Going to resurrect a Daisy Dukes CJ Jeep!

Group of crazy modelers like myself,
I picked up an older Model at Hobbytown USA that was a "Backroom special" Why? The local store to me got a liquidated purchase from a guy that I was told was a model car hoarder, (yeah at this time, I'm liking what I'm hearing) so I start in, do you have.....

Goes on and on my wife says I'm headed over to Hobby Lobby, I'll catch ya there when your through here....So she leaves and takes my little girl with her....

As she walks out, is when I said so there are "others" the guy I normally deal with, sure there is, partially built ones that we can not display out here due to the franchise but, to guys we know we can sell them "As-is" So, then lets go have a look the next words outta my mouth, followed by "if ya don't mind me in the back rooms (2 locations to the store)

We go....And holy good GAWD, yes this guy who owned them prior to HobbyTown getting them, WAS a hoarder! I bet there musta been 500 partially built models in the back to rooms! They had all of the "new" unopened stuff, out front. BUT these opened partially built models I was in my glory, LOL

So I started asking if he saw anything "Mopar" he looked at me and i was like Dodge, Plymouth, Chrysler, Jeep.......... yep a few in both areas! I was like cool lets go have a look, I was actually seeking out specific models but he had a few, one being Daisy Dukes CJ-5 Jeep, "Dixie".... Its been YEARS since I've seen this model for sale on the shelves, so....He finds it and brings it to me, and I have a look, its missing the decals....Seems to be otherwise all there...

So I ask, what ya take? He looks hows $3.00 sound? GONE! Then I found a pretty much NEW '70 Plymouth Roadrunner, $5.00 Wheels were missing, $5.00 GONE! Then he pulls out a box of parts to a Little Red Wagon, $2.00 GONE, Then a Daisy Dukes '74 Roadrunner, $12.00 ALMOST brand NEW! GONE, Then he slips out a '70 Dodge Super Bee Pro-Street, $5.00 GONE. All in all, I didn't pay the suggested price at the very time, I had, $20 cash in pocket....I got them all for 20 bucks!



This was what the frame looked like right out of the box after I got home, I got to looking a bit better only to find that the engine was missing half its self! Was "OK" its a 4 banger so....I have in my parts stache, a AMC 401 C.I.D. that came from a member to the forums here that was extra due to the model he had in real life had a different engine in it. SO, now Daisy's Jeep has a pretty big V-8 for a Jeep...





Now its got a bit more details on it, Spark plug wires, Distributor cap, Fan belts, dual Alternators, as the Jeep when done will have dual batteries, to keep her cousins Bo and Luke out of trouble with a dead battery in the General....





Sorry Daisy, your 401 will only be getting a 2 barrel carburetor....Don't have a 4 barrel to fit it, replied Cooter!

Then to get a "test fit" as the V-8 is a bit bigger then the 4 popper that once was in here....







Man BARELY it fits will have to do some shoe-horning on the radiator to get it all neatly under the hood!

ENJOY.....More will follow as time and progress happen!

Guys,..
An update to the ole Daisy Dukes Jeep. I had gotten the frame painted, and the shocks painted (I didn't stripe it, the paint was not bad and made for a good bases -as-is so went right over top with some thinned out flat black in the air brush....



To see the shocks detail a bit better:



Then I went and got some more added to the AMC 401 V-8 I added under the hood....It got 2 Alterators, as it will have dual batteries (Daisy has to keep those 2 cousins of hers outta trouble some how!)

As for the dual battery and Alternator details, I also wired up the starter, added in the fuel linkage and return spring to the carburetor, AND got the Emergency Brake/Parking brake connections in place.

Quite a bit of detail on the engine, along! Have a look!







These pics were taken last night, and tonight I got even further! Those will come some time tomorrow!

All of these "loose" wires will be in place to the body as they have to be let loose till the body of the Jeep is ready to be connected to the frame as they have specific places to go, AND I have to make space for dual batteries, AND add a Master Cylinder for regular brake use, as the kit did not have this detail, and I added drum brakes in the rear, and will have disk brakes in the front.....All of "that" is currently "in-place"....
Enjoy for now!

In this posting I've been pondering how the frame will be done and how I plan to come up with somewhat lacking missing details this kit ought to have and what I am going to use in other areas that have parts, but aren't really a true "part" of a real vehicle! So, a bit of pondering, I have a lot of recovery work to do to the frame, as it was pre-painted by the first (original) owner of the model and orange frame, with green axles, just don't cut it for me! LOL

Plus, I had to come up with a way to shoe-horn a V-8 in the place of a I-4, as well as a battery box, and its location all to fit under the hood, and then to think of how much modification would be required to get a radiator in front of the engine, but behind the grille!

I'll post pictures of this as they happen, just don't know how some of it is going to come together!

So the "today" update as this frame things are happening FAST. SO, one of the things I have to learn is to get pictures even faster then the speed any one thing is going together. (Thats a learning experience all in itself!)

So anyway....Here is that frame:







Its now on its own wheels and tires! BUT these tires, have a story, they were NOT the ones with the kit! See, when I bought this kit, I found that those with it, did not fit correctly, the tires were cut out to large on the inside to take the rims that were to be in them to be "Daisy Dukes Jeep" so. Was stumped for a couple days on how I was going to go about this task. Then, it dawned on me, I had these "Military" tires that had rims cast into them, all in one piece. Sadly, I had to ruin the set I bought for a whooping $3.00 a box, that went with a well known Taiwanese model part company. But, I center drilled the rims out, and re fitted the left over tire with the rims originally with Daisys Jeep! I had thought first to use the "bigger" wheels I had till I seen the sheer size of them, and went tot he smaller ones that were in the kit, and were actual the same size as the factory ones! And look just as good!





This shot shows the nicely added 5th tire, for use as the "Spare".... GREAT downward looking shot as well, over the frame! I have yet to paint the spare "mount" to be colored to match the body of the Jeep!



Because of the frame and the origin of this kit, I bought it used it had some slight....issues, shall we say. That well both rear axles needed re-built, re-designed, something just the whole set up as messed up and the guy who did it well. I'm not sure "looking" over the model said exactly, what his intentions were....BUT, because of this, the front rear had a really "WIDE" stance, why? I'm not sure, I tried every trick I could to make it more narrow, BEFORE mounting it to the suspension, and it still had a good 1/8th to much on BOTH side so a quart inch to wide. SO, what I did was take and make the "steering" do a little.....With the vehicle looking as it was to take a left or right turn with the wheels as follows, helped A LOT, as it hides that issue pretty well I do believe!



I think it looks really well, considering what it did look like when I first began to study the parts within the box after getting home!



This picture is a close up depicted as so, to show the detail, I went and added in all the rear brake lines! They cross the rear axle, and then to a "T" joint, to then run up to the cross-member as in real life....To the drivers side frame rail, to the front where the Master Cylinder will be located on the firewall.

More to come.....This is the "Frame work" done, the following pictures are of "Moch-Up" of the engine and body setting onto the frame to clearing and looking to make sure all comes together!

So then, with the frame looking this good and my energy being so intense at this time of the things completed, I had to test fit everything as the steering axle being well, in a steered position....



I had to see if they were "turned" to taught for the body! And as seen they aren't they turned out VERY well this way. Plus with the wheel issues mentioned, I also had questioned fit of everything as it was being assembled, BEFORE the rear axle was placed to "stay" onto the suspension, I tested the fit of the tires with them able to be removed as they are now, they don't spin freely. I do that purposely tho, I learned the hard way all that hard work can land it on the floor in a million pieces and the breakage just isn't worth it PLUS, I display at a couple local places and would NOT want to hear that one of my nicest models wound up on the floor or bottom of the displace case because they "roll"....So, yeah, don't happen!



Pretty good clearance overall front to back, and all around looks....(The height seems high, but isn't really) I have Nerf type "steps" to add to both sides for Daisy to get in and out....These probably pre-date the actual "Nerf" brand by 10 years LOL

Looks good on the driver side front corner and having the wheels steering into a left hand turn!!!!!

More to come as more progress is made! ENJOY!!!!

I wish I could get excited about this, but I'm just sorry

Sorry for what? Sure its a model, and we all love "Auto's" I mean right now, I got a bit of my own to do on both my truck and all, BUT its over an hour away from home to work on....So in the mean time, I build models when I got nothing better to do in the evenings.....

Not everyones cup of tea, but, other enjoy seeing it so, its worth post...

If we ALL were the "same" be a bit boring, wouldn't it?

I get that its not everyones cup of tea, BUT to each their own, my Daughters 9, she wants to learn to paint and use an air brush, I got the talent and the time, plus the safety equipment needed, why not teach her what her school won't? They barely have an "Art class" there, and its sad, but true......We both enjoy it, Father daughter time and she likes to make a mess at times, but thats the whole part of teaching, unlike our schools do these days so I do it myself, IF the whole damned neighborhood bunch of kids wanted to "learn" I'd teach them!

So, as I said this kit, was missing the decals, BUT I have the body painted and awaiting decals as I get them, stored in its box, protected from scratches and such, but heres a look at the body....I have some (A LOT) of detail to add, and paint in, the body must be painted white on the outside BEFORE any painting inside can be done so. Thought when I was painting, I'd get some shine to her. ENJOY Daisy!





Its gettin' there! I'll be pleased when a few of these are completed, as then I can get moving on some others that are waiting!

this is beyond cool and I didn't even know that a jeep kit was available

That is looking good! I was up at that Hobby Town a few weeks ago and saw those kits. I ended up buying the new Revell Sox and Martin 70' Cuda kit. Congrats on the scores!

dge467 said:

That is looking good! I was up at that Hobby Town a few weeks ago and saw those kits. I ended up buying the new Revell Sox and Martin 70' Cuda kit. Congrats on the scores!

Click to expand...

Which Hobby Town? The one in Manchester NH? Or the small "Hole-in-the-wall" down in Nashua, NH??????

I've been to the one in Manchester quite a few times as that same "plaza" has a Hobby Lobby in it too! So, I hit both places in one visit!

As far as the Sox & Martin '70 'cuda.....lucky guy! I haven't yet ran into one of those! '70 Cuda i mean, I have a Jo-Hans Pro-Street '71 'cuda tho.....

I'd love to get me hands on a '67 to '69 Cuda.......I know of a real one, I'd like to model!

EDIT:
Sorry for the pics, Photobucket is being a jerk! WHEN the date comes, I'll be able to edit those URLS....hopefully!

Dude you know i have one . That still sealed . This makes me want to open it .... I keep thinking its been unopened sice 1985 lol

Which one Asa? I've mentioned a FEW models in the end of my last posting!

the jeep sorry lol

Yeah? Mine was already opened when I got it so.....I bought it used to begin with! BUT for $5 I couldn't complain! I'm just waiting to get everything i need to get it all on the way to completion.....Which that too is coming (I JUST got the decals) to finish the body work on this one today after getting home from a couple appointments!

Stay tuned! This one will be getting under-way once again!

ya mine the box it beat up but its still sealed think i should do it . or leave it sealed ?

Guy..........I know the bricks are gonna be whippin' at me in a bit but......BUILD IT! Models were created to build, and thats what happens to them, with me, Not ALWAYS as they should be BUT, they do get built or well have in the past (I lost a TON in a house fire a few years ago that I built as a kid, only 2 had survived that house fire and only one exists from it now....BUT, I'm gaining back a few of those losses.....I'll never have them all back but some nice ones to replace those I can't get no more LOL

I say, build it! To much fun not too!

I dont know . Ive thinking bout that for bout 10years lol . ive had it bout 18 years lol

I need to find me some decals for the one I have....It was an opened kit that a local placer had that I knew the day I bought it that the decals were missing so.....I thought I'd find a good set at some point, BUT those I've picked up recently are **** so.....Back to the drawing board on that one!

I bet the ones in this one will be junk there so old . but i still aint made up my mind to open it lol

I should have known better Asa! I know a way to preserve decals and failed to use that knowledge and BOOM.....The minute I took them out of the water they freakin torn in multiple locations and ruined them....Theres a way around that doesn't always work but 80% of the time it does!

Ever try scanning them, cleaning them up (if necessary), then reprinting on that decal paper? I'm going to pick up some of that and try it. I have some that are so old, I think even fixative isn't going to save them.

Sadly,
I ain't got a working printer! Which is one of the more difficult issues I've got.....

I dont even own a printer lol

LOL yeah? I got one, but its the biggest POS I've EVER seen............. Headed for the rip apart pile (parts and stuff, inside I can use and not worry about making the damned thing work on my computer either of the 2 of them! So. I really, don't have a printer, it won't work on my shop or home computers so.... yeah its an older one.....