Caboverdose

[Gary Chastain]

On 12/8/2024 at 2:29 PM, Rockford said:

Snatched some time on the bench this afternoon. Fabbed some air tanks from plastic tube with the ends filled and shaped. Added brackets and located them behind the fuel tanks to keep the clean look of the chassis. 

Added a 2mm strip to the bottom of the chassis to make it a genuine C section rail. 

Really couldn't abide the fifth wheel so took a pattern of one of my Hollands and started making a new one. Much better than the kit pieces. 

I’m stealing your idea for the release Handle on the fifth wheel plate😁😃 for my Autocar build. 

[Rockford]

2 hours ago, BK9300 said:

Terrific find, Steve!  Is there any supplier who makes resin printed engines and transmissions for this scale? (guess I could go look myself, too!) 

I suppose one of the sites that supply software files for 3D printing will be able to assist. They can generally go to any scale. 

[Rockford]

3 hours ago, Biggu said:

Good catch , Steve, although the front end looks like it hit a Moose, at speed ...

I know, someone had a serious issue with it. Just glad they didn't mangle the grille. I think they only read Snap and not Tite. 

[Rockford]

58 minutes ago, Gary Chastain said:

I’m stealing your idea for the release Handle on the fifth wheel plate😁😃 for my Autocar build. 

Be my guest mate! I feel privileged. 

[Blue Monday]

Great Ebay find, Steve. The bargains are out there from time to time. 

The only true bargain I have found so far has been a Volvo N10 with a Reefer trailer for $15. I only bought it for the trailer.

(I'm not sure I will build the Volvo. It doesn't quite have the flair of a true American Big Rig. Maybe I will buy an aftermarket resin COE cabin of some description and fit it too the Volvo chassis.)   

BM.

[Rockford]

8 hours ago, Blue Monday said:

Great Ebay find, Steve. The bargains are out there from time to time. 

The only true bargain I have found so far has been a Volvo N10 with a Reefer trailer for $15. I only bought it for the trailer.

(I'm not sure I will build the Volvo. It doesn't quite have the flair of a true American Big Rig. Maybe I will buy an aftermarket resin COE cabin of some description and fit it too the Volvo chassis.)   

BM.

Well done on your find. I know the kit you're talking about.  I've bought the trailer separately as a dry van and a reefer. It's the AMT Trailmobile unit. It needs the rear axles respacing as they're too far apart and the track of the axles is way too wide. The actual box and reefer are excellent but I've said in other builds of this trailer, the running gear is made out of cake so it takes a little fettling. If you get it right it looks great though. The wheels on the Volvo are very good, worth using, I know what you mean about the cab though. Hoep to see the build soon. 

[Jürgen M.]

Congrats Steve! Looks like we're into a new and interesting build! 

[Rockford]

Returning to the 352, added rear dampers, 2x relay valves, plumbed in the brake chambers, added a levelling valve and piped it to the airbags and added a torque arm to the rear axle case. I added a rudimentary gearbox lid and shift housing too.I've tried to establish a pattern to the introduction of the torque arm on air suspension but I can't get anywhere. There's very little difference between air suspension systems over the years. 

[Gary Chastain]

Just love how you add details, well done

[Blue Monday]

Wow. That’s a very busy rear end on your 352. So much detail added that your technical knowledge of these trucks really shines through. It really elevates the standard model into something very special.

BM.

Edited December 21, 2024 by Blue Monday

[BK9300]

Looking fabulous, Steve - I agree with Gary and Jeff - lots of great detail in those small spaces and its going to look even more awesome once you get your paint on!

[Biggu]

And all this detailing in 1/32 scale which to me is even more of a big deal.  I find 1/25 small sometimes. It takes a special talent to get the fine details in such a small scale so perfectly executed. Steve this build is becoming a very well done unit. So much to see. You have changed the basic kit into a realistic looking truck. I really like watching your progression. 

[Rockford]

The kit exhaust stacks are passable when new but these were faded and I wanted to replace them with aloominum. I hollowed out the kit pieces so that I could slot a piece of 3.2OD ali tube into them. Then I took 7mm tube and cut a 4mm slot out of it. This allowed me to sleeve this over the original heat shield mouldings. The air intake is pressed onto two plastic pins on the passenger side heat shield. I removed them and drilled through the new ali shield, the new stack and the old kit pieces, then used 1.5mm brass tube to locate the intake in the old holes. Looks much better. 

 

I can polish it all now! 

[BK9300]

Looking really good, Steve - fun watching the progress!

[Gary Chastain]

More clever fabrication work, well done

[Blue Monday]

The impressive work continues. This cabover will look stunning when all is said and done.

BM.

[Jürgen M.]

Oh yes, ver impressive! Very professional approached to several items! 

Very fun to watch!

[Bronzekeg]

great little build taking shape Steve!

[Pete68]

On 12/19/2024 at 3:31 PM, Gary Chastain said:

I’m stealing your idea

Naughty Boy 😂. When your done with it let me borrow it. 

[Pete68]

More great progress Steve. I like how you did the stacks. 

[Rockford]

The void under the cab just irks me, even though I can't see under there. I decided to add some detail under the cab. 

I want to leave the doghouse open at the back so decided to build another wooden engine. The sump is a Caterpillar so I built a facsimile of a 3406A with a water pump, fuel pump, compress, exhaust and turbo, intercooler. Looks ok once the cab is in place.

Scratch built a luberfiner and mounting bracket. Wired it on and added feed and return lines. Added a fuel filter on the chassis. 

Built the trunking from the intake stack to the air cleaner. Made a 90° elbow by slicing 6.5mm tube at 45° and rotating one half 180° so it's a right angle. Glued together then rounded off. Looks ok. 

Did a cab floor assembly too so that there's sides to the doghouse when you look in. 

[BK9300]

That's just awesome, Steve!

[Gary Chastain]

Raising that bar again🏆🏆

[Blue Monday]

You are really going to town on this one, Steve. It looking amazing.

 

BM.

[Jürgen M.]

Amazing what you're making of this! But don't let Monogram see that, they'll put in even less details when they see what's possible! 😉