1/32 Freightliner cabover

[Rockford]

After finishing so many projects I was in a quandary as to my next move, I have nothing half finished really. Ford LTL? 359 Pete? Then I saw my Freightshaker cabover that's been sitting patiently in the dark for about four years. Bought built off eBay, the stacks and mirrors are in a bag for safety. Someone has swapped the rear wheels for Daytons from the Fruehauf trailer and I think I'll keep them, but have started doing my adjustment to inset the spiders (passenger side done in these photos, compare them to the driver's side, much better). Will be shortening the chassis, relocating the batteries and properly mounting the stacks. I think the cab needs lowering too. Here we go again!!

[Pete68]

Nice one Steve. Might want to move the front axle forward a little while your at it. The cab is not to high it’s those headlights. There like the 1/25 AMT ones they need to be lowered. 

Edited July 26, 2024 by Pete68

[Rockford]

You're right on the axle, forgot to mention that. I'll have to look at a load of reference photos for the headlamp situation. 

[dodgefever]

2 hours ago, Pete68 said:

The cab is not to high it’s those headlights. There like the 1/25 AMT ones they need to be lowered. 

 

Agreed.  Funny how they both screwed that up.

[Gary Chastain]

Be fun to see what you do with this, will be watching

[Rockford]

Built a Holland fifth wheel from two layers of plastic sheet and a load of 1mm square rod. Used a set of dividers to scribe the grease grooves into the plate, all looks period correct. Also assembled a slide frame.

Trimmed the rear of the chassis frame, installed a rear crossmember and added top and bottom flanges to the chassis. 

It's definitely too long in the chassis, I'm going to have to lose about 15-20mm. I'm not sure if I'm fitting quarter fenders. 

[Rockford]

I've dropped the cab slightly and it definitely looks more like a Freightliner, moved it back a fraction too. Narrowed the track on the front axle a little and added the newer style front wheels. Used the bosses that I cut off the rear wheels to make hubs on the Daytons. 

Opened up the cab steps and boxed them in, then added 2.5mm strip behind the kit moulding as in the real thing. Looks ok.

[Pete68]

On 7/26/2024 at 1:31 PM, Rockford said:

You're right on the axle, forgot to mention that. I'll have to look at a load of reference photos for the headlamp situation. 

Maybe not a load one should do the trick 

[Pete68]

I hate to tell another demon about this model it is too narrow it doesn’t measure as wide as it should be. Put it nose to nose with the other 1/32 truck and you will see the disappointment. I hated this truck. 

[Rockford]

3 hours ago, Pete68 said:

I hate to tell another demon about this model it is too narrow it doesn’t measure as wide as it should be. Put it nose to nose with the other 1/32 truck and you will see the disappointment. I hated this truck. 

Just put it next to a K100 and you're right, it is narrower by the same width as the rubber arch-trims, so maybe that's what caused the problem with mould limits. I've considered sectioning the cab and adding a strip each side but I'd only destroy it in the process and that would probably reveal other dimensional issues that the shrinking has caused. I'll just have try and maintain the illusion and keep it away from the other cabovers, like Smokey Yunick with his 7/8 Chevelle. You may have to avert your eyes for a while...?

Edited July 30, 2024 by Rockford

[Rockford]

Shortened the chassis by cutting out the battery boxes. I'll remount them between the stacks on top of the chassis. Cut the tank mounts off too, I'll make something more in keeping with a Freightliner. 

One of these days I'll make a long framed cabover, but not this time. 

[Jürgen M.]

Looks like it's gonna BE another masterpiece!

I had that kit too and it was one of my favourites back then but it got lost just like it's brother, the Freightliner Conventional! 

Needless to say they were built in my beginning time of modelling which means, I assembled them without any extras! 

It's really amazing to see what can be made of them when I watch your builds!

[Rockford]

Cut the back wall of the cab open, I'll use real aluminium screen in the hole. 

Fabbed some brackets for the stacks in a similar setup to the AMT 1/25 kit. Relocated the battery boxes to the inside of the exhaust frame. Things are beginning to take shape. 

[Rockford]

Pete68 avert your eyes!

Made my exhaust stacks and mounted them provisionally. 

Made some tank brackets that look more like the real thing. Got one done, I'll show more when I do the other side. 

I'm well aware that the cab doesn't look right. One reason is that the windshield top rail is too low. I added new top "rubbers" and then filed away the original. It does look much better, needs tidying. Started a visor from aluminium sheet but needs trimming. 

Before...

After...

[Jürgen M.]

You're doing it again: making a "grown up" truck out of a 1/32 minor detailed kit! Amazing! Can't wait to see this done!

[Gary Chastain]

Fun to watch you build this scale, great detail. 

[Rockford]

Using 1mm and 0.5mm square rod mainly, I built the cab locking mechanism. I've looked at so many trucks on the website, some have them pointing up, others down (which makes more sense, fail in safe position) but I opted for uppers. Just need to trim one little overhanging piece. 

[Rockford]

Added a pressed aluminium crossmember to the chassis, two air tanks toward the rear of the chassis, a bypass oil filter and a pair of quarter fenders using aluminium wire and tube. I used aluminium mesh to cover the engine doghouse, used 0.75mm square rod to form a lip for the mesh. Fitted the battery box in between the exhaust uprights. It's looking good, just got to try and sort the cab interior out. 

[Jürgen M.]

Awesome! ?

[Rockford]

Started doing my usual filling in of the diffs and decided to do something I should have done several times before now, adding the radius arms to the Reyco spring suspension. Had to add bigger front brackets for the front spring hangers to take the front mount of the radius arm. They should really be all the same but the poor rendering of the Reyco setup forbids it. You see why I haven't bothered so far... can't see a thing once the wheels are installed! 

Also made a set of rear lights out of a length of 3.2mm rod and a length of right angle strip. Also a licence plate bracket from the kit. 

[Biggu]

I like where this is going Steve.... looking really good.....

Jeff

[DRIPTROIT 71]

I am always amazed at what you can do with these trucks. Excellent work!!

[BK9300]

I second that comment - incredible work you accomplish in this scale! 

[Rockford]

Thanks for the kind comments. My work pales into insignificance compared to some of the scratchbuilding I see here, but I do like sitting at the workbench working away with my hands, so therapeutic.

[Biggu]

4 hours ago, Rockford said:

Thanks for the kind comments. My work pales into insignificance compared to some of the scratchbuilding I see here, but I do like sitting at the workbench working away with my hands, so therapeutic.

I’m in the exact same boat. It’s fun adding and subtracting bits and pieces and trying to go in a slightly different direction and make the model just a little different by putting our own personal touch on it. You’re right, it is very therapeutic…

Jeff