Monogram Orange Hauler (Darrill Starbird's Ultra Truck)

[THarrison351]

I'm placing this here because it's technically a truck, even though the chassis was a cars. I've had this kit since it was rereleased in 1990. I started it soon after and never finished. Kit is based on Darrill Starbird's Ultra Truck. Don't know why the name change. One of many bubble-top cars from Starbird. Body was a '62 Chevy P/U and chassis was shortened '55 Chevy passenger. 

The rear inner fenders had huge gaps that I filled and smoothed before painting. 

I opened up the hood scoop and airbrushed a white area in the center. All those thin strips of chrome were a bear to foil. 

Engine is an early Buick nail head with lots of chrome.  I added a pre-wired distibutor. There's a tiny magnet in the carburetor and one in the scoop so I can take it off. The headlight covers were frosted, so I painted them white. 

I lost one of the taillight lenses. Found that a tape dispenser had the correct curvature, and cut it to fit. I used Tamiya clear red to color them. 

I think the real car was black underneath, but the instructions called out the chassis to be white. I added a little pearl clear. Oh yeah, it has working steering too!

This is how it was found. Easy kit to build right out of the box. Chrome is pretty bad though. One side of the tree was shinier than the other. 

Freshly painted, Testors competition orange, flat white, silver, and black. I used Tamiya pearl on the orange
 

[TooOld]

Beautiful work Tim , that's about the nicest build of this kit I've ever seen !  Well done !

[Danno]

Nicely done. 

[Ace-Garageguy]

3 hours ago, TooOld said:

Beautiful work Tim , that's about the nicest build of this kit I've ever seen !  Well done !

Yup, what he said.

[cobraman]

I would like to echo those words.

[stavanzer]

Wow!

What a great build! You really nailed the look of the real thing.

Great job on overcoming the small setbacks. (Missing Lens, Dull Chrome)

[espo]

Beautiful looking finishes. Like the chassis and interior detailing. 

[THarrison351]

On 3/7/2023 at 3:18 PM, TooOld said:

Beautiful work Tim , that's about the nicest build of this kit I've ever seen !  Well done !

 

On 3/7/2023 at 6:22 PM, Danno said:

Nicely done. 

 

On 3/7/2023 at 7:05 PM, Ace-Garageguy said:

Yup, what he said.

 

On 3/7/2023 at 7:09 PM, cobraman said:

I would like to echo those words.

 

On 3/8/2023 at 9:26 AM, stavanzer said:

Wow!

What a great build! You really nailed the look of the real thing.

Great job on overcoming the small setbacks. (Missing Lens, Dull Chrome)

 

On 3/8/2023 at 12:14 PM, espo said:

Beautiful looking finishes. Like the chassis and interior detailing. 

Thanks everyone! I have the Predicta too and plan to finish it in the metallic red paint that the model design represents. Not thhe original blue or later blue restoration.

[ChrisR]

Looks great!

[KWT]

Very nicely done

[slusher]

Great build'!