My new project is the Dodge Monaco driven by Rick Hunter, an LAPD Detective Sergeant. Hunter was broadcast on NBC TV Network and starred Fred Dryer and ran for 7 seasons with several reunion movies later in the 2000s. I am using the Yodel American Police San Diego County Plymouth Fury that I can easily swap over to a Dodge Monaco. The body is already molded in green plastic, but the model will be painted with Tamiya TS-43 Racing Green with Tamiya TS-65 Pearl Clear and Tamiya AS-15 Tan interior. The Monaco is listed as a 1977-1978 model and I believe that there are very, very few differences between the two years and this is also the pinnacle of badge engineering.
The chassis is a battery powered self propelled unit and I will not be using that feature. I opted to fill in all the holes for switches and electrical componants with sheet styrene and fill the short rear axle with styrene tube.
That would look cool, John! A patrol car can be any color combination except for the LAPD which should remain black and white. But that is just my humble opinion.
I got the wheels and tires assembled, but I’ll have to trim the rear wire axle since it is too long. I made a backer for the front bench seat and I detailed a lot of the chrome with a black wash by Tamiya and the parking lights where detailed by using an orange Sharpie.
Either I screwed up or the instructions are wrong. I had the wrong wheels in the wrong places on this build and I don’t remember if I ran into this issue with the Plymouth Fury that I built a couple of years ago. I put the wrong wheels on the front spindles which put the wrong wheels on the rear axle plus I needed to add a spacer to the rear axle for proper spacing. This entire operation took me about 1 1/4 hours to assemble, take apart and re-assemble this mess. Along the way, I broke the tie rod which I fixed with a piece of styrene that was on the bench.
I have painted my '77 Monaco with Tamiya TS-43 Racing Green. Another coat or two should darked the color some more. I also painted the interior bucket with Tamiya AS-15 Tan. Now to detail the dash and interior and paint up the radio.
Spent some time polishing the Monaco today with NuFinish Scratch Doctor. The results were stupendious! The paint is so shiny that you could read the Scratch Doctor label!
I have finished Hunter’s 1977 Dodge Monaco. It is painted with Tamiya TS-43 Racing Green with a Tamiya AS-15 Tan interior, a 2 way radio and an red emergency light. I would like to thank all those who have taken the time to view and to comment on my WIP.
