GMC 9500 Rollback Equipment Hauler

[redneckrigger]

Time to start a new project.  This will be a GMC 9500 with a 22' equipment body.  I had a 1980 version of this back in the mid 90's that served me well. Unfortunately no photos of her can be found so this is a by-memory build! It starts with an AITM cab kit. It will use a set of frame rails and suspension from the parts box. It will have a Detroit 6V92 engine and a 5x2 driveline. I am changing the resin cab hood from a butterfly to a tilt and am going to cut it open to hinge it. Thought about doing this for the BRBO but at the speed I build at I wouldn't see it done in time for NEXT years buildoff!

[DRIPTROIT 71]

I really like this project!! I'll be watching close.

Are you going to make a new dash, or use the dash from the kit?

Are you using the two headlight grill like in the photo or the four?

[redneckrigger]

Am going to make the correct dash and use the four light grille as that is what mine was.  Got the nose cut off tonite and thinning started.  VERY thick resin on this one! The roll back body was all steel with a diamond plate surface.  Will be trying to duplicate the whole thing as best as I can.  I have to search through a bunch of old floppy disks to see if I have any photos left.  Hoping I do!

[redneckrigger]

Finished thinning the hood and trimmed the cab to hood surface.  Cut the doghouse into the floor pan and assembled the engine. Thinned the grille to open up the cooling holes and converted a parts box bumper to fit.  One step at a time!

Edited February 6, 2019 by redneckrigger

[redneckrigger]

Decided to use a Ford Louisville dashboard to convert to the GMC model.  Cut it down, reshaped, and will redo the gauges after it dries.  

Edited February 6, 2019 by redneckrigger

[Jim B]

Looking nice.  I like the modifications you are doing to the cab & hood.  Heck of a lot more talent than I!  I had one of the Auslowe 6V92T engines, and I had a devil of a time trying to make the turbo cross-over pipe fit.  Finally gave up & got a GW Trucks one.  Good luck with your Backyard Shed one.

Edited February 6, 2019 by Jim B

[redneckrigger]

Thanks, it is a tough fit, but not a problem...............that's what they make Evergreen tubing and bondo for! LOL!. I got this one a LONG time ago, and it appears to be a copy of the Auslowe version. Has a few fit issues, but no problem. I usually build stuff looking like it just left the paint shop, but this one is going to be weathered, so that alone will hide some flaws!

Edited February 6, 2019 by redneckrigger

[Jim B]

Where I grew up in Miami, FL, there was a company that used to have these 9500 that were use to haul trailers full of trusses.  You always knew when they were coming down the road behind the house because you could hear them for at least 1/2 mile, and you could tell when they were really close because the trusses inevitably hit the low hanging branches!  I think they had straight piped 6-71 in them.  They were loud!  I don't remember if they were long hoods or short hoods, though.

Keep up the good work.

[redneckrigger]

52 minutes ago, Jim B said:

Where I grew up in Miami, FL, there was a company that used to have these 9500 that were use to haul trailers full of trusses.  You always knew when they were coming down the road behind the house because you could hear them for at least 1/2 mile, and you could tell when they were really close because the trusses inevitably hit the low hanging branches!  I think they had straight piped 6-71 in them.  They were loud!  I don't remember if they were long hoods or short hoods, though.

Keep up the good work.

Yup, mine originally had a weed burner exhaust on it, and originally had a 6V53.  The previous owner used it to haul crane counterweights and crammed a 6V92T with jakes into it. Was a screamer. The weed burner used to drive me crazy when I was running the rollback body so I changed it to a vertical straight pipe. Just a LITTLE loud! My wife could hear me coming up the mountain from over five miles away! Miss that old noisemaker! Sold it when I closed my garage to a local company who grenaded the engine about a month later.  Timing is everything!

Edited February 6, 2019 by redneckrigger

[DRIPTROIT 71]

Impressive! Most Impressive!!

I like it!!

[tbill]

Looks like another great project, you never cease to amaze me with the slice and dice work you do, just fabulous stuff.

[redneckrigger]

The AITM cab does not have the surround line around the windshield and the rear window that delineates the rubber gasket. And I do NOT have the steady hand to scribe it into place. So, I devised a tiny tool to run around the inside perimeter of the window opening to make a consistent rubber gasket groove.  Worked perfectly! Made it from a piece of sheet metal with a hack saw and a file. Woke up at three in the morning thinking about it and the miracle is I remembered it when I got up! Before and after photos of the windows are shown as well as the tool. Will cut the grooves around the inside later to install the glass, with a Dremel tool.

Edited February 7, 2019 by redneckrigger

[tbill]

Well done! ( on both the execution and the memory part)

[DrKerry]

Wow! Nice work!! Like where this is heading!

[baloney]

lots of work allready. resin kits are a not easy to do. but i see that you are on a path that you've been to. keep it up!

[redneckrigger]

Got the rollback body started today............diamond plate bed and Evergreen structure. Got the dashboard shaped and painted, and the gauges installed. Now on to the subframe and extension cylinder frame for the body. Slowly getting a box full of parts for this build assembled! The dash is made from a Ford Louisville dash with a LOT of reshaping. After a bunch of figuring out what to do, this is what I ended up with. Used gauge decals from Slixx, and gauge bezels made from aluminum tubing and gauge faces. Now have to add the knobs and various switches and fabricate the rollback subframe and hoist and extension cylinders. Installed the front and rear axles, and made the rear axle into a two speed version  

 

Edited February 12, 2019 by redneckrigger

[BIGTRUCK]

GMC looks great so far.

[tbill]

Very nice, this is going to be cool.

[Hermann Kersten]

Very nice project with a lot of modifications that are well executed.

Keep up the good work.

 

Hermann.

[DRIPTROIT 71]

Very nice!! I like the dash and the two speed conversion!!

[redneckrigger]

Got the subframe built with all of the tapered rollers added to it.  Attached the slider frame to the body.  Made the 12 foot extension cylinder from Evergreen and aluminum tubing.  Still have to install the cylinder to the subframe and attach it to the body, and make and install the subframe cross braces. Then need to make the hoist cylinders and their frame mounts and the body pivot.   Lots of little details but it's coming along. 

Edited February 13, 2019 by redneckrigger

[mikemodeler]

Nice work on building something off of memories. That cab looks a little rough but you are making it look great!

[leafsprings]

Excellent work. The dash and bumper work are outstanding. Were these  GMC cab molds done in 1/25  or 1/24 scale? 

[redneckrigger]

This is in 1/25th scale. Takes a bit of imagination, and just time and no fear of working outside the box!

[redneckrigger]

Installed a firewall from the parts box, cut the doghouse opening to the right size and found a doghouse cover from an old Chevy van that will do the job. Filled a bunch of gaps to finish when dry.  Got the subframe partly done and the extension cylinder installed. 

Edited February 20, 2019 by redneckrigger