Monster Garage 1997 Ford F-150 Nut Shaker

       
 
 
Monster Garage Tree Shaker Ford F-150
Monster Garage Tree Shaker interior Monster Garage Tree Shaker head Monster Garage Tree Shaker canopy

 
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Rather fittingly for a Monster Garage-themed kit, what should have been a simple job went sideways thanks to a disconnect between power and structural integrity. In the case of the Nut Shaker, Muscle Machines' designers felt that the claw needed a spring roughly on par with a mousetrap when something much finer would have worked just as well. Better, probably, because the bigger spring shattered the ABS claw while it was still in the package.

I carefully removed the screws from the sheared-off mount pins, took out the offending spring, and reassembled the pieces. There was no way I could trust the hinge shaft any more, even with a weaker spring, so I made a spacer from styrene tubing and glued the claw in place permanently. The cracked parts were sanded and polished to return them to their original appearance.

The rest of the build went much more smoothly. I did end up smoothing and refinishing the tank in the passengers' seat, beacause it had a big ugly parting seam and sprue divot right along the top edge where it was easy to see through the window. I also gave the grille a black wash to give it a little extra depth. Everything else went together right from the box, and my Wedding Chapel finally had a companion piece.

 

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