome" paint ? The results are , in my opinion , superior to Alclad (not knocking Alclad ; it's a fine product !) . I've used it on a few of my kits since I bought a can of it at work some years back . While I *typically* give a gloss black base coat , it actually works just as well over an aluminum (dull) base , a steel base (dull or shiny) , a silver base (finish doesn't matter) , and , believe it or not , Chrome Yellow !

Its part number is CS-101.

Congrats , again , to you and the other builders ! :) :)

[cobramike]

T.J. makes the truck!

[kurth]

I wish I had grabbed one of these when they were out.

[01blueedge]

great job I always liked the trucks on the box of this kit now if they would just reissue this kit again

[Ford guy]

Great looking build Tom. Love the chassis detailing.

I always liked this model. It's really cool that the Model King is making this kit again. I've been working on one issued way back when. Now I can build even more.

[Chuck Most]

Love it! I'm really glad MK brought this one back out, and I'm hoping it'll return to the AMT lineup again!

The windsheild height thing you mentioned brings up my only disappointment with a Model King reissue- remember the Photoshopped box art for the Triumph GT6+?

I really wanted to fix the windshield height issue, but this being a box art build, it had to represent what was actually in the box.

[Austin T]

I wish Model king would repop these. They are almost as bad price wise as a vintage one.

[Tom Geiger]

I wish Model king would repop these. They are almost as bad price wise as a vintage one.

Sorry to say this issue was done in 2006 and there won't be a Model King reissue because Round 2 won't do co-branding anymore. So it's up to Round 2 to bring it back in the AMT box. We know the tool exists and is in good shape, there was some work done to it for the last release, so I doubt it will be too long before we see it again.

Thanks everyone for the kind comments!

Edited March 25, 2013 by Tom Geiger

[Platerpants]

sweet id really like this kit, someone needs to tell round 2 to kick it in gear and sell these now.

[Chuck Most]

Oh- another fun fact about that box art? That's Tim Ahlborn himself changing the tire on the top of the box.

[guybrush]

very nice truck tom ... i like it

i also hope that round2 will bring it back soon

regards maik

[hooknladderno1]

Tom,

Super job! I can see that as a fire department brush truck. The Cinnaminson Fire Dept. actually either still runs a short bed version of this or did up until very recently... A fellow firefighter friend used to have one of these in a metallic brown.

David