JMP Chevrolet G7107

[LSP_Kevin]

In recent times I've had an unnatural urge to build military trucks, and have in my possession this resin kit by JMP Productions (it was gifted to me by our own Ray a couple of years back).

 

 

I've started tinkering with it, but have come to discover that I'm missing some of the instructions. And given my total lack of familiarity with this subject (or genre), I would—for once—really like to work from them! And around the back of the cab, I can't tell where the part ends and the flash/casting block/resin detritus starts. As it stands, it won't fit over the forward chassis section like it's meant to, and I have no idea how it's supposed to, or where I'm meant to trim it so that it does.

 

Probably not the best choice for my first military vehicle kit in 40 years, but I'd appreciate any assistance anyone can render!

 

In the meantime, I'll keep tinkering with those bits that at least do currently make sense.

 

Kev

[Furie]

Hi Kev, I found this but it’s not JMP.
Maybe you can learn from it? 

 

35389_instruction-WEB.pdf (miniart-models.com)

[LSP_Kevin]

Thanks, Denis. Looks like it's related vehicle, but perhaps not exactly the same. As it happens, I've just discovered what I'm sure every AFV modeller on the planet knows, which is that ICM released a modern kit of this subject in 2021, so I've downloaded the instructions, and they've already given me a bit more of an idea about things. But only a bit. I'll have to study them in more detail when I get a chance, and compare them to the resin parts in this kit. Apart from not knowing where anything goes, my other main concern is warped parts, as the kit is quite old.

 

Stay tuned!

 

Kev

[LSP_K2]

I'll say this, the bed should be parallel to the ground, not canted forward as the box photo shows.

[LSP_Kevin]

So I posted about this on Facebook, and Thierry responded to me there, explaining that this manufacturer only ever provided a single fold-out sheet of exploded diagrams for the instructions, and that I probably had everything this kit came with. This makes more sense than mysteriously missing a random sheet of instructions from an otherwise complete kit. So, I'll just have to make do! My aim is for this project to be a fun distraction, so I won't be doing any deep dives - just enough to build it and not make it look like it's got a broken back, like the one on the box photo.

 

Kev

[LSP_Kevin]

I haven't been able to find a single build of this kit online anywhere. I think it (and the company) pre-dates the Internet, and judging by the smell of the resin, I'd say it was made in the '80s. So I may as well document my own attempt to build the kit here, so that there's at least one! And if the kit's really as old as I think it is, then it's actually not too badly done, having surely been made from scratch-built masters at the time.

 

Anyway, this first photo shows that that the cab simply won't fit over the forward chassis as intended:

 

 

You can also see that there's one remaining blocked window, which will have to be drilled out, as it's way beyond wafer thin. All the others yielded easily enough to the hobby knife. The two uprights in the windscreen opening need to go too, I believe.

 

This next photo shows what a mess the lower rear of the cab is:

 

 

It's this part that's blocking the fit from what I can work out, but I have no idea what to do here without further research (or advice). The ICM kit seems to have a curved cut-out in the middle, so I guess I'll try to emulate that if I can.

 

Kev

[thierry laurent]

Actually they were made during the nineties from scratchbuilt masters. So, indeed, they were available far before the common availability of the internet. This reminds me the good old times of the rec.models.scale text-only forum when I got my first Internet access 30 years ago. At that time universities, labs, some civil services and very large corporations were the happy few users of the Internet!

[chrish]

Wowsers it looks like the front (hood) from the firewall forward is sloped waaay to steeply downwards (appearances may be deceiving) looks like a major job to fit out. You’re a far more patient man than I 

[LSP_Kevin]

55 minutes ago, chrish said:

Wowsers it looks like the front (hood) from the firewall forward is sloped waaay to steeply downwards (appearances may be deceiving) looks like a major job to fit out. You’re a far more patient man than I 

 

Let's see how far I get with it! I've been able to remove enough material from both parts to get them to fit together, but there's a significant gap along the fenders on both sides. This could be due to a bit of warpage in one or both parts, as I can eliminate most of the problems by clamping them together. But I fear that gluing them together under that much strain is just asking for trouble, so I might try warming the parts with a hair dryer while they're clamped up, so see if that can impart a permanent shift in their natural mating tendencies (channelling my inner David Attenborough there).

 

Kev

[LSP_K2]

Hard to separate out the G7 from the others, but Google has tons of images that may be helpful, Kev.

[LSP_Kevin]

5 minutes ago, LSP_K2 said:

Hard to separate out the G7 from the others, but Google has tons of images that may be helpful, Kev.

 

Problem is, I don't even know what I'm looking at!

 

Kev

[LSP_Ray]

Hello, Kev! I thought that model looked familiar! It's a Chevrolet G7107, so search for that:

 

I could send something a little simpler to build if you want, but Miniart as well as ICM also has this exact same model in their lineup and both of their stuff is pretty darn good.

[LSP_Kevin]

Thanks, Ray. I'm happy to tinker with this one, and I think it's buildable, though the quality of the end result may be debatable!

Kev

[LSP_K2]

1 hour ago, LSP_Kevin said:

 

Problem is, I don't even know what I'm looking at!

 

Kev

 

Well for one thing, you can see what's supposed to fit where and how.

[LSP_Kevin]

Speaking of making things fit, I think I've got the cab fit to the chassis sorted out:

 

 

 

I had to remove a bunch of material from both parts, but still had large gaps along the fenders, as one or both parts seemed to be a little bowed. I could force them together with finger pressure, so I decided to clamp them up overnight, and then come back 24 hours later and run a hair dryer over the clamped assembly. This seems to have done the trick! I'm assuming that the ridge or lip along the lower edge of the cab on the right side shouldn't be there?

 

I did, however, manage to break off a small section of resin at the rear during the process:

 

 

Overall, this is a pretty crude kit by today's standards, but it certainly looks better at normal viewing sizes than in these enlarged photos. As long as the rest goes together without any significant warping or fit issues, I think it'll look fine with some remedial work and a coat of paint, so I shall soldier on!

 

Kev