'65 Dodge A100 MONSTER truck build!

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I thought since I mentioned it, I'd get right down to business! LOL

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This picture shows the PCV lines, "PCV" Positive Crankcase Ventilation, this takes combusted gases within the crankcase and puts them BACK into the carburetor for a re-burning effect, todays cars this gives way better MPG road BUT also helps power too, makes the engine more efficient! Burning as close to 100% of the petro put into a cylinder! Times that by 8, you get a couple extra ponies at the flywheel!

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This one showing the lines, what they're for and how it all looks together...

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This is that "Turbo T" for air intake, this is the acceptor for the pipe yet to be made as this will go to a "blower hat"...That sits a top a plenum, thats the supply of air from the aftercooler....

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The above pictures show oil pan lines that are turbo lube supply lines, notice, the split oil pan.....This is to keep the oil moving through the engine and exchange from time to time through a single oil filter, which is the front line seen here.

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Other side, showing Turbo lube "return" line, going back into the oil pan, notice location from "supply" to "return" Supply comes from the bottom of the pan, internal pump, to be "returned" at the top of the oil pan.

MORE to come following these messages!
 
So now comes the frame....AND what is connected to the frame? Well suspension, BUT whats connected to that? Suspension I mean, meaning, the axles? THE WHEELS! OHHH NO, NOT wheels for me! TANK TRACKS!

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Not just ANY tank tracks will do, not for my crazy in the head-self! NO WAY, I have to the most difficult damned track type made, WHY you ask? Cuz I'm me and hard headed! Nahhhh not really, just the tracks made one link at a time allows me to make them as i need to to fit FOUR "tracks" to make this monster truck a "QUAD-Track" monster truck! Why not? It afterall is "DOOMZ DAY" right? LOL

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Then a shot of the frame and detail work I've done....So far, it fits, I even used one of the original "Motor Mounts" to be a "DUAL" fuel filter mount! Not that its in place now BUT it will be, AFTER the frame has all it needs to become flat black....FIRST, before ANY detail really is added!

So then, I got the pics of the engine and a little of the frame, AND then that HUGE engine needs coolant, right? WELL, yes, sure, BUT how? Not only a Radiator, but a turbo aftercooler too........ ALL in one, mounted......BACKWARDS, just like everything else on this build!

Ohh yeah, believe me, its ALL wired in too! The fans are "electric" so....

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3 fans, 2 on the radiator, and one larger one on the aftercooler, so there are 3 different color wires for each fan coming from the fan, to the control box, with yep you guessed it one open hole with no wire that will lead to the cab!

ENJOY!
 
So, where to begin?

Ahhhh, we'll start with the frame! Its painted, flat black, with a flat clerar cote to give just a hint of texture to look like undercoating...

I've glossed the fuel tank/cell, to look as tho it has a epoxy resin coating on it....

THEN the fuel supply lines were addres, ALL braided "hard lines" to the transfercase cross-memeber, and the "to" line goes through a series of fuel filters, hanging on the underside of the frame, that may get a "skid" plate" for protection before I'm all said and done with it....

So have a look:

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Looking at this picture you can see that gloss black round item that looks to be connected to the transfercase>? WELL that is a "Parking Brake". I've read that these are a lot like emergency brakes that basically make it sit still, which is used mostly around viewing crowds...NEVER used durring competitions!

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Better view of the transfercase!

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A bit of a view of the fuel tank/cell and lines to support it. As well as the dual fuel filters.

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A bit better shot of the frame underside showing fuel line details!

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Last but not least, a picture of the frame with just the engine setting in place for an idea of how it all looks!

ENJOY, More to come following these GRAND messages!
 
So as you all have read, I been "pondering" tank track colors....I've custom mixed this color, its a lot of Graphite shade, with some silver added for shine, a bit of Steel added for depth, and then just a hint of Gun metal to give it some tone....

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I then took the "cleat" in the track and with a silver Sharpie "paint marker" (Oil based) and made the edge bare metal, to look slightly, used....I don't often do weathering on model cars, but when I do, its VERY light, this will probably be thee only weathering on this entire model! (I'm after that "Show" look) so....

Anyway, I know your ALL waiting to see how I came up with the tracks and there shape by now, and I knew this when I started posting BUT to keep ya all at the edge of your seats, I waited till last! SO with further stall time, HAVE A LOOK!

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Granted whats seen above is meraly a pile of parts! I know, ALL scratch built and ALL of what I been writting about in my postings with no pics....In this picture, you see about enough parts to assemble 2 tracks! Minus the track themself, they aren't in the pic at all....BUT, this is that "track frame" I was speaking of.....

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This little gem ---^

Happens to be the bottom track guide wheels and frame work. I have a bit of detail yet to do to ALL 4 of them I'll need to make a strut apply downward pressure on for the actual truck to ride on this is the inside of the track frame. A little work is needed before I am happy with it, just got to get my ideas togwether as to how I'm going to carry it out!

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NOW yer getting to see the work involved...This "tri-angle" is a track sub-frame, that supports the tracks, and all of the rollers! See that one single "pole"? That is a pivot point for the track guide to pivot on "This little gem" from the picture above!

As seen in this picture, the FRONT of these that will be looking at your face standing in fropnt of it, is to the LEFT.... The "Steep" side of the tri-angle, the rear "slope" will be on ALL 4 corners!

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This picture is merely taken upside down....That single wheel seen there with all the structural bracing, is a carrier wheel guide, as you'll see in a moment, its not one that would need to be adjustable to the track as its in motion, this wheel merely carries the treack from one corner to the other, un-pressurized as it doesn't need to apply tension to the track, just needs to carry it!

More to come! L-O-N-G postings!!!! Makes for added postings, I won't do a posting all of these at once!

Stay tuned!
 
So then, now that you seen the Drivers side front track frame, Hows about the back? of the track frame? Needless to say, This is pretty bare right now, I have some "H" beams to add here to prevent that "tri-angle" plate from curling over time and distorting the whole build in years to come so I have a few added details to put in place here to preventt hat and it looks like real stiffening parts anyway, as I'll get pictures of as time allows!

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Now, comes the fun! You'll see the whole works together, all the parts, wheels guides, rollers, and TRACKS!

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Forward facing, with the tracks on the frame with all the wheels in place, This is how the passenger side of the whole rig will look, notice the tracks themself, the "cleats" are "upside down" the point is facing the cab, NOT the ground....WHY? The out side edge, is facing the ground, TWO of those edges are better traction, on the outside of the track then one in a smaller area in the center, it distributes the weight better and for competition sake, I don't think loosing "grip" will be an issue, BUT it looks GREAT that way, ALL the treads on the tracks will be backwards.... For this very reason!

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And here ya go!!!!!!!!!!!!! This track is the front PASSENGER side unit. The whole truck, would be going forward in this direction. As seen I still haven't gotten my thoughts together on how I'm going to assemble and add in the strut, I know I have too, BUT I am not into making a mistake, these were not the easiest things to create never mind make 4 of them! SO, I'm building the other 2, and thinking of how I plan to go about the strut and the mounting there-of....

I think the whole thing so far, looks GREAT, I have some tweaking to do here and there on making them solid and mounting them to the truck rears but, I'm pleased on how they turned out so far!

And there ya have it....ENJOY!
 
You gonna be building Rockwell style differentials (Top Loaders, aka Duece & A Half Axles) to mount between those track assemblies, to deal with the fact that the rear driveshaft angle is gonna suck with a traditional style differential?
 
I haven't got that far just yet, I'll begin building that part, when I have all the tracks ready for mounting as it sits quite high with the triangle tracks to the suspension,.....

I think I may modify the Rockwells, I'm not sure yet....I have to get to a point to see how all fits together to give me an idea of what I need to build for it....As I make things as i go, and thats one I've held off on due to the drive shaft angles so.....

We'll see, when I'm at that point!

So, as you all have read in the past, (I don't know) 10 postings of mine, I was debating the way or design of the bottom roller wheels "suspension? I just at the time, had to many ideas on how to do it (ANY ONE of them would have worked but...) I wanted the ONE that was the best for the application, of the Quad-Tracks to the truck itself and what it would be used for.

SO, here is what I thought to be the best:

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As you can see, the top of that roller suspension, on the bottom, there is 2 "cylinders" connected to a mount post on the tracks frame. Then, you look, this "strut" design has 2 struts per track, giving equal downward pressure for the outside most portion of the track....Maintaining a good grip to the ground was the goal here....The struts were painted, 2 different shades of metal, the first being the "middle" color, "Steel" from Testors. The narrowest section painted "Silver Chrome" ALSO from Testors, and then the actual "body" of the strut, being white (company color) the "silverish" colors being parts of polished steel or grades of steel for wear and such. I then, painted the mount the same color as the roller wheels frame, this is a custom mix of paint, I made that was also seen on my transmission to this truck, the transfer case in the frame and various other places that "bare" cast iron would be seen. The WHOLE "white" area, will be painted Plum Crazy Purple also from Testors.... The rest, is to come, wheels power rollers, and all that, the tracks themself are now painted for the 2 almost complete track frames.

SO, what was I to do, while paint and glue was drying? WELL work on a project for a friend I took on, and was waiting his interior work to dry as well, I began to think of a little something different (as if this model isn't already, right?)

BODY WORK! WHAT, did I want the body to look like? (Was a pretty serious question in my mind!) So I got to looking at the body of the A100, and just kinda pondered for a minute....All in the while remembering what the "Little Red Wagon" looked like, Bill Golden, had originally used it as a drag racing truck, custom, in the beginning, he drove it in the "normal" driving location on the left hand side of the truck. Leaving the interior "complete" but lightened for speed. Later on as the truck was deemed for "show" and the wheelie stander era started, the driver seat was relocated, to lighten the front even more, by centering the whole works! This removed A LOT of complex steering "Bell Cranks" which could shed off up to 400 pounds right in front of the front axle! So, this truck, was re-done several times, including the motor....BUT, then it hit me, this truck ISN'T Bill Goldens "Little Red Wagon" anymore....Still a competition truck, BUT not for a quarter mile race! SO, with that said, thought of how much space was in the bed, and how much was engine and where was I to put the up coming battery, electricals (there is no "under the hood with this truck!), and any other small detail? WELL the passenger side area of the cab floor! This will include all those small details, and some "secrets" I haven't revealed yet.

WELL that being said, this model, both doors are to open as modeled. I am have rethought that one! Isn't no reason this truck needs a passenger side seat, nor any of those parts, so, this opened up a bit of "lost" space, as all the stuff, that would have been found in the bed, can now be placed in the passenger side of the truck!

SO, no passenger seat, not nothing but dash, and open floor space, WHY is a opening, or functional passenger side door needed? It isn't! SO, I started to "weld" it shut!

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The door seams were welded shut with plastic welder from Tenax-7R. Once dry and the door was fitted to match the contour of the truck body, I then began to "feel" the seams to see how much filler was needed and to make a choice on the best possible filler to use (I originally was going to use REAL "Bondo" but, thats a lot of work for such a small area! AND more work then I'da been willing to do, AFTER the task done was to late to re-think it. SO, I used Some "Fix-All" adhesive, from "Super Glue" bought at the local Dollar Store, and then on the outside a drop or so, of "Crazy Glue" to harden the outside edge to make a sandable "crust".... The Fix-All adhesive stays somewhat flexible and not "hard" to be sanded, which is why I added the Crazy Glue....Plus, the added Crazy Glue, Adds just a touch of crust when cure, and "builds up the area a bit more for sanding, AND fills in the cracks that are not seen easily....

Then the fun! The door hinge openings! HUGE holes that go all the way inside the cab! THESE, had me stumped for a short while, as i had to yet again think up a way to "fill" them, yet be able to be sanded easily, with multiple contours in and around them!

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Best filler again was same as the first I used on this project, the Fix-All adhesive, with a bit more Crazy Glue added to its outside surface, with a squirt of Baking Soda, to cure it instantly, and have a really "high-build" effect, for finishing the body work to the contours of the truck. Altho pretty smooth right now, I still have some sanding needing done BEFORE I seal it all with Lacquer clear coat just prior to the first wet sanding of the body.....Plus, I have some mold seams to sand down as well, (thought, I'd do the major body work first) and then graduate to the more lighter normal stuff)

ENJOY! More to come as time allows!
 
Jeff,
Yeah a little, you might say that! I have yet to figure in the body work from the parts you sent me......As good as it is, its all over the place, this build.....Extremes in all directions, body work, frame work, ENGINE, interior, you name it.... AND as you know or should know, The truck name is "Doomz Day" for the nick name the engine got powering it, BUT, with that I'm trying to incorporate a skull in the decor on the cab, or inside, I dunno yet, BUT there will be at least one, someplace! To represent my THICK Skull design work LOL Something the wife should to me and asked if I could use, it right about the time i was "plastic welding" the passenger side door shut! PLUS to add to the "decor" on the body, I'd LOVE to get the Hemi's 50th anniversary & Elephant logo as a sticker to almost cover the roof top of the truck.....BUT I'm not sure who I could get to print something like that......(I don't have a working printer, or able to print Decal paper....so....) Anyway, more to come!

So, Here again....

The "rollers" I've spoke about? I got them, painted, in that custom mix paint, that I've mentioned....I have them, as of this posting, the wheels are painted flat black. Not seen in the following picture:

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Then as I had mentioned, I got the back side of the track frames painted as well....

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Once thats dry enough to "stick" it to a section of cardboard, I'll paint the front side of them and then once the whole works is dry, the whole thing will be hung for complete clear coating on both sides!

See:

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I'm not real concerned with the scratches and such in the back side of these, or the fronts all that much as it is after-all going ot taking a beating in competition, right? BUT it is however going to be cleaned up for "show" use.....

ENJOY!
 
Here are a few updated pics of the A100, and its FRONT tracks.....

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The first things AFTER the frames are painted is the lower 2 rollers. These MUST be the first added, as they are the ones that will NOT tolerate any side to side play, OR up and down movement, they must be glued solid to the frames! I took GREAT care to see that this was the case, to date, 4 times! I have yet to do it again, 4 more times, for the 2 rear track frames!

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Showing the detail of the whole completed track, this one is for the front, drivers side track....

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Showing a little of the track "tread" and direction the cleat follows! Notice, its looks as tho its upside down, and It really is! I did this for a reason. The tracks as you all know are on a monster truck, hence the cleat outside edges to be facing downward, this is for traction, in real life, on a tank they "bite" from the center, BUT have much more weight to get a good "grip" when in motion. On a monster truck not having the same amount of downward pressure, the outside edge would bit more, and allow the track to "ride" flat across, and this would give greater contact to the ground underneath it....

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Shown from the back, this side will also be used as a "ladder" to get to the door for the driver to open! And the track natural "sag" over the carrier roller, this roller is rigid mounted and would only "spin" in real life, no deed for it to have a shock, or be "sprung" for tension, its merely to carry the track from the bottom roller to the top powered roller!

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This shot, shows a bit more of the tread and the cleats and how the natural sag is, on the track! This was merely possible to model (the natural sag) as the tracks are one cleat, or link at a time and is supported by a clip in the center (drive clip) to the outside hinge plates, that also have a pin in them for a bit more outer edge traction!

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This shows the 2 tracks, both fronts side by side.....You can see the purple paint on the rear of the track frame here, and to give an idea of what the whole BEAST is gonna look like when these are on the frame!

More to follow! The second set of tracks are being assembled!
 
So then, as I said, more to follow! So, you seen bits and pieces of the front tracks as they were assembled, right? SO I thought while I was beginning to build the second set, simultaneously I'd get some pictures to show some of the work done with plastic shapes to achieve the appearance seen in the front set thats now complete and ready to be added to a front differential and then onto the frame of the truck!

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How the roller wheel and mount gets to keep true to parallel, and or, vertical, to keep the wheels "tread" surface, horizontal to the track and other 3 corner wheels!

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A bit of detail seen here, just a different angle of the same part shown above!

Thats it for now! More to come as progress happens!

ENJOY!
 
I may as well get it added as yet another "update" As I wait for other model assemblies to cure for handling, I keep the ole Doomz Day nearby!

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Both REAR track frames, have the rigid roller in place and all supporting details as well. I'm currently awaiting the glue to cure on the lower rollers for placement to these frames! BUT that might prove a few days as it gets pretty intense for those, as they have to be just so, nothing else will do!

As I set and work on others, I went and made ALL the needed parts when I was "designing" and now have them loose "as-needed" during the build, makes for easier assembly time! So, all these little "extra's" make no mistake, they were done BEFORE any of this began going together.....When I know something will work, I run with it, and when I run with a part I'm making, I make SURE I count how many I'll need and then go for "stock" to do ALL of them all in one sitting, or at that very time when the machines are running and the wheels in my head are turning!

So, as I wait for another model to dry, and whats seen above to dry, I'm left with well, not much of anything SO, why not begin that radiator/aftercooler duct work coming of the back side of the front inner fender wells....

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Just a bit of piecing it together, I might add, A LOT of compound angles to be worked out....I have yet to add the lower and upper parts, but the sides are pretty much done and in place. I do have some filling and sanding to do as they're close but not dead on, as the duct work isn't a perfect thing and using that and a starting point (kit rearward bulkhead, and that not being 100% true, let me to do a bit of smudging it to make it fit....ONCE in the truck, it won't be noticeable!

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Passenger side view!

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Drivers side view!

These got a ways to go, plus I have to get the whole works ready for paint as this is a center part of the model the frame then this and then the body, so.....The frame is coming along too, BUT I have to get this on it to continue with the details of the motor!

ENJOY! More to come as progress allows!
 
Got to thinking with all this "interior" work, I ought to see what I have for "racing seats" to use in the truck, and well to my advantage, I have a few old AMT-Ertl '70 Dodge Coronet Super Bee "Pro-Street" models to then see a GREAT candidate for the Monster truck!

It needed stripped down, (was paint "Almond" from J.C. Murphy's), almost 25 years ago, if not longer.....The seat? sat in ELO (Easy Lift Off) from Ply Scale, a Testors company/division, for 2 days! That old Almond paint, that was made by I think the spray can company was named "Miracle" or something, WOW is that some damn paint now! BUT.....I got it all off the seat!

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Upon seeing how the seat looked "stripped" to bare plastic, I noticed something I didn't before! The glue! Was stuck to the PAINT! I "HAD" seat belts glued to this seat, AND the seat was glued to the car interior tub floor! NO glue distortion on the place!

I'm amazed at how long this was in that car, BEFORE I tore it down for spare parts! This same seat was in the same car, as the engine thats going in my Monster Truck!

So anyway, me, being me, I thought, How or what do I want to do with this seat, to make it better? WELL, first off, NO holes for the seat belts to pass through for the 5 point harness! SO, holes to be drilled were in order!

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So I think they look pretty even so Off to fitting the seat with a NEW seat belt arrangement I had (the old one just didn't fit well to this seat, and will be kept for a future build I'm sure!

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Looks to fit pretty good, (I cut it down just a bit, to fit the seat) the other belt set up was simply to long and to wide. This one was merely just a bit to wide!)

SO I cut a few sections out of the middle, and whats missing is a center buckle, no big deal.....I'll glue it back into the belts, just before they're painted to go in the seat....

I also plan to add a seat adjustment lever in the front, to go forward and back for different peoples height, and I MIGHT add a rear back lever to adjust how much the driver sits "upright" in the seat. I then will have to make my own roll bar to justify the belts "mount" behind the seat, which is OK, I was planning to make my own roll cage for the truck anyway!

Stay tuned! MORE to follow!
 
So as I said, more to follow, just a little here and there, SO the engine, remember that BEAST? REMEMBER me saying I had secrets to reveal? WELL heres yet another one!

I've went and gone completely overboard with it, the engine with its Superchargers, and dual Turbo's, now also sports a 200 shot of NOS to the dual Holley Double pumpers!

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Thats one side, heres the other:

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The piping to these, will come from 2 separate NOS tanks, INSIDE the cab! Remember "dual Everything" well I think its now showing! LOL

When I'm working on the engine specially the top side of it, I use the trucks actual frame as a holder, as it keeps it level, somewhat, AND allows me to handle the engine if needed, but holds it steady when I need to do detail work to it, OR add detail to it.... PLUS, it keeps it from sliding around on the work bench and loosening up details Ive already added!

ENJOY! More to come as I can get pictures and time for progress!
 
DD,
I hear ya! A LOT want to see this thing done, (ME TOO) BUT, right now I have it sort of on hold as I'm building a contest "Christmas" model that I have to have DONE by thee end of this month! ONCE thats done, I'll be back to working on this one! :D

Thanks tho, thats what keeps me wanting to finish it, the end result and the razz if any in the end!
 
-Now that my contest model is done... I'll be back to workin on this one! I too, want to see it on the tracks!
 
-Asa its all in good fun, right? HELL, I love how that Sleigh of mine turned out and in the begining I was questioning myself going "WHAT IN THE F!@K are you doin' John" and NOW? It looks GREAT and I'm surprised at myself to have gotten it done with it looking as it does!

PLUS, the whole damned Sleigh, is scratch built!

So yer gonna do one like my Doomz Day? That be cool......
 
Thanks Ramie... this one is a work in progress, and I MEAN work, A LOT to date has gone into it, and theres still a LOT to do............:D

Thanks tho!!!!! This is what keeps me building, people, liking to see and comment (weather good or bad) on what I'm did or doing.......I have to say, tho it keeps it interesting!
 
Um.... okay. I sort of wish I hadn't found this thread, because I'm building the LRW kit now (as a later LRW), then I'll build the other LRW kit I have into one of the earliest versions of the LRW. The kit is pretty decent for a Lindberg kit, but has a few issues, like the way the doors mount is a bit weak, and I dislike how the steering wheel isn't in the center, so I have a little fabrication to do. But my point is that now I have absolutely NO reason to complain, as you're doing 10,000% more to yours LOL. What I'm doing is downright child's play. Heck, I may just leave the seat on the left side now after being humbled by your efforts! Can't wait to see this one done!
 
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