24 replies to this topic

[ARTEMIS1759]

Need these wheels but I think I may have to buy this truck and scavenge them. Wonder if anybody would make a resin set of these for me if I buy the kit so I don't have the diecast with no wheels? Other people would prob buy them. Someone should also make a photoetch wrecker kit with all the accessories. I may make a Texaco Decal kit for this truck for more wreck decals. I would probably buy a few sets of the wheels.

[Casey]

I think SJS Details used to make a '50s style wrecker body, but they are long out of business.

[mikemodeler]

Check with The Modelhaus, they have some older truck wheels and they may be what you are looking for.

I don't have a picture but maybe someone else does.

[Michigan Madman]

The Modelhaus wheels don't look quite like those, but they would be appropriate for such a vehicle.

[Gluhead]

I would definitely be interested in that particular wheel. However, those shown are not very accurate. They look too small in diameter, and the holes are too large. I think it was a Danbury Mint piece that I saw that had an accurate version, but I can't locate it atm.

[rmvw guy]

http://s1181.photobu...esktop/4-10-12/ The Danbury Mint version.

Edited by rmvw guy, 12 April 2012 - 10:36 AM.

[Scorpius1]

Looks pretty easy to do in resin but who would buy it? I'm always on the lookout for ideas for new products to make in resin but am currently stumbling around in the dark when it comes to Model Car stuff. This one looks like a straightforward one to Master but where in the heck would ya get the correct dimensions? The wheels would be a problem though.

Edited by Scorpius1, 16 April 2012 - 02:20 AM.

[Art Anderson]

I would assume one would master this vintage tow truck body to fit the AMT '50 Chevy pickup. However, it's more than a tow truck body and boom, with 1.5 ton truck wheels and tires:

For starters, actual tow trucks back then were built on 1.5-ton medium-duty truck chassis, given that automobiles by the late 1940's were past the 3000lb mark for low-priced cars such as Chevies, Fords, Plymouths, Nashes and Studebakers. Mid-priced cars and of course the luxury cars had already passed the 4,000lb mark, and when raising one end of such a car as with a tow hook, the wrecker is actually hauling well over half the weight of the car being towed--way overweight for a 1/2 ton pickup.

The quick (but not inexpensive) fix for this is to use the chassis, engine, driveline and wheels & tires from the Italeri Opel Blitz 1.5 ton truck. Opel was GM-owned, the Blitz chassis etc. being identical to the Chevrolet/GMC 1.5 ton trucks built in the US from 1936-66. Even the wheels are a very good match to the ones on the Danbury Mint Chevy wrecker shown above.

The front fenders will need to be widened to reach out over the front tires, but that's not hard to do. To be correct, the hood and fenders also need to be stretched a bit (finding the Bumper-Back of Cab dimensions for both the pickup and the ton and a half should be fairly easy as well).

As for the wrecker body--copying that with sheet styrene should not be a huge problem--flat sheet stock with some strip stock will get you there. Of course, you will have to decide what style boom(s) use and scratchbuild them as well.

Art

[Scorpius1]

Very informative Art! Gets the old gears grinding. probably why my wife is running for the fire extinguisher. Too much smoke coming out of my ears!
Does sound like the kit would have to be all resin and not a Conversion. But again, who would buy it?

[Jodah]

I would buy the wheels and the cab in a heartbeat. Been looking for a 1.5 ton Chevy for ages now. And I love those wheels!

[steve7119]

I would be interested in this kit too. Is the Italeri Opel truck stil available? I have seen it used a number of times for various trucks, but where can you get it? Does Italeri still offer it?

[Scorpius1]

Ha ha, just got a Blitz Truck and wheels! Cab is no biggy. Time to get to work!

[Gluhead]

Yep, that's the one, Ron. I'd love to have a handful or two of those wheels and tires.

[Scorpius1]

Well, getting close to opening day of the new resin line. Might as well start off with a bang! The two-piece tire molds are a bear to get right but the results are worth the extra trouble.

[Scorpius1]

By the way, does anyone know where I can find 1/25 scale Photo-Etched treadplate?

[Jodah]

If you're talking Diamond plate, the only stuff I've come across has been like, 1/16th or 1/48th "O-Scale" the o-scale actually doesn't look too shabby.

[Eshaver]

Robie , Plastruct makes a decent Vacuum formed plastic tread plate in several scales sizes . I've had good luck with the product . Ed Shaver

[Scorpius1]

Thanks for the info Ed, I'll be sure to pick some up. By the way, I sent you an email yesterday.

[Longbox55]

The truck shown in the first post, which is a Welly, and the Danbury are both 3800 1 tons. I can't speak for the accuracy of the Danbury as far as wheel dimensions, but the Welly does measure out to be accurate for the 18" wheel with a 7.00-18 tire that the Advanced Design dual wheel 1 tons used.
As Art mentions, though, most tow trucks from that era were built on at least a 1.5 ton truck, sometimes even 2 ton trucks were used. A 1 ton would be the absolute minimum size truck you would want to use, even then, you don't really see two trucks that small until the '60s. Here's the specifications for the 1950 Chevrolet truck line, covering all models from 1/2 through 2 ton. http://www.gmheritag...rolet-Truck.pdf
I would like to point out a few things about using the Blitz for a 1.5 or 2 ton conversion, as it is not a straight up chassis swap. As mntioned, the front fenders will need to be widened, as well as lengthened with the hood. I beleive the dimension is about 4" wider, and roughly the same for length. The frame and running gear from the Blitz, while similar in basic design, is different from the US market trucks. There is a difference in wheelbase, with the Blitz fitting in between the shortest Chevrolet 4100/6100 (130 inch) and the longer 4400/6400 (154 inch). The steering box is also in the wrong place for a Chevrolet. Opel mounts it ahead of the axle, GM put it behind the axle. The wheels are also have the incorrect bolt pattern, the have a very large 8 lug pattern. The US trucks used a 5 lug on front, 10 on rear (the wheels all have 10 lug holes). All of these are easy to correct.

[Scorpius1]

Thank you very much for the info. Doesn't sound too terribly difficult, just extra work. Looks like I'll have alot of research yet to do on this project.