I will be scratchbuilding this beast. It is a 1941 Ford (Aust) tractor unit and a 7 ton (Aust) trailer. I will use this thread to display all in progress build pictures.



Cheers
Cliff

Cliff, is this your first time??? Just kidding Brother Pouch, --- I can hardly wait to see this one from you---as I am assuming it will be the traditional masterpiece. Gottal love those rounded noses on the tractor-- pretty cool. Please keep us posted as you move through the build.

Steve

Droolllllll! Now I expect up to date progress photos on this one Mate. It will be a nice one for sure.

Cliff, I don't care what Ma Roo says, you're still the man.

Howdy 'Roo,

Hmmmm,......since I've at least got a clue as to your general modeling technique (remember, I only said "clue"), I have gotten to the point where I automatically look the vehicle in question over and try to figure out at least a hint as to how our good Mr. Hutching's is going to accomplish his task............

And, it needs to be said that, because of wonderfully talented buggers like 'Roo, and other Yankee "buggers" like animal, I have been given the gift of 'seeing' just a little of how he might go about his magic. But only a "little" mind you, because all of the rest of his performance will be refreshingly new, tastefully done, and technique enhancing.........

Heck, I'm grinnin' ear-to-ear just knowin' yer going to share this one with us ya Dingo bait!
And, since I consider both your and animal's skills at scratchin' trailers to be like another pipe full of opium to a modeling addict, I would be IMMENSELY grateful if either you, or both of you, put a comprehensive article together helping those of us who are 'truck challenged' to attempt a trailer build or two. Ya never know.........you might recruit a couple of new 'truckaholics' to the ranks with an effort like that!...........

Tread.

That should be an interesting build to watch.......

I don't know of anything close to looking like that, so this means there has to be time spent in the kitchen on that hood.

I can't wait to see it in progress.
Kerry

Best wishes. Measure once, cut twice...

Jeff

well ok scratch it u have to announce it ? Some more thousands hours of work and millions hours of measuring and resizing . Come on man get some serious !!! LOL
Much waited Cliff , i really wanna see that , and in the end receive it !!!!!!!

it looks great like a 10 wheeled train..good luck in your built and willing to see many photos

Hmm, tractor unit looks a bit like a Chevy on steroids. No doubt ii's a completely different size. This should be interesting...

When I first started trucking, I would see an old truck being restored every now and then, but they always seemed to have chain drives, so I had the assumption that a lot of the old, old truck's were all chain drive.

Now that Cliff has a whole new world of photos to show us, I've learned that they all weren't chain drive.
Cliff you have been more helpful, in more ways then you know.

Kerry

That's gonna be another goodie from the Roo works - look forward to seeing it 'in progress'.

Here's another pic of the same truck (I believe) from the side this time.........(hope 'Roo doesn't mind me posting this).



Tread.

Oh, and BTW, this pic is straight from 'Roo's truck archives.

That's going to be an awesome scratch build.

'Roo:

Very interesting.

What was this rig used for ? The rounded nose on the trailer isn't ideal for cargo storage ? And one cannot completely load it from the side since the nose apparently doesn't come off ?

John

these were used for hauling bulk supplies. that were delivered from south Australia to Mt Isa by railway. to Darwin in 1941/42. The initial trailer design with the round nose was so the trailer could be bought forward closer to the cab to make the semi & trailer shorter in length. As you pointed out it was a waste of cargo space.

Also another problem with them was the heat. The trucks would often stop as the petrol in the lines would evaporate. So roofs were cut off and doors thrown away on the early full cabbed trucks to try and cool everything including the drivers down.

Other home made mods were also made with large holes cut in the front of the bonnet and 1lb coffee tins added as air scoops. The mud guards were always cracking and falling off so the idea was to leave them off. But the headlamps were mounted on the guards so half a spring was welded to the chassis as a lamp stand.

As the 'North/South' road as it was called then (now the Stuart Highway) was not even formed the first new Ford tractor units diaintergrated on the first trip so they were modified to the stage of the above photos and then build NEW in the Ford factories here as a new vehicle with the data plate stamped "Div Imp" which means (army) divisional approved (modification)

So a uniquely Australian vehicle. Internationals took over from these and then Mack NR 6X4 10 ton diesel trucks with 7 ton trailers. This NR Mack is also on my list of scratchbuilds to be done.

hope this helps
Cliff

First of the aussie road trains?
Cliff the customisation that occured makes the possibilities for this build endless!
Mate you gotta include a scale girly pic in the cab somewhere!
Less typing more building and posting of pics,
Cheers,
Andy.

'Roo:

Thanks for the info ....

Waiting to see the scratchbuilt coffee tin :-) :-) :-) :-)

John