1975 Datsun Pickup MPC

[tcoat]

This is the model of a an actual truck I bought for for $75 back in '79. Mine was really a '73 but nothing really changed much in the couple of years so the '75 is close enough. It had already seen a hard hard life by the time I bought it from a guy that used it in a lime quarry so the paint was toast and much of the body had rust on the rust although there were very few actual holes.
Being a single stage enamel paint job there was almost zero gloss left to it and the once vibrant red was more a really dark pinkish brown. I bought it strictly to drive on those frequent occasions when my '70 Coronet R/T was without an engine because I was rebuilding it yet again or to haul tools and tires to the strip (with a buddy driving it). It was a blast to drive though and soldiered on until I pushed it a bit hard one day after about 6 months and blew the head gasket. Then sold it for $100!



The kit shows it's age with a pile of flash and is sort of a mixed bag with a really nice engine, body and drivetrain but an interior that other than the dash is just sort of vaguely interior like. It went together really well though.



The main exercise of this project was to get the battered paint and rust just right. I am very happy with the results and it was a ride down nostalgia road through the whole project.

















The weird interior. Not sure what version had those fancy seats but I wasn't bothered enough to scratch build the vinyl covered park bench that mine had





The engine is a little jewel though!

[mustang1989]

Woah HO HO man!!!!! The paint and weathering on this truck is amazing and it's just a truly awesome turnout!! I have yet to weather anything like this as of yet because I just love pristine shines but I'd like to get this good on my military stuff. Thanks for sharing this!!!

[tcoat]

Mar 8, 2023 10:26:08 GMT -5 mustang1989 said:

Woah HO HO man!!!!! The paint and weathering on this truck is amazing and it's just a truly awesome turnout!! I have yet to weather anything like this as of yet because I just love pristine shines but I'd like to get this good on my military stuff. Thanks for sharing this!!!

You will see very little pristine shine from me. Especially with the vehicles I actually used to own. Be a couple but most were pretty beat up.  

[midnightprowler]

Very well done. Great weathering.

[dannimal]

Outstanding realism!

[kyledehart5]

Thanks for sharing all these old builds from before my time. The weathering on this is jaw dropping!! Looks like it was rode hard its entire existence. That engine is a work of art too. What a delightful little 4 banger. Great work all around. Loving this series of vehicles you’ve owned.

[handiabled]

Top notch weathering! I always hoped my tetanus shot was current when working on these back in the day

[Leon]

WOW.... That looks awesome! Great work on the weathering.

[tcoat]

Sept 8, 2023 23:43:21 GMT -5 kyledehart5 said:

Thanks for sharing all these old builds from before my time. The weathering on this is jaw dropping!! Looks like it was rode hard its entire existence. That engine is a work of art too. What a delightful little 4 banger. Great work all around. Loving this series of vehicles you’ve owned.

The fun part was that since it spent most of it's life in a lime quarry the paint and engine looked like it was 20 years old but it actually only had something like 15,000 miles on it. Probably would have lasted years yet if I hadn't tried to put over a tone in a 1/4 ton truck and them travel at highway speeds. 

[deafpanzer]

I am glad I didn't miss this. Everything looks so great and realistic especially the engine!!!

[tcoat]

Sept 11, 2023 8:52:37 GMT -5 deafpanzer said:

I am glad I didn't miss this. Everything looks so great and realistic especially the engine!!!

I sometimes think I should just build old dirty engines! 

[kyledehart5]

Sept 11, 2023 7:14:56 GMT -5 tcoat said:

Sept 8, 2023 23:43:21 GMT -5 kyledehart5 said:

Thanks for sharing all these old builds from before my time. The weathering on this is jaw dropping!! Looks like it was rode hard its entire existence. That engine is a work of art too. What a delightful little 4 banger. Great work all around. Loving this series of vehicles you’ve owned.

The fun part was that since it spent most of it's life in a lime quarry the paint and engine looked like it was 20 years old but it actually only had something like 15,000 miles on it. Probably would have lasted years yet if I hadn't tried to put over a tone in a 1/4 ton truck and them travel at highway speeds. 

I’ve done my share of overloading pickup trucks that I shouldn’t have so I won’t cast any stones there. Lol.

[buddho]

Amazing weathering and rust on the pickup. This is amazing realistic. You are truly talented!

[tcoat]

Came across some more in process shots while looking for something else.

[kyledehart5]

Super cool. Poor old thing was decimated from top to bottom.

[handiabled]

The only thing it's missing is some Minnesota license plates. They all looked like that here after 2 winters of salt

[tcoat]

Dec 1, 2023 9:54:05 GMT -5 handiabled said:

The only thing it's missing is some Minnesota license plates. They all looked like that here after 2 winters of salt

Well Ontario ones were not much better but that poor truck got salt AND lime dust.

[project510]

LOVE THIS!

If you cant tell by my user name, Im a a bit of a Datsun fan. I still need to add one fo these to my stash.
The xtra cab version maybe my 1st or 2nd mini truck of all time. I flip flop between that and the hardbody.

Great work!