2-40 Robert

[phildagreek]

Anyone remember the programme? In the late 70's early 80's, created by the same guy who created "CHiPs" and hot on the heels of the classic "Emergency!"

 

240 Robert was the callsign of the Bronco used by two Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies who were also search and rescue paramedics. The programme focused on this aspect rather than the policing role, it only lasted 15 episodes and one of the main characters was played by Mark Harmon, later of NCIS fame. As a young kid in West Yorkshire, I loved it, I think it was on ITV on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. Of course now through the magic of the internet you can research and revisit all these things that you only vaguely remember.

 

The modern LASD still operates these search and rescue teams and they use a wide range of vehicles, so this build will be a little "what if" but is based strongly on the real thing. I've had the Meng kit for quite a long time and had played with the idea of doing this but lacked any suitable decals, however with JBOT decals making a reappearance I decided now was the time. The kit will be used pretty much out of the box, just a little scratch building and alteration of the centre console to turn it into a police vehicle, then the scratching of a box to sit on the truck bed. The decals are here and look excellent and the light bar is coming from police car models in the US and other little interesting bits from the spares box and Kit Form Services.

 

So a few pictures.

 

 F350 - 2 by phil da greek, on Flickr

 

F350 - 3 by phil da greek, on Flickr

 

Big box full of stuff, a lot of it is to build a very realistic engine, not for me as the bonnet / hood will be down, just enough so if anyone views it from the right angle there is something there. The instructions are good. Nice & clear, making it obvious where bits need to go.

 

F350 - 4 by phil da greek, on Flickr

 

F350 - 5 by phil da greek, on Flickr

 

Centre console as supplied and then as butchered and then an idea of where we're going with it.

 

F350 - 6 by phil da greek, on Flickr

 

F350 - 7 by phil da greek, on Flickr

 

F350 - 8 by phil da greek, on Flickr

 

So far so good. The chassis is built and being painted up, it went together very well with almost no need to "fettle", all in all the kit goes together well with no big gaps to fill (so far). Only two complaints really, first the nasty rubber tyres, I've had no success finding resin ones (anybody got any leads? 35mm diameter, probably the same size as 1/24 Land Rovers) and the second were the truly stunning ejection marks in the crew cab floor that took some serious fixing.

 

Feel free to join in but a word of warning, if you're a F350 or LA County Sheriff expert, you may want to go somewhere else. Feel free to count my rivets but don't expect me to thank you.

 

Laters.

[louiex2]

Fireball Models http://www.fireballmodels.info/ should have the tyres and wheels you need.

 

Lou in Utah

[phildagreek]

Hey thanks! Appreciate that.

[phildagreek]

Some progress.

The rather complicated chassis is complete and primed up.

Body has been primed & undercoated, going for the classic black & white scheme;

 

F350 - 9 by phil da greek, on Flickr

 

The plastic has been cut for the pick up "tool box";

 

F350 - 10 by phil da greek, on Flickr

 

My earlier unhappiness with the kit wheels / tyres continues, but my eldest girl's boyfriend is studying engineering and he has a 3D printer, he's quite interested in seeing what he can do, I've given him the sizes & he's going to have a look. So that could be interesting.

 

Thanks for looking.

[phildagreek]

So some progress and photos to show what's going on........................

 

F350-11 by phil da greek, on Flickr

 

Basic scratchbuilding using plastic card, a straight edge and a new blade. The internals of the tool box.

 

F350 - 12 by phil da greek, on Flickr

 

Rough idea of the top box on the tool box. Underneath is the top box mounted but not finished. The idea is each side of the main box will have two hatches and the top box will have one at the rear. The top box would carry bulky but relatively light items such as extension ladder and a couple of basket type stretchers. The tool box would carry climbing gear and rope rescue kit on slide out drawers. Dropping the tail gate would show more slide out drawers carrying the heavier items such as tripod etc. I say "would" 'cos I ain't building all that!

 

F350 - 15 by phil da greek, on Flickr

 

A slightly over exposed photo showing the cab interior, the central console isn't fixed yet, there is still more to be done to it.

 

F350 - 14 by phil da greek, on Flickr

 

Thanks for looking.

Edited December 13, 2017 by phildagreek

[phildagreek]

Christmas rapidly approaching and I'm back at work quite soon so here's some progress.

 

F350 - 17 by phil da greek, on Flickr

 

Rear of the pod & to make it fair, the front of the pod.

 

F350 - 18 by phil da greek, on Flickr

 

And a view of what it will look like eventually. Obviously a lot more to go.

 

F350 - 19 by phil da greek, on Flickr

 

Glad there's an enforced modelling break coming up as I've reached the point where I'm over my initial enthusiastic rush to get going and now into the plodding along stage. Back on with it in a week or so, feel free to comment, thanks for looking.

 

Have a happy Christmas you crazy kids, play safe and be nice.

[phildagreek]

Post Christmas (how was it for you?) and some progress, not much I admit, but progress.

 

F350 - 20 by phil da greek, on Flickr

 

JBOT decals on the pod. They are mainly gold but a strange thing has happened, the photo is from the decals having been on a few minutes, nice and fresh and bright. Once they were very dry (24 hours later) I gloss coated and then 24 hours after that I matt coated them as the pod is a flat white. I brush on Winsor & Newton Galeria Acrylic varnishes, now the matt has dried, another 24 hours later (you begin to see why I build at such a glacial pace) the gold lettering has taken on a depth of colour that is very nice! I've taken a couple of photos but they don't really do it justice, so you'll just have to believe me, but it is nice. 

 

Still a bit to do but it should move along from here as lots of seperate little builds come together in the final assembly.

 

Thanks for looking and a bit of a belated Happy New Year.

[phildagreek]

Approaching the end, decals on & drying for a final coat or two of varnish, the bonnet / hood is a bit of a mess, bad error on my part with the glue while fitting the rather fiddly grill, not a big drama - it'll polish out! Photos were taken when the decals were only minutes old, nothing is glued permanent yet.

 

F350 - 21 by phil da greek, on Flickr

 

F350 - 22 by phil da greek, on Flickr

 

Thanks for looking.

[phildagreek]

Updates, nearing completion...................................

 

F350 - 26 by phil da greek, on Flickr

 

F350 - 25 by phil da greek, on Flickr

 

Bumper on, light bar attached, mirrors and spot lights on, body/running lights on pod attached. Just waiting for some lights to finish off the pod then attaching the beast together for ever. Almost there.