Revell 1/25 Mercedes-Benz 1628s #2: Artic Tractor and Low Loader Trailer - FINISHED

[busnproplinerfan]

I thinks this is better, gives more room between the axles if something had to be serviced or inspected.

[JeroenS]

I'm fabricating the hydraulics for the rams. This is the only bit of plumbing I will do on the trailer because it's in a very visible spot. I've decided to attach the bottom half of the rams to the trailer and paint them with it. It's just easier to make sure these things are glued on properly. 

 

Starting with some brass tube inserted into drilled holes. Make sure they don't stick out the other end. 

 

 

Insert rubber hose aka thin electrical wire. Tied together with PE cable ties. 

 

 

Cut the tube that holds the ram in the bracket to size and carefully glue it, punched end plates and all, making sure the ram itself still moves. With the quick setting extra thin, it's just a matter of moving it while the glue sets. Quickly, luckily. 

 

 

The hose goes through a hole and is glued to the chassis somewhere out of the way. 

 

Still moves. 

 

 

There's a bit of stiffness to it now so the ram holds up the ramp if you're careful. 

 

 

I've looked at a lot of ramps while commuting, and noticed a lot of them are secured using ratchet straps. I have PE straps, I may use those. 

[Richard E]

On 9/25/2022 at 10:12 AM, JeroenS said:

I think it looks OK like this. 

 

 

Now, let's see if I can get that latch flipped over without damaging everything. 

 

On 9/25/2022 at 4:31 PM, busnproplinerfan said:

I thinks this is better, gives more room between the axles if something had to be serviced or inspected.

 

Very tidy scratch building Jeroen and agree with @busnproplinerfan but I wonder if you need to fit "something" like a fire extinguisher case or small locker between the wheels to distract the eye from the gap between them?

[JeroenS]

34 minutes ago, Richard E said:

 

 

Very tidy scratch building Jeroen and agree with @busnproplinerfan but I wonder if you need to fit "something" like a fire extinguisher case or small locker between the wheels to distract the eye from the gap between them?

Thanks Richard, it does need something there doesn't it. I'll have a look around for something nice to fill that space with, indeed like a small locker or something. 

[JeroenS]

It's been a month already. I had some loss of mojo on this one, topped it off with a quick Ford Torino build. Now, back on the trailer, I want to get it painted today. I decided to forego on adding more boxes and such, I really want to get this done. It will have to do like it is. Some small details to be added though, I wanted at least some D-rings somewhere on the rig. I have some nice brass ones, don't know where I got these but they look great. 

 

 

 

And here they are on the rig. 

 

 

That's fine. 

 

I've been looking at how the ramps are held in place whenever I saw a loader like this on the road. There's a lot of them if you're paying attention! Anyway, I found that most are held by straps, so that's what I'll be doing. Drilled some holes. 

 

 

And I have these KFS straps, I already made one of them a while ago. It's a bit of work but they're really nice. 

 

 

But first, a bucketload of primer and paint. 

[JeroenS]

Well, I'm glad that the worst part is over. This thing is 45 centimeters in length and very awkward to handle while spraying. It needed a huge amount of black primer to cover all the white, especially on the bottom with all those crossmembers and such. All of the other bits (wheels, boxes, ramps) have been primed as well. 

 

 

The second coat of black is Tamiya's Semi Gloss Black which I thinned to 40% paint with Mr Color Levelling thinner, which is my go to thinner. 

 

 

After spraying, there was a large run of paint on the flat middle part of the trailer, but the levelling thinner saved my bacon there, reducing it a whole lot. I just have to sand it back a little bit and do a quick respray of that area, maybe later this evening. 

 

I will spray the checquer plating aluminium and tone it down with Smoke. Also, I may paint a "reflective" white band down the sides if I feel like masking. I will not weather the truck / trailer combination at this point. 

[busnproplinerfan]

Looks good in one colour.

[JeroenS]

Painting is finished. It took quite a bit of masking but I like the result, I think the white stripe is a nice detail. 

 

 

And I actually like the solid black look, I think it's pretty cool. I may lightly drybrush the chequer plate with some dark alu or something, to break the huge surface. The rims will remain black, the tyres will get some "tyre black", the mudflaps a more rubber-like colour. I've painted the storage boxes aluminium, the ramps are black like the trailer and are ready to be put on when the clear coat has fully cured. After that it's lights, a license plate, some warning signs / plates and the air and electrical connections from the tractor. Plus straps, and I also have some chain which I may use to tie down the load. I should be able to finish this one in time!

[busnproplinerfan]

Yes it is to clean, does look good. The white stripe looks like the reflective stripe.

[JeroenS]

2 hours ago, busnproplinerfan said:

Yes it is to clean, does look good. The white stripe looks like the reflective stripe.

Thanks, we'll just say it's a brand new trailer hauling its first ever load. The tractor still looks shiny as well so it's a good combo.

[busnproplinerfan]

At some point, everything was brand new.

[JeroenS]

A little more done. 

 

 

Tyres painted, boxes and ramps glued on. 

 

 

I painted the rams but the paint gets damaged when the ramps are moved. 

 

 

I won't be moving them anyway, after I've attached the straps I'll repaint the rams and call it good. 

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

17 minutes ago, JeroenS said:

I painted the rams but the paint gets damaged when the ramps are moved. 

 

 

I won't be moving them anyway, after I've attached the straps I'll repaint the rams and call it good. 

Maybe aluminum tubing in the future, that way no paint to get damaged. 

[JeroenS]

46 minutes ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Maybe aluminum tubing in the future, that way no paint to get damaged. 

Yes, considered it, but only had a short length of it left from a previous build including lots of rams.

[busnproplinerfan]

Just keep the paint nice whenever it's displayed somewhere.

[JeroenS]

Let's finish those ramps, I made straps to tie them to the trailer, which is done for extra safety I suppose. The PE is very nicely made and the instructions are very clear. 

 

Starting with the ratchet parts. 

 

 

Which fit into eachother, and are then pinned together using styrene rod. Create a flat edge with a heated tool so the rod stays in place. 

 

 

Bend the hooks. 

 

 

Fix a strap to one side of the ratchet. 

 

 

And then another piece through the ratchet. I've painted the rod's ends and gave the straps a gray wash to tone them down somewhat. 

 

 

And here they are on the trailer. 

 

 

That is enough fiddling for one evening. 

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

I do like the straps and other little touches that make this so realistic. 

[busnproplinerfan]

I was wondering how those rachets were, they look good.

[Bengalensis]

That is very nice work, and those details with straps bring some added attention.

I passed a thing pretty much exactly like the one you have built here when on route on the highway this morning, with the raised ramps and the straps just like this. So to me it looks like you've nailed it very well.

[jean]

On 9/27/2022 at 9:45 PM, JeroenS said:

 

I've looked at a lot of ramps while commuting, 

Whatever turns you on Jeroen....

Quirks aside, it is still an incredibly impressive build.

 

JR

[JeroenS]

4 minutes ago, jean said:

Whatever turns you on Jeroen....

Quirks aside, it is still an incredibly impressive build.

 

JR

Gotta love a ramp or two 😆

[dnl42]

This is really fabulous work! 

 

I especially appreciate work to make sure the parts look functional, if not actually being functional. 

[JeroenS]

The trailer itself is done, I've tarted up the rear end with lights, a license plate and some reflective stuff. The rams don't look very shiny but that's just the lighting. 

 

 

Now I'll figure out what to do with the load. This was my initial idea: 

 

 

I like having my two GB builds come together like that. I'm thinking about securing this, right now I'm inclined to make another set of straps and chains and just have them loose on the deck, as if the load is in the process of being secured. I'll probably want to use the rig to display other vehicles at some point, so it will be a hassle to make something which is not easy to remove and will have different lenghts for different vehicles. 

 

Right now, I'm fixing hazard lights and suzi cables on the truck. Next post will be the gallery at some point during the week. This thing is still a pig to photograph! I'd like to take the pics outdoors but currently it's rather wet outside and it looks like it will remain wet for a bit. 

 

Thanks all for following along and commenting, much appreciated!

[JeroenS]

17 minutes ago, dnl42 said:

This is really fabulous work! 

 

I especially appreciate work to make sure the parts look functional, if not actually being functional. 

Thanks! My goal is always to have a convincing look for my builds as a whole. 

[JeroenS]

Alright, one final sneak peak 🙂 

 

 

It's quite the rig. 

 

See you in the gallery!