New Print Job

[Jürgen M.]

Thanks guys! ?

[Jürgen M.]

The chassis is taking shape! 

I also designed and printed the fenders and the bumper!

Not processed yet. Just to get an impression how it will look!

[Jürgen M.]

This is how I'm putting the wheels together:

These are the parts for one double:

Adding the bolts:

Inside rim in top ...

then hubs ...

and finally the outside rim!

This method might be a bit complicated on first sight but it enables having bolts and rims in different colors without much effort and it also makes centering of the rims on the brakedrums easier!

Edited September 5, 2024 by Jürgen M.

[Biggu]

This is cool , your thought process is working well.  Do you have an idea what year of truck this will be? Not that it matters in the least but might be interesting for research details. Also did I miss what engine have you decided to put in? 250 Cummins? Detroit? Also two transmissions? Or just one? More curiosity on my part. Look forward to the next update

Jeff

[Jürgen M.]

Thanks Jeff,

actually it's a 1960 model if the info coming with the net pics is correct!

I'll put in the same engine as in the Conco, the NTC 290. At least something close to it.

I'm glad that you're curious! So am I concerning the builds here! Always ask, if I can answer, I will! ? 

I keep asking about truck details like engines, suspension, ...! It's fascinating.

I was a truck fan since I was twelve and back then in my teen years I was actually quite well informed about how things work and who makes what.

At 21 I began driving a truck for my neighbor's company. It was a Mercedes Benz 814 with a tandem axle trailer like this one.

I don't have any pictures of it anymore but it was a rig like this one except that it was red and had canvas side walls!

I drove it for three years, then I was cured of driving trucks proffessionally!

Still I never lost the passion for trucks!

 

[Jürgen M.]

 

?

Edited September 5, 2024 by Jürgen M.

[Jürgen M.]

I was able to delete everything but the smiley!

?

Edited September 5, 2024 by Jürgen M.

[Jürgen M.]

OMG!

I had problems posting the last thread and now it's in here three times!

Anyone know how to delete them?

[Biggu]

Thats a cool story JM. It seemed to have taken me a lot longer than you to figure trucking is hard on a guy. I did it professionally for almost 40 years. Altho I am retired I still maintain my ‘Class 1’ drivers license. Just in case someone says ‘ Jeff, would you like to drive my Peterbilt’? Lol. Like that will ever happen. But I want to keep my license for as long as I can. I think if I gave it up, it would feel like I had an arm cut off .
Jeff 

[Jürgen M.]

I never had a class 1 licence, the 7.5 ton truck I was allowed to drive with my car driver´s licence. Meanwhile it turned into a 10 ton + trailer licence. Maybe I´ll give it a try again someday!

The only really big truck I ever drove was a Scania 76 Vabis with a cement silo trailer on it. Weighed 32 tons at that time. I drove it at 16 (a friend and I always visited the cement factory
because of the big trucks and we were allowed to accompany the drivers once in a while). After a couple of times on tour with them they let us drive a round across the factory area.
You can imagine how much fun that was as a teenager!

It was one like this in light blue.

[Rockford]

I worked for a Mercedes dealer in UK for 27 years. The 814 was the benchmark for that class of truck. Full air brakes, indestructible drivetrain, just fantastic stuff. The 1617 was the same in the 16 tonne category. After the 1626 disappeared though, their heavy chassis lost ground to Scania and Volvo. The EPS gearbox was too much too early for the industry, especially in UK. 

[Jürgen M.]

Yes, the MB was a really nice truck to drive. In the army they let me drive the 1017 4x4 a few times even though I never had a licence for it but it was only
out in the "German Outback"!  That was fun too but the engine lacked torque.

[Jürgen M.]

Brakedrums are mounted!

Front wheels will be stuck onto the bolts. Rear wheels assembly as shown before!

Hope it works! 

But the good thing about it is, it all can be assembled without glue! ? 

If something goes wrong, I can Take it apart without risking damage!

The wheels are ready:

They´re supposed to look old but over worked with a new paintjob on a weathered and processed surface. Semi professional repairs I´d say.

Of course there are people who make even such old and used off trucks look practically factory new but I would say that doesn´t happen
that often.

Anyway, the whole truck will hopefully look like someone found it after decades in a barn or so and did what he could to turn it into a respectable
vehicle. That was the vision I had about building this model as soon as I had seen the pictures of the two Autocars that I posted in the beginning
of this thread!

Maybe the next project will be the complete opposite, like a show truck or so! ?

I also began printing some of the interior:

Edited September 6, 2024 by Jürgen M.

[Jürgen M.]

Wheels mounted! 

Worked out fine! I think I'll keep that up.

[Jürgen M.]

The interior is making progress. 

Seats and bed (if you can call it a bed) as well as the steering column and the steering wheel are in the "Paint Shop"!

So are the cab and other body parts!

The interior is actually very close to the original!

I saw a couple of pics when I found the blue one I posted in the beginning!

Edited September 7, 2024 by Jürgen M.

[Gary Chastain]

Well done, fun to watch this come together

[BK9300]

Jurgen, your hex bolt idea worked well!

[Jürgen M.]

7 hours ago, BK9300 said:

Jurgen, your hex bolt idea worked well!

Yes it did, thanks! I just noticed though that the front wheel track width is too narrow. 

By using the new idea with the bolts the wheels moved closer in and narrowed the track.

I had used a shortened front axle on previous models, seems now I'll have to go back to the original one! 

Got the interior finished though! 

Edited September 8, 2024 by Jürgen M.

[Jürgen M.]

I exchanged axles! Had one in my box from earlier projects when I actually needed a smaller one!

Talk about quick repair! ? 

Just needs painting!

[Jürgen M.]

OK, that axle was one I had planned to kick out but I must have forgotton to! ? 

It broke in the moment I put the truck on its wheels! ?

Had to take it off again carefully without breaking the leaf springs, then disassemble the steering. Reprinted a few small parts but after all it worked out and the truck has a new and functioning front axle with steering!

Now some pics of further progress! I think I hit the effect of a nicely but not professionally restored oldtimer quite well! The paintjob looks a bit bumpy but shiny! At least that's my vision of an oldtimer in that condition!

(By the way, I discovered a few new tricks to improve the surface quality, which I will of course try out on my next project!)

A little mock up to check the fit of the hood! 

Before I fit that for good I still have to do some piping around the engine. Exhaust line, air intake from air cleaner to turbo charger, ...!

[Biggu]

NICE save on the front axle , JM ! A thing like that can be a mojo killer and a real test of patience. Glad it came apart cleanly and you were able to render a good solid repair … this is coming together nicely. Keep going

Jeff

[Jürgen M.]

Thanks Jeff! 

That axle really kept my adrenalin on a high level!

Glad you like the truck. Hope the rest of the build comes out as well!

[Rockford]

You are charging along with this one mate, excellent job. 

[Jürgen M.]

A little more progress:

Hood works:

Air cleaner hose is in fabrication! Fuel tanks are mounted. (I tried out the surface quality improvement measures I discovered! They almost look too good for this truck!) 

Head lights are selfmade! Lenses are from my disassembled Volvo F12.

Still not finished for a while! There's more to come!

Oh by the way, mistakes happen:

As I fitted in the exhaust line I noticed that I had actually forgotton to paint the underside of the oilpan! I needed an unpainted area to rest the engine while the paint was drying. It rested quite a while; too long for my memory to keep up with! ? 

Had to design a bracket to hold the exhaust line. Just stuck it onto the fuel tank bracket. (Again, freedom of art!) ?

Edited September 11, 2024 by Jürgen M.

[Gary Chastain]

Great progress