Okay fellas. Thanks for all your help & kind inspiration.
Unfortunately, I've left it too late to add the bows to this build as the cargo bed is now complete & fitted. I think I'd irrepairably break things if I started messing around now trying to add the bows.
But I will add them to the next M35 in the "convoy", which will be built directly after this one.
Mirrors are now attached & little bits & pieces finished. I've just got to build the roof frame for the cab & then I'll photograph the finished model & post the pics here very soon.
Joe.

Hi Joe

Did you notice Archer's new release ?

http://www.archertransfers.com/AR35332.html

HTH

Frenchy

Oh wow!
Now I definitely need to get my hands on those!
Any idea on a release date & where can I get them?
Joe.

Joe
You can order this set directly from Archer (with Paypal). Just use the link in my previous post It's already available.

Frenchy

Hi Joe!
Looking great! Can't wait to see this one finished, having watched all this great modeling so far! Keep us up-to-date.

Rod


P.S. You have photos coming via email soon!

Good progress so far Joe.
Its great to see people using the expertise thats available here, to get the best out of kits. There was much more of this in the early days, and the community thrived because of it. Theres so much information thrown in, it really makes for a great thread on this subject .... and worth reading through.

id like to do an m54 5 ton but one as more recent as oif how did you stretch the nose , hood and fenders?

I've just read the Squadron/Signal reference book about Guntrucks by Timothy Kutta, recommended to me by Juan on page 3 of this thread & I have to agree that it is a very good book indeed, with lots of photographs & interesting text.
I've also added the DVD that Frenchy recommended to me on page 2. It's called "Road Warriors-Army Truckers & Truck Convoys in Vietnam" & is available at www.MilitaryVideo.com If you're into trucks in Vietnam like me then this DVD is a must have item. "Road Warriors" is over 65 minutes of Vietnam truck porn! Loads of colour footage of M35's, M54's, M52's w/M127 trailers, etc, etc, etc....
Also, a good study of how the drivers looked/dressed & different kinds of cargo being carried. Definitely well worth a look at. The website is worth a visit as there are literally 100's of titles to choose from.
Anyway, photographs of my completed M35A1 build (unpainted) are imminent. Hopefully today, in fact. Unfortunately, my wife took the camera to her parents for the week so I haven't been able to put the photos onto my PC.
Joe.

Awaiting your updated photos. I also have the squadron book it is good. I guess I need to order that DVD also. Keep up the great work.
Tom

It's funny, because I thought of you, Tom, when I was watching the DVD as I remembered you said you had a number of M35's in your collection.
95% of the audio content is musical audio so you dont really get to hear what the trucks sound like but hey, what more do you need. Lots of real detail can be scrutinized to take back to the model & driver figure/crew.
Joe.

not real loud, and the first thing you notice is the Roots blower starting to whine as it's being force feed by the external turbocharger.
gary

Joe,
I checked out the website for the DVD's. I need to scrape up some cash and I will be ordering that DVD plus a couple others. You can get a lot of details out of it. I just wish I kept some of the technical manuals from when I was in the service. Would have been a big help now with detailing models. looking foward to your finished model. Keep up the great work.
Tom

Hi Tom,
I'm glad you checked out that website. They've got some great titles, haven't they? I'm going to get some more at the end of the month, too. There's one or two about the marines in Hue in '68 which will help me with my Bravo6 collection!
Anyway, photos are imminent. I'm just about to load some up now. As long as I get 1/2 hour of quiet then the new photos should be uploaded soon.
Watch this space, buddy.
Joe.

Okay fellas,
More photos. All photos show finished build (obviously unpainted as yet).

Photo shows "West Coast" style mirrors taken from an Italeri M925 5ton truck I have spare.















This is as far as I've got with the driver so far:


Cleaned up resin wheels set from D-Toys.

Hope you like it. Any advice would be gratefully accepted.
Joe.

What is the best way for me to fit the front wheels? The plastic kit part will fit onto the nipple by the axle so the wheels can turn. However, the resin pieces do not have an alcove for the nipple to fit into. So, how should I go about fixing them?
I hope this bit makes sense.
Joe.

Joe,
Looking good. The only thing the cab canvas bow looks a little to tall. Plus you are missing the piece from the bow to the windshield frame. It was a square piece that had the snaps to secure the canvas. Looking foward to your further updates. I don't think the resin wheels are made to be able to turn. Anybody elese have an idea?
Tom

Hi Tom,
No, I'm not worried about the wheels turning. Should I just shave the plastic nipple off the axle & glue the wheel straight onto it?
I know, the canvas roof bow is not quite finished yet. Are you sure it's a little too tall? I thought that the bar that faces out over the bed of the truck was on the same level as the top of the windscreen. Also, I've used 0.5mm brass rod. Do you think that this rod is wide enough?
I also bottled out of doing the old version rear lights. I just prefered this set up in the end. Sorry Frenchy.
Joe.

Joe,
I would just shave the nipple off the wheel hub. The canvas bow height may be just the way I see it from the picture. The rear bow was even or a little taller than the windshield frame. That allowed the water to run off toward the front. Hope this helps.
Tom

Hi Tom,
Thanks. That's a handy little pointer. I'll remember that when I'm finishing off the roof bow.
Joe.

No problemo Joe, just keep that for your next M35 built . Maybe you could take AFV Club part B42 (the soft top) as a template to guesstimate the roof frame height ?

Keep on the good work

Frenchy

Yeah, I'll use the kit part as a template.
So, I have to make a right angle piece to connect the roof bow with the windscreen to complete the roof frame, right?
Joe.

Exactly . It's called "side roof rail+pillar post assembly" in the TM :



HTH

Frenchy

Oh, okay. Now is that "side roof rail" tapered from the rear & getting thinner as it goes towards the windscreen? Or is it the same width right across?
Joe.

It doesn't look tapered to me...


Frenchy

Hi Frenchy,
Thanks for the above photo. Everything is much clearer now.
I will need to test fit the driver before I start messing around with this problem. At the moment the brass rod roof frame has not been glued in so I can remove it to get the driver just right!
Joe.