Clearly I have been keeping secrets; I still have more than a bit of work to do over on the "far side" of the dozer.



Correction: 61 track links down and 11 to go. 72 links total.

74 track links complete! - two extra.
Thanks Libor for giving us parts for 5-6 extra links. just in case!

Working tonight on the right side suspension and track. I have also finally gotten started on the driver's floor treadplate.



I had to cut the floor plate into four pieces and trimmed some width off the rear plate to make it all fit. I also enlarged the openings for all the control stalks.

Having a fine gauge jeweler's frame saw and a number of small files is vital for a job like this.

Main floorplate fitted. I think I still need to enlarge the hole that surrounds the gearshift boot just a bit more.

The floor plates are coming along - two out of four complete.


Note the angled "heel rests" that must be cut out of the alternate plastic floorplate to then be added here to the metal floor.

Did accomplish a little work tonight. Was able to add some decals to the overall Cat build to dress it up a bit.


Don't know why the Mirror exhaust stack is so short. Caterpillar had a removable stack extension that I am in the process of building right now. Otherwise the driver is going to be eating a lot of diesel exhaust all day!



Laying down the decals: First a brush coat of Future floor wax, while the Future is still wet position the water slide decal, blot off the excess moisture with a lint free cloth and then another final coat of Future. After allowing for thorough drying, add to that a final air brush coating of matte clear and you're done.

I was a total failure at proper decaling until someone taught me the Future floor wax trick!

The first person to respond to this post and mention this offer wins one (1) brand new Mirror Models Air Compressor kit. Absolutely FREE!

No catch, no obligation, no joke!

Post a reply on this thread and then IM your mailing address to me.

Awesome work Michael!

Colin is the winner! Congratulations, I will be packing up your kit very shortly. Best Regards. Mike

Kewl! Thanks Mike!

SUPER!!

fantastic work! Hope mine comes up as good when I build it and the LZ resin scraper kit

Colin, your air compressor is all packed up and ready to ship! Congrats.

Air compressor went into today's mail.

Many thanks to Cliff and Evan for your positive, supportive comments.

Don't know why the Mirror exhaust stack is so short.

Caterpillar had a removable stack extension that I am in the process of building right now. Just a length of exhaust pipe with a strap clamp at its' base to attach to the engine exhaust pipe. Otherwise the driver is going to be eating a lot of diesel exhaust fumes all day!


The extension would be in already but I am not quite ready to glue down the hood and make it permanent. After the extension is installed the hood will no longer be removable.

Beautiful Restoration
Photo by Geoff Brown

Photo by Trade Earthmovers

Nevington War Museum

Three photos by Bill Wolf

No photo credit given. Perhaps check cheffins.co.uk

Thanks Michael, a clear and helpfull overview of this nice model.
Now I would like to add some different color to my collection, is it possible to spray it in Navy grey as a dozer used by the Seebees? Or was this machine not used by them?
Thanks in advance for answering,

P.

Weren't those Navy Dark Blue?

Hi Willem,
Since I have no idea I hope some Navy specialist can help me!

And hopefully he knows the Vallejo number as well.

According to what you can find here, they had some, but they mostly used Allis-Chalmers and International dozers...

H.P.