Espeefan's slow motion Peterbilt Heavy Hauler build

[Stylin n profilin]

Just awesome Nate..This thing looks like it will handel anything you put on it....WOW!!!

[bucshott]

Looking superb! nice machine work. tooking forward in seeing more up dates

Looks real good keep it coming.

[Espeefan]

Originally Posted by pugs

Looking good!

Originally Posted by tc1cat

Nice and neat mounting!

Originally Posted by JAMMER

Nathan that is some very nice work. Ed

Originally Posted by RAIDERS

very nice work cant wait to see it done!!!

Originally Posted by Claus

I like how you whip thing up. Nice work Nathan.

Originally Posted by Stylin n profilin

Just awesome Nate..This thing looks like it will handel anything you put on it....WOW!!!

Originally Posted by bucshott

Looking superb! nice machine work. tooking forward in seeing more up dates

Originally Posted by Losiassociated

Looks real good keep it coming.

Thanks pugs, tc1cat, Ed, Raiders, Craig, John, Rick, and Losiassociated! I really appreciate the replies. It's encouraging to keep at this build and get it done!

Originally Posted by 9W Monighan

Very nice build. I'm not in to trucks just yet but really enjoyed all of your excellent closeups. This gives me more insight into what I'd be up against if I were to build one of these trucks. Do you have the overall weight yet? Or did I miss that in all the replies?

Monighan, thanks! I just weighed the truck, but used a bathroom scale and myself, so it's not the most accurate of readings. It's all I have! I was curious to know myself also. The rolling chassis, as you see it in the photos, including axles, the transmission, motor, transfer case, axles, rims, and tires, came out to be about 6 pounds. That's not super heavy, but there is still more to add to the model. I'm going to guess and say it will be about 8 or 9 pounds when done. 10 pounds might be a stretch. I hope to add a lot more machined aluminum parts yet. Front and rear bumpers, fuel tank mounts, steps, a weather tight headache rack, and maybe some sort of sliding 5th wheel. I was also thinking of having a hydraulic pump (wet kit) on board, but I will wait to see if I have the room. These day cabs are a challenge. Fitting 5 pounds of goods into a 4 pound sack! Plus I really want to have a full cab interior yet. Not sure if that's possible.

I haven't shown these pictures here yet, but earlier in the build I was mocking up some possible ideas for the truck. Because this is a day cab I thought I might try machining up an aluminum weather tight headache rack for this truck. I built a quick and dirty styrene version, just to see how it might look on the Peterbilt.





I am actually shooting for something like this, of the 1:1 version.










If I hollow out the headache rack, I will be able to stash a couple mini-battery packs inside it, and maybe have a little extra room for other small electronics. The space will be extremely useful for a build like this, being tight on space. If I am lucky, I will also be able to keep the room open, under the hood, for something like....oh a scale diesel engine, radiator, and intercooler.

[dirtpusher9]

Nathan, I just went through your truck build, and MAN, it looks good and should be as stout as the real thing. Keep the up the good work.

[Claus]

I think your build will encourage the sales of Wedico trucks. Even wher you discuss the down falls you show excellent solutions. Have you thought about selling some of your parts like your hood hinge/ front spring hanger?

[Tamiya Cowboy]

Nate you are doing a great job on the truck keep up the great work..

[Snochaser]

Looks sharp. Amazing machine work.

-Ben

[Espeefan]

Originally Posted by dirtpusher9

Nathan, I just went through your truck build, and MAN, it looks good and should be as stout as the real thing. Keep the up the good work.

Thanks Dirtpusher! I appreciate your opinion, especially after knowing the skill level you are at with your builds!

Originally Posted by Claus

I think your build will encourage the sales of Wedico trucks. Even when you discuss the down falls you show excellent solutions. Have you thought about selling some of your parts like your hood hinge/ front spring hanger?

Craig, hard to say! The biggest downfall of the Wedicos is the cost. I wouldn't mind machining parts someday, but right now, everything I make is done during off hours at work, and my access to the mill and lathe are somewhat limited. If I buy a mill of my own, maybe that will change, but for now, I'm still figuring things out for this truck, as I go. When this one is complete, I plan to take a break from building trucks, and try a trailer or two. I'd still like to do one more Wedico - a large car with a sleeper, but that will be later, and hopefully I'll be able to knock that build out a lot faster. This heavy hauler being a bit of a test bed for me.

Originally Posted by Tamiya Cowboy

Nate you are doing a great job on the truck keep up the great work..

Originally Posted by Snochaser

Looks sharp. Amazing machine work.

-Ben

Thanks Ben and Paul, for the kind words!

[Tamiya Cowboy]

Nate were is the new picks they dont look as good over on scale..

[Espeefan]

Paul, the new photos I posted on my thread at Scale 4x4 are actually pictures I have already posted here. I've been neglecting Scale 4x4, now that I hang out here a lot more. I was just bringing that thread on Scale 4x4 up to date, so it matches this one. So the new pics over there, are old pics over here. Make sense?

Otherwise, no new progress since the last update. I've been working with a friend of mine, on designing and machining up some fuel tank mounting brackets for my truck. I really, really hate the way Wedico expects you to mount the fuel tanks to the chassis. Basically just a strap, wrapped around the tank, and screwed to the frame rail. There is no bracket at all. Pretty ugly.

[Claus]

Nathan I have RCdamper fuel tank brackets on my King, not sure if they will work on a Wedico but I'm using PMD tanks on my King so they might. They do look alot better than Tamiya brackets. Might not be what you want either.

[ihbuilder]

Ah Claus they look pretty but still not right . I know what you mean nate I didn't like the tamiyas either . Here's a pic of what I did



I made them close to what I have on my 1:1

[Espeefan]

Originally Posted by Claus

Nathan I have RCdamper fuel tank brackets on my King, not sure if they will work on a Wedico but I'm using PMD tanks on my King so they might. They do look alot better than Tamiya brackets. Might not be what you want either.

Thanks Craig. Those are definitely a nice option for the Tamiya trucks, but Wedicos use a c-channel frame rail that is not the same height. So I would have some gaps where those brackets slide over the top and bottom of the chassis frame rails. Still, I appreciate the suggestion!

Originally Posted by ihbuilder

Ah Claus they look pretty but still not right . I know what you mean nate I didn't like the tamiyas either . Here's a pic of what I did. I made them close to what I have on my 1:1

Thanks Steve. Peterbilt seems to have one of the more elaborate tank mounts out of all truck manufactures, so I'm afraid a total custom machined part is the only thing that will make me happy. I've enlisted the help of a friend, who has far greater machinist skills then I do, to help me come up with something better. We've been working on the design together, and while it's not going to be 100% accurate, it should be very nice. There are always practical limits to what you can design, and what can actually be machined.

[bucshott]

Nice cab gaurd/tool box. puting the battries in there. do you thank it might make it top heavy?
I know what you mean about your fuel tank mounts. I had to make mine to look like kenworth ones. yours will look good

[Espeefan]

Originally Posted by bucshott

Nice cab gaurd/tool box. puting the battries in there. do you thank it might make it top heavy?
I know what you mean about your fuel tank mounts. I had to make mine to look like kenworth ones. yours will look good

Thanks Rick! It could get a little top heavy, but I don't know if it will be a big concern. It's got a fair deal of weight down low too, and we know the scale rigs don't exactly break any speed records, so I think it will be safe to drive in normal applications. The drom/toolbox will be pretty heavy by itself. The plan is to machine it out of aluminum, but it will be mostly hollow. The battery packs aren't to bad for weight. They are about 1/3 the size of a standard sub-C pack and pretty light, but it all adds up. If all else fails, I'll just stick the battery packs under the hood, although I don't want to give up the possibilities of sticking a scale diesel engine in there, just yet. The 1:1 trucks don't exactly corner like a sports car either.

[bucshott]

True that, thy are not a sporst car. scale or 1:1 some thank thy were at one time and lost.

[JAMMER]

Nathan lets face it you need Scale Art tank straps. Ed

[Espeefan]

Hi Ed. Yes, I've seen Scale Art's fuel tank mounts too. To be honest, they aren't any more accurate then what Wedico offers for mounting solutions. I'm looking for something that looks more realistic.



Scale Art's tank mounts for the Wedico.



The 1:1 Peterbilt tank mounts and straps.



Might be a tall order, but hopefully I end up with a halfway decent facsimile.

[ihbuilder]

Originally Posted by Espeefan

Hi Ed. Yes, I've seen Scale Art's fuel tank mounts too. To be honest, they aren't any more accurate then what Wedico offers for mounting solutions. I'm looking for something that looks more realistic.



Scale Art's tank mounts for the Wedico.



The 1:1 Peterbilt tank mounts and straps.



Might be a tall order, but hopefully I end up with a halfway decent facsimile.

Nate , that doesn't look hard at all , just may be a pain in the arse to put together . now that you show the 1:1 I know what you mean .