LS Plastic Model Trucks and SUV Collection

Thursday, November 30, 2006

AMT ERTL International Scout II 1/25 Scale

The original Scout was created as a competitor to the Jeep. The Scout was developed and ultimately produced in less than two years time -- a remarkable achievement in the automotive industry in the 60's.

The Scout line was formally introduced to the public on January 18, 1961. The first Scout to roll off the production line was available in both 2WD and 4WD versions. The engine was a 93 hp 4 cylinder engine, with 3 speed, floor mounted transmission. In 1967, the first Scout V-8 was built, powered with a 266 cubic inch engine.

Scout 80Scout 80 was the model designation for the early model Scouts (1961-mid-1965). They had sliding windows, a 152 4 cyl. engine, a fold-down windshield, vacuum windshield wipers at the top of the windshield and an IH logo in the center of the grill.





AMT ERTL World War II Jeep 1/24 Scale

On September 23, 1940 in response to an Army Invitation For Bids, the American Bantam Car Company of Butler, Pa. delivered a prototype vehicle to Camp Holabird for testing. The test vehicle was immediately recognized by the Army as one of the most important and innovative vehicles in the history of modern land warfare. Delivered and tested as Bantam Reconnaissance Car #1001, it was soon thereafter that it's testers dubbed it the "jeep".

Though the design and development of the first prototype jeep was primarily the work of Bantam Car Co., both Willys and Ford later supplied prototypes to the Army also. The Army tested all three designs and combined features of each design into one standardized jeep design. The initial contract for these standardized jeeps, model MB, was awarded to Willys in October, 1941. With the attack on Pearl Harbor shortly thereafter and America's entry into WWII, the Army felt that a second producer of jeeps would be needed. Ford Motor Company was contracted to build standardized jeeps based on the Willys MB design. Ford's designation for their standardized jeeps was model GPW.

A common misconception is that the letters "GPW" stood for General Purpose - Willys, but this is incorrect. The letters "GPW" are from Ford's own vehicle model codes where "G" indicated Government contract, "P" was Ford's code for an 80" wheelbase Reconnaissance Car 4X4, and "W" meant Willys design motor.

Another common misconception is that the name "jeep" was derived from a slurring of the letters "GP", but the word "jeep" was in common usage as early as 1938 - two years before the first jeep appeared. Exactly how the little 4x4 Reconnaissance Car ended up with the name "jeep" has never really been determined.

Willys and Ford went on to produce approximately 650,000 standardized jeeps between November 1941 and August 1945. Ford stopped producing jeeps with the end of WWII, but Willys adoped the jeep name and developed many successful civilian versions of the trusty wartime jeep.

Its simple, robust design gave the WWII jeep a legendary reliability in the field. The jeep served well beyond it's intended purpose acting as not only a Reconnaissance Car, but as weapons platform, ambulance, troop transport, equipment hauler, tractor, railroad locomotive (when fitted with special wheels) and more. The flat hood served equally well as a dinner table, operating table, map table or altar in the field. It was beloved by the troops and remains one of the most recognizable vehicles in the world.

Model Kit Review:
http://www.spencer1984.com/my_models/hound.php





Aoshima Toyota Land Cruiser BJ40V Hardtop 1/20 Scale

The Toyota FJ40 is the model designation for a Toyota Land Cruiser made from 1960 until 1983. Most FJ40 Land Cruisers were built as two-door vehicles with approximately the same dimensions as a Jeep CJ.

Over the years Toyota has changed the engines used in the J40 series. The B series motor is a 4 cylinder diesel, and the H series a 6 cylinder diesel. The diesel engined trucks were never sold to the general public in the USA, though some found their way in as mine trucks. The engines are similar, within the series. For example, the F and 2F engines share many of the same parts, however. H and 2H are almost another thing. There are individual models within the engine series, for example, there is a F125 engine, and a F155 engine, all in the F series with different power ratings.

Most J40 series vehicles could have their roof and doors removed, and with a folding windscreen this allowed for complete open-air experience. Before c.1973, original factory winches were driven directly from the transfercase, powered by the engine. Later models used an electric winch (a Warn M-8274 4-ton model).



AMT ERTL 1957 Chevy Stepside Pickup 1/24 Scale

Chevrolet's management dubbed the 1955 trucks their "Task-Force" line. Task-Force is a naval term. "Task" refers to a specific job or series of jobs the Task Force is to accomplish and "Force" is the inherent power with which they accomplish their tasks.

Task-Force pickups were all new. Their styling hallmarks included the truck industry's first wraparound windshield. Chevrolet advertising called it a "Sweep-Sight Windshield". This idea was first shown the year before on GM's innovative Buick LeSabre concept Motorama show car. Other interesting styling innovations included shrouded headlights in visored fenders, a classic egg crate grille, running boards

The "Second Series 1955" Chevrolet trucks were called Task-Force models. Chevrolet designers developed a new shape for these trucks called the "Load Pulling" look. New features for driver convenience and ease of operation included power steering, power brakes, overdrive for half-ton pickups, key-turn starts, tubeless tires, a 12-volt electrical system and a four speed automatic transmission on Series 3000 pickups.



Fujimi Suzuki Jimny Samurai 1/24 Scale

After more than a decade of proving their 4x4 prowess in countries all over the world, Suzuki introduced the all-new SJ410 (nomenclature signifying 4-wheel-drive, 1.0 liter engine) in 1982. This truck was also known as the SJ30, the Sierra, the Jimny, and also re-badged as the Maruti Gypsy in India, as well as the Holden Drover in Australia.

Larger and more modern than the LJ series, the SJ30 expanded on the LJ's pluses and addressed many of the minuses. The 970cc 4-cylinder engine was a larger version of the LJ80's power plant, delivering 45hp and an even bigger improvement in torque, helping to haul its additional 300lbs over that of the LJ more quickly to its identical top speed of 68mph.

More information: http://suzuki.off-road.com/suzuki/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=277666