Thanks all for the great feedback.
lilBEAR, I simply cut it where I needed, and then made frame rail extensions from sheet styrene, glued them in, backed them with a piece that fit inside the rails to act as support, then filled sanded and painted. Then I had to lengthen the drive shaft by cutting off the U-joints at each end of one shaft (It had a two piece shaft) and replacing it with a piece of tube styrene the same diameter. Then I glued the kit U-joints back on.
When I said “stretched”, I just lengthened. I didnt mean I heated and stretched it if thats what you were thinking. Stretched is a trucker term.
As far as pulling everything together, it just took patience. like I said, I started in September of last year!
I didn’t use much reference material, because I have nearly half a million miles on the road and knew what a “large car” was supposed to look like, and what colors I wanted and how the two tone paint was supposed to be broken up, but if you notice in the background of the pics, there is a down loaded diagram of a typical airbrake system. That was my only reference material. I went to a Bendix site and downloaded a tractor system and a trailer system so I could recreate them on the model. The truck has all the correct tubing for an airbrake system!
The fifth wheel has a brass rod running through the bottom so it actually pivots back and forth like a real one.
I took colored (blue and red) wire wrapped them around a pencil, taped the ends down, and heated them with a hair dryer to get the coiled air connection hoses.
I took a carriage bolt and ground the bolt part off to get the front hubcaps, or hub covers.
then covered them in Bare Metal Foil.
The engine has copper wire bent and formed for the injector lines and wires running from the starter and alternator. I ran two vinyl hoses from the front heater core to the sleeper heater core and then ran a wiring harness from the firewall block to the sleeper.
There is also a wiring harness from the firewall to the frame rail and back to the rear of the chassis.
This was the first model I have ever used future on and it worked great. I just painted the enamel first then did two or three future coats.
Here is a couple more
It is really great though after all the work, to get the cool comments from you guys. I took second with it at the Hobbytown show on the 27th but it means alot more to have you guys comment! Thanks all.
Wade
