CRUSADER2

Well, finally finished the chassis ( I think ) sure I will find something I have missed later. Done some plumbing, mainly where you might be able to see the engine through the wheel arches, made a new coupling for the steering shaft and a cab tilt ram as you will probably be able to see these under the cab too. The engine is the wrong colour at the moment but I have got the right shade now so maybe this weekend I might get round to trying out my new spray gun and with a bit of look I might get some primer on the chassis as well. Next job is the cab, its going to feel like starting a complete new project, looking forward to the change, maybe I will get it finished this year? A few photo's of progress up to now.

WOW !!!! Juergen, I nearly missed this one, that is just superb, everything about it is just perfect, the detail and weathering is inspirational, its another model to look to while I am having a go at my next effort. You have done an absolutely fantastic job to turn that kit into that F7 ( how many hours I wonder?) its been worth every minute that's for sure. As you have probably guessed I like it quite a lot, I suppose I have a bit of a soft spot for these old Volvo's as it was one of the first trucks I drove after passing my HGV class 1, they were a great little workhorse and had a spacious and comfortable cab, and you have captured the feel of this truck perfectly, ( it could be real ) fantastic work, looking forward to your next project.

Sorry Scott, havn't modeled for years up until these last couple of models so I don't have loads of unbuilt kits in reserve, only what I am working on at the moment, i am sure what you will do will look just as good anyway, all the best with the build.

Its going to look great!! would the AMT reefer trailer give you the paneled sides similar to the photo of the real one without all the extra work, just a thought, not picking fault. Its a great idea and build, unique!!

What an interesting truck to model, I remember seeing an article in a truck magazine years ago about this company and their concept trucks, I have to confess I don't know much about them, I haven't seen any photo's of them on the road so I guess they didn't catch on? maybe they were ahead of their time, the wheel configuration was popular here in Britain right from the early thirties up to the sixties and right through to the present day for tippers etc, and now with the new high volume truck trailer combinations here in Europe it wouldn't look too far out of place, (with a little more re styling of course) well actually probably quite a lot of re styling! but any way the idea was there all that time ago. You are really cracking on with this build, (I don't know where you guys get all the time from?) its looking good already, looking forward to more photo's

Now that's what you call a spread axle! the tyre scrub on these trailers must be horrendous and the risqué of doing even more damage to the running gear a big possibility too, turning too tightly with a loaded tri axle trailer on uneven ground is a risqué but these spread axle trailers must be a night mare. Great work and detail Sergey, as always.

Excellent work!!! a great piece of scratch building and looks fantastic, love these unusual builds.

Absolutely brilliant!!!, I am fairly new to this forum and I haven't seen your previous models but I think it would be fair to say you haven't lost your touch, it looks fantastic!!! I will be using it as a point of reference for my next effort, simply inspirational!!

Its still looking good!!!

Hi Henry, don't think you will find anything usefull over this side of the pond ready made, the tandem axle trailers in Europe never got to the distances between axle's that you find in the USA and Canada, I think it will be a case of kit bashing if there isn't already something available in the US, or after market resin trailer suspension kits, either way it shouldn't be too difficult to get what you are looking for. Good luck with the project

A really stunning paint scheme, looks real sharp!! excellent work!!

That looks great, a really fine piece of work, the hole in the radiator mesh is really convincing and the weathering and paint job is spot on, a really top job!!!

Its looking great, excellent work!!!

A really nice build of a regular workhorse with lots of interesting detail, looks great!!

Hi Chris, thanks, don't hold your breath it could be quite a while yet, I was hoping to get some primer on the chassis before xmas but that is looking like it's not going to happen now and we are away for 2 weeks for the hols. Hi Sergey, I had to go and have a look at it as it is so long since I made that part, I used the resin bumper that came with the cab kit as a backing, as it was already rounded at the ends I just covered it with 1mm plastic on the top and bottom and then covered the front with .50 and bent it around the ends, the 1mm on the top and bottom meant I could get a good fix with the plastic weld, the bumper, grill and air con unit on the roof will probably be the only parts I will use from the kit and possibly part of the dash and seats inside. The interior of your Peterbilt looks great, the dashboard is excellent, the dials are superb, fantastic detail.

Well at last, after a six month break working on the house, I have got the MARMON back in to the workshop. Before the long break I was trying to decide which engine to use, the one with the kit or the resin 905t, after finding out which engine it was with the kit I have decided to use that one, I will do a little more detailing to it but I am not going to put every pipe and cable on it as the cab won't tilt anyway, although I have made the cab tilting ram as I think it could be seen under the wheel arch. Although previously I said I was going to use the resin cab from AITM as I had paid quite a lot to ship it here and being a Yorkshire man we are known to be a bit tight where money is concerned ( tight as a ducks bum) after weighing up all the work involved straightening things out and redoing all the rivets I have decided to go down the same route as Hermann with his MARMON top sleeper and scratch build the cab in plastic card. This should make the riveting much simpler to do as it will be plastic to plastic, and after having had a battle with the windscreen surrounds on the Atkinson ( resin cab ) this too should be easy'r , (I just know I am going to regret saying that later on) anyway I have made a little more progress from the last photo's I posted back in May so here are a few more recent ones showing diesel tanks, battery box etc fitted, I will be changing the wheels to full resin six spoke trilex soon, they have already arrived at our friends in Britain, (I only ordered them last week from M & G Mouldings) excellent service and really top quality castings I have to say, the photo's also show the bottom part of the cab started.

Thanks Peter and Henry, really appreciate the comments, cheers.

That looks really neat, straight out of the showroom, colour really sets it off well, excellent work!!!

Hi folks, thanks again for kind comments, thanks for the idea's Sergey, I think I did use a combination of gel and liquid super glue for the windscreen surrounds in the end, still a pain though. I was going to have the same problem with the resin MARMON cab that I am working on at the moment, but after having had a good long look at the cab I have decided to bin it and follow in the footsteps of Hermann with is MARMON truck build and scratch build in plastic, so the windscreen surrounds should not be as big a problem this time round ( I know I am going to regret saying that, later) anyway thanks again, and by the way I have seen your models and work, so I think a diorama would be a piece of cake for you.

That looks brilliant, a really great job of a very rare marque, excellent work!!!

Really interesting project, never seen one before you started posting photo's, looking forward to seeing more, its looking good!!

Its looking the part already, its going to be a good one i'm sure.

Hi Hakan, thanks for the info, going to look it up straight away, sorry for nicking your thread Ken, maybe the info is useful to you too, but I suspect you already new which engine it was anyway.

Looking forward to seeing this come together, I am currently using this kit as the donner chassis for my MARMON cabover, I was wondering if you know exactly which Cummins engine it is in the kit? must be from the early seventies at a guess (twin turbo ? ) I hav'nt been able to find any photo's of the real thing without the exact spec, anyway good luck with the build.