Rockford

Master of understatement there! This is unbelievable! Brilliant stuff.

Managed some time on the Pete today. Opened the doghouse grille at the back, started some rear cab mounts so I could cut away the snap fit location. Removed all the deckplating and the slide plate for the fifth wheel and started making a functional one. Also, deepened the rear wheel dishes which spoil the look of these trucks. I should really be working on my LTL9000!

Made a grille surround for the AC unit from 0.5mm wire, it looked unfinished before. Drew up some simple graphics with a little logo on them. Looks acceptable.

Thanks lads. I worked my cuts out as the distance between the rear edge of the locker doors, about 18mm, then used a square on the roof and the lower edge making sure the lines all meet so they were square. Brand new saw blade and just allowed blind terror to ensure careful cutting. I cut to the outside of the lines then just carefully filed the edge down until they mated pretty well. Holding the seam up to a lamp let's you see the high spots.

It was just for the installation of the Cummins, any marque of truck would use the same method.

Looking at the engine, I suppose ease of building would say go for the Detroit, though saying the kit plumbing will fit is more wishful thinking with AMTstuff. Looking at the Cummins, I think the front crossmenber goes behind the front pulley which would move it forwards bit, but not enough to save altering the driveshaft. I'd say Detroit. Love the cab mods, well done.

Paint? I wouldn't know where to start. Unbelievable detail on this job.

I've already admitted I'm a trailerholic, now I'm suffering from a Caboverdose. I scored this for less than £20 off Extortionbay in August. It's a bit grotty, first job was to give it a scrub in the sink. Chrome is in poor state but we can deal with that. In the middle of about four projects I found myself stripping everything off the chassis and marking and cutting the cab down from a double to a single sleeper. The chassis is 184 inch. It's not being shortened, should I add a little to it?

I wonder what did for my decals? It's obviously different expansion rates between the clearcoat and the paper, but why this time and not on the Bison I did last? It's different paper but it shouldn't be that different. ? Can't get rid of this emoji.

So I'm boring!? You naughty boy. You've chosen an interesting subject for your first big rig! You're doing well dealing with the issues on this kit. I'm sure you're aware of the front track width issue too. Looks like it's going to be a head turner, enjoy it mate.

Thank you very much! That's why I put a mask around the area I'm doing because it leaves adhesive behind and it's a pig to get off.

A day of highs and lows. Got my quarter fenders in without marring the finish. Got most of the decals on but the stripes for some reason just curled up after a few minutes on the truck. This is how they went. No amount of dabbing, pressing or Micro-Set made a difference. I don't know what it is about decal paper and me but we just don't seem to get on. In the midst of the gloom I had an idea. I dug out some blue electrical tape, cut strips 2.5mm wide and applied them. Much simpler than my intended idea and not as flexible as decals but they're on and capture the second-life look I wanted. Nearly done.

Did you find yourself sitting at traffic lights flicking the range change button and listening to the clacking from the box up and down? I was terrible for that.

Gary, it hasn't even got a name on it, it's just the cheapest tripe I could find. It's very thin aluminium coated with a plastic film, it's not the real stuff like I've used on HVAC jobs. Sorry I can't be more informative.

I lasted longer than I usually do without touching the new paint, I think it was Wednesday when I started messing around with it. Painted the steps and the rubber wheelarch trims. I've started using cheap ali duct tape, (and I mean cheap, less than £2 a roll) to cover the air vents and door handles. It's way cheaper than Bare Metal Foil and sticks like muck to a blanket. All I'm doing is flat surfaces so it's more than adequate. All I do is cut a template from masking tape and then use a piece smaller than the masking tape so that there's no adhesive left on the exposed paintwork. Finished effect is as good as BMF for me. Fitted the interior, my complex little system actually worked. Tried to get a photo of it but I can't. I'm quite proud of my little rolled up centre curtain made from kitchen roll and tied up with cotton. I'll try again later. Started building a roof mounted aircon unit.

Excellent paint job, great looking truck.

Very nice. Well done. Welcome to the future in more ways than one.

Looking at what you've done so far I'd say you will sort a perfectly good solution to the butterfly hood issue. Looking great.

I'll believe that when I see it. ?

I suppose some parts are different because they were locally sourced. They would not want to import everything because of the import tariffs. That's why the Pontiacs built in Canada shared loads of Chevy parts.

Looks great! Must be very proud of what you've done and more to come!

Although I could change gear without using the clutch, I always did use the pedal, except in Fodens with their own gearbox, they were like a knife through soft ice cream. I remember if you were driving an empty tractor the seat back would pound your kidneys as the back axle hopped everywhere. Yet I still prefer those days ?

Found this today on YT, shows some of the stuff we used to have to drive and keep on the road. The Shell semi tanker seen in a few clips was affectionately nicknamed "The Fin-Faced B*st*rd" because they were a royal pain to work on. Fibreglass non-tilt cab. Gorgeous truck to look at, designed by Michelotti in Italy but very much form over function. The truck at the beginning where he's filming from the trailer is a Guy BigJ and the first in-car shots leaving the yard is a Seddon, which shared many cab panels with Guy. The cabs were made by Motor Panels in the Midlands. I shall bore you no longer.

To look at the two cabs you really wouldn't think there was that much difference but once you start digging in it's amazing the number of little changes required. Well done.

Still impressed!