Chevy Stepside, Baja trophy truck.

[Retrocosm]

I bought a second Blazer body with the intention of doing a short bed pickup in Baja style. However I also had, intended for another project, a Loops sidestep deep bed. Having cut the Blazer in two I offered up the sidestep bed and thought mmmmm.

Then in a flurry of activity I started chopping it up and widening it. As I progressed I began to realise there were a number of reasons why is wasn't really suitable but it was by then too late.











Milliput to the rescue, mixed some up and moulded it on to the existing flares.







Much sanding later.

It's all a bit bunched up at the mo as I need to push out the wheelbase a bit but so for so good.









I'm loosely basing it on this:-




Back of the cab glued and sanded, window aperture cut and some detailing added. I've also moved the rear axles back a bit to better line up with the rear arches.

Ironically on the Stepsides prepared for some of the off road events I've been looking at the actual step of the stepside is removed and the rear arches seem to have been trimmed at the bottom, presumably to give better clearance. I sanded the bottom of the arches some more but kind of regret now as they look a bit long and thin but hey ho.







Primed and ready.













First lick of paint. I've also cut down a front bumper I had to more suit the Baja style.

[NCNitro]

Looks great, I always liked stepside pickups.

[Retrocosm]

Looks great, I always liked stepside pickups.

Thank you chap, me too

[H2Micr0]

Every time I see this it is just as impressive as the last time.

[2003EDGE]

Looking good! I like the Baja theme you are going after!


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[Retrocosm]

Every time I see this it is just as impressive as the last time.

Thank you sir

[Retrocosm]

Looking good! I like the Baja theme you are going after!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Cheers, I've done some more detailing, a little weathering and started plastering it with stickers as per Baja Rulez.

I've decided I'm too in love with the red to cover it up with lots of white so may instead go for some vinyl stripes in white on the bonnet and roof. I'm not sure whether to add the wing mirrors and wipers, you see some with and some without. If I do add the mirrors I might shorten them and do them in black, seen this on a few Baja trucks.



I've done some more detailing, a little weathering and started plastering it with stickers as per Baja Rulez.


I've decided I'm too in love with the red to cover it up with lots of white so may instead go for some vinyl stripes in white on the bonnet and roof. I'm not sure whether to add the wing mirrors and wipers, you see some with and some without. If I do add the mirrors I might shorten them and do them in black, seen this on a few Baja trucks.








I've done some more detailing, a little weathering and started plastering it with stickers as per Baja Rulez.


I've decided I'm too in love with the red to cover it up with lots of white so may instead go for some vinyl stripes in white on the bonnet and roof. I'm not sure whether to add the wing mirrors and wipers, you see some with and some without. If I do add the mirrors I might shorten them and do them in black, seen this on a few Baja trucks.








I've done some more detailing, a little weathering and started plastering it with stickers as per Baja Rulez.


I've decided I'm too in love with the red to cover it up with lots of white so may instead go for some vinyl stripes in white on the bonnet and roof. I'm not sure whether to add the wing mirrors and wipers, you see some with and some without. If I do add the mirrors I might shorten them and do them in black, seen this on a few Baja trucks.






I've done some more detailing, a little weathering and started plastering it with stickers as per Baja Rulez.


I've decided I'm too in love with the red to cover it up with lots of white so may instead go for some vinyl stripes in white on the bonnet and roof. I'm not sure whether to add the wing mirrors and wipers, you see some with and some without. If I do add the mirrors I might shorten them and do them in black, seen this on a few Baja trucks.

[NCNitro]

Wow! Outstanding! I love the look of this truck.

[Retrocosm]

Wow! Outstanding! I love the look of this truck.

Thank you so much!

[Retrocosm]

I've had great trouble finding some suitable racing driver figures. No one seems to make them, Killerbody do one but it's tiny. In the end I took this Neca figure and pulled the head off, which fortunately was mounted on a ball joint so came off easily.

I then painted a Tamiya racing driver head originally made for the Sand Scorcher and popped it on to the Neca body with a drop of hot glue. I particularly like these heads as they have the era specific open face helmets.

Overall he's a bit big so I shall have to take the Dremel to the seat and cut a hole for his bum to slot in to. I have another one of the Tamiya heads so need to decide if I want to buy another Neca figure for the co-driver.

[Retrocosm]

A Dremel has been applied, the fastest cosmetic surgery ever achieved has resulted in some much smaller bums and thighs. Both drivers are now sitting well in the seats and fit in the cab correctly.







Can't thank Neil enough for sending me through some superb vinyls for the bonnet, thank you sir! Not only did he send me the original size but a selection of smaller and larger ones!

I have decided to go with the slightly larger size, I felt the size equivalent to the door stickers looked a little lost on the huge expance of bonnet. Also, as I have some spares, hopefully at some point in the future I can pluck up the courage to try a drop centre hood.





Thanks again Neil!

Here's some detail from the back, I've used some rubber tubing as the fast fill for the fuel cell. I need to find a better way of attaching it to the frame, at the moment it's just held in place with a cable tie, fortunately I found a metal collar that fits perfectly around the tube and something else from a random parts tree to use as a cap.



I swapped out the Tamiya stickers for some pucker licensed ones after receiving some words of wisdom from Harry:-



Added another Penzoil sticker on the hood, which I'm not 100% sure about.



I also found a great resource for old Baja Race maps over at www.murdochnav.com and printed some out for the co-driver:-

[Retrocosm]

I did some more detailing today, painted and added a fire extinguisher:-



I also worked on the rapid fill fuel line which previously was held in place by a cable tie. I found a suitable plastic bracket in the parts bin, drilled and tapped the frame and screwed it into place. I also found a cap which not only fits, but opens hehe!



Under the hood I swapped out the 15t pinion for a 23t as I want this thing to run relatively quickly in top gear. A little bit more fussing here and there and I think I'm about done. If anyone has any idea what other equipment these guys used to carry in the beds I'd be interested.

[Retrocosm]

[Retrocosm]

A few more photos :-)

[H2Micr0]

Just WOW!!!