1:20 1992 Toyota 4X4 Pickup

1:20 1992 Toyota 4X4 Pickup, an AMT plastic kit

A kit of the compact Japanese pickup of the 1992 model year in all-wheel drive, in 1:20 scale from the American maker AMT. Scale 1:20 is less usual for car kits than 1:24 or 1:25, so the finished model comes out noticeably larger and will carry more detail in the interior and on the chassis. It is a classic injection-molded plastic kit that you build and paint yourself.

The real subject

The Toyota Pickup of the turn of the 1980s and 1990s is a textbook example of a tough utility vehicle: a ladder frame, a separate bed, a live rear axle on leaf springs and, on the 4x4 version, selectable front-wheel drive and a low-range transfer case. It was offered with an inline four-cylinder as well as a six-cylinder and became famous above all for its durability; off-road conversions and expedition specials are still built on these vehicles all over the world.

Building and painting tips

Work from the bottom up: first the frame and the drivetrain, then the interior and finally the body. It is a good idea to spray the body before the glass and the accessories are seated; a larger scale is merciless to brush marks, so an airbrush, a good undercoat and a gloss varnish before the decals all pay off. Leave the wheels and tires until the end. If the model is to be an off-road version, lightened edges, dust in the wheel wells and a more matte shade for the chassis all suit it; a clean showroom look, on the other hand, needs above all a flawlessly polished finish.

Who the model is for

• For collectors of Japanese utility vehicles and off-road hardware
• For modelers who want a larger scale than the usual 1:24
• For builders of dioramas on a rural, workshop or expedition theme
• For more advanced beginners, as large parts forgive more than tiny details

The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.