Rosco's Patrol Car 1978 Dodge Monaco NEW Progress 3-3-2017

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Well its been awhile since I've posted an update on this build, I have been busy in the shop molding parts and cleaning up what was left from y last molding session so.... This was sitting & waiting till I was able! SO, in that time, I got only a little done (that time of year with different household mendings to be done as well!)
SO, having said all that, I got the plug wires "tamed" a little (darn is that plug wire I used difficult to work with! I tell you, I got it, and tried it on a a "Engine Christmas Bulb" last year to "try it" and well I SAID Then I'd never use it on a model car, BUT totally forgot what one it was, and so, picked it up on this model and darn it LOL that memory came back! (YES guys, I take some of my out-casted resin parts, and sit them aside for other interesting projects, like representing family members with their "favorite" Mopar engine.... I have 4 total so far, (EVERY YEAR I make 2, one to represent me, and one to represent a family member, and finish it just before its hung on the tree!
ANYWAY, back to the model here. This wire however, was a PITA to make look "lay" naturally, as it would on a real engine BUT once you have it, it doesn't look bad at all its getting it there, you know? BUT, it does in the end look good! So, off to taming this wild plug wire!

I use thin cuts of heat shrink tubing when I don't have true wire looms and to me they look just as good! BUT once each wire gets loomed with the next one, I add "plug boots" to the ends just before the wire is placed into the head.... Once in the head, the wire is messaged to look to lay naturally, and then held in-place, and a small (And I REALLY DO MEAN "small" drop of super glue placed at the location it goes into the head, and then that plug boot is slipped up to the head and the super glue holds it all in place! A little time has to be taken between EACH plug wire here, due to the PITA wire I used....

The other side.... This is the hardest to tame.... as its longer and have to "roll" around the corner of the engine block! UNDER the exhaust manifold no less! Also seen here is the 2 BIG "hoses" coming off the front of the engine. Yep those are the heater hoses! They too have "looms" to hold them together so that I cam made a silver wire hold-down for the inner fender!
Now, something I'm gonna mention here, that is well, something I been pondering..... The engines carburetor, I'm not sure I'm 100% happy with it. By what I have read, Mopar Police Cars, were ordered with the choice of a BIG Carter, or a Rochester carburetor, I got a Rochester pictured here, BUT I'm not sure I like this particular one! One, its a bit to low-profile..... And 2, the air cleaner will not sit on it right. I have to make up a mount for it to sit right....
And this I THINK is where Stace pointed out that the Distributor looked "big"....... And hes got a good eye, as I don't think its the Distributor thats the issue, (The angle of picture didn't help it, BUT that carburetor is awful low to the intake, throwing off the whole "look" of the engine.
NOW, using that air cleaner I milled the snorkels out to be "open" I test fitted it to the engine.....

WITHOUT a modified mount to the carburetor, it will NOT sit right.... Plus, the air cleaner is so low, that the bottom of the snorkels almost "sit" on the valve covers!!!

This is the one that gets me! The carburetor is so low, that the air cleaner sits so low that the snorkels almost sit on the valve covers.... PLUS, the real detail that caught my eye, look at the California Emissions tube going from the exhaust manifold to the bottom of the air cleaner snorkel? (Now I KNOW that the air cleaner isn't sitting "level"), ain't no way it can till I figure out how it mount to the carburetor, BUT, its not that far off either! MAYBE 3/32" MAYBE.... BUT, that Cali Emissions tube has to mount in the CENTER of that Snorkel meaning I have to drill a hole in the bottom of the snorkel for it to fit right.... EVEN SO, it it be to far up inside the snorkel for when I do and still it sit to low.... SO, I'm not sure that Carburetor is gonna remain on this engine! -I'm just NOT happy with it!
Stay tuned, more to come as I get things done!!! (Some changes I believe are gonna be made too!) -ENJOY!

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Well it sure has been a bit since I worked on this model since my last update on it.... A lot going on around the house takes up valuable bench time!!!!
Anyway, with my last posting, I had mentioned that I was NOT happy with that carburetor that was on the engine. It sat to low for the air cleaner to fit right.... SO, I spoke of removing it, and thats just what I went and did! I took that carburetor off, and got a pic of that removed.

I then took and cleaned up the place the old one was glued, to get a nice flat surface to place a new carburetor. NOW however, what was I gonna use? I had to go and dig through my parts organizers, to see what I had. As I just wasn't sure what I had to fit this engine for what it is!
SO, I dug and I dug, (I have several little packages of all different carburetor "types" to choose from), but something HAD to fit this build....
Then It hit me, like a ton of bricks.... I went to the "Glue Bomb" organizer to see what may have been floating around in there.... And then I seen just what I thought would do the trick! Was nicely chromed, a bit "taller" in height, and just looked the part, sadly, I only had one of them so..... NO mistakes can be made (and for choosing & mounting a carburetor, what would it take to keep from ruining it? I mean, really....
So, I cleaned the chrome off the bottom of it, fitted it without glue, and it looked GREAT, SO, on to glue it in place all nice shiny chrome it went!

The VERY FIRST thing I did? AFTER it was glued in-place? DULLCOTE the chrome. wanted that "Aluminum" look.... In this picture, you'll see some added "extra" detail, not to the carburetor, but in and around it.... -I got the PCV valve in the valve cover seen in white, with a hose leading to it. This was pretty simple to do, (Fitting the wire to make it look like a PCV valve was a little interesting, without scratching the blue paint, but I managed getting it in there pretty well! -You'll notice here, there is NO Throttle Linkage................yet! BUT, plenty of space to work for adding it in time!

This shot shows the fuel line with filter. this part was re-used from the old carburetor! I just drilled accordingly to fit, and in-place it went, and followed by a little touch up paint to the line itself (painted silver copper wire). -I ALSO went to adding in the Valve cover breather as well. This is a painted gloss black aluminum turning off my lathe. Drilled to have a hose go to it from the air cleaner that in real life would complete the PCV system. Sadly, I'm still gritting my teeth, as this part is painted.... GRRR, its made of ALUMINUM! Normally, I polish the aluminum parts for "show" BUT, I had the Unimat set up as the Milling Machine, and did not want to reset it as the Lathe, because of up coming things I'm going to be making with it.... SO instead of turning a plastic part to be painted gloss black, I used a not the greatest aluminum turning I had, and simply bit my lip and painted it.... This right here is why I keep telling my wife, I NEED a second Unimat! LOL One set up as the Lathe, and one set up as a Mill, ALL THE TIME never transformed again! -Heres to wishful thinkin'!!!


Either side from the back of the block, to show a little depth and detail from another angle!
Thats it for now! The next update will be of the air cleaner being fitted and all the little stuff that has yet to be added! As always, comments welcome, Thanks for looking, ENJOY!

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Well for a while not getting any updates a few are due..... In my last posting update, I went and replaced that carburetor, and thats in-place and going to stay put (it fits, looks good, and sets the air cleaner quite nicely!) SO, I then refocused my attention to detail (DETAILS, ME? OH you BET!) LOL
I seen I had not added a oil-dip-stick.... WELL to the wire stash I went to see what I had that best fit the size (diameter) and look. I have a small coil of this wire thats got a green insulation, that takes paint nicely, BUT the key to it? Is the wire! The wire in it, is silver, like bare metal, requiring NO paint! AND have a little shine to it..... So, I begin, by stripping a short section of insulation off of it, and then setting that insulation aside (it can be used on other wire later for fittings, or boots, you name it, Green, yes, takes paint well, yes, so it can be used and then painted! Anyway....

Showing the Dip-Stick entrance, and how it goes up and around the engine mount (barely seen) but it does.... You can see the "silver" grab at the front corner of the valve cover.
THEN I sat the engine down in a way that it turned enough that at a glance I also noticed I had not yet added a automatic transmission dip-stick either!!!! -WELL, while I had that wire out, why not add it too!? SO same thing, different use, & location.... Painted differently too! As per the prototype! And in-place it went!

Looks pretty good on the side!
So an over-all pic?

Not to shabby!
Pointed out for those who aren't sure....

Thats it for now! More to come as things happen and get done! As always comments welcome, ENJOY!

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Well it sure has been awhile since I've worked on this one! Its been out on my bench while working on my shops remodel and a little at a time, I'm pounding through. whether that be on the shop remodel, OR on the slow moving model building....
So last time, I left off with this:

I had added both the oil and transmission Dip-Sticks, and had a little wire still "hanging" off the engine, that one single wire is the coil wire! The 2 larger "wires" are the heater hoses from the water pump! -The heater hoses will hang till the engine is in the frame permanently. As they will run into the passenger-side of the cars firewall!

BUT I had to look, as you all know in this build I been changing things as I go (Don't I always!?) SO having said that, being an MPC kit, there was NOTHING to represent a "coil" so I sat out to make one! These from me? Are made of Billet Aluminum, I turn them on my Lathe, to look as tho the "wrap mount" is there, and then just make a plastic piece painted "aluminum" flat behind it, to look the part of the mount. I then don't have to BMF or paint that "wrap" as it goes around the coil! BUT do have to paint the mount plate. In this case, there will NOT be a "plate"......... There simply is not enough space to add it, NOR would it even be seen when all said and done with. this motor is CRAMMED with detail! I mean holy Detail Batman! -I have to check every little piece as I go there is that much of it to make sure it all FITS! Once the coil however is made, the painting required is only to signify the make. if its factory? Gloss Black, if its a MSD its Gloss Red, and if it be a Mallory it be Gloss Red.... In this case? Its stock OEM Dodge, so its gloss black! -If you look closely to my last pic, its literally STUFFED in-behind the Distributor! Getting it in there was a darn fun challenge in itself!

Starting to take shape! I'll be glad when this engine goes in the frame, I gotta say! I'm really looking forwards to finishing up up yet one more model! Its coming, slowly!

A little better shot of the coil.... CRAMMED right in there let me tell ya!
Anyway, stay tuned! More to follow, right after these short messages! As always comments welcome, ~Enjoy!

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Well right back at it. I had to cough up a good air cleaner (I think I had mentioned before) BUT I had one left of the dual snorkel OEM factory Dodge air cleaners, done some detail work to it with the Milling Machine, and then got some of that Hi-Po Orange on it, and then got to looking at it to see if there was ANY detail I could add.... AFTER it was "fitted" to the carburetor....... that took a little to get it right! -But I managed to get to sit right. BUT looking at it, it sure could use something "more" compared to the only one picture I have of a 440 Interceptor!

For the life of me, I know that MOST OEM air cleaners have them, but I can not say or tell you what those little black hoses do or are for..... I THINK they're part of the PCV system, OR part of the California Emissions crap.... All I KNOW is most times, I was removing it, and not putting it back on! The FIRST time I have EVER added it, is seen right here, right now! On a model! LOL

Showing a slightly different angle of the 2 little black hoses!

And again, another shot. Detail-wise, the air cleaner is done! I can't think of any other detail it would need or have! BUT, does ANYONE know if there was a "pie-Tin decal on the Interceptor air cleaners? Depicting the engines size or carburetion? I can't say yes or no to that one, as I simply don't know! (I'm gonna take a WILD guess here and say no. they were as plain and simply as can be, they weren't built for looks, they were built to perform and do their job..... SO, anyway, does anyone truly know?
Thanks for looking, More to come as progress happens. Comments welcome ~Enjoy!

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So, As I'm getting wound up right back into this build. MORE progress to add! (A few "steps" closer to the finish line!!!!)
ANYWAY, Now that the Carburetor is in-place, and I'm happy with it, and the wires have been "tamed" and the coil stuffed in-place, and all that, I got to looking at the engine and what it was still "lacking". -that being said, throttle linkage! SO, I got right to it..... Took some scrap wire that was on the bench and silver, and began to bend it to look like the the linkage from the throttle cable mount. Added a throttle cable return spring and its mount. Seen here:

Nothing is painted yet, nor "fitted" its merely setting drying the glue, in-place.... The more difficult part will be "fitting" it.... I have to make the cable end look the part, and fitted into the firewall! HOWEVER, This model just HAS to be difficult for such things! The firewall is attached to the front of the interior tub! -Not to the back of the inner fender wells as some of the prior builds I've done! SO I'll have to fit the engine with the interior sitting in-place! BUT getting the firewall onto the front of the interior tub had to be done (its setting drying right now as I glued it), and then let it set about an hour while I was working on something that I'll be mentioning in my next posting. BUT, sanded the bottom lip of the firewall smooth where it meets the bottom of the car interior tub! Then wiped it clean of any sanding dust, got a good shot of flat black to match the rest of the under frame, let that dry and hit with Dullcote! That is drying as this is being typed out!
Stay tuned more to follow! As always comments welcome, ENJOY!

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So to follow up on my mentioning the "next post" here we is! Anyway, knowing that I said the firewall had to be sitting in-place to fit any of the engines wires and such to it, I got to looking at it BEFORE I got to mounting it to the front of the interior tub..... Its lacking (Yep, you guessed it) DETAIL, terribly! Some there to give the idea, but nothing real.... in depth.... SO, the first thing that caught my attention was the master cylinder & booster, there IS one, but.. the master cylinder itself, needs MORE to it. I mean darn it looks like a bump on a bulge.... (Think "female" guys, LOL) Just....not easily detailed as-per the real thing would be! OR "close" to what the real thing has!
SO, to my stash of spare parts I go..... Found a couple to use but one os more for a truck so, this one:


Is what will donate to me the parts I need! That Master Cylinder! I filed around the mount of it to the booster, to make a place to "cut" it off as-in slice it off of the booster..... Then I drilled the holes for the brake lines down to the triple valve. (That I still have to make!) And then then sliced it off from the Booster, as the car has a half ways decent Booster molded into the firewall already, I'm merely gonna add to its detail, with this:

Notice the mount is still there, the holes are drilled and all waiting to be installed, ONCE the bottom of the interior tub is dry, this will be the first part added to it once I can handle it. -Then, I'll be able to begin making the triple valve as this time around, that will be mounted to the pipe work, and dangle till the interior is ready to go onto the frame! My other builds, the pipe work dangled and was presses into pre-drilled holes into the triple valve that was mounted on the inner frame rail just below the master cylinder..... A little change of technique this time!
Thats it for now! I'm at a stand-still till something is dry enough to handle.... I may try to add more to the engine! Stay tuned! Comments are always welcome, thanks for looking, ~ENJOY

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So as the weekend rolls on, (I got a bit done around the house only to sit down and see how much more I could get done with this model!) Yeah guys, I gotta say,. I wanna see it DONE!) Its sat idle to long!
Anyway, from my last update, I mentioned that the firewall was lacking, Yeah, SERIOUSLY LACKING! Man 'O man, is that an understatement!
ANYWAY, I wasn't impressed with the Master Cylinder detail (The Booster backing it was "OK" and I could live with it) BUT, what they molded into be the actual Master Cylinder for the brakes was something to be desired of..... Have a look:


Pretty plain for the Firewall, and not a lot to it! It BARELY shows the Heater for the car, never mind anything else, AND the Master Cylinder is seriously lacking (I'm not even sure I could "detail" the existing part they molded into the Firewall for a Master Cylinder....

NO "Depth" of detail really at all from any angle!
So as you all know me by now, I cut that "BLOB" of plastic off even with the Booster.... The Booster was a little more detailed and I could live with it as-is, BUT, the detail part it is to "support" needed some detail, and depth.... Thats when I cut and made the one a few posts ago, to sit and be ready for when the booster was ready to have it glued in-place!

Ready to go! Now, I'll be adding that master cylinder, to the white area that I have filed smooth and flat on the Booster... This should add some detail, and depth to the firewall.....
More to follow as this all happened, Stay tuned! Comments Welcome ~Enjoy!

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So on with the placement of the NEW choice Master Cylinder? Yeah, why not?


In-place, and the lower half of it painted, and the gloss black Booster touched up from the cutting off of what was on there. I have yet to paint the "top" to the Master Cylinder, and then onto making the brake lines with fittings! (That part is gonna be sort of a challenge as I have to do it the opposite way I would normally make them!)
Seen here I also painted the "area" to represent the Heater. NOT the best of job, as there was nothing really depicting the "Heater" on this Firewall. SO, I had to go from pictures of the real thing, and sort of follow through with them the best I could. So it sort of looks like the heater, with a bit of a bulge for duct-work and thats about it! I have drilled some holes for Heater hoses from the engine, and some holes for Electricals to pass through and I'm not sure what else I will add, BUT it WILL have more detail and way more "depth" of detail as I proceed on to completing it, to support the 440 Interceptor with all the stuff it was meant to have!
Stay tuned, MORE to follow! As always comments welcome, ENJOY!

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So test fitting all what I have gotten done, and beginning to do, I remembered the engine is to run some A/C on it, meaning, I needed a A/C condenser Radiator! SO, off to my parts stash organizers I go to see what I may have had to create such a part....
I found a few parts that could have been used, BUT, they were "NEW" and were actual Radiators! SO, I kept digging and found a already cut up Radiator that was small enough to do the job as a "base" to build from! I seen it had a hole for a Radiator hose, and I plugged it right up....


BEFORE I went on to plugging up that hole, I had to make the "top" look more of a A/C Condenser Radiator then a true engine Radiator..... I filed the top of it to be more flat, and cleaned up all the parting lines, and will need to add a bottom to it sort of like the top.... But seen above is a good start as the A/C lines to and from will not be in the same place as a Radiator hose would be and not nearly the same size in diameter....
THEN it hit me! You know, the front of the engine going into this engine compartment is CRAMMED with details, I mean seriously... HOW on earth was I gonna fit a Radiator hose to the radiator, and get "around" everything, and then looking at the pictures I have of the real thing, the "top" Radiator Hose, enters the Radiator on the Driver's side top corner, NOT the Passenger's side, as the model shows to have it! SO I went on to "plug" that hole too and will drill a new hole for it, on the other side!

Thats it for now! More to come as Progress happens! Comments Welcome, ENJOY!

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So back at it for an update? (Its been a few days) and I've been busy on some other projects around the house! SO some relaxing bench time was very well due!
Having the Master Cylinder ready for brake lines, I had one thing to consider moving forward. The detail of this had to be done differently then I normally would have added it. Because the firewall is part of the front of the interior tub, I had to test fit the interior to the body, and then add the frame to see what sort of distance it was from the Master Cylinder to the frame to add the triple valve to it, so that the brake lines were made long enough! SO doing this, I noticed a real issue! The frame did not sit "level" in the car! The rear wheels looked as tho, the car was lowered, and the front wheels looked as tho, they were raised! (Never thought I'd see a Gasser police car! NEVER MIND a 4 door version to boot! SO I added 1/8th inch thick section to the REAR-most mounts of the frame where the back of the frame makes contact with the bottom of the interior! Seemed to have worked out GREAT..... I got the look right. NOW the question will be when all said and done, if the trunk area might need some support for the frame to mount too! I'm not that far at this point, BUT I will be keeping that in-mind for when I am! (The frame to this model doesn't even look like it belongs to it as its WAY off and a bit narrow side-to-side!)
Having said that and getting it all sorted out, I got right to adding the brakes Master Cylinder.... I then got you all pictures of this, and then began making the brake lines, with fittings! The fittings are that same "green" wire insulation, that will be painted brass colored (NOT Gold) to look the part! BUT before I got them done, I went on to paint the top of that Master Cylinder to look like the cover of one.... Then followed with adding the brake lines that will follow down to the triple valve, mounted on the frame, and then it will have a line coming out the side of it, leading one end to the passenger-side front wheel and the other end to the drivers-side front wheel. Out the back of the triple will go to the brake line that leans to the back wheels, with a fitting added it ti just before the line is coupled to the triple valve!

Not bad at all! -Will look a LOT better once the fittings are painted!

I am pleased with the over-all "look" I do however see a little touch up paint I need to do, but thats OK, it has to sit a little to dry...
Stay tuned, MORE to come!

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So while the brake lines and such sat for a little while to dry, I picked up the body to see what all it needed to get it even closer to being painted!
The first thing, I noticed, I thought about the Sheriff star that goes on the front doors, I noticed there was a "trim" part molded to the door, and was like I'm SURE that star would over lap that. BUT is it put onto the car? So I went on to looking up pictures online of the car, WITH Rosco himself in the pic to be sure that the car WAS the actual car in the show, and wasn't someones "Clone" of the car!
As I suspected! The car in the show, did NOT have that body line trim moulding! SO, I shaved it off, from the fender, to the front of the rear doors on both front doors!


Shaved off, sanded and fine sanded! To make it as mooth as I could get it!


It then got wiped down with a tack cloth to pick up any sanding dust from the body, and got yet one more light coat of white base color! Once thats dry, it will then get wet sanded with 1500 Grit sand paper, to smooth the whole body over to see if there is ANY other areas needing attention and smoothing and will proceed from there, with whatever it may require at that time!
Thats it for now, MORE will follow as I get things further to the finish line! As always, comments welcome, ~ENJOY

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So while the body sat to dry, I looked a bit more at the frame to see what I needed to add, or needed to make and then add. SO, with this model and it getting the works on the engine, A/C power Steering, you name it, I had mentioned a few posts ago, that I needed to make up a A/C Condenser! Which, I pulled the parts to do and began about it as I would normally....
Was a Radiator I had already cut some off it, and then saved the remaining, and this right here is WHY I save whatever I can! You never know when you can use it!

Top right-hand corner is where I had "plugged" the original Radiator hose entry! I then took and added a length of strip to the bottom (that its sitting on) to give that "completed" look to the part! I plan to add mounts as well, made from Evergreen Styrene "L" angle.... One "leg" of that "L" will be cut down to the thickness of the A/C Condenser, SO I'll have to use 1/4 inch (rather LARGE) angle to make it all work out!

The other untouched side. This will probably be the front of the Condenser!
Sat this part aside to let the glue cure a bit, and looked at the frame a bit closer then I did the last time, keeping in-mind what it needs and what I NEED to change! Having said that, the Radiator needed some work! I originally painted it wrong! (YES guys, before I got into all the online research to some of this stuff), I made mistakes! BUT then, only 3 years ago, or so now, did I even think of looking things up online only to become accustom to it now! SPECIALLY if I'm unsure of any one thing!
WELL having said all that, I found that the top and sides of the Mopar Radiators normally are gloss black, I painted the entire thing flat black! The cooling fins in the middle of the Radiator, are Aluminum, and unpainted! SO,. knowing this then WHY I painted them black, I can not tell any one of you, BUT I changed it and brought it up to snuff to what it should be!

Inside the engine compartment..... I have a little touch up to do as its REALLY tight in there, BUT I'll be able to clean up the black where its un-even on the white pretty easily, its adding the black that was a real challenge!

Front side, just behind the grille! I have again, a little touch up here too, BUT this side has a bit more detail coming its way! As I have to add the A/C Condenser to this side of it! So some of that error of my own fault, will be covered, BUT, I plan to correct the errors as best I can.... I don't think its gonna be all that difficult to do however.....
Then while looking at the frame, I mentioned I added some raisers to the rear of the frame to lift the body up off the frame just a little to make the rear tires look "stock" height, so, heres those in-place!

As I said, that rise is only 1/8th inch in the back, to pull the tires and wheels OUT from the sunken look they were... as this would be STOCK and not a LOWERED car! LOL
The body is sitting and drying as it got yet one more base coat of flat white on it, and will need wet sanded again, as I THINK the next coat of paint will be actual gloss color! -The end is coming guys! The end is coming!
Thats it for now more to follow as I get things done! Comments always welcome, Enjoy!

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After a short absence of this build, back to it we go..... As you all have already read, I was last working on the A/C condenser radiator..... WELL I got it somewhat together, and to that, some things of that part, I just wasn't "feeling" so.... I began to make that "happen"........as the details I put into a model not only has to look the part, but I have to feel that they do too!
So, in test fitting this back and forth, I just felt that the A/C condenser was just a tad bit to wide..... Saying this, remember, it is being made from an existing engine Radiator! SO in order to make it more look the part, I set up the Mill, and began to make it more narrow, to look like an A/C condenser!

As you can see the back here, is milled off flat, and made the part a tad bit more narrow. This ought to give me the "look" & feel that the part is what I'm making it be!
I also milled off the radiator "top" and then just left it alone!

With the top milled off, and a look from the front of it!
So far, I'm pleased with how this is turning out! -Then, I got right to figuring out how it was to "mount" to the core support. WELL a few strips of styrene does wonders for these sorts of things!
Fitted and cut to length:

Mounted directly to the back of the part after it came out of the mill.

Mounts cut to length. I think I MAY add a "foot" pad to each of these, I have yet to know for sure but that is a thought going through my head at the time of making this, if you look closely in the picture above the part being worked on, you'll see 2 different types of styrene strip, the wider, more flat, one is what I'll make the 4 foot mounting pads from!
I sat this aside for a bit to dry, and then got to looking more at the frame and area this will be put. I needed to do a little touch up as I had mentioned, so I went right on to get that done!

Nice bright white paint to match the body, and touched up the radiator a little while I was at it..... Looking like its ready for an A/C condenser!

From inside the engine compartment. It really needed some touch up here, and it got that too! I can see a little more that it could use, IF I have a good enough brush to make that happen it will!
This is it for progress for now! More will come as progress is made! Comments welcome, ENJOY!

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So its been a little while since I've last made an update on this gem of a model! SO, As I last mentioned (one or 2 updates ago) I said there were some some mistakes made in the original building of this kit, one of them just so happens to be of my own doing! (Yeah I make mistakes too) SO, having said that, I found that I had painted the Steel Wheels gloss white, when in fact, they should have been gloss black! SO, I went on to change that, (try to do the easiest things, FIRST!)

So thats all done, (I'll next be adding valve stems to these wheels on all 4 of them, but that will come once I know that gloss black paint is dry! That little task in itself, was not easily done I might mention here!
Short and sweet (unlike me!) More to follow! Stay tuned!

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Then while the wheels sat to dry, a bit, I picked up the engine to see where I was in its detailing aspect. And well, VERY close to being done, I seen that I had yet to add the belts and pulleys, so got to looking at that small sub-assembly to find, I did not add the Alternator wires! So, once those were on it, I went right to fitting the engine with the whole belt-pulley sub-assembly!

It took a little fitting to get it to work and look the part, I added it if you look without the power steering pump, in-place! I did this purposely! I had to add a wire loom mount to pull the plug wires back a little away from the area the power steering pump is to go! I'll then drill the pump itself, to add in the power steering hoses and pipes that will lead down to the power steering gear-box! I also have the "thread" the blue alternator wire back to the coil, and then continue on with it, to the firewall! The red alternator wire, will lead to the core support to the positive post of the battery, and down to the starter once the engine is in the frame to stay, and battery is in-place once again. Then continue onto the firewall! (Will probably be a second section of wire to lead to the starter, and that once long length on the alternator, will go to the battery and all the way to the firewall all in once length of wire!
I also have to drill the front of the A/C compressor, to lead to the top of the A/C condenser.... THEN the opposite side of the A/C condenser will get the line that leads back to the firewall in and or around the heater. With all needed fittings added and placed to make this all happen! -The FUN part will be the top hose and line that comes off the back of the A/C compressor.... I have some special parts to hand-make for this as I have no detail part to use or slightly modify to make it all look the part of the real thing!
And needless to say, add a fan blade as well, which is sitting waiting for paint as I type this!

Side shot. Engine looks pretty good considering what all I have had to to do to make it look as it is does and be a stand-in clone of what it should be compared to what was supplied with the kit!
THEN I took what you see here and fitted it to the frame, (test fit) and then it all came together in such a way, I was like OK now what do I do!?
NEVER good when your building something and things just do not fit right. Remember, this motor is NOT the stock kits engine! I sat the original aside as it came with all sorts of parts not suited to this build! NOR did I originally have it painted correctly! (I painted the original engine Mopar Engine Turquoise! And it should have been Mopar Engine Blue!)
SO, having the pulleys in place, and no fan, the engine would "drop in" but not have any space to add a fan! SO, having said that, I got to test fitting the interior, and the work I did to the frame to get the car to sit stock height, and seen that I HAD to cut the core support loose and rework it to fit!
Needless to say, I had the A/C condenser already on the radiator so I had to work extra careful not to damage anything..... I cut the thing loose, and got to seeing what kinda height space I had to work with, and what kinda front to back space I needed. And turns out 1/8th inch (3.5MM) would give me the space to add a fan to the engine, (MAYBE even a fan shroud!) -We'll see when its all together if I can! BUT having to cut the core support loose, and test fitting everything, I gained a little detailing "work space" so that adding the fuel line to the Mechanical Fuel Pump won't be such a task. (I'm NOT complaining, and also allow me to better detail paint the back side of the radaitor!
SO, with what I had to work with, I added spacers on the front side of both inner fenders, and filled in the joints and took out some moded on imperfections to the tops of both inner fenders!
Got one coat of paint on them as I type this, and then got to looking what I was going to have to do to the core support and possibly even the radiator to make it all fit in and look the part it is to be!
SO, I had to gain .188" in height, for the core support to "support" the body, and make the center of the added space look the same as the factory radiator! So off to my glue bomb parts bin I went to see if I had anything, to make a radiator look-alike with. Turns out one of the junk General Lee Chargers I had has the same radiator, and it was in fact a glue bomb part, that I merely hacked up to fit the purpose and began adding it all together!

The glue bomb radiator in-place, and then 2 sides of it to extend the core support down the frame were made of 4 pieces (2 parts per side), to get the same thickness of the factory core support, glued in-place AFTER the radiator was placed, and then ends trimmed off to suit!

Not yet painted, in either picture, but will be painted to match the existing part....

Leaning against the frame to show the front of the radiator, A/C condenser, and core support.
As of this message one side is painted, and one coat of paint has been done to the frames inner fenders, as it all will take 2 coats of the white to match....
The things we do to make things look the part and work all at the same time, I swear detailing gets me in more trouble sometimes! BUT I have to admit, I enjoy the challenge!
Thats it for now, more progress will be posted when things are done! Thanks for looking, as always comments welcome ~ENJOY!

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So, in my last message/posting, I had mentioned that I was going to work on the body now (its sat long enough for the last coat of gloss white paint to cure so that it can be handled! With that, it got a half ways decent wet sanding, and this time around, I didn't burn through the white paint! AND where I had removed the door trim for the Sheriff "Star" looks really good too! (Will look better once the "Star" decal is one the body, I have to say) but I'm close!!!


The trunk and the roof look real good....

The front, looks GREAT! I'm so glad how the front has turned out with the painting.... The area just in front of the hood for a bit had me a little concerned but it is as even as the rest of the paint!!!!

Not to bad over all..... I'm pleased with how the body is coming out!
Stay tuned! More to follow right after these short messages! LOL Thanks for looking, as always comments welcome, ~ENJOY!

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Then, it hit me! I got the body all nice and white, BUT I had made the interior "gray" so that it be as plain as a police car would be..... BUT what about the head liner? SO, having the white nice & cure, I went on to tape off all the windows, and got it all sealed up from the outside to then spray the headliner the same color as the interior!


That turned out GREAT too! I will be adding a "dome light" more centered and towards the front.... BUT not quite "centered" there as to shine just a bit of light into the back seat area.... This is a detail that will be made with something, as the kit has nothing for this! I, however plan to add it for detailing sake!
So this had to sit awhile as 2 coats of the gray needed to dry pretty good before I removed the tape from the outside, and hope to God, it didn't "bleed" under it, and it didn't! SO, I sat it aside right after removing the tape and white it was still there to go look and see what else could be done to the model to get the engine compartment ready to put the engine in-place!
Again, thanks for looking, Comments welcome ~ENJOY!

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So after sitting the body down to dry, I got to looking at that core support that needed all that extra work done to it..... After a bit of filing down any joints in the plastic, I went right on to paint it while the headliner was drying.... Got it all painted and sat to dry, and was able in about an hour to handle it for some pictures of how that turned out....

Engine side of the radiator! Considering it has been added to height-wise, it looks pretty good! -I MAY have made enough space in the front, to add a fan shroud, so we'll see, if not, I can live with how it looks!

Grill-side of the core support and radiator! AGAIN, looks pretty good! I can see some differing lines in the joints, but once in-place, I think those won't even be visible to the eye so..... Close enough for me, and good enough for this model!

Holding it "up-right" so so depth of detail and what it will look like "looking down onto" it with the hood open!
Not to bad!!!! I'm pleased again, with how this turned out and will leave it as-is UNLESS further issues come up when its is ready to be installed onto the frame! I WILL however be drilling it for wires, and hoses, as well as pipe lines (for the A/C condenser) and things, BEFORE it goes onto the frame I WILL be adding as much and whatever detail is required while its out, and loose!
So this was set aside to fully cure a bit, and then went right to looking at the engine.....
As I had mentioned a few posts ago, the engine still needed a power steering pump added to it, as well as the blue wire on the alternator fished through to the coil and left to hang "long" off the back of the engine only to be cut to length when its ready to go in, and followed the wire to the firewall....

Pretty close! Will be made to sit a bit more "natural" when its in-place in the frame and the interior is in-place as the firewall is mounted to the front of the interior tub! -So looks a bit odd right now....
Then I went on to add the power steering pump. When I had, I noticed I had left out the starter wires! SO I remedied that issue, and added them, out in back of the engine, you can see a black wire over-laying the transmission, thats the wire from the firewall (from the ignition switch) going to the starter. the red wire will lead up to the battery! -I drilled the power steering pump for the lines & hoses that will go down to the steering box! I see, that a little touch up is required and will be done when Its ready to be "plumbed"....
Also I added the fan as well. I have to touch up the front of the fans "center" hub as it was added and not painted, till it was secure enough that it could withstand a little brush painting!
Thats it for now everyone! More progress updates to come when things have been done and I'm able to get pics! Thanks for looking, Comments are always welcome!!!

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A short & sweet update.......... ITS DONE! Nahhhh. I'm yankin' your throttle cable.... LOL (was fun, for a second!)
I been sitting and waiting out white paint to dry, as the whole thing with white paint as we all know takes A LOT of time drying to be handled and NOT finger print! Patients is virtue here! SO, in that, I been working on another model as you all know in between times, as well as "knit picking" this one. a little detail here a lot of detail painting there, you know the drill with me....
So with that, all I've gotten done on this build is the under-side of the hood, and adding the hood insulation..... See:

Its slightly textured to look the part with the type paint I used, but once dry, I can then tape this all off and begin the final finish coat of gloss white and on to clear coating the hood there after!
Again, the light at the end of the tunnel is getting closer! Thats it for now, Stay tuned! Thanks for looking, Comments Welcome! ~ENJOY!