Caboverdose

[BK9300]

Your shifter and shift tower are incredible - very good work, Steve!

[Rockford]

This popped up on my YT this morning. I watched it and couldn't believe that this is what I used to work on. Non tilt cab in 1973/74, working through the hatch in the doghouse and trying to keep the cab clean for the poor driver. At least it has a Cummins/Fuller combination so it would make some progress, and not need constant repairs, but to think men spent their whole working week in something like this!? Unbelievable. Now you realise why I like American machinery. 

This has no connection to the build, just thought I'd try for some sympathy 😁.

 

[Biggu]

Cool video , Steve. And he is doing it the old school way , using the ‘clutch’!!! Love it. Done the way it should be. Rest assured, we here , in North America had our share of old shaky rough iron as well back in the day. 😉😆

[cifenet]

All of the small details are adding up nicely and you are turning this into a fabulous result.

it is quite entertaining watching how you cleverly adopt parts using various materials.

And thanks for the cool video!

[Old Buckaroo]

Its always a good day when there is a new update !

[Rockford]

6 hours ago, Biggu said:

Cool video , Steve. And he is doing it the old school way , using the ‘clutch’!!! Love it. Done the way it should be. Rest assured, we here , in North America had our share of old shaky rough iron as well back in the day. 😉😆

Although I used to be able to forget the clutch once rolling it was frowned upon amongst all drivers I knew. It was seen as being rough on the equipment, even though in principle the clutch should be redundant in a non-synchro constant mesh transmission. As long as you match engine revs and road speed (harder going down than up) you shouldn't notice. It has to be said that if you didn't match revs and road speed the clutch was of no assistance, which just confirms the theory. 

[Rockford]

I know I haven't posted anything for a week or so but I've been chipping away at little things. 

I made a gaiter for my shift lever from square rod. I built and installed front dampers and brackets, one inside the frame and one outside as I've seen on the real thing. I fabbed a steering box, drop arm, drag link etc...

Particularly proud of the steering arm I carved out of 2mm square rod. Shame you can't see it now that it's fitted. 

Cut and fitted frame horns. Added rebound rubbers on the top of the front springs. 

I'm fed up with no bolts on things I'm added. Most are too small to be replicated but the big bolts in the frame I drilled 0.8mm holes, installed aluminium jewelling wire and filed it down to look like bolt heads. Looks better. 

I'm nearly done on the chassis, next will be the cab. 

[BK9300]

Awesome scratch building, Steve - I can well imagine the difficulty of adding all that detail!

[cifenet]

I am telling you, you got something special going here, the engine bay looks super special with all the fabricated materials and adaptations. 👍

And I forget that this is all smaller in scale too.  Keep up the good work!

 

[Rockford]

I've turned into a bolt counter. Having added bolts to the frame horns I decided that I couldn't leave other bits unbolted now. Added reinforcement to the slide plate, drilled 8 holes and then used ali wire for the bolts. 

I didn't want to drill everywhere though, because some of the places I needed bolts weren't really easy to drill. I took a piece of 1mm square rod, took the corners off and the rolled it against a file until it appeared and felt round. Diced the rod into tiny slices and started gluing them in place on the frame and suspension. Looks much better. I was worried it would end up a mess but no. They need levelling with a file once they're set but they already look ok. 

Cut a 2mm strip from sheet and formed it into a ring in a geometry style circle stencil. Cut out a shroud and for the radiator and glued the ring into it - looks good. Just got to make a fan now, don't know how...

Edited February 23 by Rockford
Text editing

[Biggu]

Steve , this is very quickly becoming an Epic build ! The extra scratch work is s tutorial in fine details. And I have to keep reminding myself this is not 1/25 but rather the much smaller 1/32.  That is a whole new adventure in what you are accomplishing here.  And everything looks to perfect scale. That also is a major feat to some. I hear you on the bolt thing.  Once started it’s a bit hard to know where to stop. This build is looking really good and when under a splash of paint and a little weathering it will be a stunner .  Love the up dates. 

[BK9300]

I sure agree with Jeff - many of your builds have lots of extra details added in along the way, but this build seems to be the most detailed yet.  Marvelous accomplishments being produced!

[cifenet]

You got some clever ideas for your detailing objectives, Steve!  Good work!

[Randy D]

Steve,   Got to echo what Jeff said. This is one special build Sir.  Wonderful creation of parts and details.

 

Randy

[vincen47]

This would be an impressive build if it were 1/25. But, so much more amazing that it’s 1/32. Proof that it can be done, and done well, in that scale.

[Rockford]

BOOM! I'm back! Sort of. I can't find half my materials or tools so I'm struggling a bit but I've got a basic bench set up for now and I've took the leap to get back into the habit. I've really missed working on my trucks. Here's my bench setup:-

I've still got boxes to empty after two months.

To get myself moving again I decided to do a simple job and build an air conditioning unit for the roof. It's a Kysor unit, which seemed to be the most common in the day. I used aluminium mesh for the grille and I'll plumb the lines in once the cab is sorted. I drew up some decals for it. 

I also got the itch to sort the wheels on the AMT Trailmobile van I built a few years ago. I swapped the AMT pieces for Monogram ones, which sorted the familiar scale issue, but then I had the Snaptite shallow wheel dish issue.

I did my usual modification of adding depth to the wheel dish using two strips. Transforms the look. 

[Rockford]

Here's my stripes I drew up on Paint® for the Aircon unit. 

[Biggu]

Happy to see you back at the bench ,Mate. ! Also very pleased the move went through ok. Its a lot of work and huge upheaval but will be all worth it in the end. Glad you’re back !  I’m looking forward to more of your builds. 

[BK9300]

I'll second that!  Good to see your new setup taking shape, and some work underway - that's got to feel good.  Always good to see updates from you!

[Jürgen M.]

Hey Steve, good to see you back! 

Remarkable work you're doing. I always enjoy following your builds. 

I told Jeff (Biggu) a while ago that I was thinking about a tribute 1/32 rebuild of my Rubber Duck Mack with trailer. I was planning on making a diorama of the introduction scene of Convoy in 1/32 with the XKE.

That might be my next project after I hopefully finish the 4070b. The printing of the cab has brought up some problems but I'm very confident that Bren will succeed!