All right, here we go working away at that list.
I made up some wipers...



Made up the side curtains out of green stuff

Yeah, the paint is still wet...

Put a rope on the deck and added lenses to the head lights...

I also worked on the rope bumpers, I tried som green stuff with nylon over it for texture. But the the one I went with is the kit supplied plastic with nylon stocking glued over it and thread loops added to the ends.

I'm still not to sure weather or not I should put them on though.

The GPA is supposed to be one used in the invasion of Sicily. These would have been one of the first major uses of the GPA in action and this one would have been fresh off the beach. So my thought is that it would remain in pretty much the same configuration that it was deployed... I don't know though, any thoughts...

All right fellow modelers, I'm getting close to the end but I need some help with a couple of things. The rope "fenders" (for all you nautical types), and the anchor. I have them built, but I am having trouble justifying putting them on there. I can't seem to find any period photgraphic evidence of them being used. I have drawings of the tie downs for the anchor, but nothing for the fenders / bumbers at all (other than the kit). Sooooo, can anyone help with these?

Thanks,

I don't have an answer for your question, but I just wanted to comment on your build, you have really done a great job improving an ancient model. Well done!

Scott Gentry

Well it looks like the fenders are out, I just can't find any pictures of them in action. No doubt they had them, but when and where they used them escapes me. It's a shame though, they came out pretty good for what they are. There is still time though if anyone has any input.
I think I'll go ahead with the anchor though since I have found a couple shots of them still stowed.
And Scott thanks for commenting, I've been having alot of fun with these old kits (I have enough of them). One of these days I'll get around to a high tech kit, but for now I'll just keep on with these oldies.

Here we go agian, and according to the list this should be about it.
This is the first anchor...

Not bad, but it could be better, so here is the next version made with scrap photo etch...

And installed on the spare...

The figures are in, the windshield is on, and the new side mirror installed...



And this is where it all happens!

The only things left are a display base and case (maybe some new wheels), but at any rate the bulk of the build is done! Of course there are some things that I would do differently if I had to do it over, but hey, it was fun!

Outstanding Job!!

I like it a lot

Wow, that anchor looks awesome! I'll dig around my references and see if I find anything with the GPA using the fenders

Your wheels went out on Friday. So maybe they will show mon or tues?

Andy

Mauro, Andy, thanks alot guys! I'll be looking for those tires, I still don't think it will be a problem getting them on there, one fell off already and I haven't glued it back on. I definately like the second anchor better than the first one, the plastic just made it too chunky. Yeah Andy, if you can dig anything up on the bumpers that would be cool. The only pictures that I could find were restorations, so I couldn't really go with that. If they just weren't that common then so be it, I'll just leave them off.

Thanks Again for looking!

Hi Jonathan,

Well I looked through several "jeep" books (each covering the GPA in several pages), and your are right... it appears that though the fenders were part of the standard OVM kit, they were never used! I found pics of the GPA in waterborne operations, and no fenders present... Not even the soviets used them. Now I didnt see many pics of Pacific Theatre, but im guessing its probally the same situation.

reall bummer as I have the great Thachweave fenders I was going to use...but looks like I wont be!

Andy

Dang that's too bad about the fenders, especially your Thatchweaves. Sometimes I am just better off not knowing! Any way, thanks for looking Andy, and if I ever do find anything to the contrary I will be sure to let ya know.

Now for the tires and rims, I got the ones you mailed and was working on cleaning up some of the tread when it all started careening out of control. I got the "I can make it even better" bug. So I have dissected your tires for the rim and hub detail, and then fixed them up with some narrowed tread from the Ford Mutt kit. The masters should be ready to take out of the mold tomorrow, so I will try to get some pictures and measurements to see what ya think!

Thanks again for your help!

Jonathan

So close to being done, but not too late to make some last minute improvements. I didn't really like the kit wheels from the git go, so replacing them now isn't a problem at all.
It started with some cast wheels that needed a little retread here and there...

I used the putty to copy the tread on the good side, shaved off the rough tread, add a couple drops of resin and this is what you get...

Now that got me thinking. I felt the original wheels looked just a bit too small, the upgrades were about the same size, but the Ford Mutt tires were just about right.

The problem was the Mutt tires were too wide and the rims were all wrong,


So, after much cutting casting, sanding, recasting, and so on...

I ended up with this



The first mold had some kind of reaction, tiny bubbles all over the master. I don't get it, the only other time I've seen it is when I used painters tape and it reacted to the glue.

But the next one came out great,

I decided to cast the wheels in halves to eliminate some of the clean up problems. It is a bit more work sanding them down and fitting them up, but I think the results are worth it. I don't have any painted yet, but that should be done later this week, then we will see if it was worth all of the work or not.
Until then....

OK, a quick base coat and here they are...
First the kit wheels...

And now the custom wheels...

Well, what do ya think?

Next up here, the base...



Then it's time for the seep...

A couple of close up shots...



With that I believe the build is complete!!!

Thanks for lookin' in!

One last time...



Love it?
Hate it?
Anything at all?

Getting ready to start the next project, till then.

She's a beaut!
thanks for posting!
-Sean H.

Totaly impressive work! I love the base with the water and muddy puddle.
So what is next?

Sean, Andy, Thanks for the thumbs up. I was wondering... no one was talking... and I keep seeing things that could be better.

Thanks




Ahhhh next! Lots of after market, some scratch building, and INSPIRATION! Luftwaffe anti-aircraft gun mounted on a Horch guarding the road near Sallum in North Africa. Inspired by a series of photos from Afrikakorps: Rommel's Tropical Army In Original Color by Bernd Peitz. Should be starting soon!

Absolutly great work!
Outstanding scratch and lovely base!
Truly great project.

Jonathan - 100% love it ! I love a blog where you can learn a lot. This was not was I suspecting from the title - really admire guys who go to town on a older kit and bring them up to the WOW standard! Figures and base top it out!

cheers
Mark

Great indeed!

Love it! This is what real modeling is all about. Thanks for all the tips as well.

Hi Jonathon. A real modeller!! I really enjoyed your build ... taking an old kit and lifting it up to modern standards and showing many skills on the way. I especially like the side tarps at the window frame ... never saw these before on a model. Figures and base are icing on the cake. Top notch my friend!