I grew up in Chicago. And I really enjoy building cop cars and other public-service vehicles...especially those with a 'hometown' connection. So when I ran across online photos of this striking Franklin Mint (TM) diecast, I fell head-over-heels in love:
So I got this...
And I made these..
And another project was underway.
I'd never articulated 'suicide doors' before, so I decided I'd do one, just to show off any interior I might add. Luckily the kit's door moldings were grooved nice and deep, so the scriber took it off quite cleanly.
Kit detail for the famed Ford flathead V8 was excellent. In this case it seemed it would be easier to assemble chassis and engine before any painting, to make sure parts-fit was clean and solid.
Painted her up and added representative wiring and plumbing, and a few data-plates and labels. The kit had only an empty space between where the steering linkage met the chassis and the steering column hit the floorboard of the interior tub, so I repurposed a likely-looking part from 'spares' as a steering box and lower steering column.
Interior came basically in shades of grey, with a stock simple (3-gauge) dash. The CPD didn't get 2-way radios until 1939, but the Department fitted an initial batch of vehicles with receivers as early as 1934. I scratchbuilt the receiver and 'squawk box' speaker ("Calling all cars...."), and added 3-dimensional window cranks to the interior. (Door handles to follow.)
That's it for the time-being. A little more body work...and hinging the cut-apart door...and I should be ready for paint soon.