traditional Posted January 15, 2015 Posted January 15, 2015 My twin brother, Larry, just sent me photos of his latest beverage truck project which took about 2 1/2 months to complete...mostly because of an unending number of fabricated wooden drink crates (22 parts, each). The truck is a two ton 1947 Canadian Fargo FL60 (Chrysler, Canada) with an 'era typical' open bottlers body. The cab started as a Danbury Plymouth but required widening of the fenders, spreading, shortening, and lowering the running boards, straightening the rear of the cab, tighter mounting of lower hood side hinges, and fabrication of accessories...mirrors, marker and directional lights, interior Mopar heater, all Fargo nameplates, etc. The chassis, including the steering front beam axle, is all brass other than the scratch styrene 2 speed rear axle and front/rear brake drums. Using many parts bin items, the engine replicates the appropriate flathead 251 cu.in. 6 cylinder coupled to a fabricated 5 speed transmission with attached drive line style safety brake assembly. The bottler's body is all brass with the exception of the opening styrene door panels...lower ones for the brass hand carts, rear doors for marketing graphics (posters, etc.) and much-modified diecast rear fenders. Wheels are reworked Yatming items with Ertl tires and scratch inner rims. Center front hubcaps are lathe turned items to depict unpolished aluminum parts that were production items on front wheels of all larger Canadian Fargo trucks. Vinyl graphics are printed from line art Larry supplied using accumulated reference. Paint is automotive basecoat/clearcoat. The now defunct KIK Cola brand was a unique, award-winning, local, quality cola, marketed mostly in family size bottles for the Montreal area where Larry and I grew up. At age 4, we would sit on our coaster wagons a half block from our home to watch trucks loading up at the actual bottling facility. That nostalgia from over 60 years ago sustained Larry while he mindlessly fabricated basswood beverage crates, with metal corners (from aluminum pop cans), and 1/16 acrylic rods (12 per case) representing the family size bottle necks. He has asked me to simply shoot him, no questions asked, if he ever contemplates another project requiring such tedious repetition.
1959scudetto Posted January 16, 2015 Posted January 16, 2015 Fantastic beverage truck - leaves me speechless. When I see such gems, I start thinking about turning to another hobby instead of model building....
Plastheniker Posted January 16, 2015 Posted January 16, 2015 Fantastic and perfect - no need to say anything more! Who ever reworked a diecast knows that this requires a lot more abilities than working with plastic.
kilrathy10 Posted January 16, 2015 Posted January 16, 2015 Good Gravy, Man.....Your brother's incredible craftsmanship seems to have no end.....Wow....I really liked that last build you posted for him that made the magazine, and this one is just as good.....WOW!!!!!
Silver Foxx Posted January 17, 2015 Posted January 17, 2015 So nice , a lot of top class work in this .
tomsheehy Posted January 21, 2015 Posted January 21, 2015 In a class of its own...fantastic build, museum quality.
peekay Posted January 23, 2015 Posted January 23, 2015 Fantastic model! I'm not so much of a "truck guy and don't come to this section often enough - so much great stuff here today!
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