Re: Old tired wrecker
 

A cool build and the cab makes me think of the movie cars.......happy cab.
My eyeballs is following this build closely ;o)

Re: Old tired wrecker
 

Made some more progress on the wrecker, got the cab floor done and mounted, mounted and hinged the cab, moved the axle forward, got the center section of the wrecker body roughed in and found it's just long enough to mount a spare tire on top of.

http://i1378.photobucket.com/albums/...psemwzzqt3.jpg
http://i1378.photobucket.com/albums/...ps8sozkd5k.jpg
http://i1378.photobucket.com/albums/...psoprkegqq.jpg

Re: Old tired wrecker
 

Re: Old tired wrecker
 

Mirrored or blackened windows to hide the electronics?? Cab looks nice on the chassis.

Re: Old tired wrecker
 

Thanks Lynn! I'm very happy with this cab so far. The center section wound up being slightly longer than anticipated but, the ability to mount a spare up there looks pretty good. It will also be a good spot to throw chains and other clutter that wreckers carry. I may even try and build a break down set of dollies and stow up there.
I'm still debating about windows. IF I can keep the electronics low enough I was thinking about a fake floor with a simple interior, if not I'll go with blacked out windows.

Re: Old tired wrecker
 

Very nice build so far have you considered using the winches from the 1/10 scale crawlers .. availible through RC4WD.com.. any detail shots of the pivot points and structure details... ?? please....


Cheers Bob :drool:

Re: Old tired wrecker
 

GREAT build!

-Terry

Re: Old tired wrecker
 

Looking good Dennis!

Re: Old tired wrecker
 

"GREAT build!"
"Looking good Dennis!"

Thanks Guys! I really do appreciate the comments.

Bob,
Yes, I plan to use a pair of crawler winches, just switched gears from wrecker body to cab for a while, also have to get the driveline going too. I'll post some close up's of the pivots and wrecker structure shortly.

Re: Old tired wrecker
 

Looks great! Luv that old school.

Re: Old tired wrecker
 

Very cool Dennis!! Front bumper looks perfect too!

-Alex

Re: Old tired wrecker
 

Got some more done over the weekend. I went ahead and mocked up an interior with driver. I like the looks given the size of the windshield. Guess I've got something else to squeeze into the cab! I redesigned the rear support bracket to look more like the prototype and allow the booms to come closer together and mounted the pulleys for the boom elevation winches. Also started building the tow bar, a lot more to go on that item including filing the solder smooth. Have a servo city gear motor on order so hopefully she can be mobile by Lebanon.

http://i1378.photobucket.com/albums/...psbwmlb75q.jpg
http://i1378.photobucket.com/albums/...ps1tqntlqb.jpg
http://i1378.photobucket.com/albums/...pssr8ffh6p.jpg

Re: Old tired wrecker
 

Re: Old tired wrecker
 

I'm really liking this project! Nice detail on the boom.

Ken

Re: Old tired wrecker
 

Here's the latest update, sorry no pictures this time.
This weekend was concentrated on getting the Crackerbox wrecker mobile. I received the 437 rpm gear motor I had ordered from servo city, removed the 12v motor and mounted a LRP 27 turn 7.2v truck pulling motor. Seems to have good power and the speed is about right. I machined a new motor mount/cross member to mount it. I found I was able to bore out the stock front dog bone cup to 6mm and use the stock Globeliner drive shaft. Receiver and speed control mounted and she is good to go. High build primer should be here Monday so weather willing I will be able to at least get the cab primed so I can get the interior started. More pictures on the next update.

Re: Old tired wrecker
 

Are you going to paint the interior Detroit green. I'm not sure if its the same color they used on the engines, still on the list to research unless you know.

Re: Old tired wrecker
 

My plan is to paint it green. I'm waiting to see how well the primer seals the printed cab. They say paint tends to soak through this material so I want to make sure an interior color stays in the interior. LOL!
I'm not sure yet what color it actually is though, I found a you tube video of a guy driving a cracker box and it has some pretty good views of the interior. It's green but not sure how it compares to Detroit green.

Re: Old tired wrecker
 

I joined a Crackerbox group on Facebook right after I started mine, figured Id ask on there.

Re: Old tired wrecker
 

That sounds like a good source of information Kent. Here are a couple of photos I found online. One shows an 8cyl Detroit the other an interior shot.

http://i1378.photobucket.com/albums/...psx5z7ydn4.jpg
http://i1378.photobucket.com/albums/...psouocgkia.jpg

The colors are close but the interior looks to be more blue green than the rngine. Hope that forum can shed some light.

Re: Old tired wrecker
 

I just placed where I had seen that interior color! It's about a dead match for Penn Central green, I had an old HO boxcar downstairs. Held up to the screen it is very close. It's a common model railroad color and should be available in acrylic.

Re: Old tired wrecker
 

Now that you say that it, definitely does look like PC green. I will still ask about just didn't get to it last night.

Re: Old tired wrecker
 

I've been concentrating on getting the old wrecker ready for her first outing at Lebanon this coming week. Got some color shot on the body work, the interior is started and she is now fully drivable.

http://i1378.photobucket.com/albums/...psum5yf4kv.jpg
http://i1378.photobucket.com/albums/...pshhjhpio5.jpg
http://i1378.photobucket.com/albums/...ps4mrfc2se.jpg
http://i1378.photobucket.com/albums/...psyfifmcoy.jpg

Still have to finalize parts design for the boom rigging and winch installation plus a ton of detail and touch up work along with weathering.

Re: Old tired wrecker
 

Thats looking killer!

Re: Old tired wrecker
 

Thanks Frizzen!

Re: Old tired wrecker
 

What are you going to use for headlamp lenses?

Re: Old tired wrecker
 

I found a pair of lenses in the parts box from an old Axial light set that are the right diameter. Need to pick up some aluminum paint for the bezels before I glue them on. King Hauler fog light lenses are just a little small.

Re: Old tired wrecker
 

Well that kind of answered what I just put on my thread, if I put KH fog lite lenses in bezels in mine they'd almost be to big.

Re: Old tired wrecker
 

Possibly not, looking at the nose on picture of the actual wrecker, I picked a pair of lenses that will sit flush on top of the bezels since they are pretty thick, OD of lens = OD of bezel. If you try to put the king hauler lenses into the bezels they are just a fraction too big to fit. We might be pretty darn close.

Re: Old tired wrecker
 

Put it in good lighting and it doesn't look all that tired...

http://i.imgur.com/7aQWcxAh.jpg

Re: Old tired wrecker
 

LOL!!!!!
Give me time to get her weathered up!

Re: Old tired wrecker
 

I've been following this for some time so thought I'd stop in to say that the color looks dead on :eek: Dennis and want to know if you plan on any air horns?

So unique and one of a kind. :D

Re: Old tired wrecker
 

Fantastic job! I love it...

Re: Old tired wrecker
 

Thanks Jeff! Yes, air horns, clearance lights, headlights and a bunch more stuff are all in the works.

Thanks Tommy!

Re: Old tired wrecker
 

Any updates?

Re: Old tired wrecker
 

How many winches does that have?
I'm guessing 2 lines for boom angle, and 1 for hoist?

Re: Old tired wrecker
 

Skeeter, Been working on another project for a while after resoldering all the boom stringers (yuck!) I need to design a new sling assembly as I'm not happy with my first attempt. I'm hoping to get back on it after I get retired in December.

Frizzen, Actually it will have two. One hoist line for each boom. The boom angle lines on the old Holmes units I drove were a manual crank system. They were no fun to adjust, you found a good angle that worked for most of your towing and left them set there. I got some of the paracord you suggested at Lebanon and it looks like it will work great. Thanks for that suggestion!

Re: Old tired wrecker
 

Ok now i see it. Cool if you hadn't found any yet i was going to have you pm me.

I want to drool on it again an Lebanon in Jan. I'll probably have some stuff that won't move and needs towed around

Re: Old tired wrecker
 

Looks like I better get moving on it again. I'll probably have to tow that VW bus off to impound after Adam 12 busts those darn hippies!

Re: Old tired wrecker
 

LOL!

Re: Old tired wrecker
 

[IMG]http://i1378.photobucket.com/albums/...psgdskrgkg.jpg[/IMG]

A little update on the old wrecker. Added headlights, turn signals, clearance lights and exhaust as well as the manual boom lift winches and rigging. Material is ordered for the sling version 1.2 and I think I've decided on which winches to use.