Another T600!

[Rockford]

I can't stop myself. The T600 is about the only 1/32 kit you can get at a decent price now. I picked this up for £20. I didn't know whether to do a single drive tractor, a short frame double drive or a straight truck. I settled on the shortened day cab double drive. 

I've done most of the following on my first T600 day cab but quickly:- I cut the sleeper off, used the sleeper rear wall for the rear wall of the cab. Marked and cut a large rear window this time. 

I took all the deck plating off the chassis and will detail things accordingly.

I filed the slider detail off for the 5th wheel and it left it looking too high. So, I cut the mounting off the chassis. Drilled some sprue down the middle and then cut four pieces off, two for the 5th wheel and two on the chassis. They act as gudgeons through which I threaded a piece of wire to act as a hinge pin. Still pivots and looks a lot better! 

[TarheelRick]

Looking forward to this build.  I have one in the stack waiting its turn.

[DRIPTROIT 71]

Nice work!

[Jim B]

Nice work on the daycab & shortening the frame.  That sure is some bright green plastic!

[Rockford]

14 hours ago, Jim B said:

Nice work on the daycab & shortening the frame.  That sure is some bright green plastic!

Thanks for the kind comments gents, JIm you're right that is GREEN! Don't know whether it's worse to look at than the old red version. At least I shouldn't have any bleed through problems with the paint.

Here's Kermit next to his full length stable mate. 

Edited August 10, 2021 by Rockford
Added pics

[slusher]

Really nice work.so far..

[Rockford]

I tried using oven cleaner to strip the chrome from the wheels, grille, stack and tanks but after two days it didn't work any better than household bleach. It stripped the chrome in seconds but not the lacquer beneath. Never mind. I'll only be fitting one tank and I'll be ribbing it down anyway to remove the seam. I'll do the grille in aluminium and then foil the outer edge and the middle bar. 

I added top and bottom rails to make the side rails C-Sections, added some fillets to the crossmembers and filled the diffs with sprue and offcuts from the kit. When it's all solid I'll start shaping the diffs roughly then use filler to finalize the shape. 

I filed the plastic representation of the flap off the top of the quarter fenders and replaced them with electrical tape, as I do with the mudflaps. 

[Mopar - D]

Stephen I’m amazed at how much detail you add to these small scale trucks and turn them into awesome looking trucks. This one is following suit with the other ones you have done here. Looking forward to seeing you finish this one to. 

[Rockford]

Not much to report. Having filled in the open topped differentials with sprue and offcuts I roughly ground them into shape with my die grinder and some files, then used filler to develop a finished shape. Filled the hollow leaf springs too. In the last picture you can see how the duals started out. 

Built a battery box from the remnants of the sleeper and filled the joint in rear wall of the cab. 

I machined some brake chambers and brackets. Will add flexi lines to them as well as slack adjusters etc...

Edited August 21, 2021 by Rockford
Added photos

[Rockford]

I started this WIP and it's bad manners not to finish it I think. 

I fashioned an airtank out of chubby sprue and worked some brackets for it. 

I also removed the ugly mounting boss for the fuel tank and filled the hole. I actually filled the hole first, from inside with offcuts and sprue, then left it to set and filed the boss away. 

I piped up the brake chambers too and bent up a new handle for pulling the pin on the 5th wheel.

All was going well and then I scored one of the crown jewels... a Snaptite Peterbilt 359 off Evilbay for only £10!!!! It was built and needed work and I just couldn't wait so I got diverted. Anyway, it's presentable now and I can come back to the T600. 

[Jim B]

Nice updates to the T600, and good use of the "chubby" sprue.

[Rockford]

11 hours ago, Jim B said:

Nice updates to the T600, and good use of the "chubby" sprue.

Chubby Sprue - sounds like a Country and Western singer! 

[gotnitro?]

Fantastic detail work on the little KW 

[Rockford]

Got sick of looking at the green of this kit so got some primer on the thing today. Looks better because you can't see all the additions to the chassis, it just looks like one unit now. Looking at a red chassis and lower panels on the airkit and cream cab. Not sure about lettering or stripes yet. 

[Rockford]

The primer really highlights any flaws in your body work and I knew the rear wall seam would look horrendous after I'd primed the cab. So a couple of skims of stopper and then 800 grit wet and dry paper tidied that up. 

Fuel tank looked bare after I'd removed the moulded in straps so I made some from plastic sheet and machined a filler cap from sprue. 

Weather's going to be rubbish this week so won't be able to recoat for a while, but in the background you can see the two built Aerodynes I got off Evilbay for £8 each. They'll keep me busy. I've shortened the chassis on one by a scale foot and it looks "righter" than the stock kit version. 

Edited October 17, 2021 by Rockford

[gatorincebu]

 

   Stephen ,

                  I have to applaud your work on these smaller scale models . I couldn't it .What with my big hands and failing eyesight .

That said. I like everything you've done on this project . And I think your choice of colors will work out nicely !

 

 

  Be Well

   Gator

[kilrathy10]

Good gravy, Man!! This is awesome... Very nice work, so far... Reallly... Incredibly nice work done, so far... Wow!!!

[Rockford]

Thanks for the kind comments guys. Weather hasn't been too bad last few days so I managed to shoot my colours. 

I've added a couple of brake relays which are actually 1/25 carburettors from the Revell Z28 kit.

I masked the lower apron of the aerokit with Tamiya tape (amazing stuff), also painted the fuel tank aluminium and masked off to paint the mounts and straps. 

Plumped for a Ford burnt orange, (can't remember the name) and Ford Ivory White for the cab. The two blend well together I think. 

Painted the tyres then covered them in white overspray, D'oh! I'll revisit them. 

Lot of work to do still but now that it's painted I know I can finish it in the lousy British Autumn/Winter weather. 

[kilrathy10]

This is awesome... Love the color choice, Man....

[The Brush]

Hi, That's a well detailed model with a quality paint finish, Look forward to see it finished.

Graham

[Jim B]

Looking really nice.  Colors look great together.

[Rockford]

Started putting the makeup on the T600, bit of BMF and some panel lines. 

I added fuel lines to the fuel tank and made my mudflaps from electrician's tape. 

It's looking good. Still a lot to do. 

[Jim B]

Looks nice with the trailer behind it.  I like your details.

[Rockford]

Pretty much finished with this one. Formed a visor out of sheet aluminium, added a sliding rail on the back of the cab for the airlines. Made some rear axle hubs out of 6mm plastic rod and some sprue. Got to think of lettering and/or livery to complete.

I know it's only a snapper but it looks fairly good to me. If only it was the Snaptite W900 but they're as rare as hen's teeth now, so too the Freightshaker cabover. I'll keep looking out for them though. 

[Jim B]

Looks great.  Yes, a W900 would be nice to find.