Hot Wheels Custom 62 Chev Pickup - Code 3 - Part 1

According to the Hot Wheels Wiki:

The Custom '62 Chevy was designed by Hot Wheels Designer Rob Matthes for the 2008 New Models Series. This great casting features a chrome pick-up bed with a small slot in it to hold a surf board steady. Hot Wheels Collectors were blown away by Robs' design. The Custom '62 Chevy has become one of the most collected and sought after castings in 2008 and it's easy to see why.

I quite like the shape of this casting, and while not a big fan of pickups or utes, I do like flatbed towtrucks. I looked at the 62 Chev, looked at the Back Slider and a metaphorical incandescent light globe went off above my head. I would build a flatbed towtruck! 

The donor casting, a Custom 62 Chev from the 2009 Rebel Rides series. 

Here is the clean and tidy work area. Since this, I have built a dedicated workbench. I used a small saw to cut the bed off, in fact I had two attempts as I wasn't satisfied with attempt 1. Fortunately this proved to be beneficial as once I measured the flatbed - and the car the completed towtruck would carry (which shall remain a surprise for now) I realised this baby would need to be a 6 wheeler, lest it look foolish and just weird. 

 This helps to get cuts straight. I know I should use a dremel tool, but sometimes Im old school. 

 This is attempt 1, note the roof and cabin cuts aren't quite straight. To the wreckers yard!

Attempt 2 - much better. Reassembled with interior and partial base. In the upper right hand corner you can see the two rear wheel sets, carefully trimmed and glued together. The cabin and wheels are resting on a piece of paper I sketched the flatbed wraparound on, several times. I will cut it out and then transfer it to 0.5 mm plastic card when I am satisfied with the design, but thats a bit premature.

The flatbed towtruck tray, donated from a Hot Wheels Back Slider. It has been shortened slightly, to suit the car it will be moving around, and also so that the 62 Chev didn't look too ridiculous. Its going to be slammed low, so it doesn't need any more help. 

Getting the wheelbase right took several attempts. I have carved a temporary chassis section in balsa wood. When I'm happy I will transfer the dimensions to plastic square tubing and make a pair of chassis rails to support the flatbed. 

At the end of the first session I had separated the cab from the bed, cut down the Back Slider tray, figured out a wheelbase, joined the two rear wheel assemblies together and sketched up some rear wraparound designs. 

Now I need to buy some paint and plastic sheet. Come back for Part Two soon.