dwightmane15: 1991 GMC Topkick tractor

zaterdag 24 maart 2012

1991 GMC Topkick tractor

Hi all

This will be a “modern” tractor used for inner city deliveries and as a yard goat. I find a picture on Hanks Truck Picture from an ABF unit pulling a single axel probably 27 ft. trailer which impressed me and that is the reason for that idea.

First some facts to the truck:

1919 GMC Topkick

Single axel tractor

Engine Caterpillar 3208

Transmission 10 speed Eaton-Fuller RT-610

Air brake system

It will be a simple working truck a bit old and rusty

This truck is build up from old parts. The only thing which is new is the hood.

The parts:

Front bumper, grill with lights and the hood from P&P Resin Works

The frame and the front axel from Italeri

Tires and rims from Revell

The cab and the interior from AMT’s Chevrolet Silverado

The engine, transmission and the rear axel from AMT

And of course many parts from the spear box or better said from the junk yard

Here some pics from the start

I cut the hood away from the resin cab and the fenders from the AMT cab. I will use the AMT cab and the resin hood. The parts fit quite well but there is still some work to be done.

The frame is made out of some old Italeri frame parts. The entire holes I do not need were closed and sanded. Because the Italeri front leaf springs and the AMT rear leaf springs do not fit to each other I had to try some thing else. I used some old resin front leaf springs which are lower, with the Italeri front axel. The rear ones are from the Ford Louisville as well as the rear axel.

I put the cab with the hood on to the frame to see how it looks like. There is still a lot of work to be done but that little truck has a very special appearance.

I use Revel rims and tires from the Kenworth dumper. I reworked them and made some two hole rims out of them. I think this rims fit well to that truck. These tires have a modern shape and grate for that truck.

Then I started with the hood. I cut down the lower part from the radiator grill and glued it to the hood. The front part of the frame was cut away, and to holder for the hood were glued into the frame. The whole construction fits quite well.

I put the cab on the frame for a test.

The next step is the front grill. I drilled holes in to each pit and then cut the rest of the material out until you can look through them.

I worked out the holder for the cab. I am not sure if they are 100% original because I didn’t find any detail pictures on that parts but I think they are ok for a model.

The next step was the front bumper. I reworked the original holders on the back and stretched the frame a bit so that when the parts were glued together it s possible to turn the wheels with out problems.