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Showing content with the highest reputation since 02/19/2024 in all areas

  1. 5 points
    Built almost entirely with left over parts from other kits. Holmes 750 style wrecker unit entirely scratch-built.
  2. 4 points
    Modelled after a real wrecker used by a local towing company. Real wrecker weighs 103,000-pound necessitating 5 axles and special permits to operate in most states. Boom rotates 360 degrees and is poseable. It has a scale 8 feet of travel on the frame. Model is almost completely scratch-built using styrene plastic sheets and structural shapes.
  3. 3 points
    Here's some pics of my new 1926 Mack Stake truck. Built box stock with custom built racks and some mild oil and dirt staining which is hard to see in the pictures. This was the log truck version, but I wasn't crazy about the load so I decided to change the bed. I did find certain things that I didn't like in this kit, like poor locater marks and some fitment issues but nothing insurmountable. All in all, I think it looks like a nice model of an historic truck. Sorry about the small pics; for some reason the pictures won't transfer correctly from the camera to the computer.
  4. 2 points
    Now I like this! Very nice! Excellent work!
  5. 2 points
    THank you. Resin cab was a bit of a challenge because of the thickness of the casting.
  6. 2 points
    Beautiful paint colors, and details. Impressive scratchbuilding. Love the subject and craftsmanship.
  7. 2 points
  8. 1 point
    Just in case some of you are not on the other forum, I thought I’d start a WIP thread here, too. It is an usual project, but these rigs are becoming more and popular in the race and general RV travel markets, so you may have seen them on the road… Imagine taking a retired truck and building your dream RV from it? This build will be mostly custom work, just like the real thing. These rigs don’t roll out of the ‘ol Winnebago factory…and you find models like this in a kit, either. I will use Italeri’s 378 for some parts, along with Bill Drennan’s 379 hood. Lots of scratcbuilding and a host of aftermarket parts. Inspiration for this project came from rigs like this, (though the one above is a 389) where a used or factory-fresh commercial class 8 chassis is stretched and a coach body is added, creating the ultimate RV. The ultimate RV starts with the ultimate engine. Some may argue differently, but I think Cat’s 3406e from the late 1990’s is the finest example of diesel power, especially when it’s been decked out in aftermarket chrome and ceramic performance parts. I started with a resin Cat 3406E from Jamie at Moluminum. I detailed it using Ken Smith’s Car Modeller article on Fotki. I used 3d printed elbows from modelbuildermatt on Shapeways and metal fittings from Detail Master. Several engine components were scratch-built. The 18 speed Eaton Auto-shift transmission came from Moebius, with a lot of detail parts added using reference photos. Jamie’s casting didn’t include the 3 dimensional “CAT” logo on the chrome timing cover, but I added one using a casting of a Cat lapel pin I found on EBay that was the perfect size. I’m not a pro resin caster by any means, but I’ve found casting small, very simple parts, to be useful in this project. It took me several attempts, maybe a half-dozen, to get the valve covers looking good. I finally found putting Molotow down first, then adding the black in the recessed areas via a Molotow black pen was best. Careful painting of the red stripe and a triangle-cut of a yellow decal finished the iconic look of the Caterpillar 3406e’s valve covers.I put together a simple engine stand using square styrene tube. I currenty use it for other engines that are waiting to be installed in the next chassis. It’s a handy tool. That’s the basic engine so far, more about the other engine components when we get to the chassis installation. Ask questions, I’m sure there’s explanations I missed. Next, let’s get the frame rails laid down…
  9. 1 point
  10. 1 point
    Look Amazing! Very nice work on the cooler! Excellent work!
  11. 1 point
    This was built from an old Mark Savage cab. It has an M11 Cummins from Gary Wallace.
  12. 1 point
    Now that we have a rolling (non-rolling) chassis, time to install the engine and add the radiator and charge air cooler. It’s a squeeze, but she fits. There’s a lot of extra parts adding to the overall engine width, like the serpentine bracket, so I made sure to measure and test fit beforehand. To connect the driveline, I made three driveshaft carrier bearings from styrene. Onto the CAC: There’s a void in the aftermarket for a proper charge air cooler/air to air aftercooler. Italeri tried in the 378 kit, but it leaves a lot to be desired. I used the Italeri kit parts as a basis for creating an aftermarket CAC in the style of a Duralite. I added photo etched radiator mesh and modified the side of the kit radiator. Then, adding putty to create the shape needed. The kit’s radiator coolant reservoir was added to the top at this point, but I will replace it later with a better version. On the front side, I added a parallel flow AC condenser unit, made with photo etched mesh. I’ll add the lines to and from it later, as well as the air intake connectors and pipes to the turbo and engine block.
  13. 1 point
    ......Those Holmes 750's just look right on any 60's truck chassis........nice build
  14. 1 point
    Thank you. The model also turned out to be quite heavy...in plastic no less.
  15. 1 point
    Wow, fantastic build. 103k? She’s certainly heavy. But I suppose that adds stability. Nice scratch building. She’s a beauty.
  16. 1 point
    Now onto the rear axles, suspension, hubs and brakes. The main chassis color is Tamiya Semi Gloss Black. There’s a couple other shades of black, and also Tamiya Rubber Black (a very realistic color) used on the air bags. The rear axles needed a sleeve of wider tubing to fit the wheel hubs. Those beautiful real aluminum hubs are from M&R Wheels. Highly recommended, they make excellent products. I got the M&R hubs to go with the Keystone Aluminum Peterbilt Alcoa wheels, which are fantastic, but didn’t come with hubs with a socket for the axle stubs. I probably could have figured out a way to make the Keystone hubs work, but M&R provided a much simpler option. More about the wheels in a later post. I added resin Bendix Air Disc Brake assemblies from Moluminum. Drilled them out to fit over the hub axle mounts. I included air lines to the brake chambers, and ran the lines up to the frame rails. I didn’t bother running lines further than that, because, well, none of this area of the chassis will be seen on the completed model unless you turn it upside down. Not planning on that. The frame rails are mostly devoid of bolt detail for the same reason. In fact, on the rear axles, all you’ll see is the outside wheels and tires. But, I guess when the build is finished, I’ll know the brakes and lines are there and that’s what matters. But, I sometimes have to ask myself “does it matter when you won’t see it?” After all, this project has been about striking a balance between the sane and crazy, right? The front axle has disc brakes, too. I painted and decaled the shocks to represent Bilstein commercial truck and coach shocks. The front brake assemblies were also run with lines, along with the air bags. Air Bag Levelers were added using bits from the parts box. These details make more sense because they will be seen when you tilt the hood. The air lines to the bags are braided line from Detail master with their fittings connecting to the mounts and to the frame rails. The resin air bags are brush painted in Tamiya rubber black. I opted to go with solid bags rather than rubber ones because of the potential amount of weight they’ll need to support. The hubs are fixed in place, not enabling the model to roll, though the front axle steering is functional. I like rolling models, but the vast majority of the time I glue the wheels in place because they can usually be positioned better (plumb and square) that way and they won’t roll off a shelf.
  17. 1 point
    Going day cab with headache rack to go with my fleet,,,,,,,when I get back to it. With warmer weather we are getting our garden planted under hot hoop houses and I am heading down south to see my kids/grandkids😜😉😁
  18. 1 point
    That engine and transmission could be a build by its self....outstanding
  19. 1 point
    Thanks! The other forum is the Model Cars Magazine Forum. It’s not specifically focused on trucks, but it has some truck-only categories.
  20. 1 point
    Took a year to complete and my fleet is growing.
  21. 1 point
    Last build of the year.
  22. 1 point
  23. 1 point
    Just a box stock rendition of the Atlantis reissue, finished with Tamiya paints and Monroe weathering powder. This is the first one I've built out of the box, and now I've started a second. 🤣 Now I need to go through my back issues of Model Cars Magazine and find the series from the 2007 NNL.
  24. 1 point
    I build all my trucks so that no axle turns and agree that is just an accident waiting to happen especially when the grandkid’s are nearby. I do the same but use solid plastic axles and I use Moebius wheelset most of the time. Before glueing the tire/wheel combo on, I will take the time to rotate them, mark them so they all line up well and make contact to the flat surface. Takes time, but to see a finished rig with an inside dual hanging in the air just looks strange.
  25. 1 point
    That looks pretty awesome Victor!! I don't like my wheels to roll, at least not on every axle. For me it is an accident waiting to happen! I like to leave the brakes on.
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