1942 Willys Jeep.

Proof there is a Santa Claus, Shay !

I’ve stalled a bit on this Jeep build, and think I might have bitten off more than I can chew. 🥴
I found the dimensions for the body easily enough, but nothing regards the mechanical side and I’m having to make educated guesses to sizes of castings just from photos, which is off putting, and frankly dulled my enthusiasm.
I might have to get back to completing the body tub, with the curves, to get back my usual over-confidence again.

Didn't you say a friend of yours had one. Maybe get measurements off that. I would help out but mine is 1200 miles away.

You’re right Sam, pal Tony has one, but it too is locked up in a compound on a farm several miles away. He is a year younger than myself, but neither of us are the characters we used to be. We both have bad backs and getting under the vehicle to take measurements would be a big ask for a couple of old men groaning and moaning to get on our knees ! In our heads we may think we can do it, but in reality it’s a dream.
I have spent hours searching the internet for info beyond photos, but it eludes me. I had hoped to have made this model perfect scale - I like detail and to get things right, but I have my limitations and the best I can promise is a good representation.
I get my sizing by knowing one dimension, enlarging photos to that size, then taking measurements of other parts that way. It’s not accurate, and probably way out, but somewhere near.
This is how I measured up my latest updates ; the gear selector/ transfer boxes.

Ron, it will be gorgeous, we're not IPMS type of detail fanatics. Or I could use another word for them....

I thought with the Willys Jeep being a worldwide phenomena, the internet would have more than it does - at least more than I have found.
But hey-ho, as my daughter-in-law would say : it is what it is’

I joined the IPMS several years ago, for a year, but at the time I was going through a dormant modelling period, preferring to work on my full scale cars and bikes. Recently I checked out the IPMS website/forum, and it was quieter than Skids. Now, each branch has it’s own Facebook page, and that is how it seems to operate today. My nearest branches are miles away for meetings, and judging by their Facebook entries it is largely militaria and aircraft based. There is nothing wrong with the subjects, but I think I would feel a little out of place in that environment with my preferred automotive leanings.

Well as Al will tell you, back in the day he came over to Dublin along with two other lunatics who brought model cars for an IPMS show around the corner from my house.

We went down and asked where do we put our cars? They couldn't believe their eyes when we came back with over 20 models, they had to find a new table for us! The Geordie even won best paint of the show!

Don't like them much though Ron.

This model arrived bright and early this morning - on offer from Jadlam models with 10% off and free postage. I’ve never heard of Tacom models before but it came to light after yet another search for Jeep info, and my thoughts were ; at 1/16th scale all I have to do is replicate each part at twice the size......easy enough, right ???

What's it like?

Ron234 wrote:.....easy enough, right?

You went and did it now....

Looks good Shay, lots of parts, comes with driver and .50mm Browning as depicted on the box.
It’s a pricey kit for what it is but worth it to stop me moaning about lack of info for my big build.
I’ve already put together the 1/16th engine and transfer box - guess what ? I’m a tad way off on my sizes, but I kinda expected that.

Nice Ron boy, keep at it.

My 1/8th, and the 1/16th chassis for comparison.
Even at 1/16th, some the parts are too small for my poor eyesight, but the plan is as I add parts to the smaller model, I’m trying to create them larger from sheet plastic and the spares box.

I was wondering if that was what you were going to do.

Thankfully I don’t have to make brake drums or backing plates.

Sorry I haven’t added any updates recently but my bad back has flared up again, and getting up the loft ladders to my workbench /loft/studio (?) is several steps too far.
Fingers crossed I can get back to them soon.

Although I can’t manage to get to my workbench lately I have built up these subassemblies at my office desk of the 1/16h.model.
The Takom kit is very good, precise and a really good fit. There are lots of weeny parts that are a struggle for me to see, but they do make a lot of difference to detail. If I have any complaints, it is the attachments of the parts to the sprues being somewhat robust, and they do need a good clean up, otherwise an excellent kit so far !

Here’s a little known jeep fact :
If you are from the UK and considering buying a WW2 Jeep, take great care and do your research. Several jeeps proporting to be 1942/45 models have been found to be clones based on later French Hotchkiss M201 jeeps. Instead of restoring rotten original Willys the registration and significant details are transferred to these later vehicles.
Hotchkiss made these early models for their military and civilian use for decades producing around 30,000 units, and it wasn’t until the year 2000 that the French Military sold off their remaining Jeeps to be replaced by Peugeot P4 vehicles.

Are you going to weave a rug for the bald dude ?

I’m sure I can find a Lego one, somewhere in the house.

Perfect!

Really, REALLY good scratchbuilding!!!! I am always astounded at the skills and creativity of model-builders. You guys . . . are da best!

With a bit of careful cutting ....maybe Elvis !

Perfect ! He was "drafted".

My back is still dodgy so yesterday I got my son to go up to the loft/workbench and retrieve my big scale jeep bits and pieces so I could carry on with the build downstairs in my (warmer) office/spare bedroom.
This is where it’s at....a lot of the tub is now done, with fuel tank, with just the details, and seats, to add.
Unfortunately the chassis is a 1/4” too short at the rear rail, which I kind of guessed, so that needs amending. Then the next job is axles and springs - I have each leaf cut out of flat sheet plastic, but how do I get them to set at an arc, and not just flat ?