275 replies to this topic

[whale392]

Large decals and flat surfaces scare me, let alone large decals and irregular surfaces!! I believe you can pull it off and make it look good, so no worries/no fears. The trailer came out looking good, all nice and shiny new aluminum!

Closest I get to trucks is dad drove off and on from 1970-81, and I remember some of his rigs. Luckily, his memories still remain so I can tap into them when I need to!

[highway]

I've not gotten too far since the last in progess pictures, I've been trying to source some extra parts, but I have finally gotten everything in the same color primer and have my fuel tank mounts glued to the frame and the front four fuel tanks mocked up.



I still have to figure out whether or not to build mounts for the final set of round fuel tanks and the square fuel tanks I'm using for the water storage tanks, or just glue them to the frame after it's painted. I also found a set of battery boxes in my Mack Superliner kit that aren't used, so I'm mounting them behind the square tanks as steps to the rear deck plate, and one will serve as a toolbox while the other will be for the "hidden" generator.

I also decided I'm going to add a moose bar to the front end, I mocked it and the front bumper up with some tape.



I may not use this one, I may scratchbuild one that fits the bumper better. I think the moose bar gives the front end adds some more style to a front end that is already one of my all time favorite styles.

[highway]

Ok, I need some helpful opinions!! I showed in my last post I'm putting a moose (roo) bar on the front, and recently got a much better roo bar from the Revell AG Kenworth Australian kit in a trade with rronning84 (Ryan). The size of it fits the look I'm trying to get much better, but was slightly shorter widthwise and blocked the outer headlights. I started reworking the kit bumper last night and the roo bar to widen it, and laminated so flat sheet and sanded the front even with the center section of the bumper.



I cut the main section of the roo bar bumper where the supports for the cross bars locate.



I still have to add extenstion pieces in the widened sections, but this is what I have so far.



I problem is this, should I build the rest of the stock bumper out to meet the roo bar's bumper? One of the features I have always loved of the Ford's stock bumper is the four driving/fog lights, so this feature HAS TO STAY! If I do box the rest of the bumper to match the roo bar's bumper, should I leave the lights where they are and add a screen panel level with the boxed section or move them level with the boxed section? Or, should I throw it out and just use a new stock bumper and scratchbuild a new moose bar more like a pickup's brush guard? Please help, I'm stuck! PLEASE, HELPFUL REPLIES ONLY!!!!

[cowboysevens]

im with you on keeping the stock bumper with the extra lights, i say biuld the moose bumper from scratch like a pickup brush gaurd it would match the shape of the truck better i think. good luck with this i cant wait to see this truck done, wow she is a big one. gonna look good pullin a bull wagon.


dennis

[Scalper]

Looking good Highway. this one is taking you aome time eh.

[Pete1980]

Wow dude!!!That make my tri drive look tiny with a capital TINY!LOL! Sweet build man, Lookin very good.

[highway]

Here are a couple quick mock up pics with the bumper so far on the truck to help you all out with your opinions I asked for.

[highway]

Thanks so far guys, and maybe the pics I just posted of the bumper mocked up may help everyones opinions even more!

[Pete1980]

That bumper looks sick.Im not a fan of Roo bars but that one is sweet.Yes yes that looks right on that truck.Keep going.

[huffanpuff]

I've been doing more work on the truck and trailer lately, the trailer is in primer as of today. I also went on line to get some pictures to use as a mural on the sleeper, but I need your help! This is what the mural will look like: to me it looks fine



but I need help with the size! Do you think the mural looks good the size it is, or should I make it a little bigger? Please help and give me your opinion!!

[Wagoneer81]

You're on the right track with the modified Roo-bar. I'd keep going the way you are, it's looking pretty good. You're keeping the basic shape of the Ford bumper which is a plus. I'd keep what you've got, cut some Evergreen tube to replace the bars on the sides you widened, make the bars body colored with the chrome uprights and run with it!

It would look similar to this with a little color added. Well, color match your bars and it would look like a photo negative of this... I did this to cover up where I had to remove some very heavy flash from mine. yes, that's the T-900 Aussie I'm working on...

Now, on to the mural. You've made a sleeper side that almost has the dimensions of a Hi-Def TV screen so I'd go "widescreen" on the mural... I'd take your original mural (Which is beautiful, BTW) and crop and widen it to take up most of the sleeper side. A bit off the bottom and about a 1/2" off the sky Keep maybe a 1/4" of body color around it as a frame... It'll be an interesting truck, whatever you decide to do.

Edited by Wagoneer81, 17 May 2010 - 08:45 PM.

[Kostas Parchas]

Hey Highway,

I am not moose bars fan too, but what you have done so far is very nice.
I would suggest you to leave it as it is. I like the way it looks with the fog lights hidden below the moose bar's bumper.
Keep on, I like this rig!!!

PS. You should use only round fuel tanks and not square. Square fuel tanks dont match (in my eyes )

Kostas.

[highway]

Thanks for the help so far guys, and I like the body color idea on the uprights, Wagoneer! I noticed the quite heavy mold seam, and that was going to be the next thing I was going to tackle! I already have some K&S aluminum tubing to replace the kit's bars, too. The mural is also getting reworked slightly, it will be a little longer and a little thinner in height. By the way, Kostas, the two square tanks I was planning on using are for the sleeper water storage, and the biggest problem I have is a very limited truck parts box, so I had to use the tanks from two Italeri truck accessories sets! I would liked to have them all round, but it's all I got!!

[cowboysevens]

i like the mural highway, have you thought of cutting it into an oval or maybe round the corners ? just a thought. how long before your gonnna need those tanks, ive got a bunch of tanks. ill be back in states around the 5th of june. if i can help you out ill ship them to ya as a lil contribution to the cause.


dennis

[highway]

i like the mural highway, have you thought of cutting it into an oval or maybe round the corners ? just a thought. how long before your gonnna need those tanks, ive got a bunch of tanks. ill be back in states around the 5th of june. if i can help you out ill ship them to ya as a lil contribution to the cause.


dennis

Thanks Dennis! It is still going to be a little while till I need them, I'm still finishing the body work and haven't even started on the engine, yet. I haven't thought about rounding the corners of the mural, but that sounds like a good idea, that was just a rough paper mock up of the mural, anyway, not the finished product. I figure some of the colors will (hopefully) blend into the final paint job as well. It will be painted Duplicolor Mirage Purple/Red flip flop. The rounded corners will probably soften it some when the red is the shade showing.

[tanarries]

not looking bad highway cant wait tosee the finished project
also i think a v16 would look nice in that thing
lol

[highway]

Thanks for all the ideas and kind words, guys! I have a little mini update on the bumper, and I found I had my answer sitting in front of me the whole time!! As you probably could already tell by my avatar and profile pic, I'm a huge fan of the Speed TV series, "Wrecked". I have the same pic of their truck named "Mistress" as my desktop background photo on both my main machine and the model desk laptop, and was staring into space (what's new!!) when I looked at the front bumper of the Mistress. I thought (which is rare for me ), "THAT'S IT!!! THAT'S THE LOOK I WANT!!", so I started boxing the stock Ford front bumper.



I'm contouring the back of the bumper to follow the stock Ford's profile.



I think boxing the bumper makes it look better with the roo bumper.

[Kostas Parchas]

Very nice!!!

Kostas.

[whale392]

Matt, it's looking good. I'm liking the front bumper idea, and the thoughts of fading the mural into the body color. Now, could you send me some motivation to work on my KW?

[highway]

Very nice!!!

Kostas.

Matt, it's looking good. I'm liking the front bumper idea, and the thoughts of fading the mural into the body color. Now, could you send me some motivation to work on my KW?

Thanks, guys, and for you Bradley, the best motivation I can send you on your KW is GET BACK TO WORK ON IT!!! Of course, I have to do the same for my T-Bird in the community build!