hct728(Bob)

Very realistic accessories you have there, they add a lot to it!

You'll need front and rear suspensions and axles, so the easiest thing is just to extend an existing truck frame to the required length. I put a piece of 0.040" styrene between the kit frame rails, then add a top and bottom plate to match the kit frame and it seems to be strong enough to support a 0.040" sheet styrene body. I extend the frame with a patch like this: For a more rigid frame, I have used Evergreen styrene, which comes in two different lengths which may suit your needs, but you still need to add suspensions front and rear. I bought the square one and cut in in half down the middle, but they have a C-channel too: This is for an 8" deep frame (8" is about 8mm in 1/25 scale) but you can get 9.5mm too which is good for a heavier truck

There are Hubley metal car fans active on both Facebook and Yahoo and thus still a market for cars and parts. Here's a link to the Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/141165735961953/ I've built several and wouldn't mind more but shipping up here to Canada can be an issue. Easiest thing for you would be to take them to a local model show and sell them there. Here's one i did a couple of years ago:

Seems simple enough, I had to use a sleeve anyways to get the I.D. down to the piston size, and never thought of this tweak! Thanks Charles!

Good advice, and as the cylinder is two pieces of concentric tubing, I can redo it with an inside tubing segment sliding inside the outer one, with fixed stops at either end. I will have to redo the top mount and also will see what is available for the piston, I think it's maybe 0.080" running in a 0.100" hole. Thanks for the advice!

Wow, what an eyecatcher! You did a great job on it, such very neat paintwork. Gotta get one myself

Thanks for the detailing tips, Charles! Never tried detailing an engine before, so we'll see how far I can go with it. While playing with the engine (had to revisit drawings and pics to get the proper block width), for a break I worked on the 17" lift mechanism, mocked up here: I didn't consider how to limit the travel of the pistons so that the lift stops before the pistons come apart, so I may have to re-do them with an internal stop or come up with something else...

Neat, precise work, so very inspirational! Looks great up on its wheels and ready for paint

Looks pretty nice for an old Snapkit! Great paintwork, neatly done! Gonna be an eye catcher on the contest table in bright red! Wonder if it's worth detailing the engine, 'cause how much of it do you really see... Debating buying one, about $55 all in here from eBay

Thanks for the tip! Due to foreign exchange rate and shipping as well as postal strike up here I took a stab at making my own 5.9L Cummins 6BT. Always wanted to try making an engine, and what's better than a big six! I'm finding some dimensions and parts can be hard to figure out. Fuel pump and accessories will likely come from a spare Mack parts kitI have on hand

I used the product in the picture. I melted sprue over a candle under my fume hood.

Getting back to work now that winter is coming and the yard work has tapered off. Took the plunge and glued the suspension to the frame to get it up on its wheels. Found an engine in the parts box that may work but I'd like to identify the source and maybe find a shorter tranny if i could. Any ideas what engine this is? Tie rod is temporary, as my plastic one didn't work out, too flimsy. To be honest, the plastic frame and suspension parts are pretty fragile. Now I see why Charlie likes brass! Mocked up. Need to raise the cab and put some louvres on the hood (I'm thinking 0.030 quarter round strips, though lots of little pieces involved) and then if it looks okay sand to its final shape Bonus tip - found you can melt styrene into a silicone mold, though under the fume hood or die. First attempts, original part on the left.

Another flawless build! Wish I had as much success with painting as you have! These kits are hard to find, and can be pricey, do you order through eBay or foreign sellers? Have you ever done one of their buses, they're pretty neat kits too?

Great matchup, very well done. Nice job on the paint and weathering!

I just noticed the raised area on the hood sides and the riveted front third, as you say, quite a neat detail that I would have overlooked. You certainly have a keen eye for detail! Nice work!