'65 Dodge A100 "Doomz Day" Monster Truck build!

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!





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



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....



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:



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!



Better view of the transfercase!



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



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



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!

That is some SUPER AWESOME detail there mate, looks very impressive in the tray with it all hooked up, can not wait to see the rest of it come together John.

Wow! Dual superchargers, dual turbochargers on a hemi? That's what, about 1500 horses!! Nice work.

FUNNY! with a single blower NO turbo's it be pushing somewheres about 1400 horses........ I did a 426 street engine in real life and got 1500 with some extras inside besides a blower.... I'd say something more to the tune of 3,000 ponies IF it hold together (really, dual blowers, dual turbos, is a bit of an extreme with "boost", in all honestly, in real life, IT MIGHT idle, but thats about it. the second the pedal was depressed the boost would blow the crank shaft right through the windage tray, and out the oil pan! No matter HOW ITS BOLTS....Deep skirted beast or not, thats just plain out to much boost, UNLESS, the boost of each was really "low" to start with then maybe it have half a chance!

Not to mention, remember, it is actually a DOHC Hemi too! (Where I pulled the "Dual EVERYTHING" from.....) Wait! More is coming! The frame is painted and somewhat detailed too!

Paul,
Thanks! It really is an unreal build! I'm lovin' every second of it, but you can't tell!

Stay tuned!

the1mad9hatter8,
THANKS, yes I'm a VERY detail orientated kinda guy...

See, i got to come clean as this model unfolds, (NO PLANS, what-so-ever!) BUT, the "coming clean part" is you ALL have to remember something, Not the fact that I built real ones some time ago, BUT my "normal" modeling technique, is NOT for 1/24th OR 1/25th scale. I work at a regular pace in 1/87th scale AKA "HO Scale" on model trains, and I got to the point of making WORKING hinges, on that scale for diesel locomotives, in BRASS.... 1/25th scale such as this, for me, is really, a bit bigger....SO....There ya have it, imagine a STEAM locomotive thats as long as your arm, but small, that weighs 8 pounds, and RUNS! On 12 volt DC electric, and sounds just as the real thing!? I MAKE them! Just a side hobby for now as my Dad, lit up an old flame was merely burning out, with his car collecting (HE LOVED Die-Cast models) and I got a real '39 Chevy in his honor....BUILT a model of it, and thats how the flame re-ignited! I lost Dad in March, this is all in his memory....

Anyway enough of the sad stuff, WAIT, you think this is detail huh? WAIT, the quad-tracks ARE comming, ALL scratchbuilt, BUT the tracks themself, they are a kit, thats assembled one link at a time! 46 links per track set, 4 to be made for this, AND to incorporate they be interchangeable from quad-tracks, to regular monster truck tires and rims! GAWD the fun never ends! LOL

ENJOY pics as I can, (without a camera at the moment, Wife took it with her for a day or so....)

Updates don't count unless you can prove it with pics. Lol!! Just yanking your chain, bud. Really want to see the pics though. I'm astonished with the detail.

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....



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!



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.....



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!



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!



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, 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!

That looks great. Your skill is top notch, bud.

Some great work going on here John just fantastic detail on every thing can't wait to see this all done

Enough thinking-hard-smiley-emoticon for now, I got the start of the strut mounts being somewhat "made" BUT that is a whole other story....Few tricks up me sleeves to say the least, yeah it involves hi-tech. plastic work, and some shapes from Evergreen Scale models, just like most of the rest of the track frames.....

I'm on the way to painting the rollers and drive wheels, rims, as said, will be yellow to match the rest of the truck body, the track frames will be Purple also to match the truck body!!!!!

I also have some work to come up with color of the shocks! I just can't see using yellow, again, (JUST might) BUT I don't want them to look "out of place either" I may paint the "body" of the strut white instead of anything "normal" this time, and only this time, the plunger will be silver as they are polished to "slide" so....Just so that the detail can be seen on them I guess!

Pics as I'm able!

Thanks Bob.....Its a crazy build, but its probably thee only one I'm going to get this intense building one that I'm doing, for right now, you of all people got me thinking of doing a "team" but NOW I have to figure out what I'm all going to use as auto's and what classes I plan to have the "team" be in. Plus thinking of what "hauler" I'm going ot use as that L-700 sounds like a good start, I just have to locate one of them....BUT I'd like to use a diesel engine in it, maybe a Cummins an old one 444 "Stub-Nose" Cummins OR an old Cat, but that would have to be like a 400 or even a 450. But thats not for awhile so......

Poet,
Thanks! More is coming! The struts are done, and on 2 of the 4 track frames.....Pics hopefully later tonight! I may have some painting done too!