Chris541

I got started on the 6-71 assembly, compound turbo set up roughed in. The valve cover options that came with the engine are both later style, and I want to reshape it to match the very early one the real truck has. I'm trying to decide on color scheme for the truck.... I'm not 100% sure I want to go Detroit green on the motor since the rest of the truck will be over the top "street rod style" detailed and typically that would entail a color matched/detailed engine.

Yes, I contacted jaime through fb. The wheels came from Doug Wagner at kamodelminis.com

I had ordered this stuff a while back... had not really done much as I was waiting on it before moving forward..... but the package from jaime showed up today..... some of the nicest resin parts ever. The aluminum tanks and fenders are top notch as well. Now to get moving on this project

I managed to get the cab cut apart and figure out what changes I need to make to it. While not absolutely correct to the original.... I blended the front rails of the donor kit onto my scratch frame. Since I will likely use a complete newer donor truck in real life.... it's not too far off. I took the donor kit radiator/fan shroud and chopped them down to fit the early grill shell... as this dictates the rest of the cab locating on the chassis I was finally able to make it up on the mountain where the real truck is sitting and take a bunch of reference pics/measurements. So I have a lot to do on the body side now without having to guess. And I'm still waiting on some more parts to show up so I can get the chassis fab finished up and start working towards actual assembly

Absolutely..... this will have a triple turbo compound set up on the 1/25 6-71.....I'd like to think the 1:1 version will have it too.... but that one actually needs to drive... not just look cool

Cab showed up today... so mock up was in order. I had left the front rails a bit long and it was about 290" wheelbase.... and I dont like it.... I have been on the fence about running it day cab or sleeper.... and I think the day cab wins out...which means it had way too much stretch.... so 255" is where it sits now and I'm pretty happy with it. now to start on the front suspension and start thinking about the body

The mid 60s 2wd trucks would be the same "looking" front suspension. The real life upgrade for thos is to use 73+ disk brake parts as a direct bolt on

Wasnt too impressed with the L shaped frame on the donor kit since one of the main components was to be the chassis.... but no problem.... plan B was to scratch build it. Couldnt find channel large enough.... so I made some. I'm not 100% sure what the front of the frame looks like, so I will need to go take some reference pics soon. Decided to start by laying out the 270" wheelbase and start from the rear. Few scratch built crossmembers and a couple of the donor kit parts... And last is a side by side with the 215" +/- wheel base frame.

As a kid I was kit basher extraordinaire..... always building something and changing it up before completing it. Been exactly the same in my adult life with my own 1:1 projects... but my excuse for that is my normal job is building hotrods, racecars, and extreme fabrication....several sema car builds...etc 5-6 years ago I stumbled into datsun 510s.... started off doing normal restoration type metal work... which I found not many parts available and started making my own. Well there turned out to be a huge demand for those parts, which allowed me to develop new custom parts. Along with that I developed a reputation for the work I do. Earlier this year I was given the task of doing the metal side of the complete restoration of the brockbuster 510. (same one revell made the model of) I continue with shop projects, along with developing new "boutique parts" which combine form and function in limited numbers. My 11 yo son took on an interest in model cars.... which in a way rekindled my own interest.... which is what led me here. I have some huge personal projects in the works... and the 1/25 scale allows me to put my visions into something real and actually make progress during my nights/weekend family time. Which is great since the shop runs a 3-5 year waiting list.... so not much free time for my own junk. Anybody who wants to see my 1:1 work can check out 510 specialties on fb

Not really progress.... but parts are rolling in.... and email notification that the cab kit shipped today. Donor kit, keystone wheels/caps, double take lo pro 22.5 tires

So the backstory on the 1:1 truck is about 5 years ago a buddy called and asked if I could come help his 90 yo neighbor clean up some property that was being used to park a bunch of mining equipment... most everything goin to scrap. Basically go out and drive loaders and dozers around for a few days and just help out... I figured it would be a great change from my normal "shop work"..... well this thing was up there and as it is in the pics... i saw butterfly hood and inverted (pre war) emblem.... asked if i could buy it for scrap price.... and the old guy told me i could have it for helping out. I formulated a plan for the ultimate shop truck.... basically slammed on the ground with cut down 22.5s and possibly a rollback. About that time I became facebook friends with a guy named tanner who was building a similar truck.... which meant my vision needed a change so i wouldnt be doing exactly the same thing..... his is a documented 1942 and identical to mine in every way.... except mine has a lower serial number. So after kicking it around for the last few years.... I came up with a new vision.... the tractor is just part of the package.... then I will move onto the trailer. I'm just lacking time and money.... but I can afford both in 1/25... and here we are

Starting the build thread with stock pics as I'm waiting on everything to ship. Basically I have a 41ish KW project... and a vision. The 1/25 scale version uses a W900 donor stretched to 270", AITM low mount kw cab as a starting point. The real thing will run 6-71 with some extra turbos for fun.... do I plan do do that in scale as well Even with all the mental details I have sorted out in the build.... color scheme eludes me at this point...so we shall see what I come up with

I will get in on this. I will start a thread as soon as parts start showing up. I'm actually building a 41ish KW in 1:1... and decided to start in 1/25 to see my vision. Starting with a low mount AITM 59 KW cab (modify accordingly) on a w900 donor chassis.... GW 6-71 with some extra turbos to match the 1:1 plan Pic of the 1:1 since that's all I physically have aside from PayPal receipts at this moment