Carling O'Keefe Breweries GMC General

[rnagle]

This is a project that was started quite some time ago and has been on again/off again with a lot more "off" than "on". While I am not a big "New Year's resolution" person it did seem a good idea to start finishing up some ongoing projects before starting too many new ones. (That theory doesn't apply to kit purchases of course!)

Using the AMT General kit as a starting point to replicate #9077. Was told they were Cummins powered, from photo determined drive axle spread was 60" and it had the shorter (108") BBC hood:



Kit frame rails shortened, holes filled, filed smooth. Front axle made steerable. "Nose job" to shorten BBC required relocation of cab mounts and hood/fender rework. 6 spoke wheels up front from parts box (pretty sure they are from AMT Mack R kits), drives are from Road Boss kit. Drive tires smaller than steer tires to match photo:



Shoehorn job fitting Cummins engine, still have to close up firewall/doghouse area:



Square fuel tank from Titan/90 kit with step cutout added. Tank straps from styrene channel and strip. Still have to add step treads, fuel lines and fuel gauge wiring:



Plaskit's 60" Hendrickson suspension used with AMT Kenworth axles. I like using those axles with Plaskit's suspension as the separate attachment brackets are easy to drill and pin to ends of walking beams. Brake backing plates & slack adjusters from Kenworth kit used with Plaskit brake chambers. Fastener detail added to frame using Tichy Train Group detail parts. Still plenty of work to do in this area yet including track rods and fifth wheel mount:

[ap40rocktruck]

Very Nice Rob! short hood & a real engine make the GMC much better. Even more so to have spoke or Dayton wheels.

Ap40

[jimb]

Very cool. I like the shorter hood. I'm going to attempt that with a Chevrolet Bison one of these years!

[gatorincebu]

Robert,
Looks like another interesting project you have there. Are you going to detail it like the Ford???

Be Well
Gator

[Robert Myers]

Interesting project. I liked seeing the changes you are making.

[rnagle]

Thanks guys - I do have a liking for "fleet" trucks. I remember drawing trucks a youngster and liking the "look" of spoke wheels even though they were a lot harder to draw. Same for kits I had a youngster, must be one of the reasons why I liked the Ford C600 City Delivery so much.

I do hope to detail this one up fairly well, some things may end up simplified because I started it a couple years ago and wasn't thinking ahead in some areas when it comes to detailing.

[rnagle]

One modification is filling in open area around bottom of cab due to tapered shape of interior "tub". .015 styrene cut & fit to slip inside of cab cemented to interior tub. Doghouse area also modified with larger opening to fit Cummins engine. Inside of cab .030 quarter round was cemented below windows and along cab back wall to provide a stop to locate cab on interior tub:


Showing underside of cab floor. Pins fit to holes drilled in forward cab mounts. Still needs some putty and final finish work:


Fifth wheel modified from kit's slider unit to fixed installation. .030 x .250 styrene strip used to build up fifth wheel mounting place, 5/32" angle used on frame. Didn't realize how many bolts hold a real truck together until I started trying to replicate them in 1/25!

[rnagle]

Surprise - kit air cleaner is a little different from the 1:1 truck! OK, not drastically different, main thing is cap is a different profile. 1:1 truck's is deeper and more cylindrical than kit's shallow cap with domed centre. Mack R air cleaner cap with ridge filed off outside edge is a close enough match, shown here beside kit cap for comparison. Molded on straps sanded off for replacement with styrene strip, row of small hex fasteners around top of canister replicated with Plastruct .030 styrene hex rod. Tool made from piece of parts runner & .040 square styrene strip used to set each fastener to same height.

[swamp rat]

she gonna be looking good..

[rnagle]

Thanks Dave! Changed the front wheels, was pointed out ones I had used looked a bit shallow compared to 1:1, found the ones in Revell Germany's Australian Kenworth a better match. Brake drum from General kit was turned down & sanded shallower to fit, kit oil hub replaced with resin part from Plaskit. It is intended for trailer use, oil hub portion was cut off & attached to wheel:


Cab mount area with some of the lines added as next step is attaching interior tub to frame:


Representation of brake valve and lines added to interior tub underside:


In place, cab slips over tub so it can be attached after painting. As best I can tell from (limited) Carling General photos there was no Luberfiner on cab so notches cast into cab filled with styrene strip, also mirror mount holes plugged as replacement mirrors will be scratchbuilt. Air lines and 1/16" brass rod from shift tower to cab give underside similar "busy" look to 1:1 scale trucks:

[gatorincebu]

Robert,
I am slap out of things to say about your work. So just know I am and hoping to ;earn a few tricks along the way!


Be Well
Gator

[rnagle]

Thanks Gator, some work on the cab shell this evening, first photo is a stock kit cab set in place. Mold lines visible on back of cab, close to but not quite correct for seam lines on 1:1 cab shown in next photo. Also there is no rear window gasket as stock kit has sleeper box so back of cab not visible if built per instructions:





Mold lines sanded off, new seam lines scribed. Window gasket made with Evergreen .040 half round styrene. Learned that from "Truck Stop" column in June 2011 Scale Auto - yes I save back issues! Bottom edge of cab shell sanded to more closely replicate rolled bottom edge of cab sheet metal. Over scale thickness of cab shell is actually an advantage here! Mirror holes filled and notch in upper part of door filled with styrene strip. Over scale thickness vent window post removed, will be replaced with thinner piece after window glazing installed. Seam lines also scribed at bottom corners of doors and on A pillar per side view of 1:1 General cab:

[jimb]

Nice cab work.

[rnagle]

Thanks Jim, very close to being ready for paint on frame & wheels. Used hooks from AMT "doubles" trailer kit to make swing away tow hooks behind bumper. Block heater plug (a required Canadian item!) fitted, also visible is brass mesh fitted to front of cab behind air cleaner. Hinge parts from second (parts) kit used to strengthen hood hinges. (Hinge pins will be cut shorter at final assembly)

[gatorincebu]

Robert,
I once told my self that I would build a model truck. Using all the old magazine articles to do it. It has been sometime since I got any new mags. But I do have quite a few.
Between watching your builds, and those of people like Rick, William, Bill just to name a few of the very talented people here.And the magazine articles and online Forums. I go into info overload.
I really appreciate the time you take to document and phootgraph your work. I have an idea of how much time that takes.

Be Well
Gator