Andrew D Charger Chaser

Man, very impressive range!

Lol well...now I'm feeling selfish for saying...I spent almost 2 decades with the last survivors of the USS Arizona (which is also what I speak and present about).  So, I've got stories about them that most folks have never heard, plus my experiences with them. 
I'm a flutist and composer/arranger.  What sorts do you sing, then?

Hobie, you're too kind, thank you brother!
Just had no idea this would take 3 years.... 🤦‍♂️
Been tough to keep up, there's always PLENTY going on.  Besides projects like these, I teach, I'm a musician, I'm a speaker/presenter, and just finished my first book (about to seek a publisher).  No doubt y'all have plenty on your plates as well!
Thrilled to see the A-Z game is still going

Gettin' there, folks!
First, windscreen had to be made from scratch, since the windscreen frame was significantly widened from the Revell Classic VW kit.  Thankfully, it's flat, so, not impossible.  Started with the original windscreen, traced it, then added the appropriate fill plug, on paper.  Then, cut the new shape from packaging from something-or-other that my lovely wife bought (no idea what, it was in the recycling).



 
Next, the bumpers.  Closest option of the 3 kits is the Aoshima, except these represent the slightly later style with embedded lights. 
Removed the chrome with bleach, grind off the rubber strip (too wide), fill the light slots, add a new rubber strip.  Prime, spray black, mask the rubber strip and spray Alclad chrome.






 

Here's the next problem:  The Aoshima Super Beetle has the super-modern dashboard and steering wheel, while both the Revell kits had the older, classic style dash and larger wheel.  Which to use?  I sorted through all the footage I could from all six episodes it appears in, and almost no clues....except a couple views like the one below.  Definitely the classic dashboard.  Looks to be the large wheel, I'm mostly certain.  Had to widen the classic dashboard to fit the wider Super Beetle, though.



 

Ever notice how often the kit vinyl tires come nice and glossy, when the real ones are usually quite the opposite?  A good treatment of sandpaper all over helps, then later a scraping of the tread through sand-dirt outside the front door.  The wheel hubs are painted, then detailed including a light wash of watercolor sludge with soap to make it stick.

Here's the next problem:  The Aoshima Super Beetle has the super-modern dashboard and steering wheel, while both the Revell kits had the older, classic style dash and larger wheel.  Which to use?  I sorted through all the footage I could from all six episodes it appears in, and almost no clues....except a couple views like the one below.  Definitely the classic dashboard.  Looks to be the large wheel, I'm mostly certain.  Had to widen the classic dashboard to fit the wider Super Beetle, though.



 

Ever notice how often the kit vinyl tires come nice and glossy, when the real ones are usually quite the opposite?  A good treatment of sandpaper all over helps, then later a scraping of the tread through sand-dirt outside the front door.  The wheel hubs are painted, then detailed including a light wash of watercolor sludge with soap to make it stick.

Kindest thanks my friend!
What an unbelievable battle with the body of this little beastie!  I thought it would be so simple; get a beetle and chop the top off as per the TV show.  Ha!! 
Finally just about have it straightened out with the myriad of alterations.  Then to add the (presumably) canvas cover over the area behind the back seat.  Used 0.015" strip for the edging, then 0.005" sheet for the rest. 
Then, following photos of the actual thing, mark where the bolts/snaps/whatever they used are located, drill holes with a #74 drill bit, insert .020" rod, trim and sand to shape.  More primer, and now I'm finally starting to feel relieved!

On to the wheels.  I had a choice of 4 different sets of Beetle tires, all of varying widths.  I thought the closest to what I see on the TV show was the ones from the Revell Cabriolet Beetle.  The outer wheel hubs came from a most generous overseas donor (thanks Les!).  However, they needed some work to fit the selected tires.  As for the inner wheel hubs, they needed their center holes enlarged to fit the suspension I used. 
 




 
 

On to the wheels.  I had a choice of 4 different sets of Beetle tires, all of varying widths.  I thought the closest to what I see on the TV show was the ones from the Revell Cabriolet Beetle.  The outer wheel hubs came from a most generous overseas donor (thanks Les!).  However, they needed some work to fit the selected tires.  As for the inner wheel hubs, they needed their center holes enlarged to fit the suspension I used. 
 




 
 

Kindest thanks, great to see y'all!  As I said, had a LOT going on.  And, thanks as always for the kind words!
Noticed that more of the back end had to be totally redone.  Fenders are totally curved, as the tail lights are not embedded in the structure.  So, they have to be totally altered.  Also the panel below the engine door, has to be totally flat and not contoured. 





 

Now the interior.  The Classic's side panels seemed best, except I liked some of the details on the Revel Cabriolet better.  Solution: graft the details onto the better panels.
The Classic's seat bottoms are terrific, but the Revell Cabriolet's seat backs are the closest to the real thing out of the 3 kit choices.  Again, graft them together.




 

Now the interior.  The Classic's side panels seemed best, except I liked some of the details on the Revel Cabriolet better.  Solution: graft the details onto the better panels.
The Classic's seat bottoms are terrific, but the Revell Cabriolet's seat backs are the closest to the real thing out of the 3 kit choices.  Again, graft them together.




 

Now the interior.  The Classic's side panels seemed best, except I liked some of the details on the Revel Cabriolet better.  Solution: graft the details onto the better panels.
The Classic's seat bottoms are terrific, but the Revell Cabriolet's seat backs are the closest to the real thing out of the 3 kit choices.  Again, graft them together.




 

Thanks for the kind words!
Got to splice the chopped door posts from the classic body onto the Super's convertible body.  Always better to cut and graft too much, then cut it down to size.  Then a bit of grinding and sanding to blend it all in.


 

Howdy folks,
I must apologize for being away for a couple of years.  Had my hands full with MANY things, including a wedding, some health stuff, plus got really burned out on this project (FAR more difficult than originally thought).  Time to get it off the back burner and finished.  Hope y'all are doing well and blessed!
Ok, let's see where we left off.
Major body modifications.  Had to take pieces from the two Revell bodies and graft them to the Aoshima to reflect the correct vents, trims and such.  Flat windscreen framing on the hardtop was too narrow, so I widened it with an insert of plastic, above and below.  I'll worry about the windscreen itself later.
The hood was a nightmare, part of the upper section being scratchbuilt.











 
 

Okay, finally time for the COMPLETED item, my Ultimate Cooter's GMC Tow Truck!  Only complaint is the decals on the door are 'way too oversized, but they were the only ones I've been able to find in years of looking.













 

In the episode "Daisy's Close Call" (S6 E19) Cooter is seen using a tool box from the rig.  I can't see it in any other episode, so, being Hollywood, it probably wasn't there at any other time, not being a true "working" rig.  Still, I thought it would be a great, even necessary, addition.
I estimated the size at about 20" x 8" (when he carries it to the truck it is indeed fairly slender).  From some angles the grime from being handled by a mechanic is visible.  Appears to have a silver or light colored handle.
I scratchbuilt it in an evening, primed it and painted it the next day. 




 
The same day I scratchbuilt a crowbar, and added a hammer and a wrench that came with the two junkers from which this project began.  The wrench was finished in Alclad stainless steel, then grime strategically added.  All the tools were made to appear worn and heavily used.  Finally all this was added to the wrecker bed, including an extra length of chain visible in the episode "Happy Birthday General Lee".  



 

Okay, finally time for the COMPLETED item, my Ultimate Cooter's GMC Tow Truck!  Only complaint is the decals on the door are 'way too oversized, but they were the only ones I've been able to find in years of looking.













 

In the episode "Daisy's Close Call" (S6 E19) Cooter is seen using a tool box from the rig.  I can't see it in any other episode, so, being Hollywood, it probably wasn't there at any other time, not being a true "working" rig.  Still, I thought it would be a great, even necessary, addition.
I estimated the size at about 20" x 8" (when he carries it to the truck it is indeed fairly slender).  From some angles the grime from being handled by a mechanic is visible.  Appears to have a silver or light colored handle.
I scratchbuilt it in an evening, primed it and painted it the next day. 




 
The same day I scratchbuilt a crowbar, and added a hammer and a wrench that came with the two junkers from which this project began.  The wrench was finished in Alclad stainless steel, then grime strategically added.  All the tools were made to appear worn and heavily used.  Finally all this was added to the wrecker bed, including an extra length of chain visible in the episode "Happy Birthday General Lee".  



 

Scratchbuilding the winch was a challenge since a lot of it was guesswork.  As far as the brace/frame (not sure the correct terminology), I discovered I didn't have to guess the width; apparently it should be the same width as the chassis frame, which makes sense from an engineering standpoint.  Then, the more I built, the more extra details I'd discover in the photos.  This was a long, long process.  



 
The tow booms were heavily modified from those in the MPC Datsun Monster Truck kit.  Both ends were totally scratchbuilt to bring it all together, after careful study of my reference photos.  The booms will be removable until after painting.  The thin bar atop which will support the rotating beacon also has two round "shoulder" lights.  These were made from slices from a clear styrene rod of the appropriate diameter.  Wires were added from various thicknesses of copper wire. 

The entire chassis has a very toylike appearance, with almost every detail molded right on as one piece.  So it was completely cut apart down to the basic frame and rebuilt.  Front suspension was improved a bit, rear suspension completely rebuilt, and exhaust system with mufflers was scratch built.  
This would have to be mostly redone a second time when I realized the wheel base needed lengthening to accommodate the Holmes wrecker.  I won't tell you what I said when I realized this....






 
The interior was made as dirty and grimy as possible, as a working country tow truck would be.  Scratchbuilt CB radio installed.  


 
 

There is a long out of production kit of a GMC pickup truck.  I found one built junker on Ebay, along with a very similar junked Chevy pickup.  Between the two junked models, I had enough salvagable parts to begin.  The better of the two cabs was treated to multiple paint strippings and sanding.  The engine was rebuilt, but without the air cleaner and upper parts; the hood will be sealed shut for this.  An opening was made in the forward bulkhead to put a radiator, as it would be slightly visible with this type of grill.  





 
There is a ribbing pattern that should be on the rear of the cab.  This area was thinned, then the ribbed pattern built with styrene.  After priming it was airbrushed white and blue.

Hey y'all,
Been away from you too long, working on what I thought was an impossible project that I almost gave up on.  I'm now ready to begin posting an amazing (and frustrating) journey to build the most accurate Cooter's Tow Truck ever done.  Maybe.
First off, there were several tow trucks used over the series.  Here's (mostly) when each appears:
     -Season 1:  Brown Chevy, simple tow rig
     -Season 2: White/Blue Ford with Red Holmes wrecker 
     -Seasons 3-4: Big Yellow Ford
     -Late Season 4 through 7:  White/Blue GMC with Red Holmes wrecker
By far my favorite is the GMC.  There was also a similar White/Blue Chevy with a much wider wrecker rear that showed up in a handful of episodes mid-series.
 
THE PROBLEM:  Not only is the MPC kit of Cooter's Tow Truck completely fictitious, but there is NO kit or conversion available in existence to make the correct Holmes wrecker (everything aft of the cab).  This would be the most ambitious scratchbuilding project I've undertaken to date.
Let's begin with a photo of my target subject, the GMC with Holmes wrecker: