1934 Ford Truck

[Andria H]

I nicked this off the 'bay for a low price (helped that it was in my state) and am waiting for it to arrive. Since I can't just leave a kit alone and not mess with the thing, I fabricated/kitbashed a bunch of stuff to help convert this to a 2-ton with a low-walled dump bed and heavy duty rims/tires/axles. I'm also going to add beefier, longer/taller leaf springs. 


This is a Heller 1/35 GMC deuce and a half troop carrier bed that I trimmed the walls of down to what was a common style of dump bed in the 1930s and it is currently drying outside in matte deep grey Krylon paint with the crooked bumper taken off. The hardware and headache rack will be detailed when dry & I will be fabricating a framework and in-cab valve/handle for the dump bed. This will not be hinged/articulated for the sake of not overdoing things. 



Stouter axles and widowmaker split rim wheels with old-fashioned balloon cord tires. The tires were made to look lightly aged, and wheels will be painted to fit with the cab/fender colors, which will be light blue on a black frame with dark blue fenders/running boards. Some AMT and Revell flathead parts will go on the Lindberg block to comprise a proper 1934 truck block's appearance, and the parts-bin diecast rear axle will have scrap sprue put in the top recesses along with a top cover for the worm-gear differential & I will add bigger rear brake drums to look like a period correct "juice brake" conversion, as fitted up front.

Stay tuned for more

[Andria H]

I found a spare frame with leaf springs already glued on and the pickup style gas tank excised, for an AMT or Lindberg '34 Ford truck kit. Naturally I had to assemble that with the parts I already had made, and added a rear counterweight, removed the brittle plastic headache rack, and put a fuel tank in the center of the chassis under the bed. A filler pipe will be fitted underneath the dump bed with a chromed plastic cap on the end. 

This gives me an extra '34 truck chassis and assorted other bits, that are all probably going to be used for a rusty doodlebug tractor build with a Weaver auto crane tow unit that would be used to move cars around a junkyard. Always nice to get 2 cars/trucks and a bunch of parts out of one kit.

[Zippi]

That's looking pretty good there Andria.  The ole 34 Ford pickup is starting to take shape.  Love the old John Deere setting in the trailor.      

[Andria H]

10 hours ago, Zippi said:

That's looking pretty good there Andria.  The ole 34 Ford pickup is starting to take shape.  Love the old John Deere setting in the trailor.      

thanks! 

[slusher]

Nice work so far Andria!

[Andria H]

thanks Carl!

[Andria H]

Restarted the build.

Paint color will be 2-tone beige with black fenders/grille shell/headlight casings/front glass surround, Japan Army Green engine block/transmission, upholstered seat in simulated dark brown duck canvas, floor mat in Testors "vulcanized rubber" enamel, detailed gauge cluster and surround/knobs on the beige dash, and the '34 grille bars will be dechromed and modified to work in the '32 passenger shell. 

A toolbox will be added to the curb side of the frame behind the cab/under the vehicle, with an external battery out on the driver's side. Front bumper may be a perforated steel rail bumper from an AMT '53 F100 kit, or may end up just being a kit supplied chrome bumper. 

[Andria H]

More progress. Wheels/tires from a kid-damaged Ertl 1/30 scale fire truck bank and a parts bin front axle/kit rear axle on parts bin front spring fill out the wheel openings, paint is starting to look like what I had in mind, and cab/hood are sitting on the fenders. 


 

[johnyrotten]

3 hours ago, Andria H said:

More progress. Wheels/tires from a kid-damaged Ertl 1/30 scale fire truck bank and a parts bin front axle/kit rear axle on parts bin front spring fill out the wheel openings, paint is starting to look like what I had in mind, and cab/hood are sitting on the fenders. 


 

Shaping up well. I've always been a fan of the pedestrian ford trucks, in the past few years the more commercial versions have really interested me. Models "bb" and similar. Keep up the good work👍👍

[Andria H]

7 hours ago, johnyrotten said:

Shaping up well. I've always been a fan of the pedestrian ford trucks, in the past few years the more commercial versions have really interested me. Models "bb" and similar. Keep up the good work👍👍

thank you!

[Andria H]

Frame progress. The kit supplied bed supports are glued on, as are the battery and toolbox and exhaust system. 

[Andria H]

More progress underway. 

[Andria H]

Last bit of progress before final assembly of small parts, some light aging and such, and the Under Glass thread, which I will link up. Due to breaking both radiator hoses and not being able to find a set of 1936 or 1939-40 cylinder heads with rad hoses integrated, I glued the hood shut once I got the engine in. 

Under glass thread:

 

Edited Friday at 09:00 AM by Andria H

[Zippi]

The ole flatbed dually 37 Ford pickup is looking pretty sharp there Andria.  

[Andria H]

thanks, Bob. Appreciate your comment & enthusiasm