1946 Chevrolet Panel Truck

I recently built a replica of an air plane for one of my bosses . It was a big hit.

I am going to step outside my comfort zone again and build something for one of my other bosses.

He has recently acquire a 46 Chevy panel truck. It is in fair shape and he is planning on restoring it.
His son gave him a drawing of what they would like it to look like.
I am going to try and build a model that looks like the drawing.

I did some research and I could not find a 46 Chevy truck model kit let alone a panel truck.
I came across a 41 Chevy truck and to me it looks just like a 46. I know the Big Three stopped making vehicles during the war so maybe that's why they look so much alike.

I picked up a 41 kit off of eBay and it showed up last night. I am eager to build this one so I got out the saw and sheet stock and got to work.
I scratched up the rough shape and I am going to let the dry for a few days before I start over laying the thinner sheet stock to make the style lines and the massive amounts of putty...

I am going to have to redo the back window to match the split oval shape and scribe door shut lines and make hinges.

Once I have the body fixed up it should be a straight forward build with a lowered suspension.

Very well planned and executed surgery, Mitch. You make it look easy.

That is a complicated conversion that you are doing an excellent job on. I'm looking forward to seeing the finished model.

NICE! Man this is going to be fun to watch! I am very interested in seeing how you do the rear doors, are you going to do the doors?

Think about picking up some Duplicolor polyester filler primer, it really helps when doing these projects. This stuff fills in some pretty deep sanding lines speeding up the process.

Nice one Mitch, great work and you are on the right track for sure!!

What a craftsman!!!  Thanx for sharing a very difficult "how-to"!!!!

Plastic Freak wrote:NICE! Man this is going to be fun to watch! I am very interested in seeing how you do the rear doors, are you going to do the doors?

Think about picking up some Duplicolor polyester filler primer, it really helps when doing these projects. This stuff fills in some pretty deep sanding lines speeding up the process.

Thanks for the advice Curt.

Thanks for the kind words guys. The GTO build gave me the confidence to try this one.

Your doing aweome work on the conversion, and I hate to tell you Mitch, but there is a resin panel body available for this kit. I bought one myself and its a very nice casting.




http://www.rmrmodels.com/

Just checked out the site. They have some pretty cool wagon conversions.

Thanks Sam. I appreciate the info. The back of mine is not as curved as I would like but even though there is a resin one I am probably going to just keep going with this one and use it.

There are some things about the resin one I don't like. The driprail is missing, the style indentation on the upper side is not correct and the fenders are molded into the body. If I am going to pay that much for a body I wouldn't want to have do a bunch of work to it to make it look like what I want.

Here is where I am as of last night.

great progress Mitch.

This is outstanding. I really like the way you are going with it.

Thanks guys. I went to the hobby shop during lunch today and got some more glue and some smaller Evergreen half round. The strips I used for the side are too wide. I was going to sand them down but that would be tough to do and keep straight. So I am going to cut them off and glue narrower ones on.

I want to rasp file the back into shape a little more and then cut the windows and add final skins to the sides and back.

Then I can start putting on the Bondo spot putty.

Looking GOOD !!

Some fantastic fabrication work!

This just keeps getting better Mitch. Love it.

Thanks friends.

I have to say I am well please with the way this is turning out. I think its really taking shape.

I have a skim coat of putty on and all of the style lines and moulding glued on.
After it is ready for the final coat of primer I will glue on the drip rail and the rear door hinge blocks.

Looking real promising Mitch, I like what you've done with the rear door windows.

Good luck with the rest of the build and the wicked storm.

Mitch, the rear door area and windows look really cool. Also the sculpted panel area on the upper sides. Keep it up, thus is looking great!!

Great sculpting, Mitch. Nice move with the smaller half rounds.

This is really taking shape Mitch. Well done.

I don't envy you all that sanding though!!

Looking good. I am with Al on the sanding, but I am sure you will get'er done.

Hi SR,

This is looking so very, very sweet, top marks on your work so far...

Andy...

Thanks guys.

You're right Al, just when I think it's looking good I shoot a coat of primer and Oh My.....

Lots more sanding to do.