Hermann Kersten

On this hot day.

Hello everybody, Today i show u one of my older builds, a Mercedes Benz Eurocab with an 20" traler and Flat Rack Container. The payload is a block of quick release mooring hooks, what is used in big ports to mooring large sea vessels. I build this project about 2 or 3 years ago and used the Italeri MB aurocab kit as a base kit. From this kit, i made a SK Eurocab of the 2nd generation instead of the first generation what the kit provides. Details like front bumper, dashboard, seats, center console in the cabine, steering wheel , mirrors and exhaust have been modified to the right era. The extra modifications of the truck are the Telma Retarder, twin stear axle and the super single tires. After the truck was done, i started with the trailer what is a CNC kit, that I have completely converted into a Netam trailer with movable axles. The Flat Rack cointainer and the morring hooks are scratchbuild. I hope you find this a interesting model. First some construction pictures....... A real suspension seat.... Telma Retarder.... The build of the trailer... The Flat Rack container with mooring hooks.... And the end result.... Hermann.

Thanks Brian, Today its time for the engine. First of all, i searched the net for a Cummins engine, and after a lots of pictures, i choosed the Cummins 350 Big Cam. In my opinion, this is a credible engine for this Marmon, and with these pictures i start to modify and detailing of the kit engine. After all this work, i painted the engine with Revell SM314 and made a slight weathering and some dirt on the engine. Because of the light, it seem to be 2 different engines with 2 differnt colours, but it is one and the same engine. And put the engine between the chassis for the looks. That's all for today, to be continued. Hermann.

Very nice project, and the shortening of the cab is very well done, looks like a moulded kit cabine. Hermann.

Thanks guys, nice to see that this project and work is so well appreciated. Hermann.

I played "swing on a star" from Spooky and Sue on my toy guitar...... I'm not sure if we already had a color tv.... .....and Formula one was a dangerous motorsport at that time Hermann.

Thank you Dan and Brian. Today its time for the cabine and bumper. First job was to cut the steps of the bumper open, because the footboards in the kit are also open. With this detail you can look thru the footboards. On the sides of the front of the doors i glued a strip, what's following the shape of the door, so that after this job you can no longer look through the bumper and the cab. Than i made the steps on the inner side, so that when the cab is tilted, you can see these steps, just like as with the real one. Than i removed all the moulded wires and cables from the the front panel, because on later term, i will use real wiring. And than after this job, it looks like this..... Now this job is done, i made some more detailing on the front panel. The front grill will be foldable, So these detail job will later pay off. The tilting supports are also moved to the front, 3mm to be exact. When the cabine is tilting, than it touches the edges of the bumper and pressing this bumper to the back. To resolve this, i have to make the tilting supports as on the real cabine. Firts i cut the front outer supports and move them to the front. The white strip is a 3,2mm styrene spacer, so that i stay on the same height on the chassis. Below you can see the difference in distance between the 2 supports. Than you put the cabine on the old supports and start from here to start building the new tilting hinges. By this method, you are sure that the cabine stay at the same height. Than remove the old tilt hinges from the floorboard.... Cut and replace the inner supports to the front.... And than, when everything is dry and hardened, place the cabine on the new supports and this cabine will tilt in the same way as the real cabine does. In the meantime, I have modified the front tires into Low profile supersingles. I cut off 2 profile sections and attach the other 2 pieces with 3 profile sections together. Then adjusted the rear front fender, because i don't like to use the side fenders. I also shortened the underside of the front bumper, only lowliners have this because of the low ride height . I hope you guys enjoyed and find this an interesting update. To be continued . Hermann.

Very nice vintage rig, looks great. Hermann.

The interior looks great with all these details. Also the wiring and tubes at the engine looks very realistic. Hermann.

Hello gents! Brian and Tom, thanks for the comments and welcome aboard! Today i show you the modification of the axles to get the chassis at the right height. I determined this height of the photos, and took the distance from the bottom of the diesel tank to the ground as a reference. First of all i attached the tanks and the supports with double-sided tape. Then the shaft recesses of the air spring suspension are further sanded out, what gives me 3mm, and the air bellows removed, made new ones that are 2mm shorter, and place them at the chassis. All parts are molded in one piece, like the brake boosters and torsion bars, cut away because these attributes are all coming into a different position, in relation to the lowering of the axles. The front axle is also modified to a drop axle, what gives me 3mm, than cut the leafsprings, made new ones what gives me another 2mm and place all these self made and modified parts to see if the chassis is low enough. And afcourse, the shock absorbers has to be shortened also. The recesses of the tank supports in the chassis are also filled up, because the fuel tanks are getting a different place on the chassis. Now everything is in place, glue everything on the chassis , except for the front axle, because it still has to be neatly finished, put the recentley ordered tires on the rims and let's take a walk around the chassis. In my opinion, the chassis is now at a good height. To be continued. Hermann.

Very interesting project of a cool idea, its the first time i see somebody build a poo truck.. The details on the Septic tank looks awesome already. Keep up the good work! Hermann.

Thanks guys, thank you for the nice coments and liking this truck! Hermann.

Thank you guys, nice to see that you like this project. @Chuck, Instead of the North American manufactures, the European Truck manufactures are stepping over to this predrilled chassis. Mercedes Benz started this with the Actros 2nd and 3th generation, and with this 4th generation the chassis is more developed as a real module chassis so that the build-up of chassis attributes is easier and faster and afterall it should be cheaper also, but with the last one im not really sure. Today its time to show the construction of the air suspension on the front axle. after i removed the supports for the leaf springs, i can make and attach the air bellows and attach the axle to these bellows. After this i'd like to attach more details to the engine for a more realistic look. Firs of all, i wrap some copper wire around the pipe what is leading to the turbo, and with this job i simulate a flexible part. The white pipe is the cooling water pipe to the Retarder, what i also have, or rather sayed, i like to make. One pipe goes to the retarder, and one is coming from the retarder. Also a fuel pump had to be made, and various connection nozzles, where later the wiring and pipes are attached on. And in between the chassis for the looks.... The next detailwork is the Euro 6 exhaust. First the real one.... And the 1/24 version..... On top of this exhaust, i used the CTM photo etch part, what gives the right looks instead of the plasic one from the kit. To be continued. Hermann.

Very interresting scratch project! Together with the old Mack, it will be a beatiful big rig at the end. Hermann.

Hello everybody, Today i'd like to share this MB Actros 2544 Sideloader with a Reefer container. I made this model because in europe we see more and more this kind of construction on a straight truck. This Hook system is actually an old system, somewhere around the 50's, and is nowadays more commonly seen here in Europe. The 2 big manufacturers are Hammar and Steelbro, besides these big names are more local manufacturers who make this loadsytem for companies that have their own design of this loadsystem. That's why I thought it was a nice idea, to make a 1/24 version of this loadsystem on a straight truck. For this model i modified the Mercedes Actros cabine is from a megaspace cabine into a smaller L-version cabine, the truck chassis is cutted behind the cabine and scratch build the whole chassis which also has a liftable tag axle. On the front i made also an airsuspension on the front axle, Modify the V8 engine to a V6, scratch build the sideloader and the Reefer container. The business description on the container are very thin stickers from an advertising company, who design and make these stickers according to the builder's personal choice. Ok gentlemen, lets go to the pictures and i hope you will like this model. Hermann.

That's a really nice and beautiful fire truck. All these small details looks awesome, like the fire hoses and the control panel. Hermann.

Jose and Jaroslav, thanks for the nice reply! Hermann.

Thanks for the welcome Dave!

Mike and Cary, thank you for the reply. After all these info i know what to do now, i will make 2 new leaf springs for a little lower heigt, and the front axle will be modified to a drop axle. Hermann.

Hello everybody, Today i start this topic what is already ongoing. I like to switch between a few projects and in this case, i'm working on 3 projects of which this is the 2nd project i like to show you. Its the last Actros kit from Italeri with new moulds what's resulting in a very detailed truck. I could build it out of the box but as usual, it didnt work out for me and couldn't resist to modify things and add extra details as i did with the other 2 lowliner tractors. First of all i wanted a module chassis with all the holes in it, and the kit doesn't have that kind of chassis, while this is very characteristic for this Mercedes . Its just a plastic chassis with some nuts and bolts and no holes. Second modification is the front suspension, this one has to exchanged for an air suspension, Mercedes Actros lowliners have always full air suspension and as far as i know, every european truck brand what is a lowliner has an air suspension on the front axle. As a starter i show u the first 418 holes i drilled by hand in a styrene sheet of 0,75 thickness what has to be the first frame part. The second frame part has also 418 holes, and after this long and boring work i have a special and a realistic chassis for this model. I dont like to cover the chasis with side fenders, so this work will pay off on later term. After this drilling work i attach the front pieces of the kit to my new chassis. All the black pieces are parts from the original kit chassis and the grey nuts and bolts are from Meng. These nuts and bolts will give this chassis more realism. The rear crossbar from the kit will be used after i drilled extra holes in this one. The crossbar in the middle was not ok to me, so i made this one out of styrene. After this i glued the frame together and glued the engine to place the engine supports in the right place. Tthe next detailwork are the brake disks on The next job was to make the brake disks on the front and rear wheels. The red arrow in the picture shows the spacers i glued on the inside of these brake disks, so that there is some space between the wheelhub and the brake disk. Now it was time to shorten the air bellows on the rear axle and modify the wheel suspension for a lower ride height. Next job was the modification of the drive shaft to give it more realism and a more natural look. The universal joints have been cut loose and made them movable. Wih this job it doesn't look like a a lump of plastic . The picture below shows the real thing...... Source: Jochen Walz And the plasic version. Ok guys, despite this being a European, I hope you find this an interesting project. To be continued. Source Hermann.

Chris, Dan and Brian, thanks for the nice comments and liking these 2 tractors. Hermann.

Brenden and Häkan, thanks for the replay, and for my Marmon i will make a lower drop on the leave springs of the front axle. Hermann.

Mike and the dutch Warra from Australië, thanks for the welcome. @David, That'sa very nice Silver Cloud, and the engine looks also good and nice printed.

Hello everybody, Does anybody know if it was common or possible, that the US low ride straight trucks or high volume straight trucks, had an air suspention on the front axle? At the moment i'm building a Marmon straight truck with low ride tyres from the earley early 90's. For european low riders it was common, but i dont know if this was also the case in the US. The only info i get is, that back in 50's or 60's a truck manufacturer had once a truck, sorry i forget the brand, with an air suspension on the front axle. After finding out that the truck was hard to ride when it was unloaded, they skip the airsuspension on the front. Hermann.

Yes Geoffrey, u nailed it, this was exactley the same situation where i was in. Even im not a Yorkshire man, even i dont like to waste my money for nothing and in the worst case, ending up with nothing. The other reason is, that i'm more experienced with styrene instead of resin and as you said, the cabin is a square box and in this case not that difficult to scratch. I scratch build a Fuso Super Great cabine before and that was a lot more work and more difficult to do than on this one. Hermann.