Jinxed Italeri cargo trailer!

[BigBad]

Well, I got myself two Italeri cargo trailer to make one... Just like they say in the instruction to fix the innacuracies. So you already know these kits might look good with a 1:25 scale tractor, but looks simply stupid with it's own scale truck, especially if the tractor has an aero fairing. So... I got to cutting up trailer sides, make plans to cut these straight, 'cause you 're going to spend a lot of time sanding and puttying it up afterwards.

First, to have a good looking van height, you need 5 more "ribs" on the van sides than there already are. So 24 instead of 19. I first glued the 2 halves of the van sides together, then once solid enough, chose at what height I would cut. I chose to cut just under a rib, so the knife blade would be guided by its groove. On the other side, I used a steel straight edge that I clamped

on the panel to guide the knife on the other side. Get that real straight before cutting... Proceed to cutting with a nice sturdy knife handle and blade because that panel is THICK (.080)! I got tired after a while then looked at my tools for something better. I have Dentist hygenic tools (pics), If you pull one of those right on the straight edge it works even better than the knife. So be patient!

I unfortunately made a mistake in counting my ribs (DUH!) and wound up one short... You know, over 10, it gets difficult!

Ok, fine, I added a .125 x.040 (2 strips thick to match panel thickness) strip of evergreen to replace the missing section, and it worked great. Use strips of evergreen in the back of the panels to have tabs to glue this panel to the other one.

So it takes my saturday afternoon to cut these upand glue together 1 side panel, looking pretty good, if I do say so myself!

So I go on gluing the other side, halfway thru I spill the Tamiya liquid glue all over the work area! Of course that includes the panel I'm working on! This thing is harsh! I washed of a good amount but some of it etched the plastic panel quite a bit...

But still... So I was quite disappointed. So my precious girlfriend asked me if I could sand this out... Hmmm, I have all kinds of sanding sticks, many grades of sand paper and Revell fine grit sanding pads. I used the sticks to clean out the edges of the ribs, and the pads for the small flat portions between the ribs. I lost some rivet detail, but got the surfaces to an acceptable level to paint over.

I'll have to use some putty to hide the cut lines on the front wall, the rear doors and the roof, so I'll prbably put a coat on the rougher surfaces at the same time.

I have mocked up the box and I am happy to report that it has the right look with the truck that will "pull" it.

What I have in mind for that trailer is that it will have 3 axles, probably moveable, don't know yet, It will probably install the

reefer unit from the Far-West Trucking trailer. I might fill the smaller holes in the wheels to have 2 hole bud wheels, or just leave them as is and paint them allclad chrome. One thing's for sure, the hubs are going to be cut substantially to get the right look.

I will need a fuel tank for the reefer unit, I am probably going to install the wires and brake hoses too to make things interesting.

I will post some pictures when it starts to be interesting to look at. For now, there ain't much!

I'll have picture up when it gets interesting!

Edited October 17, 2011 by Z06Bob

[Kostas Parchas]

Robert,

Who told you that it is not already interesting?????????????????????????????? Post pictures ASAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is what I am planning to do with my cargo trailers and I have for of them. The rest of the second one will be a nice grain trailer. If the first succeed I will try a second attempt to 53FT.

Kostas.

[Semi Trailer Mechanic]

Robert.

Your trailer height should be no higher that 13'6" while on the back of a tractor. It may be easier to build a door frame in the rear. On 1:1 those are made out of 1/4"x2"x4" tube steel. Evergreen and plastruct has what you need. You can get away with using some angle styrene glue that to the inside edge of the frame so your side panles and roof have a mounting surface. If your not going to made the doors functional then put the angle just on the inner edge of the frame,threshold, and upper header for a surface to attach your doors to as well.

Scott

[BigBad]

Robert.

Your trailer height should be no higher that 13'6" while on the back of a tractor. It may be easier to build a door frame in the rear. On 1:1 those are made out of 1/4"x2"x4" tube steel. Evergreen and plastruct has what you need. You can get away with using some angle styrene glue that to the inside edge of the frame so your side panles and roof have a mounting surface. If your not going to made the doors functional then put the angle just on the inner edge of the frame,threshold, and upper header for a surface to attach your doors to as well.

Scott

Thanks Scott! For the height of the box on top of the truck's 5th wheel, it should be around scale 13'3" to 13'6" as it stands. Thanks for the tips, those will be useful. I already cut everything for the right fit. I was wondering what to do for those doors. Some custom made with plastruct would look mighty good. I might be using the kit's rear end and putty it up a little so the seams don't show too much though. The doors won't be functional, the inside of that box is pretty awful with all the gusseting and added tabs to compensate for the new sections.

Robert,

Who told you that it is not already interesting?????????????????????????????? Post pictures ASAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is what I am planning to do with my cargo trailers and I have for of them. The rest of the second one will be a nice grain trailer. If the first succeed I will try a second attempt to 53FT.

Kostas.

Who?, ME that's who! Haha, Kostas, thanks for looking and the encouragement buddy, I will have good pictures to show next week end. My girlfriend has the digital camera... ;o) Alright? Stay tuned guys!

[CharlieBravo]

I thought the rear doors on these Italeri reefer/cargo trailers do not open? Pretty poor if that's the case.

Chris

Edited October 17, 2011 by cj0203

[BigBad]

I thought the rear doors on these Italeri reefer/cargo trailers do not open? Pretty poor if that's the case.

Chris

No, they do not open... When you think that AMT could do it 40 years ago... It looks a bit lame. BUT, it goes together pretty nicely though, it is sturdy too. But the details are lacking, especially in the suspension dpt. for sure. Can't wait to see if Moebius is coming out with a trailer. That would be... Soothing! But, for the time being, the closest available kit you get to a modern trailer is the 48' Italeri.

Its up to us to make'em better I guess.

[Semi Trailer Mechanic]

Here are some van trailers I detailed the doors on over the last few years.

Take a look at this set of pics of it.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9495602@N02/sets/72157618444714198/

This is another

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9495602@N02/4318063135/

Another

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9495602@N02/sets/72157623829493805/with/4840552628/

This is an older one but still can give ya an idea

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9495602@N02/2323273062/

[BigBad]

Wow! Scott, these are beyond awesome! Can't believe the details you put on and IN these trailers, you obviously know your way around them. Thanks for sharing these, we don't see many trailers as detailed as your's. I'm not quite as motivated yet, but for next builds I am going to consider your work.

I like the insides of the pups, what did you use as scale "plywood", I'd say balsa, but I could be wrong. Great job! The weathering on the wood of that flatbed is great, looks real, I like the tri-axle layout too. That lowboy is very nicely done. Impressive work.

I am going to continue on my 48 foot Italerei this week-end. Since I am not too familiar with this kit I won't do much interior detailing 'cause I don't think I'll make it open. But I have another one waiting in the wings. That one will get better treatment... Keep you posted guys, Thanks!

[Truck parts]

Scott, WOW, I LOVE what you did to both of the trailers.

[ewaskew]

Looks real nice

Weathering looks real good also

Earl

[Semi Trailer Mechanic]

Thanks. By all means wasn't trying to hijack your thread. Just giving ya some ideas. Lately... I haven't been able to put the effort into building like I use to. Yesterday I did 10 mins worth of model building. The last time I tinkered w/ a model before that was a month ago.

You could say I know my way around trailers. HA HAAA I've been fixing 1:1's for a pay check for nearly 20 years now.

On the ribside trailer I did use various sheets of wood. If I remember I used basswood,balsa,mahogany to give the effect that several liners have been replaced from abuse (forklift/freight) over the years. On that FRP (Fiberglass Reinforced Plywood) I used a sheet of 1/32 plywood. I wanted to put fiberglass over the ply but it would be too thick. SO I did a little thinking and used a semi gloss latex just to paint it. This paint when dried looked perfect!!! It showed an identical surface as 1:1 FRP panels do. That was alot of work.

[CharlieBravo]

Great detail Scott! How'd ya go about doing the trailer door hinges?? they look awesome

Edited October 25, 2011 by cj0203

[Semi Trailer Mechanic]

Great detail Scott! How'd ya go about doing the trailer door hinges?? they look awesome

It was a little tricky! I took strip styrene cut it into pieces the lengths of each hinge. Next sanded 95% of the top surface down leaving just enough material left to drill down the center for the hinge pins. Followed by sanding just enough material off the bottom surface of the hinge so it will clear the hinge butt allowing the door to close flush. The hinge butts are made from h-beam styrene. On the h-beam the flanges are thinner than those on i-beam. Cut two flanges off one side so it looks like c-channle. glue those on the door frame. When dried take your hinge and mock install it in the hinge butt and sand off the excess flange so it's flush with the bin boss on the hinge. Carefully drill thru the two flanges into the hinge so all the holes are aligned. You'll want to leave the hinges and doors off when you paint the door frame

and paint the hinges seperate as well. Install the doors by using some tape to hold them in place. Install your hinges to the doors but make sure you use like a piece of brass wire to keep them aligned with the holes in the hinge butts. After that I used scale bolts "two" one for the top and the bottom. The shanks on those aren't long enough to go thru the two flanges in the hinge butt and the hinge boss. Apply some type of lube anything that will seal the surface of the styrene from glue contact to the inside flanges of the hinge butts. ( Of course you'll have to remove the doors ) Once you do that reinstall a door cut the bolts off the spurs and apply lube to the bottom of each shank. very minimal amounts. This too will prevent the glue from seizing the hinge boss' to the shanks of your hinge bolts. Apply a very fine amount of glue to the bottom of the hex of the bolt. When you install these the lube on the tip of the shank will coat the remainde of the shank as the bolt is installed in the hinges' pin bossand the minimal amout of glue on the bottom side of the bolts' hex will secure it to top surface of the hinge butts' flanges. This will allow your hinge to work and hold them in place.

As far as the doors go. I fitted those exactly the same way as I would if I replaced a set of doors on a 1:1 trailer. Start by measuring the area height and width. On a piece of paper record those numbers. Here's where most mechanics mess up and cause their doors to bind. Measure the width starting at the bottom of your trailer right at the thresh hold. Record that measurement. Then go up a couple feet measure again. Do this until you reach the door frame header. Do the exact same from the trailers' threshold to the door header from the roadside of the trailer to the curbside. If you're door frame IS out of square your will see the variation in measurements from the bottom to the top and then across and then from side to side. Don't bother trying to straighten your door frame unless it's way out.

Alright now. Divide your width measurements ( First measurement taken at the threshold and the last by the upper door header) by two. Here is your centerline where your two doors will meet. If you're not going to add door seal detail then use these two measurements to cut your door blanks out of. Using sheet styrene say .030 and a straight edge draw a line using a fine tip pencil. IF your door frame measurements were not all the same mark the outter edge of your door acording. As you cut it out you'll cut it to those widths. For example most door widths ave to a little over 48" so let's say the bottom is 48" even the next 48 1/16" next 48 1/16" next 48 1/32" 48 1/16" and so on. You'll cut you door blank and shape it to the distortion of the door frame being out of square opposed to taking time to cutting out the corner irons use the port-a-power and restraighten the frame and reinstall the new corner irons just to have frame to tweek out of square again when you remove the port-a-power and you're gonna end up cutting the blank to fit the out of square measurement. Learned that a long time ago the hard way!!! If it's excessively out of square then you have to do this. I've had to take leaf spring ubolts and weld them to the upper corner of the door frame and the opposite corner on the threshold and use a chain and hoist come along to pull the frame in square. ANY WAY I explained that so you get an idea. On that Trailmobile I used two of the 27' pups to make a 35' I had to use 1/4" thick styrene and cut it in one piece to fit the rear to square up the roof sides and floor it was so warped. Then I just added the detail hardware just giving it the curbside effect.

If you want to add door trim I used angle styrene just subtract the thickness of the flnage on the angle from the width of each door and cut your blank according, Once you do this they will fit nearly air tightand open and close easily!!! It will take some time and patients and you will make mistakes. Plan on it!!!

Good Luck

Edited October 25, 2011 by Semi Trailer Mechanic