hey truck guys

[buba39]

hey yall can any of yall experts tell me how hard it whoud be to do this truck i know a short hauler cab and cargo box will work but how do i make it fit over the wheels like the pic shows?

http://www.barraclou.com/truck/gmc/daktronics.jpg

[Jim B]

If you want to be totally accurate, you'll need a GMC Topkick conversion kit, too. Like this one:

http://sourkrautsmodeltrucks.com/?page_id=...p;product_id=28

I've seen people use PVC pipe to make rear fenders for tractors, so that might be a place to start to get the curve. Then use plastic sheets to make the box. Worth a try!

[mackinac359]

To add to what Jim said, you'd have better results cutting all new side panels for the Short Hauler van body than trying to add on to the ribbed panels from the kit. Check your local hobby shop for sheets of Evergreen or Plastruct styrene.

Tim

[Aaronw]

That is actually a fairly easy scratchbuild project. You can use styrene sheet for the sides and top to make a box. Use some large solid square rod in the corners, 0.25 x 0.25 should work. This make the corners solid so you can sand the corners into the round shape you need. An orbital hand sander works well for this part. I picked up a cheap sander for about $15 a year or two ago so you don't have to spend a ton of money and for these kinds of projects it doesn't matter that it is just a cheap tool, it will a long time on lightweight projects like models.

You can add the details with styrene strip, 1/2 round, 1/4 round etc

I usually make the doors from .010" - .020" sheet. It sticks out just a bit but I've found that the real doors usually do as well, they really are not flush like a car would be.

The wheel wells can be done fairly easily by cutting a sheet of plastic to the right size then wrapping it around a bottle or other round object of the approximate size to give it the right curve. You can dip it into hot water or use a hair dryer to help it take the shape if you need to.

I built a beverage style truck as a hazmat truck a few years ago using these techniques, it is really not as hard as it looks.

The body was all done with Evergreen sheet and strip plastic.

[Jim B]

Aaron, nice truck. Are the roll-up doors individual pieces, or are they scribed?

[Aaronw]

The roll up doors are V-groove sheet, I made the frames from some L channel plastic and some flat strip for the bottom lip, a piece of rod at the bottom made up the handles.