Utility Truck Bodies: Anyone plan on casting them?

[Drake69]

I did some good research on the Emergency! TV series squad truck, and now I intend to get the Model King/Moebius Ford F-100 Utility Service and the '78 Dodge D100 pickup (or, if I can get one, the '73 Dodge D100 with the correct grille) and combine them. What I'd like to know is has anyone thought about picking up the Service Truck kit and create a resin of the utility bed? Since so many truck kits are coming out where the truck bed is separate from the cab, it would allow a modeller to make any sort of service truck he wants.

My grandfather worked for Crenshaw Trucking Company, in the sales department for the eastern seaboard. Crenshaw sold utility bodies, shipping boxes, truck bed accessories, and all manner of modified truckbeds tailored to companies, as well as Fire, EMS, Police, and government agencies. I imagine it'd be pretty profitable since EMS/Fire/Police kits are becoming popular.

(EDIT: Yeah, I know the dimensions are off, but it still would be neat to have a Fire D100-type service vehicle!)

Edited June 4, 2020 by Drake69

[CapSat 6]

There is a seller on eBay that does a utility body in resin, as well as a stake body, some ramp bodies, etc. Also, Hart's Parts does the '72-'73 Dodge grille & hood, as well as a set up for the '74-'76 trucks. I don't know about the quality of the beds on eBay, but Harts' Parts items and quality are first rate.

[Jim B]

You can try here: https://rangerdetailtechnologies.com/shop/ols/products/la-county-paramedic-wagon-transkit-version-20

[GLMFAA1]

Now if Moebius was smart they fix the front piece and sell the unit separate as back in the days of the AMT and MPC trailers and parts packs.

There are enough trucks to use it on. My opinion is the RangerDetail kit is the one to get

greg

[Tom Geiger]

Why? Moebius sells a plastic version that’s readily available from $25-35 depending on where you buy it. And you get an entire truck kit with it.

So you convince someone to pirate that body and cast it. What would you expect to pay for that??  

[gtx6970]

I have a resin utility box.

I would let go

[mikemodeler]

5 hours ago, Jim B said:

You can try here: https://rangerdetailtechnologies.com/shop/ols/products/la-county-paramedic-wagon-transkit-version-20

This is the best way to duplicate the truck if that is what you are wanting to do. 

 

If you are trying to get close, then the Moebius bed will do.

[slusher]

Rookie resin sells 72 and 74 Dodge grills.

[Drake69]

3 hours ago, Tom Geiger said:

Why? Moebius sells a plastic version that’s readily available from $25-35 depending on where you buy it. And you get an entire truck kit with it.

So you convince someone to pirate that body and cast it. What would you expect to pay for that??  

I agree with the Moebius version of the truck body, which is why I'm still getting it/them. It's not as tall as the actual body, but it looks real close.

As far as casting goes, since I've never done one, I couldn't put a good pricetag on it. But since you'd still need a truck kit with separate cab/bed pieces, I would say anywhere from $25 to $40. Again, just a guess. Like I said, it would make the truck body more accessable to the pickup kits already on the market.

And, thanks slusher! I'm gonna look at those grilles now!

[Tom Geiger]

I can understand buying a resin box for the Emergency! TV truck if done correctly as a replica of that specific box since it’s very different than the Moebius box.  For an exact copy, I’d still buy the whole kit over a resin copy. 

Many years ago I scratch built this box and cap from plastic sheet. Not hard to do since the box is all straight panels. Don Mills makes the slam locks.

At the time a resin caster and I talked about casting the box so I made another one. He saw difficulties in casting it as a single piece. If he cast the sides hollow, the mold side part B would be deep and hard to remove from the molded product. If cast as a solid unit it would have been very heavy.

A funny thing.. this truck hadn’t been out for a long time but I took it to the last Toledo NNL and two different people asked me if it was the Moebius box!

[Danno]

As many people have pointed out, the Moebius compartment body is far different than the LA County squads such as the Emergency! rigs. To accurately replicate an LA County rig you have two choices: either buy the Ranger Detail Technologies multi-media kit, or, scratch build. The booger is the ‘pillowed’ doors which Ranger has covered expertly. To scratch build it, you’ll spend much more of your valuable time to get it close. Plus, the Ranger kit has everything (I mean EVERYTHING) to do it right - mirrors, running boards, light bar, wheels, tires, DECALS, and a myriad of other details. And, everything is accurate, not close.  Plus, building tips and an assembly booklet that covers the vehicle very thoroughly.

If you want to just build a truck that looks similar to an LA County Squad, go forth, but it won’t be accurate. In the end, you’ll probably spend much more sourcing the “box” and individual components. Not to mention the time and effort to reinvent this wheel.

[GLMFAA1]

Found on the web. A rescue tender

greg

[sfhess]

15 hours ago, gtx6970 said:

I have a resin utility box.

I would let go

I have one too. 

It's available as well.