Jeep in a Crate for $50!!!!... Done!

nice work as usual Gino

Think it Ironic that the Kit for the model crate is the same as the original ad price of USD$50.00......

Wow, you definitely get a "A" for creativity and execution on this little gem, Gino! What a cool project!

There is a Ford GPA kit made by Tamiya.  The newer (2014?) release, with FORD authorized logo, is really nice and updated with an engine and a few other pieces. 

I have never seen a GPA in a crate though.  Not sure how they were shipped.

Is there a Ford GPA made by anybody?  Could it be put in a crate just like a MB or GPW?

Thanks Mike.  It does look good next to my other jeeps.

Unique and awesome. This is something I also have never head of, or seen. I bet this looks really sweet in your growing collection!  :)

A DUKW in a crate would be a neat dio.  Who is going to build that?

Hey ;

    How about sending it to Vela Lavella for one Colonel Lard -You know The guy in charge of Pappy Boyington's Marine  Aviation group ?    LOL     T.B.

Considering that the original post is an old item it has rattled some old memory cells. I remember seeing crates the size of these on a pier in New York shortly after the war being sent somewhere overseas no doubt. And I do remember the markings on them indicating that a jeep was inside. I also remember the adds in Popular Mechanics or some similar magazine of how you could get the list of available surplus Jeeps.

In the mid 1960s I had a tour of duty with Naval Beach Group 2 in Norfolk. Part of the people we were responsible for were Beach Masters. Each Beach Master unit had assigned to it, among other vehicles a DUKW. When one wore out or broke down we would requisition a new one from a storage facility at Quantico. The DUKW would arrive completely set up on a flat bed trailer. Urban legend had it that there still were DUKWs in crates at Quantico and the one we were getting had been taken out of a crate. I never saw one in a crate but there certainly were brand new ones coming from there.  

Thanks for the compliments on my jeep in a crate.  It was a fun build.  There are no stencils for it though, I didn't buy them, but made them myself.  I used my home printer and rub on decal paper from Papilio Art Supply:  http://www.papilio.com/inkjet%20rub%20on%20decal%20decal%20transfer%20paper%20media.html

Good luck with yours and be sure to post some pics of it here at FSM.

That is an awesome and inspiring build!  I'm planning on doing one, too.  I have almost everything I need.  I know this is a long time passed, but do you know if these stencils are still available?  And if so, do you have a web address so I can order them?  Thanks!

Thanks Ron.

Kevin: Thanks, I think.  Are you talking about my model or your picture...

Very unusual, completely awesome and way freakin' cool!! What a neat subject!!

great idea and good job.Ron

Thanks for the compliments guys.  Glad you like it.

I think that's realy wonderfull, so different from what we normaly see and very neat...cheers....Kenny

Very nicely done!  Definietly a unique piece!

Excellent job as usual.

Another odd project done well.

Thanks for the compliments all.  I enjoyed building this as a quick diversion from the normal.

Mike:  I thought you may be referring to a quick trip up the east coast in about a month or so.  Hmmm.... 

Now that is way cool!!

well done! looks like the prototype pictures 

just need to find a 1/35 figure that looks like this guy to stand in front and 'sell' a warehouse full of them  

A nice change of pace.....really like the LC crate....nice stencil markings for the crate. The workmanship is up to your usual perfection....great discussion piece

Now what I was trying to say before....if you ever have to pack again (hopefully not for a bunch of years yet), you have one model packed and ready to go!!

Rounds Complete!!

Thanks Bill, glad you like it.

Nice work on this one Gino, definitely a cool conversation piece no matter where you take it!

Well, I worked on it more today and it is done.

As I stated above, I painted it and added the stencils to the jeep and crate last night.  The Papilio dry transfer set worked out pretty well once I got the hang of it.  Here is how they came out.

On the jeep, I added Tamiya's blue drab USA and Serial Number and data plate decals from the kit.  I also used Archer US Gauges and Interior Stencils for the gauges.  They fit perfectly and came out pretty nicely.  They are hard to see in the pics, but they are there.

I added all the parts inside the jeep as per the pictures above.  I strapped the wheels and parts box under the front wheel well down with straps made from masking tape painted gunmetal to represent steel banding straps.  I also used these for the straps holding the jeep to the lower part of the crate.   The GC-Laser set comes with laser-cut paper for these, but I found them unusable since they broke easily and are cardboard colored as opposed to steel colored.

Here she is.

More pics here.

I really enjoyed this little project.  It was good to do something different and not my usual type of model.

As always, all comments are welcomed.

HeavyArty,

Great idea, subject and truly unique! Thanks for the interesting write up and  I will be watching this with interest.

Brilliant idea, works on so many levels the originality of the presentation gives an original display including a historically accurate model displayed in a manner where the container is the base. Just brilliant. Even with the scam story as a back story it allows the model to be displayed in any time frame.

It's ideas like this that attract judges attention at competition.

Terry.