Fageol Superliner/Road King

[Oldmopars]

So, I was inspired to do this build by a post from someone about the Road King truck. I have done a bunch of research and found that the truck he posted was a Fageol Cargoliner. The company built many integrated type trucks over the years and many were used as moving trucks or deliver trucks. Most were shorter than the one posted. So I wanted to build one on the same idea as the long one, about a 40 foot cargo area with cab being extra. 

I wanted to build the truck they never did. 40 foot of cargo, cab with a sleeper, 4 axles and only one engine. Fageol was famous for using 2 engines. 

I started with a Fruehauf trailer, this is the one they build the originals off of. A NHC-250 from a W-F SD/DD kit and some frame rails from an extended trailer. 

I converted the engine from a NHC to a NHH-220. The engine will lay on its side under the frame just in front of the rear wheels. I spent a long time looking for pictures of a NHH-220, but found few. I used pictures of other engines to make the changes to this one. 

I used the frame from the extendable trailer to make a frame that has a raised area for the engine. It needed to be thicker than the standard truck frame to get the required distance between the wheels and the bottom of the cargo box. 

 

[Gramps46]

What an interesting project and subject.  I have been interested in Fageol since seeing photos of the Cunningham Racing Team Super Freighter transporter.  A local truck garage here has a Super Freighter in its yard using it as storage I presume.  Please keep us posted on your build.

[truckabilly]

This is a very interesting subject. And nice work so far. The engine modification looks geat. 

[blackbeard]

very interesting project

[Oldmopars]

Here is a sale brochure that I found describing that the beast I am making is from a Fruehauf Trailer.  The original had a swinging front axle, the whole thing turned including the bumper. The next generation had 4 axles and was more like what I am building. I am building something like the second picture, just with a few updates as though it was a few years down the line and modernized a bit.

[CRUSADER2]

What an interesting truck to model, I remember seeing an article in a truck magazine years ago about this company and their concept trucks, I have to confess I don't know much about them, I haven't seen any photo's of them on the road so I guess they didn't catch on? maybe they were ahead of their time, the wheel configuration was popular here in Britain right from the early thirties up to the sixties and right through to the present day for tippers etc, and now with the new high volume truck trailer combinations here in Europe it wouldn't look too far out of place, (with a little more re styling of course) well actually probably quite a lot of re styling! but any way the idea was there all that time ago.

 You are really cracking on with this build, (I don't know where you guys get all the time from?) its looking good already, looking forward to more photo's

[blackbeard]

that almosts looks like the future liner

[Oldmopars]

So, the chassis is almost done and I have the engine mounts done for now. I may redo the front mount, but it allows me to hang the engine in place as is. The way I have it the engine can be dropped out as a unit for servicing and it would slide out from under the truck on a dolly. This way if they had engine issues, they could swap the engine out for a Rebuilt and be back on the road in just a few hours and the "Power Unit" could be refurbished.

As for the body, I have an old cab taped to the front just to get an idea of where I am going. This cab WILL NOT be used, I am making my own. It will be larger and have a sleeper either in the bottom, or the top.

The sides will be smoothed out by covering it with sheet, the bottom will have grooved sheet that will get covered in Chrome. It will also have skirts front to back with an engine panel on each side.

[DRIPTROIT 71]

Cool project!! I'll be watching!!

[DrKerry]

Very Kool!!!! Love stuff that is different like this!!!!

[Oldmopars]

I have not made a huge amount of progress on this, but I did get the cab partly mocked up. I made this out of cardboard so I could play with it and get things right before I cut it out of Styrene. I still have some things to get figured out, but I think this will be the basic design. The cab will be divided as you can see. The bottom half will be the drivers area, the top half will have a sleeper. There will be a ladder that goes up to the top sleeper and there will be at least one bed, maybe 2. There is a lot of space to fill and I need to decide how to fill it.

There will be more that hangs down in the front and it will slope down to meet the skirts that will be on the sides in the back. The truck will have full skirts all the way around.

The rear (Cargo box) will get sheeted with thin styrene to give it smooth sides and match the cab, then the lower part will get Evergreen Metal Siding .080 spacing and that will get covered with chrome. I have not decided yet if it will extend around the front, or if it will get terminated in some form of a curved design before the cab. We shall see.

[CRUSADER2]

Its going to look great!! would the AMT reefer trailer give you the paneled sides similar to the photo of the real one without all the extra work, just a thought, not picking fault. Its a great idea and build, unique!! 

[Oldmopars]

1 minute ago, CRUSADER2 said:

Its going to look great!! would the AMT reefer trailer give you the paneled sides similar to the photo of the real one without all the extra work, just a thought, not picking fault. Its a great idea and build, unique!! 

Yes I am sure it would, and if I could find one super cheap I would get it, but I have this one right now and so I am going with it. Got one you want to part with?

[CRUSADER2]

Sorry Scott, havn't modeled for years up until these last couple of models so I don't have loads of unbuilt kits in reserve, only what I am working on at the moment, i am sure what you will do will look just as good anyway, all the best with the build.

[Oldmopars]

So, I have doing some more work on this. The cab was giving me fits. I had the basic shape, but was not sure how to make it into a styrene cab. I tried cutting a sheet the size of the front of the cab and heating it, then bending it to the right shape. This resulted in a failure. The sheet wanted to warp and not form evenly side to side. It would have taken 3lbs of bondo to correct.

So, I came up with a second plan. I cut strips of 1/16th in Styrene and assembled them like planks on the under structure. This went much much better. I now have something smooth enough that it will only take a very thin skim coat to smooth out.

I am working on the interior next. It has an over the cab sleeper. It is big enough for a double bed. So, I will fill the space with a double bed. There will be a ladder that goes from the drivers area to the sleeper. Should have plenty of space to be able to move around with ease.

I found a set of bumper off a 41 Plymouth that once cut and put end to end are a good fit for the front. I taped a set of lights on the front just to see what they would look like. Not sure if I want quads or not, or if I will turn them 90 degrees. However some simple pods and the quads could look cool.

Now that I have the cab done, I am thinking I will redo the trailer part. I needed to sheet it with styrene to get the look I am after, so I think I will just use the floor and make new sides and roof. It will be less work and easier to make everything line up correctly. This will also allow me to make the side skirts as part of the side of the rear. Fewer parts, fewer seams. The area covering the front wheels will get cut out and blended in with the rest of the side skirts.

So, here is where I am at now.

 

[tbill]

That is too cool! Awesome work so far, keep at it!

[SergeB]

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Edited January 18, 2019 by SergeB

[SergeB]

6 minutes ago, SergeB said:

Hello. Scott!

http://theoldmotor.com/?p=138179

 

[SergeB]

12 minutes ago, SergeB said:

Hello. Scott!

Отличное начало очень интересной работы! Сам когда то хотел заняться этим траком. Вот такой файл.
Может быть тебе пригодится?

http://theoldmotor.com/?p=138179

 

[SergeB]

6 minutes ago, SergeB said:

 

 

6 minutes ago, SergeB said:

интересной работы! Сам когда то хотел заняться этим траком. Вот такой

 

7 minutes ago, SergeB said:

 

 

7 minutes ago, SergeB said:

 

 

20 minutes ago, SergeB said:

Hello. Scott!

Great start very interesting work! I myself once wanted to do this truck. Therefore, I found this file.
Maybe you need it?

http://theoldmotor.com/?p=138179

 

[Oldmopars]

So, I have been working on the cab. I got it smoothed out and the windows cut. Still lots of finish work to do. I added a trim line to break up the massive face that it has. This gives some contour to the top. I also made a little "Bird" to go in the V. It is the company emblem. I made it out of styrene and covered it with foil. It polished up nicely. It will get glued on after paint.