Cutting up a Globe Liner

[Espeefan]

Hi guys, I'm not that great with body work, but I am working on a Globe Liner cab, for practice. I'm hoping to make it look more like a Kenworth K100. I want to cut the wheel well opening, so it starts closer to the front of the cab, but I really don't know how far forward I can push it. The whole bottom portion, aft of the wheel opening needs to be shaved off, but how much do I cut to the front? Any guide lines, or advice? I do plan to slide the front axle forward too. Thanks!

[Pippoe]

Hi,

I lost all of my build pictures in a computer crash, so this is the best I can muster..



I removed about an inch from the cab because I felt the Globe cab was too long and cut out the front wheel opening.

Cheers

Pip

Edit: oh.. and I moved the front axle forward a little bit.

[Tamiya Cowboy]

Here you go nate.

[Espeefan]

Thank you, Pippoe and Paul. I appreciate the photos. I guess I'll just have to pull out the Dremel, and give it a shot. A little at a time, and maybe I'll get a nice looking cab, just like you guys have. I've seen both trucks in various forums and I've always admired them both.

[Pippoe]

Heya.
Just go for it. It's actually easier than it looks. Plus, a new Globe cab costs about $40 these days so if things go wrong the mistake won't cost too much after all. I am really bad at building things yet my truck came out ok.
I used a disc-type dremel cutter for the straight bits and a milling-type tip on the round shapes (drew 'em on the cab first..).
And then I glued that styrene stripe on the bottom of the cab (which helps concealing imperfections).
My cab came out too clean in the front. If you have the chance to add some rivets or such do it. It looks much better. Oh.. and the handles on the front and wipers are not symmetrical on the K-100.



I didn't replicate the typical door handles of the K-100..

Door

..but I did the split windows. These are actually very easy to do.

Good luck. I hope you'll post a progress report!!

Cheers

Pip

[Espeefan]

Thanks Pip. The cabs really aren't to expensive, and I did buy a Globe Liner cab separate. I figured I'd try my hand at modifying the cab first, and if it goes well, I'll order up the complete kit. I've already filled in the opening for the original GL grille. I'm working on the headlights right now. I'm going double rounds, instead of the double squares, though the double rounds seem to require more work. The fiberglass surround of the 1:1 K100 has curves in it. I do plan to add a bunch of rivets to the cab too. In looking at photos of the K100, I have noticed some with different windshild wiper arms, but I did not notice the grab handles being different lengths! It seems to depend on the year of the truck too, if I'm not mistaken. I'd like mine to be a pretty close replica, but I'm not going to sweat it if it isn't perfect. Thanks for the advice! I'll be cutting the new fender openings and skirting off pretty soon. I might post some photos of that a bit later, depending on the sucess, or lack there of!

[Espeefan]

Okay guys, I thought I'd share some progress photos here. I'm trying to figure out if i've captured the correct look or not, with my body work. The headlight surrounds have proven to be a little challenge, but I thought why not see if I can machine a block of styrene with my mill to get things really clean and accurate. Here are the results.









This is not the bumper I'll be using, (it's an experiement in itself, which failed) but just to give an idea of what the cab might look like, in a more completed state. The stock louvers on the cab have already been shaved too.

What do you guys think? My test headlight surround piece is just that. A test to see how it looks and fits. It's not glued in, nor blended into the body yet, but I think it looks pretty nice. I know the K100 cabs, with double round headlights, have a radiused edge on the fiberglass surround. I may try to do that by sanding the edge, once everything is glued in place.

[Pippoe]

WOW!

Great job. I think it looks great.

I think the lights could be a tiny bit closer to the edge of the cab, but that's really only splitting hairs here. I hope you don't mind.



I manipulated your picture... hope you don't mind that either.

Again. I think the results are absolutely great!

Cheers

Pip

[Espeefan]

Pip, thanks for the comments! I do not mind the constructive criticism at all, nor you manipulating my photos. I see what you are saying though. I don't know if I will attempt to move the headlights closer to the edge of the cab. Like you say, splitting hairs, and I also think I would have a hard time blending the lights in because they are already so close to the radiused section of the cab wall. Hmmm, I'll have to see what I can do, but thanks for taking a look and sharing your thoughts!

[Espeefan]

Well Pip, I took your advice. I cut out more of the original headlight area, so I could push the headlights out to the cab corners. No going back now!



Taped off the cab so I'd have a nice straight line to follow, and to keep the cab looking symetrical.



All said and done....



Now it's time to make another set of the headlight surrounds. The next set will be more deeply recessed, so the headlight bezels will be more sunken in then my first attempt! Hopefully I can pull it all together.

[Pippoe]

Oh-oh! I hope I didn't push you into something too difficult. The proportions are better with the lights at the edge of the cab, but I agree, it's very difficult to do..

I was scared of the round lights myself.. that's why I went for the more modern version of the cab. It's simply easier to do. Plus, the latest versions of the K100 were even available with a recessed front axle (in case I wouldn't have been able to move the axle forward). And most newer K100 even lack the big air cleaner on the driver side.

Maybe you can sand down some of the parts to get the curvature of the cab right once you mounted them. In any case.. a successful "operation" will reward you with a unique cab.

Good luck!

Cheers

Pip

[Espeefan]

Pip, I'll figure it out! If I mess up, worst case is I buy a new cab, and they aren't overly expensive. I have been studying K100 photos carefully, and I think I can make this work and look good. Thanks for the encouragement! I feel like I know exactly what needs to be done, now that found some really good photos of the 1:1 trucks.

[Espeefan]

Hi everyone. I got the headlight surrounds all finished up, except for the little strip of trim that will go beneath them, at the lower edge. I think they turned out pretty nice. Better then I would have ever expected. Being able to make the surrounds on my milling machine made all the difference in the world. Once glued in place, I simply filed the edges and sanded them, until they were blended in with the cab. I did end up pushing the headlights out to the cab corners a little further. About .125" or so extra, from the original test piece. That's one less thing to do on the check list!











Here is a 1:1 photo that I looked at for a referance. What do you guys think?



Next up - cutting the fender openings, to move them forward, and removing the lower cab skirting behind them.

[rcman]

very good so far outstanding workmanship!

[dabears]

Man that's gonna be a killer rig! Body Work is coming out nicely! I think it just may be the best coe out there

[Espeefan]

Thanks guys. We'll see how well it turns out, once it's ready for a coat of primer, but I appreciate the comments! Primer usually shows the flaws.

I had a chance to get a little more work done on the cab. I'm flying by the seat of my pants. I don't have any Tamiya parts for the big rigs, other then this cab, so I hope I got the fender cut properly to fit, with a nice even gap. I'll have to position the axle so the wheel openings match the tires, and that's all!







One more frontal shot. I haven't taken a true head-on photo, to show how far apart the headlights are now.



That's about it! I think this cab is ready for it's own thread, in the highway trucks section. I have been pretty happy with the progress I made, so I ordered up a Globe Liner kit. I only started with this cab, thinking if it turned out nice, I'd build an entire truck. I held off on ordering a complete kit till I knew I'd be happy with the cab mods. I also ordered some other things for the truck. I'll start a thread for the offical build in the new year! Thanks for looking.

[TRUCKMAKER]

Nice job on the cab Nathan, can't wait to see the rest of the build, have a good Holiday!

[plow jockey]

Nice styrene work!!! Cab looks great!!

[Pippoe]

Great job! Looking forward to seing the rest of the truck!

Cheers

Pip

[rcman]

did you make the grill and head light bezels? they really look sharp!