Changing Gears

[J.B. Customs]

I guess that this would fall under heavy equipment, I have never built a fire truck before but I thought that I would give it a shot and try to replicate one of are towns fire trucks from the “60’s” any helpful suggestions would be appreciated 

[Bills72sj]

Do you have your kit(s) picked out already?

The AMT Ford C-600 straight truck and the C-900 has be reissued many times over the years.

https://www.scalemates.com/search.php?fkSECTION[]=Kits&q=Ford+C-600&fkCOMPNAME[]="AMT"

https://www.scalemates.com/search.php?fkSECTION[]=Kits&q=Ford+C-900&fkSCALENORMALISED[]="1:00025"

The American LaFrance Pumper would be the closest for the rear section.

https://www.scalemates.com/search.php?fkSECTION[]=Kits&q=LaFrance+Pumper

[J.B. Customs]

Yes I have picked up the Ford C600 stake bed and have been looking at the American La France pumper truck 

[maxwell48098]

Here's one I built years ago using the C600 stake truck and ALF pumper.

[GLMFAA1]

Not a very hard conversion to do: here are a few of mine

This one was from a long time ago which I donated to a charity auction.

Here are some hints: If you need some help feel free to pm me.

Please make sure the hard suction ends are reversed from the instructions as they are shown the wrong way.

greg

 

 

Edited April 11, 2023 by GLMFAA1
addded photo

[Chariots of Fire]

Those are all great suggestions.  Don't forget those little vents right behind the door handles.  They can be made using a fine black marker.  Also use 1/8" sewing elastic for the cross lays and 1/4" sewing elastic for the 2-1/2" supply and heavy working lines in the hose bed.  I'll post a tutorial on how to make the interior of the hose bed that will save a lot of that sewing elastic.

[J.B. Customs]

Wow I really appreciate all the pictures,tips, and suggestions I was starting to get a little overwhelmed on how I was going to do everything now I am inspired and motivated to start this build any more suggestions are welcome thank you very much 

[tractoraholic]

This is a neat build, I like the old fire trucks from the 60's and 70's

[Chariots of Fire]

Here's a look at how to save on the amount of elastic used to create a full hose load.  First build a box of card stock or plastic stock that fills most of the hose bed.  Leave enough of the sides showing something like in the photo below.  Cut small lengths of sewing elastic, glue and double them over to look like the ends of the folded hose.  That's a 1/32 scale Monogram fire body in the photo and I'm using 1/8" elastic that has been stained to look like cotton jacket hose.  When the short sections fill the back of the bed even with the box, begin to lay full sections of elastic over the whole thing in a couple of layers.  I'd advise painting the top of the box the same color as the elastic so that the white doesn't show through.   You'll notice that there are brass couplings on the hose.  They are made using brass tubing with the grooves made with an SK tubing cutter.  

When the bed is full it will look something like this.

This is a different rig than the Monogram Mack but the same principle was used to create a full hose load.  The LDH is 3M tape folded in 3rd's to simulate synthetic hose.  There is also some sewing piping used for the red hose.  Don't forget to dirty it up a bit.  Even when cleaned, the hose will retain some of the black staining and dirt left from operating in a fire situation.

[J.B. Customs]

I would have never thought of using the elastic I was thinking shoe string I am amazed. I am going to a show around Indianapolis (Lebanon) this weekend I am hoping that there will be some fire trucks there that I can look at and ask some questions about I am really starting to get fired up about this build 

[J.B. Customs]

So far these are the kits that I have purchased to start this build 

[cifenet]

This is some investment and Good information here so far.   

I also dig fire engines, I think they are fun to build (although I have not build one yet), it has many components that can be challenging though!

 

 

 

[Chariots of Fire]

I wish the old Monogram CF Mack snap kits were 1/25 scale but they are not.  Anyway, there is a lot of possibility with those kits.  With a few adjustments and changes a decent rig can result.  Here are some that date back a few years using the Monogram kits.

R model Mack linked with the CF body.

Two CF cabs and three CF bodies make this rear mount aerial.

Closed cab CF in Providence, RI livery.

Standard CF just gussied up a bit.

[J.B. Customs]

I am getting the feeling that I am going to be building more than 1

[explorer2770]

Here's a few more tips from my experiences building these kits.  

1. Use the full chassis from the Ford cabover, but don't glue in the rear axle until you test fit the body.  It is much easier to use the cabover's chassis instead of extending or mating the pumper's chassis to the Fords. Akron's cabover is very similar to Fremont's 1977 Ford C8000/Sutphen pumper which had a 125 inch wheelbase.  You can slide the rear axle on the cabover's chassis once you test fit the cab and bed, then mount the pump and transfer case to the cabover chassis using the parts from the pumper kit.  Modifying the drive shafts to fit the new locations isn't hard, but takes a little practice.

Since you have a C-700 series, you can use the gas engine from the cabover kit.  You won't have to worry about squeezing the Detroit Diesel 8v71 from the pumper kit into the cabover's chassis.  

2. Use David Parsley's video on the Ford cabovers to get them to sit right.  

3. Don't glue in the water tank to the pumper body until you test fit to the cabover's chassis and check the ride height.  You may need to cut the supports or modify the tank to get it to sit where you want it on the cabover's chassis. Tim Ahlborn's Peterbilt/LaFrance build is a great example of making sure you get the tank modified before gluing it in so that it fits on the chassis at the correct ride height since most kits have a different ride height compared to the pumper's chassis.

4. The Storz cap on the steamer line (main water inflow for the pump) can be found in the Trumpeter ALF Eagle kit.  If you have a 3D printer, I might have a file that you can print.  Shapeways doesn't have the appropriate sized fitting with cap.

5. Siren bracket can be found here: https://www.shapeways.com/product/TKKPUKQEC/1-24-c600-bracket-x4?optionId=292628592&li=shops  or you can make it from scratch.

6. The Twinsonic bar on the roof can be sourced from AMT's classic emergency flasher parts pack (AMTPP032).  David Parsley has an excellent tutorial on adding the little bits to the interior of the bar to make it stand out. 

7. The nozzle on the tailboard can be sourced from the AMT pumper kit, it is the one typically mounted on the hose reel line.  Use hand line nozzle with or without pistol grip on the crosslay and hose reel.  DownRangeProductions (shapeways) has a variety of hand line nozzles to choose from.  I've made my own in the past, but now I 3D print the ones that I want to use.

8. You'll want to mount a radio near the dashboard.  You can source this from any 60s - 70s police car kit, or scratchbuild one.

9.  The hand lights in the truck cab can be made by adding a round spotlight to a stack of strip stock, then adding a piece of wire for the handle.  

10. The Shoreline plate on the driver's side can be made from 0.020" strip stock, a small piece of rod, and some half round.  I don't remember the measurements right now, but I'll look them up.

If you are feeling adventurous, you could consider adding the recessed fuel fill.  You can accomplish this by gently drilling out the area with a 3/16" or 7/32" bit or die punch.  Cut a sliver of 1/4" tube at an angle (~30 degrees), then add a piece of styrene to the back, and glue to the backside of the hole.  Paint to body color, then add the gas cap from the kit.  I recommend practicing the drilling on a spare piece of styrene until you feel comfortable.

[GLMFAA1]

Thank goodness the Akron engine doesn't have the crew cab extension that was added by many manufacturers.

greg

 

 

[Chariots of Fire]

Here's one that did have the cab extension.  A template was made of the side of the C cab and then plastic sheet stock was blended in.  It still has the original bulkhead behind the front seat.

[J.B. Customs]

13 hours ago, explorer2770 said:

Here's a few more tips from my experiences building these kits.  

1. Use the full chassis from the Ford cabover, but don't glue in the rear axle until you test fit the body.  It is much easier to use the cabover's chassis instead of extending or mating the pumper's chassis to the Fords. Akron's cabover is very similar to Fremont's 1977 Ford C8000/Sutphen pumper which had a 125 inch wheelbase.  You can slide the rear axle on the cabover's chassis once you test fit the cab and bed, then mount the pump and transfer case to the cabover chassis using the parts from the pumper kit.  Modifying the drive shafts to fit the new locations isn't hard, but takes a little practice.

Since you have a C-700 series, you can use the gas engine from the cabover kit.  You won't have to worry about squeezing the Detroit Diesel 8v71 from the pumper kit into the cabover's chassis.  

2. Use David Parsley's video on the Ford cabovers to get them to sit right.  

3. Don't glue in the water tank to the pumper body until you test fit to the cabover's chassis and check the ride height.  You may need to cut the supports or modify the tank to get it to sit where you want it on the cabover's chassis. Tim Ahlborn's Peterbilt/LaFrance build is a great example of making sure you get the tank modified before gluing it in so that it fits on the chassis at the correct ride height since most kits have a different ride height compared to the pumper's chassis.

4. The Storz cap on the steamer line (main water inflow for the pump) can be found in the Trumpeter ALF Eagle kit.  If you have a 3D printer, I might have a file that you can print.  Shapeways doesn't have the appropriate sized fitting with cap.

5. Siren bracket can be found here: https://www.shapeways.com/product/TKKPUKQEC/1-24-c600-bracket-x4?optionId=292628592&li=shops  or you can make it from scratch.

6. The Twinsonic bar on the roof can be sourced from AMT's classic emergency flasher parts pack (AMTPP032).  David Parsley has an excellent tutorial on adding the little bits to the interior of the bar to make it stand out. 

7. The nozzle on the tailboard can be sourced from the AMT pumper kit, it is the one typically mounted on the hose reel line.  Use hand line nozzle with or without pistol grip on the crosslay and hose reel.  DownRangeProductions (shapeways) has a variety of hand line nozzles to choose from.  I've made my own in the past, but now I 3D print the ones that I want to use.

8. You'll want to mount a radio near the dashboard.  You can source this from any 60s - 70s police car kit, or scratchbuild one.

9.  The hand lights in the truck cab can be made by adding a round spotlight to a stack of strip stock, then adding a piece of wire for the handle.  

10. The Shoreline plate on the driver's side can be made from 0.020" strip stock, a small piece of rod, and some half round.  I don't remember the measurements right now, but I'll look them up.

If you are feeling adventurous, you could consider adding the recessed fuel fill.  You can accomplish this by gently drilling out the area with a 3/16" or 7/32" bit or die punch.  Cut a sliver of 1/4" tube at an angle (~30 degrees), then add a piece of styrene to the back, and glue to the backside of the hole.  Paint to body color, then add the gas cap from the kit.  I recommend practicing the drilling on a spare piece of styrene until you feel comfortable.

Thank You for the information I am beginning to believe that this is going to be one of the most detailed builds that I have done so far 

[J.B. Customs]

It is a small start but a lot more mocking up to do 

[cifenet]

50 minutes ago, J.B. Customs said:

It is a small start but a lot more mocking up to do 

And it is a good start indeed!

 

[gotnitro?]

Excellent information on kitbashing to achieve fire apparatus! Really admire the details on the hose beds and pump panels 

[Chariots of Fire]

One little detail that sometimes gets overlooked and that is that on the AMT kits the wheels sometimes extend beyond the body sides.  It can be fixed by snipping off a piece of the steel wire they include for the axle.

[hct728(Bob)]

Neat project! For us lurkers, this thread is turning into a textbook on fire modeling, so thanks for sharing your vision! As it is, I have many of the kits used but had a couple false starts. So great to see such inspiration, wishing you success!

[J.B. Customs]

Well I hope that I am getting this right 

[GLMFAA1]

To add to Charlie's rear wheel protrusion, use the Ford wheels, on the rear brake drum take 1/8th inch off the axle shaft and reverse the brake drum rear plate that goes on the differential. so far so good to my eye. I can't tell from your picture if there are two discharges on this side.

greg