'65 Dodge A100 MONSTER truck build!
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:
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!
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!
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!
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:
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!
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!
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!
