BK9300

Got the battery and tool boxes glued to the frame today. Like I said earlier, this is a big step completed for me, because the boxes took more time than I had expected and because they needed to be in place to be able to get on with some wiring to the starter. More pictures of those darn boxes, but things are still moving forward. Bit of touch up paint to do where paint was scraped from frame to glue brackets to frame - Test fitted cab with floor in place, to align the box(es) as the solvent glue set up - I decided to leave the ground cable connection to the frame till later - there should be room enough to bolt one end to the frame and then re-attach it to the battery. The other wires that run to the starter and ECM have also been left off, because I need to finish the other cable ends, once the correct length for each wire is determined. Working space on the firewall/engine area is going to get real confined very soon! Quick shot of the chassis - will leave the tape in place until glue sets up thoroughly. Will get to the starter wiring early next week and then probably back onto the cab. Need the cab to be painted, interior finished and cab mounted on frame before I can get back at the firewall wiring. Still haven't thought how to best set the truck on it's side - or roof - to better route the wire looms under the cab and part way along frame. Always more to figure out, it seems. More, next week! Edit - glue has set up enough to add the box covers for another mockup -

Hey, thanks Scott! Still a bunch of tricky stuff to be done yet but getting there.

Making good progress, Ron.

Looking good, Dan - primer is always a milestone!

Many thanks for that, Steve. I have been keeping track of the hours - kind of scary! To date, I've recorded 980 hours of bench time. I don't have any idea what amount of time it took me to make the initial, 3D model of the truck, or of the time spent doing research online. Appreciate the interest! Thanks, Francis! There are a lot of aftermarket goodies out there, to be sure. My problem is, I keep finding more to add!

Bet it's certain there's not another one of these on the planet - very unique, quality build!

Very steady hand(s)! Looking really good, and another well done lighting job.

Successful effort for the battery box latches - tool box latches will have to wait a couple days now! Photoetch hardware attached to battery box and cover - the smaller rivets worked, and look, much better - The latches aren't needed to hold cover down, but still put a bit of tension in the silicon rubber latch - Should be able to mount the boxes on the frame this weekend - another big step, for me! Take care.

I've been trying to work out how to make the CTM hood latches work, and more importantly, how I could securely attach them to the battery/tool boxes. I've had some success with the operation part, but the attaching process is eluding me. I can make such a mess with CA glue on small parts, and it doesn't bond the photoetch to paint as securely as I would like. I did make the effort to do a test latch, but the hardware I tried to use look too oversized to me. May need to go with some other solution or go with none at all - I just don't want to mess up the finish on the boxes at this point. I taped down the photoetch pieces to drill out bolt holes for the test latch Shaped a point on a piece of 0.33 mm rod to attach hinge end of rubber latch to bracket - Looks good so far - The bolt heads are 1.0mm - 1" at full size - and are too big, I think. I do have some smaller, 0.7 mm, Top Studio rivets that would certainly look a better scale fastener. I had hoped the bolts would work because CA glue applied to the backs of the bolts from inside the boxes would wick along the threads and give a tight bond. The other problem is I was able to freely manipulate the test latch on the styrene scraps, to position parts and to drill the holes. That would be much harder with the more fragile, assembled battery boxes. I'll give the smaller, aluminum rivets a go and see how they turn out. Off again for a bit - more to do outside!

Thanks for that, Steve! May have met my match with the latches for the battery boxes, though.

Nicely done, Greg.

Your leather seats look amazing - that must have taken quite a process, to come out that realistic! Looks just the old chair that the owner of a small pool hall back home used to sit in.

So much going here, and all scratch built - just amazing progress!

Goodness, Francis, you are amazingly proficient at creating these scale marvels. The effort you've put in is well understood - a continuing pleasure to watch!

Should be a looker, Scott, based on that awesome inspiration photo!

Very nice build - lots of respect for the tribute.

Wonderful craftsmanship - well done!

Will be a good build to follow.

Thanks, Gary - going a little crazy, I guess! And I appreciate you continuing to check in on things, Francis - thanks!

It's hard to imagine all the settings and/or conditions that must be 'right' for a print to come out the way you need it to. In any event, you always seem able to correct any problems. Just a magnificent creation!

Had a good session at the bench today - battery day! The needed bits have been gathered - Started in with cable ends, like with the test piece I did earlier - Half the ends completed! - I taped around the batteries because I didn't want to wear any paint off the edges while handling. Threaded posts have been added at this point and about to starting bolting the cables down Had to check my reference pics a few times, but finally settled on this cable arrangement. I'll have to finish the other ends of the cables once the box is mounted on the frame and I know the lengths to the starter that I will need. Several of my reference pics showed two or three additional, white power wires, but I chose only to do one, because, well, I just wouldn't know where to terminate them! The one white wire often powers the ECM (thanks @Scott Eriksen!), so I'll see what I can do with that. Pretty happy with this outcome. I'll remove the ground wire out the back of the battery box, and attach it to the frame before I glue the boxes to the frame - should be able to thread the ground back into the box and re-attach it later. Besides the latches, still have one more little detail to add to the battery box cover, but need to make it first! Thanks again for all the generous comments - much appreciated!

Thanks, Gary - I'm trying hard to figure out how to do it, but I don't think I left any room on the firewall for the starter relay!

That's very funny, Jürgen! Maybe I need to make a scale model shop, too. Thanks for your generous comments! Thanks, Scott - lot's of parts to scratch ones like this, so, would be good if the process could be made a bit easier using some printed ones. Will need to keep refining the design!

That trailer would be an awesome addition to your build!

Excellent job on the body work and those hinges, Greg - precision work!