I picked up the 1/25 scale Dukes of Hazzard Dodge Monaco police car kit the other day and have decided to make it resemble a car from an actual law enforcement agency. Given the kit’s specific make, model and lightbar, can anyone offer some options? I want to stick to the larger departments, as I figure they will be easier to get decals for.
If you haven’t already found it, there’s a great intro to the Monaco police cars here: http://www.allpar.com/squads/dodge-monaco.html
Specific make and model match is tricky, since the kit is a conglomeration of features, resulting from the kit having been modified several times over its long life. It currently most closely resembles the redesigned “standard” '77 Monaco in terms of body style and front grill. The kit has non-standard deep racing-type wheels and tires as well as non-police style “sport” side mirrors.
If you do a search for “77 Monaco police cars,” you should get some ideas—though quite a few of the photos that come up are movie/TV versions like the DOH cars. There are several neat pics of what look like restored (or “replica”) California Highway Patrol black & whites. (Example here.)
The earlier 70s style Monacos are probably most famous for their use in the first Blues Brothers film. Partly as a nod to that, and partly because I grew up in Chicago in that era, I did a “sort-of” version as a regular CPD cruiser using a mix of Fred Cady and home-made decals. (The real CPD Monacos–and they used quite a few of them–were the pre-1977 style.) I basically built the kit stock (racing wheels and sport mirrors unchanged), but scratchbuilt a more appropriate Mars Skybolt lightbar. A few pics:
One of the simplest OOB fixes, which somehow didn’t occur to me at the time, would be to insert spacers in the wheels to bring the hubs out flush with the rims. That way, at least at first glance, the wheels wouldn’t appear so odd on a cruiser.
While I was building mine, I happened across the original 1977 Monaco Police car brochure online. If you’re interested, I can probably either find the link, or shoot you copies of the files.
Thanks for the feedback! I’m going to check out the Allpar page and I’d love to see the '77 brochure. The CHP cruiser is great!
Glad it was useful. Here’s the link to hi-res images of the brochure:
Be advised,this kit sucks.Poor fit,minimal detail and oversized tires.
Thanks for the heads up - any specific fitting problems or is it overall?
Get the AMT 71 Charger kit and use the engine and chassis. Snag some steel wheels and tires from a 70 RoadRunner kit as well.
Yes that’s three kits to make one accurate Dodge Monaco. You can get by just replacing the wheels and tires though.
G
The bumpers have almost nothing to attach to.The chassis fits into the body,but it’s difficult to find anywhere to cement the two together.I hot-glued all the above.Check the fit of the front wheels especially.Unless you sand/grind down the part the axle fits into,the tires will stick out past the wheel opening.I have a feeling this kit was rushed into production upon it’s initial release.Also,the kit includes the wrong mirrors.Lots of errors.The interior however seems to be accurate and well detailed.
Here’s the one I built for a friend.I was so disappointed in the kit,I never posted the pics here.
I sure am happy you posted about this kit as I purchased it recently with the intention of building it as some version of police vehicle while stealing the M 16 for use with a Monogram 1/24 Huey.
From the posts in this thread, it looks like the kit will require a fair amount of work[bnghead]
For my own build, I intend to replace the tires but leave the engine compartment painted with the hood closed.
Best of luck with your build, jackball74. [:D]
There is plenty of weaponry with this kit.M16,shotgun,revolver,M1 Carbine,Tommy Gun and grenade launcher.I didn’t need them for this build,but there are a lot of copcar parts as well.Lights,first aid kit,radar and cage to name a few.Too bad nobody makes a wheel set for this kit.Modeling skills can’t shrink a tire.
Regarding the added weapons set for the car:
Unfortunately, the M16 lower is badly molded and I will end up making a new lower for it.
Thankfully, the BATF won’t care about a 1/25 model.[whstl]
I might consider turning the car into military police vehicle but don’t know if the US military used the vehicles or if their cars carried M16s in a front seat rack.[^o)]
I was told by a guy on another forum that the military did use these vehicles.If nothing else,the A-Team was chased by US military Monacos on a regular basis.
BTW,I keep forgetting to compliment the builder of the CPD Monaco.Well done.
Indeed! Very nicely finished CPD vehicle. [:D][Y][t$t]
( scratch built lights and decals? )
Jackball74
Thank you for permitting my posts in this thread.
Gregbale, TD4438 and agentg; please accept my apologies for being slow on thank you for the info and photos-
Sunday is my only day to do things and I am multi-tasking today.
Re: A Team, I recall AMC vehicles painted as military police, did not recall Dodge Monacos.[^o)]
I will re-view the off the air broadcasts I have ( thanks to MeTV ;WCIU Chicago ) to check for other types used.
I’m also wondering if the Magnum PI series might have had a few dressed up as Navy MP but think the series was produced after 1977.
During my pre-internet days I purchased a book titled:
" Police Cars-A Photographic History"
by Monty McCord
ISBN 0-87341-171-4
Unfortunately the publication is only monochrome photos and none of a 1977 Dodge Monaco, but does provide some interesting photos that can provide a list of vehicles for research on the internet.
For a neat overview of TV and feature film appearances of the Monaco, there’s an interesting site called the Internet Movie Cars Database. They’ve got 13 pages devoted to the Monaco, in sort-of chronological order. The classic '74-'77 models start (more or less) on page 4:
I take a little issue with some of their model-year calls, but it’s stunning, even as someone who was a big movie/TV fan during the years involved, how omnipresent the beloved Monaco was in various productions. (My big TV memory of them is from “Hill Street Blues,” where they appeared through most of its run.)
(Apologies to Jackball74 if it’s a little off-topic, but there are actually some pretty cool—albeit largely fictional—modeling ideas to be seen there.)
WOW !!!
[t$t][:D]
I love my Monaco
Thanks for the heads-up on the database, gregbale!
Found a pic on there from Miami Vice with one done up in the old Metro-Dade livery. I’m wondering if that was an actual surplus cruiser - does anyone know if Dade used Monacos? At the time the show was on I only remember seeing the “newer” Diplomats around town, but perhaps they had them a few years before?
And TD4438, who wouldn’t love your car?!
@TD - are you on a mission from god???
Couldn’t resist !
Ken