dshue76 Posted July 16, 2018 Share Posted July 16, 2018 This is my current project. It's my second attempt at the Lindberg Dodge L700. The last I built as a tractor, this time I'm building it for a 10' dump bed. I'm not going to go crazy with detailing, I'll add just enough in my opinion to show detail without trying to build an exact miniature. It will be lightly weathered to represent a working truck that is well taken care of. I really like this kit. I hear it mentioned that the doors don't fit or go together well but I've had no problem with either kit. Both kits have been surprisingly clean with very little flash. For the most part I'm using craft type acrylic paints, some items will be painted with Testors/Model Master/Rustoleum enamels. I'm scratch building the bed from Evergreen sheet styrene, tubing and balsa sheet for side boards. starting with the engine I added ignition wires made from 30# braided fishing line, I made an ignition coil, added starter wiring, added an alternator mount so it doesn't have to float in the air and wired it and then I built a fuel pump and ran a fuel line to the carb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dshue76 Posted July 16, 2018 Author Share Posted July 16, 2018 Then came the chassis. I moved the rear axle back as far on the frame as it would go. I wish I would have taken pictures along the way as I modified the rear suspension to lower the rear. I'll try to explain. I also the blocks out that separate the upper load springs from the main lower springs then I cut the tops off of the main spring shackles, this was done so that the tops of the load spring shackles are flush with the top of the frame and the tops of the main shackles are slightly below the top of the frame. While I'm no expert on this style truck. I know the 1;1 did not have this severe of a rake when empty. In fact, they had very little rake. I added a crossmember over the rear of the trans for the hoist cylinder and added a rear bumper plate for lights and a pintle hook. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren D Posted July 16, 2018 Share Posted July 16, 2018 Looks interesting. Is this based on something you've seen or more of a "what if"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spruslayer Posted July 16, 2018 Share Posted July 16, 2018 Lookin good Doug I did the Shell tanker version and it was a nitemare! Dose the front axel spindles stay attached and turn without falling off? Even after i tried to fix that issue i wound up gluing it so it wont turn Fun kit none the less Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dshue76 Posted July 16, 2018 Author Share Posted July 16, 2018 (edited) Sprueslayer, For the front spindles you can make 2 more pieces to capture it on the bottom like what the kit supplies for the top. I don't know why the kit omits them. Or just glue them fast, that's my method. The tiny pins on the axle are too weak to hold up and if you want to be able to pose the front wheels for years to come then I suggest steel or brass rod be used to replace the pins on the front axle. The original pins will either fatigue or become brittle with age. Also when you lower the rear ride height on this kit and you use it with a trailer you need to shim up the fifth wheel and or add a shim between the trailer and kingpin plate. Warren D, Like nearly every kit I build or modify it's done my way, rarely do I ever try to go down the rabbit hole of building an exact replica of a real vehicle or try to build a truck as a replica fleet vehicle. I have a lot of respect for the guys that do that type of build but it's too much work and pressure for me! This build is just a representation of what a landscaper might put together as a vintage truck to showcase their business, or just to represent what may have been available back in the late 60's. The only pic I could find of an L700 with a dump bed was a Model. Speaking of research, these trucks are hard to come by in real life and only a little easier to find on google. But in my searches, I have yet to see a stock truck with the same degree of rake as this kit presents. The only picture I can find showing excessive rake is the dealer brochure. I know the flatbed trailer in these kits needs the kingpin plate shimmed to use with other tractors so this leads me to believe the rear ride height is a result of the design of the trailer. Edited July 16, 2018 by dshue76 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spruslayer Posted July 16, 2018 Share Posted July 16, 2018 (edited) Doug,the method you describe for the spindles is kinda like what i did but my fix dident fix it.What you did to the rear axle to adjust the ride height is the same thing i did but i dident move it back.I did the short bed of the Shell tanker and between adjusting the truck ride height and the trailer ride height i got it acceptable looking,also the Shell tanker model of this kit cannot be built in the short bed version with whats in the box,there is no place to put the landing legs if you follow the instructions.I added 1.22" to make it 20 scale feet long .the tilting cab hinge was another scratch fix needed in that kit. Looking forward to seeing this come together Edited July 16, 2018 by Spruslayer update Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dshue76 Posted July 17, 2018 Author Share Posted July 17, 2018 Next was the body. I'm terrible at picking colors. Too many of my builds are monotone and I'm trying to change that. My original plan was white cab and red bed.... After sleeping on the idea a few nights and attending a local car show while keeping an eye out for inspiring colors I decided a tan color cab with brown fenders and step would look perfect on this truck. The bed will be painted to match once it's finished. The bed will have the flat panels painted tan and the tube framing painted brown. Now with the decals and some Model Master gloss clear acryl. It will get cleared again once the silver work is done on the badges and such. I'm doing the silver work in Model Master silver chrome enamel and mistakes are easier to clean off of clear than off of raw paint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dshue76 Posted July 17, 2018 Author Share Posted July 17, 2018 Some interior shots. There will be weathering add later to the entire build. The only weathering I've done so far has been the engine and wheels/hubs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dshue76 Posted July 17, 2018 Author Share Posted July 17, 2018 The rear of the frame got a bumper plate mentioned earlier for a pintle hook and lights. I have a home built triaxle beaver tail equipment trailer that will look good behind this with either the JD 310 backhoe or the diecast Bobcat V518 Versahandler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mopar - D Posted July 18, 2018 Share Posted July 18, 2018 Great work on your Dodge dump truck. I like your color selection it’s different but it looks like a landscapers truck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leafsprings Posted July 18, 2018 Share Posted July 18, 2018 Excellent job on the slightly weathered chassis and engine. Too many of my builds are too shiny and clean, like they just rolled off the assembly line. It takes a lot of skill and patience to do a 20 to 50 thousand mile truck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dshue76 Posted July 19, 2018 Author Share Posted July 19, 2018 I have only made a little progress in the last couple days. I painted the badges on the cab with Model Master silver chrome enamel. They will be cleared with Model Master gloss clear acryl so I want them to dry for a few days before the clear. I also painted the window surrounds black to help simulate weather stripping. Then I detailed the dash, adding a CB radio and an AM radio. The grills got a wash of dark granite color. These pics were taken with my Sony Handycam, I think it does a better job on close ups than my old Kodak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRIPTROIT 71 Posted July 21, 2018 Share Posted July 21, 2018 Looks really great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dshue76 Posted July 25, 2018 Author Share Posted July 25, 2018 (edited) I've been working on this pretty steady but with not much perceivable progress. I've done some chassis plumbing and wiring and made a passable representation of a signal stat turn signal switch. I've also made a parking brake lever but haven't mounted it yet. Edited July 25, 2018 by dshue76 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dshue76 Posted July 25, 2018 Author Share Posted July 25, 2018 Then I finally made it to my local hobby shop and picked up the rest of the Evergreen styrene I needed for the bed. Now I can make some progress on it. The most tedious part was the tailgate hinges/latches. I've got the top one done. The hinge pins are .050" steel rod with 3/32" od styrene tube to simulate the cap on the end, the clevis is .017" brass and the hitch pins are .025" steel wire. Next up is to make the lower hinge/gate release then I'll start the bed hoist, hydraulic tank and bed hinges. I'm not sure yet if I want to build a transmission mount pto, a frame mount pto or an electric pump for the hydraulics or just omit the pto all together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldTrucker Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 A small garage I worked at in Southern IL. serviced garbage trucks for a small hauler and two of his trucks were L700 Dodges. We transferred a box from one onto another truck and the old Dodge retired behind the shop. Wish I had pictures of it. It was a fairly long framed truck with a drive and tag axle. I don't know if the frame had been lengthened or came that way from the manufacturer. Another L700 I would see regular was over in Indiana running down US41. It looked like a dual drive (maybe single with a tag) and always was hauling what looked like a 27ft flatbed trailer and a single steel coil. Never got close enough to see if it was an independent owned truck but suspect that it may have been a company truck hauling for themselves. A local lumberyard had one that they hauled their truss trailer with. By the time I saw it, it was retired to the back of the yard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRIPTROIT 71 Posted July 28, 2018 Share Posted July 28, 2018 Looks great so far!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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