'78 Dodge Power Wagon "Dream Truck"

Well everyone,

SO, as I'm sure everyone is aware of, I really am a Mopar fanatic, as well as a truck kinda guy. (EVEN model building!) I was working on a "Father & Son" truck build of models that my Dad & I owned at about the same time.... Hes owned SEVERAL Dodge pick ups over the years!!!! -Till my accident happened I had to sit them aside as I don't want my work to show on the models that I was working on when all was well. SO this is why I picked up the '68 Roadrunner build, but got it to be as close to being done as I can right now, and so, I wound up getting ANOTHER '78 Dodge "Little Red Express" Truck, this one however is gonna be a bit different! WHY? Well I have 4 of them now! One built as the real truck I once owned. 2 to make the truck my Dad owned when I owned my old black one, three to make a 1/25th scale "Hi-Rail" Dodge truck with custom made utility bed (made by ME), SO this 4th one? WELL its gonna be my "Dream Truck" and what I would have loved to do, to the one I had in real life..... SO....

This is how it goes:
Back in the day, when I was building that truck, one of the Mopar magazines, or Motor Trend, (I can't remember which) had the front cover plastered with the old 426 Hemi gets a new cubic inch raise!!!! And was like a question to what the number might have been (Some of you guys may even recall the magazine I'm referring too) As I truly can not remember.... (I actually had the issue at one time!) BUT anyway, upon reading the article on it, the 426 gained 102 cubic inches making it a "528"!!!! At the time, my age was well, younger and boy-O-boy, would I had loved to have one of those in my truck then the 440 I had!!! Granted that 440 was a GREAT motor, BUT I always have favored the Hemi vibe, and who wouldn't if given the chance?
WELL, taking that into consideration, you by now know where this is going. I am putting a 528 Hemi in my "Dream Truck"!!!! YOU BET! BUT, wait till you see how its all gonna unfold..... (Yes, I got serious DREAM plans involved in this one!)





SO, we'll start with the engine! Seen above, is a Hemi block, BUT my dream truck isn't gonna be built the way I normally would have, Hemi Orange block, and all that, NOPE not this one! Its gonna match the truck!
Plum Crazy Purple block as you can see, with a Banana Yellow Timing chain cover.....



Better shot of the Banana Yellow timing chain cover. You can see, that I also opted to NOT paint the water pump! I left it as its gonna become some other color as you'll see!
NOW, the part that makes this all interesting is this, remember me saying about the 426 Hemi that came with the Roadrunner kit? I opted to make the motor in the Roadrunner a 383 instead! SO while I was building the Roadrunner I was kinda planning this truck..... As I knew I was gonna get it and what I wanted to do differently to this truck and the first thing was engine, what one, and then what type, and how was I gonna make it "look"? And then there sat the Roadrunner 426 Hemi..... NEW, easy to use and ready for the planning! SO, the first thing as you see I got the block together, added the heads and got the timing chain cover and water pump on it and painted. BUT the valve covers, and intake are missing...... I got to get them out of the '68 Roadrunner box, and the valve covers from AMT are chrome, not badly dome either, BUT looking at them, I wanted something............. more? Yeah that be a way to describe it.....

SO, I took the chrome valve covers, and drilled the holes for the plug wires, OK, THEN not 3/32nd inch away drilled another hole! Making them "Twin-Plug" valve covers to look as tho they are dual plug heads too!



Then with a file in hand, I took the chrome OFF just the "tops" of both valve covers. Painted it Banana Yellow, and on the valve cover edge I added a Plum Crazy Purple strip.....Leaving the lower "chrome" area and valve cover lip alone to remain chrome!

Once done, I then found what I had to make "boots" those that fit into the valve cover on the very top edge.....





Also I found and fitted a Cross Ram to the engine, the same one that came in the kit of the '68 Roadrunner! I added a Mopar "M" to the aluminum painted Cross- Ram intake! -Notice, I removed BOTH 4 barrel mounting pads that were to have a raised edge for them to sit, you'll see why in a few....
Stay tuned more to follow!

Please keep in mind, during These builds (this one) from last year, that I had been in a bad accident, my hands got beat up pretty bad, so....) BUT these 2 models are my "healing" builds to see where my dexterity levels might be from what it was BEFORE the accident! Some of the most simplest things, are in fact either VERY difficult, OR not able to be done, in some cases, other things, easy, (it really doesn't make any sense) I can hold a coffee cup in my left hand, BUT I can't hold a empty trash bag!!!!! I just can't squeeze the thumb and middle finger tight enough yet..... It'll come, I know, I'm just saying how odd things are...... Anyway, enough of that... On with my crazy building, as best I can...

Now because of my hands being pretty banged up and all. There are times a lack of pictures to represent what I have done, thats the other odd thing, I had a difficult time running a camera, BUT by God, I could run my Dremel and or my Unimat machining center with ease!
So we'll jump right back into it....





You'll see here that the detail EXPLODED right onto my engine! (I almost feel bad that I didn't get pictures during the addition there of but, I didn't! This was one of the times that the camera wasn't easy to run. Plus, lets face it, I was enjoying just being able to build and detail...... Anyway, a little "back-ground" to what you see is in order.
I turned Billet Aluminum Magneto's, 2 of them, remember its a dual plug Hemi, SO, it got the full plug treatment, twin magnetos, one with yellow wires, one with black wires, one magneto to one side of the cylinder (each of them) the other to the opposite side of the cylinder. Kinda color coded that way too if ya look!

I also added "HEMI" to the Banana Yellow area of the valve covers!
Then you'll see the carburetion! WHAT-IN-THE......? TWIN 6 packs!!!!! YOU BET! -I had to use that idea to see what the part was gonna create for casting issues (I plan to mold that intake, for others.... I just had to see what it needed and where to use it as a modeler myself so it could be molded correctly. Looks pretty good so far! When I mold it, the intake part when made, in a kit, will also have 2 6 pack carburetor set ups with it! It won't have the seen detail included, thats up to the person getting the part.

The 2 black "wire looking" hoses coming out the front of the engine is the Heater hoses coming from the top of the water pump!



Everything up-close......
You can see a little detail added to each side of the carburetor set ups a good side shot will show more of this! BUT they are fully plumbed, right from the mechanical fuel pump!

I also turned my own billet aluminum valve cover breather..... Gave it just a little shape other then the stock versions of the same thing. This one won't be connected to the air cleaner setting on top the carburetors!!! -Notice I also painted the water pump a cast iron color as I mentioned in a previous posting when it was left bare plastic for a time.

The single black, and single yellow wire sticking up from the Magnetos is the coil wires, NOT going to be mounted to the engine in this case, theres no room so will be on the fire wall OR the radiator core support.

So a few "close-ups".....



I think this close up is a GREAT picture of this engine!







A shot "down on" over the top showing more detail around the carburetor set ups....
Then ya have the sides.....





The throttle linkage side of the drivers side carburetors....



The other side showing all the vacuum advance hoses, the fuel supply lines and fittings as well as the PCV hoses from the valve cover.....

Also notice, I hadn't mentioned I even went as far as to paint the Blocks water jacket soft plugs "brass" as they are if unpainted, and added new AFTER the block has been painted. Just to show detail! I also painted the mechanical fuel pump too!

And something different then my normal way of building, I opted to paint the bell housing of the transmission the same cast iron color I mix up for the transmission itself, instead of the engine color I normally go with. -Just for something a little more "different"
Then, I have to show the start of this all from the back (the detail is going to pile up EVEN back here!)





Looks VERY "plain" to me, its not gonna be tho!



Between the carburetor set-ups, I got to add the throttle linkages yet, which will work off the back of the Cross-Ram intake manifold. PLUS, I think I have to add in a choke control to BOTH carburetor set ups off the center 2 barrel. And then to top that all off, I plan to add in the winter time running "Intake warmer" piping from the passenger side exhaust manifold or header, this is still in question, I'm not sure what I'm gonna use as far as exhaust manifolds OR headers, we'll see! -I just know the carburetor throttle linkages have to be added yet, and some other things.... The choke lines have to be added to the 2, 6 pack set ups too!



A close up to show how plain undetailed the back of the engine is! That WILL change!
SO till I make up my mind on the engine, I sat it aside for a bit as I got to looking how the frame was going to be to hold such a monster motor!!!!! Thats coming up next............. the frame! Theres a REAL surprise coming to that as you'll see!
Stay Tuned! Thanks for looking!

SO as I mentioned, I got to set the engine aside for a bit let everything on it settle and dry, while I look at the frame to see what it all needs to fit a beast-of-a-motor on it, and fit into the truck.





SO, looking at the frame, I seen that I had to come up with a motor mount..... The factory one supplied with the kit should be a good start, so it got mounted and left to dry, SOLID, as I know it was going to require trimming and fitting the the Hemi motor and its mounts. And because of the Hemi's width, I went as far as cutting OUT the inner fender wells! -I'm not sure, I'm going to have ANY at all, in this one, OR if I'm going to custom fit a set to the truck to my liking,, I just haven't decided that far ahead yet. I got a lot of little details to figure in BEFORE I make up my mind on it.

While getting the frame ready for the 528 Hemi, I seen something online that caught my eye..... On and online search, Something I knew about, BUT forgot about, (if that makes any sense) BUT anyway, this model is a dream truck and back when I was building my real truck, I'da went with it, if I had unlimited funding and time to build onto my real truck..... A "Willock Swivel-Frame"!!!!!!

So why not build it on a model? It be cool if I could, so I sat out on doing a bit more searching and found all sorts of things online about it, things I didn't know about the design BUT things that be AWESOME on a model!

Took a closer look at the frame to see what it take! -So that means the frame would need cut, in half, rebuilt added cross members BUT with the frame as-is, the stock location of the fuel tank would needed dealt with in order to make it happen!
So having said that I took out what I had on-hand for plastic frame rail materials to see what it take to make the center pivoting cross members, and off to set up the Unimat I went to do all the work to the frame rail materials to make a centered swivel.....







SO, with that, I found "center" of the factory frame, and then cut the cross members long and would later go back to adjust them to proper size (length) BUT the center had to be drilled at the same location twice, SO, I sat the Unimat Mill up to do the task. Once drilled "center". I took and step drilled the center so that I could embed a brass sleeve into it, for pivoting sake. I also plated the rear most over the hole once the brass sleeve was in place, BECAUSE, of the way I had to go about this, one plating "away from each other" was a different hole then the 2 sides of the cross member next to each other. So that the pivot was going to rub against. (A LOT of planning and machine work went into making this all work out.

I then had to come up with an insert to the holes, that would hold the frame together, but pivot at the same time, AND look as tho a shaft goes through it. Which is how the Willock swivel-frame was made to be so that the bed of a truck could swivel in either direction freely, and not bind up drive train.

SO, I got it all worked out and turned a "center pivot" from aluminum billet style. Then drilled the center of it to be taped from one end to just before the center of its length so that I could tap it from the other end as well also just before the center of its length that way normal 3-48 machine screws could be used to fasten the 2 cross members and still pivot.



Before adding the swiveling cross members, I had to measure upon measure upon measure. I wanted to make sure I cut the frame in the exact place it needed to be! In order to do this, I had to remove the factory kits fuel tank, and all the center webbing it came with, I did this first BEFORE the frame was cut in half. This removed the fuel tank. I'll be replacing it as you'll see!

In ALL of the Willock Swivel-Frame trucks I found online, the fuel tank was actually in the cab, behind the seat..... Mine however isn't going to be built that way!



See the screw holding the joint together.



I left the frame long. And sort of "added" a bit 5/16th inch to the over all length. Why you ask? WELL thats where plans had to be made on my exhaust from the engine! See, this model is being created from a Dodge Little Red Express truck model.......... having said that, I want to use the STACKS! The trick of it was to have the frame swivel and the bed NOT hit the stacks, or be limited by them..... SO I added length on the cab section of the frame, so that the bed could swivel out past the stacks, which the stacks on this model WILL BE mounted/connected to the frame under the cab and partly to the cab when I'm all said and done! -I think I have it all well planned to do just this!





The frame, in one of 2 ways it swivels, it will go the other way with little to stop it...... -I did GREAT on the model design to make it happen! Wasn't easy took a bit to get the thought of how I was going to hold the 2 frame sections together and still swivel.

Thanks for looking! More to come! Stay tuned!

So, I thought and planned it all but as I said the swivel cross members were going to remove the fuel tank to work out where they needed to be on the frames length, as the swivel had to be at the edge of the bed, and behind the edge of the cab......

SO, with that, I had to come up with a fuel tank set up! I was NOT impressed with the fuel tank being in the cab behind the seat. SO, the stock location it was going to be, and have to be! BUT I got to looking at how the factory kits frame had the fuel tank and where I removed it, left a gap in the frame, and the first thing I did was fill in that missing area, and then sat out to make a fuel tank.....

I took and glued a few scraps of styrene together to come up with a "block", naturally needing milled to shape and to fit the frame with the new additions to it. -THEN I got to thinking the placement of the fuel tank made what I needed to make a bit........smaller! With a 528 Hemi, twin 6 pack carburetors, WELL, a small fuel tank, just wasn't gonna do! SO, I made 2 of them, a "left" and a "right". milled out on my Unimat from solid chunks of styrene!





While doing this, I also thought of what was to become of the suspension under the bed, and added the "lift" to the frame. -In doing so, that alone removed A LOT of the webbing that the bed was to glue too........ Thing is, its a gift..... BECAUSE thats when I got to thinking, the underside of the bed is gonna get detailed too! I plan to put wood grain in the bed, top-side, and then with the swivel-frame, the underside is going to be seen a lot more on this model then ANY OTHER one I've done, SO, I'll be adding the wood grain and bed floor rails between the "boards". SO, all that frame webbing being removed, will allow me to do all that detail and be seen!

Once I got the rear section of frame set for lift, I had to go about the front too. as always, its a 4x4 truck, so........ I had to come up with life on the front section!



Seen here, I put in frame blocks to mount the leaf springs too, as well as BEFORE they went into place I got the engine mount made to hold the 528 Hemi as it should be. I got a little tweaking yet to do from the front to the back but its real close so.... I left a bit of "play" to allow to make adjustments!



It will look GREAT as I added a bit more height then my last one....... I'm not complaining BUT I want to get some special tires for this build, other then I have! -Remember is a dream truck!



Frame over-all..... looks pretty good!!!!!!

Enjoy, more to come!

So then to keep the interest, LOL
I took the "bed" section of the frame, with thought in mind of what I wanted and began to do a bit more to it.....



I removed ALL that webbing I spoke about to allow the detail under the bed be seen when the frame twists. I also added a bit of angle support and all to the lift blocks to the frame as well as made a cross member that goes from one frame rail to the other right at the rear most leaf spring mounts. added a short cross member between the fuel tanks as well.



Slightly different view!



Looking from the other side of the frame.
Notice the fuel tanks ALSO have hanger indents milled into them? Seen here the straps are missing, I had yet to make 'em, -BUT, they are coming!
For models sake, there really isn't much left to the box-stock frame is there? LOL I could have set out and scratchbuilt the whole thing at this point! Specially the rear most "Bed" section of it!



SO now here comes the fuel tank straps!!!! At the location where they join the frame, they get a larger "pad" as I plan to drill holes to insert small brass pins with "heads" to look like a bolt when painted. The whole "strap" on each one of the 4, is one piece, glued in place on the vertical part of the tank, and "wrapped" as the glue softened the plastic, to wrap right to the frame rails on the outer most side of each side. Cut slightly long to join with that larger "pad" I spoke about.



Same thing, different angle during the procedure.





All 4 straps added!!!! Notice that little black area on the pivot of the swivel? Thats covering a BURIED 3-48 Machine screw under it, this one was tightly secured to the frame as I must connect a drive shaft to this in the center. The Willock swivel-frame was driven by this swivel also acting as a carrier bearing! Thats how the frame could swivel and not bind ANY drive train or shaft work! Looking at that little black detail from the back of the frame, it sort of looks like a "hub" so to speak, that has a hole in the center to attach the drive shaft too!

I also added the rear brake "hard line" mount for when it will go from the hard plumbed line, to a hose to go to the rear axle hard line!



4 pins, one in each of the fuel tank strap pads in place! I will go back once this is ready to be mounted to the bed, and do the mount pads between the 2 fuel tanks!

Again, thanks for looking, ENJOY for now!

So now during this build, we will have a littler change of pace. Time to set the frame down, dry and cure to just pick up the engine! SO, lets see what else ole John, can add to it........ -Well as you know, I had to think about what exhaust manifolds or headers I wanted to use. (I have a bit of a choice on this one!) BUT I also had to remember space width-wise is a bit limited. The truck frame is wide, yes, BUT so is the 528 Hemi! PLUS, with that being the engine of choice, I added a real treat for carburetors, SO this means the engine to fit UNDER the hood, would have to be "low-slung"..... YES it is THAT "tall"! SO, I did what needed to be done to the engine mounts in the front, and took care of the transmission mount only a little file work was needed at this point. This would make the engine sit low in the frame, which brought the heads that much more close to the frame rails.... SO, the exhaust manifolds and or headers HAD TO BE close tolerances to the block! -Away from the engine mounts, and BELOW the widest point of the heads!

Before choosing what ones I was going to use, I sat the engine in the frame rails, and then began test fitting what I had, (REMEMBER Mopar Hemi's had slightly different shapes to the exhaust manifolds and headers from one side to another, BE SURE to always check fitment on BOTH sides!) -So I did this.... Amazingly enough the choice I was originally leaning towards, FIT! The other choices, would fit as well, EXCEPT the factory type exhaust manifolds, they simply leaned outward to much and hit the lower inside corner of the frame rails......



Whats this? YES.. OHHHHH YES!!!!!! The Jo-Hans Richard Petty '64 Mopar-Hemi "NASCAR" headers...... You betcha! (I favor those, and would love to cough up another 6 sets of them!) LOL

Surprisingly, they fit with NO to little work, fitting them! -I did however add a pipe flange on the end of the pipe leading to a short pipe that will couple to a muffler!

Before I got to this point tho, notice the transmission is now painted! -And to your wondering eye, the red & black wires running out the back of the engine from between the engine block and header, is the STARTER WIRES!!!!!!

I also went as far as getting a "stock" "Mopar" oil filter in place too! All with the "Mopar" insignia on it!



Other side header.....
I'll add here These headers were painted a bit, special..... The bolt flange where the header connects to the head, is painted the same color as the transmission, (my custom mix of bare cast iron metallic gray) The pipes of these headers are painted Testors Metalizer "Stainless Steel" and slightly polished and then got a coat of the sealer over top.... I then went and did a second coat of the Stainless Steel, and merely polished it without "sealing" it...... -ALL brush painted, NOT sprayed as the directions say too.. it looks to have turned out pretty good for the Stainless steel look...... (The sealer changes the polished look a bit, that I wasn't 100% happy with!)



Looking "down" as tho you were standing next to it.......

Enjoy, More to come! Thanks for looking!

Again a slight change of pace. The exhaust headers HAD to fully dry and cure as they are long and well, a bit brittle as they truly are old! SO, I sat it aside to do this and then went and picked up the cab section of the frame to see what all I had yet to add to it.
This is when it gets hairy...... LOL The frame is to support a 4x4, OK? WELL, that being said the last 2 trucks I did are ever-so-slightly different! My original truck being built in my "Father & Son" build, is to be the way this same truck was in real life, and this truck is to be a "dream" to what I would have done to it in real life, given the funding. THEN the second truck is my Dad's truck ALSO in my "Father & Son" build, BOTH my truck and his are different, and this one as the dream truck is WAY different from those 2. BUT, this means building the other 2, I got a little "schooling" on the model trucks. -And what needed done before the next step to be taken.

See, I'm getting the frame ready for paint, from a rattle can, BUT this time around, I want to make sure the frame has all the mounting hardware BEFORE its painted....
SO, seeing this, the next line of details to the front half of the frame? IS? STEERING!!!!! Now, trouble is brewing! Just like in real life, you add a Hemi (older one Generation 2) say good bye to power steering.......... in most cases, its tight.... In this case? IMPOSSIBLE, its a model!

When I had the engine in place in the frame rails, there is less then 3/32nds of an inch space between the header outter-most pipe, and the frame rail! NO space for a power steering gear box! SO, being a "custom" truck, (not going with stock here as I normally do) I choose to relocate the power steering gear box! -I'll explain more at that time.
BUT I had to come up with a power steering gear box, FIRST, so off to my parts supply organizers I go...... First one, is a GREAT fit, with alittle to change for the application.





Notice it has "extras" attached to it? WELL, the mount it had was to mount BEHIND the engine mount, on the drivers side, on a truck, this is in front of the engine mount! SO had to be "lengthened" just a bit (the real ones were too!) I then center drilled it, and then counter sunk a "hub" into it, to have a "Ball-bead" fit into it, with a straight pin used, through a metal bell crank I had from a junk N scale steam locomotive (train parts I know, BUT, look how good it fits!) The bell crank needed bent to look as you see it so it got that then had the steering shaft cut off (TOO SHORT) and the end filed flat, and again, it got center drilled. (I WILL replace the missing shaft once the power steering gear box is in place, and fitted to the firewall..... BUT the detail itself needs to be made and ready. So, here ya see it.



The bell crank is free spinning too! To adjust to however the wheels are positioned when on the truck! (Remember this) theres a surprise coming!



I'm holding it with an alligator clip, this is the area of the gear box, the steering shaft will go into when in place!

Next up......... Frame placement, Stay tuned!!!!!

So, as I mentioned in the end of my last posting..... Frame placement for the power steering gear box was coming. WELL, now a little insight first on the real thing. In most cases, the power steering gear box, is BEHIND the engine mount real low on the frame. ON cars, and some trucks! BUT, in some exception to the rule, the power steering on TRUCKS was in front of the engine mount, HIGH on the frame, to get around the engine, itself.

THEN, to confuse it, NO power steering at all was a gear box, on the front OUTSIDE (in the fender well) on trucks, where as cars, it was just a gear box, left with no hydraulic power going to it at all! Trucks however were a series of bell cranks and stuff to manually steer the truck. Hence the difference from my Father & Son build, BOTH those 2 trucks are different. My truck had full power steering from the factory, meaning the gear box was in front of the engine mount. My Dads truck was ALSO power steering type, BUT he got it with manual steering and simply changed it over, using the stock location.... Interesting conversion, to say the least.

NOW my dream truck? Its going to be done/positioned the way factory would have had it. Yes, BUT not in the stock factory location. There simply is not enough "space" with a Hemi behind it.....

SO, forward of the engine mount. BUT outside of the frame! The truck is custom, and doing this would only require a longer eccentric rod to cross from the drivers side to the passenger side of the truck. Otherwise, its custom aftermarket, on this one anyway!
SO I found the location it has to be, and got right to adding the mounts.....



See in the fender/wheel opening?the frame has 2 pieces of angle attached? The power steering gear box, you seen in my last posting, will fit between these..... The bell crank down under the frame rails, and still swivels 360 degrees...... Notice, the rear mount is just in front of the engine mount (you can barely see the engine mount "pad" behind the frame rail.) This will also allow an easy alignment of the steering shaft to the firewall as well!

Then while I was thinking of the steering, it connects to the suspension, and thats when I noticed something the rear facing shock mounts. non-existent!!!!! SO these had to be made (the stock model kit doesn't include front shocks anyway) BUT I wasn't going to let that stop me..... I sat out to make them. Sadly, the "stock" location of the shock mounts would be on the INSIDE of the frame rails, NOT this time, ohhhh NO the Hemi isn't gonna allow me too! Theres no room! -So these just like the power steering gear box, had to be relocated to the outside of the frame rails!!!!!



Forward of the wheel well opening, on the frame, white, forward facing..... Just Evergreen styrene scraps...... Drivers side....



Passenger side...
I've also not mentioned the coil springs I made, and added them. They are merely just blackened (NOT painted) steel wire, I wrapped on a spring arbor I have a set of to make them whatever diameter I want. I did one for both sides (got to have some cushioning to bear the weight of that 528!)

And there you have it, this is far as I have gotten on this model to date, More to come as progress is made. (LOTS of little stuff)

Thanks for looking, ENJOY!

Well time for a short update. A lot has been going on so I have not had the bench time I would have liked! BUT, I am still moving forwards!



Just some basic left-overs, and even scraps...... I wanted the differentials to be "bigger" much heavier duty.... PLUS I wanted "chrome" cover plates.... (I may even do "pumpkin" skid plates, not sure yet) BUT making the both the front and the back more heavy duty then whats given in the kit was the seeked "look". BUT, I also wanted the cover plate to be chrome too. SO, I had to take what I had for "stock" to make this happen and begin....

What the scraps and left-overs became. See, the whole reason for this post, is this:
So with this, the first thing I did was take the factory kit offered rear differential and glued the 2 halves together, left to dry. THEN I went to my parts organizer, to see what I might have had for the chrome cover plate. FOUND only one (BUT I know a kit that has another just like it, that will get the one I remove!) BUT that leaves the size.....

I had to find a new mounting lip that would look the part on the model as the part I cut off. So off to my sheet styrene bin I went, and got something that had the same thickness or close to that the rear pumpkin had on it that I had to run a razor saw through in order to remove the cover. Found something to use for this, took the chrome rear plate, sat it on the scrap piece of styrene, traced it and roughed it out, by clipping with end nippers. Once happy, I lightly filed each "side" of it, to get it as close to the chrome cover as possible without overdoing it. Once done, I applied my liquid glue inside the pumpkin through the hole that I left cutting of the cast-in cover plate, to secure the inside of it a little better, and then put the plate I just made on. With extra glue, I added to really soften the edges, I went as far as "smushing" it so the liquid glue would attack the plastic enough to look like a plastic bubble. This gives a concave look from where the plate meets the actual pumpkin. Let to dry/cure, THEN you seethe sprue, and the long tube..... This is where it gets a bit more interesting! See, these factory Dodge truck kits from AMT (-now by Round2) one of the things I noticed, on my last truck frame, the rears when glued together doesn't make the axle "round" its more oblong, and or "egged" in shape at a "profil look" Sadly, this doesn't allow for it to sit right, easily into the suspension. Especially perpendicular to the frame to be "straight across" to be in the right place of the wheel openings on the bed! PLUS, like I mentioned I wanted to "beef it up" in looks all around, NOT just the pumpkin.

SO that skin-colored sprue was the insert.... I was going to cut off BOTH sides of the axle...... FROM the pumpkin. This would open up a hole on each side of the pumpkin, to allow me to drill a slightly smaller (light pressfit) hole to push that shaft into and out through the other side.

Did this, and then cut the tube, that you seen, to fit each side of the pumpkin. To show, you, it now looks like this:



I took baking soda, and super glue to beef up the pumpkin itself, and filed it to shape it, a bit, (it will be seen better once it has a single coat of paint to enhance the looks to be seen better, I'll then choose to add more "beef" OR finish it as-is, depends on what it looks like at that time! In the picture its sitting on that plate I added for the mount lip of the chrome cover plate.



Now, the interesting part. Hows it all fit on the frame?



I don't think its too bad! I got A LOT to add to it yet, but its looking pretty good! NOW if you look, the pumpkin, is facing a bit, downward seen here but right side up, it be facing upwards. Know why? Because of the design the drive shaft is short here, so in order to keep extreme angles of it down, they turned the rear as needed to lesson this effect..... (Hence this is why I may go and add pumpkin skid plates) NOT sure yet, as they would be thee last detail I'd be adding.



Seen at a different angle. This shows ALL that I have done so far! Granted if you look there is still a lot to be done! And for what I can see, I think most if not all my detail efforts will be able to be seen when all said and done!

Thanks for looking more to come as I get things done and pictures taken!

So, A little on this build. I had to come to the conclusion for a short time, I have to sit this one aside everyone! SADLY, I was really into it, BUT to proceed on the build, I need some parts, I don't have and have to order them. (I'm wanting specific tires for this one), and having said that, they're pretty big, SO, in order to continue I need those tires that I don't got. BUT this is how I came to that conclusion, the other night setting and working on it, little stuff (mostly touch-ups) I thought, about the axles and how they were going to be, and then I thought, the tires I want are the Super Swamper TSL Bogger tires, 44 inchers.... Pretty big tires, even for 1/25th scale compared to others, BUT the largest "street" 4x4 tires I have and used, are 38's then from 38's right to the BIG monster truck tires! SO, having this in mind, I need to make sure the axles height is sufficient for tire clearance, AND look right..... SO I may need to add a lift kit to the cab and bed! We'll see, BUT because I need to check this I thought, what else can I do? WELL, I thought about seeing how the frame looks all "Articulated", BUT without having the tires and rims, how was I to do that, thats when I remembered they were done on my Dads truck in my "Father & Son" build. SO I got that kit out to just mock-up the dream truck to see how the articulation worked! Never mind look.....



...Just like the real Willock Swivel-Frame truck, the frame twists at the swivel, and with that, opposite sides of the truck opposite corners, 2 different "heights" of inclination, ALL 4 tires remain touching the ground surface! A-W-E-S-O-M-E!!!!! -I used the axle/differentials from my Dads truck to try this, as you'll see, they are NOT made to fit this particular truck LOL



Back view..... The rear differential fits BUT the tires for what I'm trying to achieve, aren't nearly big enough (even those on my other truck as the "Son" my truck, aren't big enough. those ones are only 40 inch tires..... These on Dads truck I think are standard street tires! SO......



Front tweaked right up there............ Again, both front tires, STILL in contact with the ground surface. -This is where you'll notice, the front axle is NOT made to fit this truck! -I have to have the tires and rims in hand to make up these for this specific truck SO, is the reason, I have to sit it aside till I have them. So, having said that, thats when I seen that my Father & Son build "Dad's" truck was able to have some more done to it since my hands are able to detail, so. we'll be carrying on that build, as this one waits!

Till next time, ENJOY!

Well I guess considering I got a Christmas gift for this particular build, I ought to post pics of the items, I got for it huh???? LOL Yeah, I think so..........

I last stopped this build due to the point of it I got to and for me to continue, I had to have the tires I planned to use on this truck in-hand to continue building the frame. As the tire size will be the determination of the height of suspension, AND if I may need a body lift (First time I EVER have modeled a "Body-Lift" for any model truck car or otherwise.

SO, I was wanting Something in tire size 40 plus, and something insanely crazy tread, BUT could be kept "streetable". SO hows about Super Swampers TSL's? They have that HUGE size, AWESOME mud rippin' tread, and just a MEAN look. so I found some, from BnL Resins, BUT, due to budget limitations, I had to put them off (reason I sat this kit aside) BUT what was stopping me from adding them, to my Christmas list? NOTHING! And low and behold, My Step-Son brings me a gift card, for anywhere I wanted..... WELL you ALL know where that gift card went without a doubt! LOL
So here they are:



NICE castings too, with a little clean up, NO Air bubbles anywhere either!!!! A bit of paint, and some TLC to make 'em look the part, they'll be good to go!



A second pic, sight different angle to show they do in fact have directional tread! Center point facing forward on both sides, with each side having embossed tire lettering facing out...... LOVE IT!



To show the size!!!!! The black tires are the kits "Box Stock" tires!!!!! Man How I am lovin' this, just like McDonalds, without the food from them LOL



Man does the flash of a camera make those tires "bright"..... Lets see if I can make them look a bit more like tires instead of glowing rings!



Thats better...... NOW I got to take and see about fitting a set of Mopar Rallye rims to these babies, and try to get my frame set right for suspension height and see if I want to make a body lift or not...... I may do both! Just to be different and add another detail under my belt!

I'd also would not mind making a set of fender flares to fit the truck, to allow these to stick out just a little more then normal too, and the rear of the fender may be sporting mud flaps! That are made to fit the trucks step-side bed! WAIT tho, theres something special gonna happen to the frame other then the swivel, but to the body detail itself!
P.S. these tires were NOT the only items I got from BnL Resins with my gift card! I got some other things too...... Black plug wire being one of them!

Sadly now, I'll be setting this truck kit aside, I pulled it out to add the newest kit parts to the box, so that when I do finally pick it up again, I'll be ready to roll on building the kit with everything together!

I was last working on my "Father & Son" truck build adding the horn and some other small details to BOTH of those trucks! And was getting ready to indulge in Dads truck's interior......

ENJOY!

I'm a mopar fan too ! that engine looks great and powerful !

I'm curious about seeing the final result...

splendid !!!!!!

superb scratch build, very accurate i love it  

the next please  

A+

franck

Awesome scratch built!!

I look forward Following!!

Thanks guys!!!! Sadly, so all that knows, I'm stalled out on this build for right now (there are some parts, I have to either 1.) FIND, or 2.) make myself, so, I'm kinda holding out on finding a few parts.....

BUT I will be working on this one from time to time, I'm in the planning stages of the interior!!!! Gonna be FULL modern, if I can do it, with a STOCK looking, but updated Dash! -We'll see!

Much appreciated everyone Thank You!

I had already followed this on Randy Ayers, it's nice to see it here . The work is still impressive and I look forward to see more!

I take a seat and wait for the following with impatience.

Fred74 a écrit:I had already followed this on Randy Ayers, it's nice to see it here  

awesome build

A+

franck

-Fred,
I thought you'd like to see it posted here! (I think you made mention over at Randy's that you were following!)

Yes, that motor in real life would be insanely powerful! 528 Hemi, topped with a TWIN 6 pack, so. yeah, I'd guess, something stupid like 725-800 horsepower, naturally aspirated....

Thanks Franck! Yeah this one, is a "part 3" really. See, I'm building a set of trucks, much the same as this one, only stock, that are a Father & Son set of trucks, back years ago, my Dad & I owned 2 very similar trucks, both Dodge, both black, mine however was a '78 Dodge Power Wagon W150, and Dad's was a '79 Dodge Adventurer W100. Back then (this was over 20 years ago now) IF I had the funding, to build any way I wanted, and parts were no issue, this "Dream Truck" here is how I would have made my truck way back when! The 528 Hemi was "new" then, and well I loved the Plum Crazy Purple and mix with Top Banana Yellow... SO this truck build you see here, is goingto reflect all this!

NOW to really get you going........ I have 2 model trucks being built as a Father & Son set as well! -I'm much further along on those 2!!!!

c'mon share the following of your work!

Fred, more will follow. just trying to keep up with what I've posted so far LOL They will come tho! -Rest assured!

Here ya go Fred... go have a look A LOT to ready my friend!

https://secmmoc.forumactif.org/t300-father-son-dodge-truck-build