Chevy Stepside Vintage Baja Style

[Retrocosm]

I found these pictures as a helpful reference for the rear frame and other details:-





I put the dashboard and seats in and found an old bit of Honcho cage that fits rather nicely inside the cab:-



I've also done a bit more detailing, added some driver names and an exhaust pipe and started experimenting with the rear framework.



I've made the frame out of aluminium links and ball ends for now and added a cut down TF2 bumper at the back.



So far pretty pleased with how it's coming along.

[hillbillyrc]

Wow, nicely done it's coming together.

[ElChupacabra]

Saw you just post this on a Facebook Group. Glad I stumbled on the build thread. Really nice work.

[Robs07junk]

That's A Nice P/Runner ! Congrats

[chino63]

I really love this thing. Every time I look at it, it reminds me of when I was a kid, reading all the desert race articles.

Any plans on a shackle reversal for the front?

[Rickleo]

Great looking Baja stepside. Thumbs up.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

[Retrocosm]

Originally Posted by hillbillyrc

Wow, nicely done it's coming together.

Thank you

Originally Posted by ElChupacabra

Saw you just post this on a Facebook Group. Glad I stumbled on the build thread. Really nice work.

Thanks fella.

Originally Posted by Robs07junk

That's A Nice P/Runner ! Congrats

Cheers.

Originally Posted by Rickleo

Great looking Baja stepside. Thumbs up.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

Thank you sir.

[Retrocosm]

Originally Posted by chino63

I really love this thing. Every time I look at it, it reminds me of when I was a kid, reading all the desert race articles.

Any plans on a shackle reversal for the front?

That's great to hear, I'm really enjoying trawling Youtube for old desert race videos.

I have played around with various settings on the suspension, had the shackles front and back. Once I've finished the body I'll do some more tuning on the chassis and see how it runs.

Cheers, Charlie

[JatoTheRipper]

That is awesome! Nice work.

[Retrocosm]

Originally Posted by JatoTheRipper

That is awesome! Nice work.

Thank you sir!

[Retrocosm]

I've had great trouble finding some suitable racing driver figures. No one seems to make them, Killerbody do one but it's tiny. In the end I took this Neca figure and pulled the head off, which fortunately was mounted on a ball joint so came off easily.

I then painted a Tamiya racing driver head originally made for the Sand Scorcher and popped it on to the Neca body with a drop of hot glue. I particularly like these heads as they have the era specific open face helmets.

Overall he's a bit big so I shall have to take the Dremel to the seat and cut a hole for his bum to slot in to. I have another one of the Tamiya heads so need to decide if I want to buy another Neca figure for the co-driver.

[Mike Flea]

Very nice job on the build, driver looks scared

[Retrocosm]

Originally Posted by Mike Flea

Very nice job on the build, driver looks scared

Cheers, hehe, I've decided as he looks scared he should be the co-driver!

A Dremel has been applied, the fastest cosmetic surgery ever achieved has resulted in some much smaller bums and thighs. Both drivers are now sitting well in the seats and fit in the cab correctly.

[Retrocosm]

Inspired by this Parnelli Jones Chevy I've decided to do a black portion on the hood.





What I can't decide is whether to add the white section for the car number. I've mocked it up here with a piece of paper.

[hillbillyrc]

The hood looks good, the white section just seem out of place with the red. I think it works with the yellow cause it is a bright color.

[THUG LIFE]

I like the look with the black part of hood without the white.

[Natedog]

Great build, loved wathcing these guys race on tv back in the day, like it better without white on the hood.

Agree with Hillbillyrc on how the colors work together.

[chino63]

I agree, better without the white. However, why not put a number on the white to see what it looks like before you decide. It may look right with it on there.

[Retrocosm]

Thanks everyone, I agree the white section doesn't work. What I may try is a white oval in vinyl, with black numbers on it. At least then I can remove it fairly easily if it's not working.

Charlie

[Retrocosm]

Neil over on the scalerc.co.uk forum very kindly made me some vinyls for the hood. Not only did he send me the original size but a selection of smaller and larger ones.

I have decided to go with the slightly larger size, I felt the size equivalent to the door stickers looked a little lost on the huge expance of bonnet. Also, as I have some spares, hopefully at some point in the future I can pluck up the courage to try the drop centre hood.