American LaFrance 1000 Century build

[MikeyBugs95]

I know there's been a few of these trucks built before on this site, and I guess I'll a shot at trying this truck as well. Well... Continuing to build anyways.

I started this truck a bit ago, at least in the beginning of the month, and I've made some progress. When I got the truck, the engine block (just the block, nothing else), the frame, the radiator and housing, and the tires were assembled and a few parts were already painted. So far this is how far I've come:

As of late last night, I attached the completed engine to the frame and earlier, the radiator/housing to the frame as well.

If anyone has suggestions, or a paint guide... I'd appreciate it.

Edited May 20, 2013 by MikeyBugs95

[Jim B]

Looks like it's coming along. I did one a couple of years ago, and this is what the American-LaFrance experts told me:

Frame - black or red (I used semi-gloss black, but that's me)

Engine - it's a Detroit Diesel 8V71 so it coule be either Detroit Diesel Alpine Green or red

Transmission - red oxide or (you guessed it) red

Pump - frame color (or red!)

Wheels - chrome or body color (more common)

Interior - body color

Seats - flat red

Dash, steering wheel - semi-gloss black

Interior floor, engine doghouse - silver (to simulate the diamond tread plating)

Tailboard & running boards - dulcoat to tone down the chrome

Ladders - either flat aluminum or wood brown with white tops

Do yourself a favor, and replace the hard suction hoses with 1/4" tubing. It will save you a lot of headaches. Also, you can replace the booster lines with #18 red electrical wire. It's more to scale.

These pics might help.

Interior:

Frame:

Over all:

Hope this helps!

[Danno]

Actually, Mikey, what you are building is a 900-series ALF. The Century series had a wider body aft of the front seats, with louvered vents above the wheel wells where the width transition took place.

This is a Century:

[Jim B]

Isn't it a 1000 Series? I didn't think the 900 Series had the chrome along the bottom bumper, just the chrome stripe under the windows. But yes, the Century Series has a wider cab.

[MikeyBugs95]

Actually I know it's a 1000 series because on the box, it says, under the American LaFrance emblem, "1000 Series" or something of the sort.

And Jim, yeah I saw you post on this. I'm actually using it as a resource for me because I have no paint guide with my kit. And the engine came like that. I bought this kit, along with about 9 others, used (only about 5 or 6 kits had absolutely no assembly work on them). So the engine came in yellow and red. And I'm not about to repaint it because I don't want yo get any paint on the chrome. Also, Jim, where did you get those hoses that you have in the hose bed?

Edited May 20, 2013 by MikeyBugs95

[Jim B]

Glad to be of service! Personally I wouldn't put any chrome on the engine, but that's me.

The huses in the hosebed are sewing elastic (the kind used for cuffs on blouses) that I picked up at Jo-Ann's Fabrics that I stained light tan using Minwax Oak Stain (don't stirr it up, just use the liquid from the top of the can). I think I uses 2mm & 5mm. The couplers are brass tube cut to length, and the nozzels for the 1-1/2" line & the booster reels are resin items that I got from a friend. The fog nozzel on the tailboard & the Saimiese on the intake on the curbside pump panel are also resin items.

[Danno]

True; the AMT kits are based on the 900/1000 series.

Other than the cab trim, there is virtually no visible difference between the 900 and 1000 series, certainly not for model kit purposes. However, the 1000 series was not the Century series.

My department had a 900 with the 1000 trim, as it was produced just before the changeover. I built a replica of it from the AMT pumper kit without having to modify the exterior appearance.

We're all correct, I'm just a little less correct than Jim! LOL.

[Danno]

By the way, I agree with Jim: The engine is more accurate without the chrome. Firemen love chrome, but not on their engines ~ it doesn't show.

[Edsel-Dan]

Actually, There IS a Difference between the 900 & 1000 cabs!

Look under the Windshield!

900's have LITTLE ledge there, and the Front is Just as round as the windshield area.

On 1000's,

there Is a bit of a ledge, and a Sharper Corner to the 'Grill area body work at the "A" pillars

I have enough Aurora 900 kits and AMT 1000 kits to See that difference.

Here is a 900;

And here is a 1000;

It is Not as easy to see, but look at the pic's of 1000's above, and Note the Lack od Ledge on my Glod 900.

The 900 Is wider that the 700/800 cab, the 1000 added a little to the Nose area and More trim

Edited May 20, 2013 by Edsel-Dan

[Danno]

Actually, Dan, the fronts of the 900 and 1000 1:1 cabs are the same. The 900s were produced from 1958 through 1974, with the 1000 series beginning in 1970 as a premium upgrade to the 900 and available concurrently with the 900.

The difference you describe in the models is the result of Aurora getting the lines and proportions wrong. Aurora gave their 1/32 scale model too much curvature in the front body, making it look too much like the obsolete 700-800 series.

The AMT kits got the body right; Aurora did not.

[Edsel-Dan]

I have Not seen Good Pic's of 900's, so had only the 2 kits to go by

Pocomoke Had 2 Identical 900's when I moved here, but, that was back in 71!!

They sold one and refurbished the other, PIERCE Reburbed it!!

I am Not sure if any Pic's of the Twins still exist in the Department's archives!!!!

[Danno]

Ok... Guys. Lets not start a pissing match here over who can spot the difference over two MODEL kits that are, in essence almost the same... If we want to prove who's right or wrong, you gotta go off the the real thing. I've been meaning to contact a museum about getting info for my 1000, but I can contact them about the differences betweent the 900 and the 1000 anyways... Ok guys?

Back to the point of the thread, any critiques?

There's no 'p$$ng match' here, Mikey. You're making a discussion into something it is not. There's no grief or stress between Dan and I.

Good luck with your MODEL.

[kilrathy10]

Looks like you've got a pretty good start to it, whatever it is....I like what you've done, so far....To be honest, I couldn't care less how accurate or inaccurate it is....Does it look good?....I think so......

Edited May 21, 2013 by kilrathy10

[cargostar]

Looks good so far!

Here is my resin century conversion cab to fit the AMT kits.

[MikeyBugs95]

From my recent research from earlier today and now, the 1000 Century and Century Series (premium version of the 900 and the version with the wider cab) are two separate but parallel designs. The only true visible difference that I've found, is that the rear portion of the cab is wider on the Century than on the 1000. Yes, they are two different models (not models as in what we build, but models as in the different types).

[lapazleo]

Fire trucks ambulances and rescue squads etc all are great modeling subjects and I still say they should have there own place on the forum. I would regularly look. By the way looking good on the ALF.

[MikeyBugs95]

If more companies made more kits of more fire, law enforcement, and medical apparatuses, then maybe it would.... But I cant really speak on that because I haven't been here long and I'm not a model company.

[MikeyBugs95]

Ok. I have a little update on the 1000. Recently (as of a few hours (wow... Time really does fly)) I have repainted the dash and panel above the dash semi-gloss black, I have cemented the wheels onto pegs on the frame, cemented panels of the wheel wells on to the underside of the body, painted some red onto little reflectors/tiny-lights/shiny-things-on-the-rear-running-boards with a tiny brush that measures under a millimeter in width, and I assembled the bell and air horn. I'd post pictures but my computer doesn't want to cooperate with me; the webpage (and only this webpage for some reason) keeps losing responsivity when uploading a picture.

[MikeyBugs95]

Finished cabin assembly and starting work on outside of cab. Touched up some paint too.