For anyone thinking on post-WW1 versions of the Liberty in french civilian use (when Willème very cleverly started their business) this is a must:

Ivan runs an e-(vil)bay store and has some rare and realy interresting offerings(like Criel Model).

Mike,
Here are two pictures of Mercedes Benz L4500S tires(Zvezda kit) with dimensions (in inches):



HTH

Just found a price tag for the resin Peerless TC4 lorry : 140 euros (shipping not included) Ouch !

H.P.

Is that the one sold by Azimut Limited Reliability?

/ Robin

That's the one 140 euros for a kit you may never receive is a bit too much if you ask me...

H.P.

STILL MORE details to add to the Liberty Truck:


Firewall wiring harness, distributor and associated wiring on Diamond T assembled Liberty Truck.


SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) metal certification plate. Vehicle assembled by Bethlehem Motor Company.


Firewall Wiring Harness


Distributor and Wiring


SAE plaque - Raised plaque is already molded into model. I painted mine dull silver and then attached generic Archer registration placard cut to a triangular shape. Also drilled out the ventilation holes in the underseat battery box.


I painted the ignition/lighting control panel and added the specification placard. (Again generic Archer registration plate.)

I WILL be adding an amp meter gauge decal to that control panel.


This is a later Series 2 truck showing dashboard mounted data plate and smaller, ignition only control - the Series 2 had no electric lights.
(Photo by John Ratzenberger)

Just realized I also need to add magneto wiring to the rear of the engine and the radiator brace rod. (Red bar above engine.)

As to BIG pneumatic tires for the Liberty Truck conversion how about the Panzer Art tires intended for the Bussing-Nag?
Last night I found that I had a set in my stash.
They size in at 1.18 inches diameter (28.91mm) - slightly larger then the other tires considered.

They look rather great on the truck if you ask me. Perhaps perfect for the quarry truck we were talking about!

.

[quote]ICM gives us the option of two styles of bearing covers (cups) for the front wheel spindle bearings. One small and bullet shaped and the other much longer and beer can shaped. Interestingly however, there is only one of the longer bearing cups included in the kit???? I have double checked both the kit and the instruction sheet, only one of the larger wheel bearing covers is included yet historic reference photos indicate that two are required.

I think the larger spindle cup is for examples with the mileometer fitted within the hub. There is a picture in the HMVF reference mentioned. As such presumably only one of the larger cups is fitted - as per instuctions. The HMVF photos also show the pintle hook bracing

As its a series one truck, presumably not necessary to fit the acetylene spotlight.

One other query - should there be folding benches in the back?

I have to say, the kit justs falls together, with clever engineering to avoid any pratfalls. Really enjoying this build

sk

Simon are you saying there should only be ONE extended wheel cup because it was larger to accommodate the mileometer therefore only one was required?

That does make perfect sense. Yes, I did see the reference photo of the mileometer but it never occurred to me this was the reason for the larger wheel cup - I just continued to stay focused on thinking some trucks might have had a different wheel bearing design and asking myself why was there no second larger wheel cup? I feel somewhat foolish now for not figuring that out myself.

I agree the fit on the truck is so good the model just tends to fall together - a very enjoyable build.

My one alteration request would be either darker blue lettering for the canvas top or give us a second set of lettering printed in black.

The automotive technology they had 100 years ago amazes me. But then again it was only 42 years before I was born.😁

As to the search/spotlight: even though this is definitely a Series 1 (electric) truck the ICM instructions call for installation of the search light. I am afraid I just assumed both Series vehicles would have a spotlight of some sort, electric I presume. In any case it makes for a very nice additional detail.

As to the need for troop seats in the loadbox: I have no knowledge what so ever on that score. I chose to use the well done full canvas top and even enclose it further with the addition of end curtains so I really cannot answer your question.

I do think the designers of this kit missed a nice detail option by not offering the necessary equipment to make this either a series one or two vehicle. It would have required offering both types of headlight and including the acetylene drip gas generator.

I did consider trying to source the proper kerosene headlamps from the scale model railroad world but decided against it.

I guess so



H.P.

I guess so too - sorry I missed noting that detail.

I could still add the troop seats to my Liberty Truck because the canvas top still comes off but they would be unseen so I am not sure why I would.

However I AM the one that believes in adding even unseen details!


Edit Update:Working now on those troop seats.

Empirical study of period pictures of the “electric” liberty trucks do not seem to show the carbide light in any instance. The carbide light is only seen in association with the oil lamp sidelights. My question about the seats in the back was based solely on that one picture of the First Division Museum example being restored... hence my query.

Sk

Simon your comment about the seats in back is totally ok. If I seemed a bit kurt it was because I was rushing to finish my own list of to-do's on the Liberty Truck as well as a GAZ-66 radio van in time for a hobby competition yesterday in Cincinnati. As it turns out the Liberty Truck took a second place there against a HobbyBoss CCKW with Bofors AAA in the soft skins category. (If judging I would have called that trophy order of finish the other way around - of course!)

Actually I do intend to add the troop seats as per you comment, I just didn't have the time to do it right then.

As to the searchlight mounted on the Series 1 Liberty Truck: it honestly never occurred to me to question that. You are correct in that none of the Series 1 reference photos I have show a searchlight. I am afraid I just assumed that ALL the Liberty Trucks were built with a searchlight and the ICM instructions definitely do indicate to add the light to their Series 1 vehicle.

My only defenses would be:
#1 There is a cut out in the cowl of the ICM kit for the searchlight mount which would have required filling. (It was too late for that as my cab was already assembled and painted.)
#2 I do like the little bit of additional detail and visual complexity the searchlight adds to what is otherwise a bit of a "plain jane" looking vehicle.

I suspect, in actuality that the addition of a searchlight was simply one of the requested alterations made when the US Army moved from Series 1 to Series 2 production.

For now I am going to go with the assumption that an electric searchlight was possible for the Series 1 truck.

Cheers

Details, details, details . . . . more please!


Note spark advance rod running from the lower firewall down to distributor located in front lower corner of engine.



Note throttle control rod running from firewall down to carburetor and again note the radiator brace rod connected to the firewall, running forward past the upper water return connection hose/pipe.



Note octagonal clutch access cover plate on underside of transmission.

Kevin Brant reviews the new ICM Liberty Truck kit and produces an excellent test build.
Follow the link to access this review:

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/272959

. . . not to get Cranky . . . but

The ICM kit includes the engine starting crank but I would like to make one observation. The crank on the Liberty Truck should not be sticking out like some kind of tow hook just waiting to be knocked off by the next big bump in the road.

The crank on the Liberty had a jointed hinge (similar to the joint in many modern auto jack cranks) that allowed the crank to be folded up against the bottom of the chassis. Also there was a retainer under the chassis that held the handle of the crank when not in use.


Here above is the crank folded up and stored under the chassis.


And here again the crank is stored on this later Series 2 vehicle.


In the photo above the crank has come loose from its' retainer and is hanging free. A somewhat dangerous situation as it could get hooked on something and broken or bent.


As with many early gas engine vehicles the starting crank was attached to the engine main pulley using a ratchet type clutch. Meaning the crank could turn the engine but the engine, supposedly, could not turn the crank accidentally when the engine started or was running. With the occasional exception that when someone was attempting to start the engine and had the crank engaged, the engine might quickly catch and/or backfire causing the crank to rapidly jump with painful results to the individual doing the cranking.

My Father taught me long ago when cranking an engine, to always keep your thumb on the same side of the crank handle as your fingers. This because you were less likely to get your thumb broken if the engine caught quickly or if it backfired and the engine suddenly spun the crank backwards.

The same general lesson was given regarding the steering on any older vehicle or tractor. To never wrap you thumb around to the inside of the steering wheel ring. The front tires could easily drop into a rut or hit a bump causing the steering wheel to suddenly and violently turn. The drivers thumb could get forcefully bent backwards by the spokes of the steering wheel.
(Only ever happened to me once but lesson learned.)

I received the same steering wheel warning at Ft. Knox while taking driver's training, getting checked out to drive the US WWII halftracks at the Patton Museum.

From the Army Transportation Museum online collection:

Close up of the wheel mounted "Mile-O-Meter":
(Stewart Warner officially called it the "SPEEDOMETER", However it measured distance not speed??????)