AMT Ford C 900/Garwood LP 900 refuse truck

[Brian Conn]

  So here we go..... my first truck build W.I.P

  I started with the engine first in an attempt to fallow the kit build directions in order.  I soon discovered an issue with the fitment between the bottom of the heads and the intake/engine block.

Note the notched?? area between the bottom of the head and engine block and intake manifold.  I don't know the reason for this, I just know that this is not the way it looks in 1:1 scale.

 

  Filled in the area with Styrene strip and Bondo

 Here's where I am at presently with the engine....aftermarket distributor and plug wires, scratch built fuel line,governor linkage to carb, water pipe from intake manifold to surge tank (surge tank not pictured) and riser for the oil breather on the Right side and ignition coil....started some slight weathering...I have not applied any dull coat yet , nor any wash.  I had to slightly modify the bottom of the heat riser to properly clear the spark plug boots.  Got the Ford C photo etch for this build which will really enhance the cab. 

Just for shucks and grins I compared the 534 C/I Ford truck engine against one of my 1:25 Fat Block Ford 427's and a big block Ford 460....this truck engine even makes them look small and puny.

    

 

 

 

Edited December 24, 2023 by Brian Conn
additional information

[vincen47]

Nice start with the project especially with the corrections to the engine. It looks great.

[Brian Conn]

Thanks!    I did'nt take a final picture of the area I worked on, there is a slight curvature to squared off area that I built up from the block deck to the bottom of the head....oops...I'll post the 1:1  reference picture that I used to build up this area.  

[Brian Conn]

Heres one of the reference pictures of the back side of the 1:1 engine showing the proper shape and size of the head to intake manifold area

[Brian Conn]

  Building time has been at a premium, again.  Between life and work , I have not had much time to glue two pieces of plastic together, let alone any major progress.

  I have completed the engine, except for wiring the starter, Black washing and dull coat.  The lines that are sticking out all over the place are the fuel line, air line to tank and power steering hoses.  I had to use some artistic liberties with plumbing the power steering pump as locating decent pictures was virtually impossible.  My very first truck engine but not my very first engine.

   

     

                

Edited December 24, 2023 by Brian Conn

[Gary Chase]

Looking really good, detailing takes so much time but so worth it. 

[Brian Conn]

Thanks.....yes, it is worth it.

  There is more detail than what shows up in the pictures, but right right now the digital camera and computer are not at all playing well together so I had to abandon that idea and use my phone which doesn't take as good as pictures as the digital camera 

   

[Brian Conn]

...Finished Black washing and dull coating the engine...still a couple of shiny spots that need knocked down some more.

  Started out with a shiny Pewter Gray from the rattle can.....the end result after applying some earth tone colors, Black wash and a couple coats of dull coat.  My wife Amy is choosing all the color for this rig and I must admit that she has a better eye for color coordination than I do.....should turn out to be a unique trash truck yet fill the bill as far as trash trucks are concerned if that makes any sense.  Next up is the frame/chassis 

Edited December 4, 2023 by Brian Conn

[Johnny M]

Brian, I like how you refer to dirt as "earth tones" -- good one!

Johnny

[Brian Conn]

  Earth tones is something I borrowed from the military armor and diorama guys in the modeling club...I have used it on my last few builds (dirt track stock cars) and the results have been fantastic...I have also used earth tone pastel chalks with equal success.

  I will need to clean up my act....there's a piece of fire fighting apparatus (the 900 series America La France in my profile picture) that's been calling my name lately every time I step into the hobby room 

   

[Brian Conn]

  My first learning curve with building trucks....

  For 16 years I have been building cars....the kit frames are all 1 piece...trucks, a different animal all together as I have come to find out.  I have jigs for the different stock car frames/chassis that I scratch built...looks like I have to do the same with truck frames and build 1 or 2 or 3 or.......  I have a magnetic base that I used to get this frame square, even with that base it still took patience and time.

I first shot the inside portions of the frame including cross members with a Matte Black to replicate what color it would have been coming out of the factory.  The outside portions are Model Car World Seafoam Turquoise Metallic shot with an air brush to give it the appearance that custom colors where applied after leaving the factory but prior to being placed in service. 

 

 

Edited December 12, 2023 by Brian Conn

[Gary Chase]

Looking really good. 

[Brian Conn]

THANKS!   It's almost a shame that I will end up weathering the chassis with rust and stains, but it is what it is.  My wife is concerned that the trash truck wont look the part of a trash truck that see's a daily route up and down alleys and trips to the land fill.....    

[Gary Chase]

16 hours ago, Brian Conn said:

THANKS!   It's almost a shame that I will end up weathering the chassis with rust and stains, but it is what it is.  My wife is concerned that the trash truck wont look the part of a trash truck that see's a daily route up and down alleys and trips to the land fill.....    

That’s a tuff call, I like enough weathering to showcase normal wear but when I see these builds from a junkyard perspective, I am amazed and intrigued how they make it look so real. Honestly I enjoy all levels of weathering and wish I had better skills at applying those techniques. I will be watching your build so give us some details as you move forward. 

[Chris K]

Good progress

[Brian Conn]

  THANKS!  wish I was farther along with the progress.....I've got the engine/trans in place and started running the air lines to the primary and secondary air tanks....suppose I could post a picture or two.  

[Eric]

Hi Brian 

This is my first post on here so bare with me.

After a 43 year career as a truck and coach mechanic I retired and am traveling with my wife in an RV six months of the year .

As a kid I built many of the old ertl truck kits but haven't built any in nearly 50 years until recently I'm currently working on my second one 

The Garwood refuse truck you are working on and found a good link for the detailing of the compactor. Below link

https://www.classicrefusetrucks.com/albums/GW/GW18.html

Also the picture of old purple on the box cover has an tube video of the actual truck.

both of these should help with the detail

 

 

[Brian Conn]

  Thanks Eric,  excellent first post...

  I made contact with Eric Voytko at Classic Refuse Trucks prior to starting this build.  Needless to say, I have scoured the Garwood section quite thoroughly a few times and discovered where AMT had made some mistakes, whether intentional or not, with the packer body.  The Purple truck is what I'm using as a base for the exterior weathering that I am doing.....found another Ford C-900 trash truck that I'll use for the cab interior weathering and another 2 or 3 packer body interiors that I'll use for weathering the interior packer body.  I plan on displaying this build at model shows with the packer body roof off to show the correct packer body interior details.        

[Eric]

Hi Brian on my build I cut a notch in the top of the ejector wall and built a channel to run the hydraulic lines from the front wall back to the tail gate like the 1:1 unit did

From my research and experience there should be three hydraulic lines running from the front to the rear one from the forward valve block to run the tail gate lift cylinders

And one pressure line to the packer control valves on the passenger side of the tailgate to operate the rear packer.

There should be a return line in that conduit as well making a count of three.

It looks to me like the return line running from the forward valve body should have run up and teed into the return line coming from the front and then go through the filter housing on the upper front wall before going back to the tank.( On the kit AMT show the return line from the forward valve body going straight back to the tank.

There is a hydraulic circuit diagram in the patent diagrams for the PL 900.

The packer hoses should have teed on the upper movable packer section and the run to the passenger side wall where they would connect to the control valving.

In the 1:1 packer that hydraulic line conduit was welded or bolted to the roof but on my build I wanted to be able to lift the roof off as you do so I added a cross member at the upper rear of the packer to carry the conduit.

I'll try to post some pictures of my build tomorrow.

Eric

[Brian Conn]

   As you have discovered, the hydraulic lines are pretty much generic in the kit...p.t.o pump to the front, underneath control valves to the hydraulic tank and whats visible on the hopper even though they designed the cover panels on the side of the hopper to be removable for display.

              Here is where I am at presently..........

  Got the steel air lines plumbed from the compressor to the primary and secondary air tanks, and from the air tanks back forward to the cab area.  Added some fuel stain paint to the gas cap area on the fuel tank and weathered some small areas around the air lines.  Attached the fuel line to the tank.

 

 

  

Edited January 15 by Brian Conn

[Eric]

Looks great so far

On the fuel tank you'll see three fittings close to the frame on top of the tank that is where the fuel pickup and returns would have gone the larger circle out towards the outside of the tank was just the fuel sending units for the gas gauge and would have had two wires connected to ita ground wire under one of the out circle retaining bolts and a signal wire to the center of the sending units.

I didn't get into all the air lines and wiring as you have .but as I spent the last five years of my career as a heavy equipment mechanic I did try to connect as many hydraulic lines as I could . The kit has almost enough hydraulic line to do everything except the over head line front to rear which I did with craft wire ( If l had it to do again I'd have used solder for those instead.

I also drilled the tailgate latches and used craft wire to hide them so the tail gate could be opened.

I also added the winch cable and snatch block as shown on old purple 

As you can see I weathered this one up as a fifty year old heavily used unit ( maybe a bit over done) and will be suspended towing it with my already completed AMT Pete tow truck.

 

Edited January 15 by Eric

[Eric]

Here is a picture of two of the refuse truck being suspend towed as promised 

[Johnny M]

That's just great, Eric ! 

I can almost smell it from here. 😜

Johnny

[Eric]

Thanks Johnny I tried to create everything but the stink. Lol

[Brian Conn]

On 1/15/2024 at 10:46 AM, Eric said:

Looks great so far

On the fuel tank you'll see three fittings close to the frame on top of the tank that is where the fuel pickup and returns would have gone the larger circle out towards the outside of the tank was just the fuel sending units for the gas gauge and would have had two wires connected to it a ground wire under one of the out circle retaining bolts and a signal wire to the center of the sending units.

  ...Been doing too many stock car fuel cells.       Sounds like an easy enough fix...needed to show more electrical type wiring going to the cab anyway.

  I do have one question:  Where does the cable that is attached to the engine governor go? (see picture of the upper,back side of a 1:1 engine,above)  Does it drive the tach. or go elsewhere?  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 19 by Brian Conn