I recently picked up a lot of Mini Lindys including a complete Tow truck and ford hot rod.. I am going to cast both here is my question.. the ford as Aurora pooched it was shortened to fit the tjet. I was thinking of doing the same things. thanks to inovative ideas I have learned here it will not be a problem. now the tow truck is another thought.. do I cast it as a hanger or shorten to fit correctly? thoughts? Opinions? and don't get all excited it will be a while before I get free time to actually get them done ...I have been redoing the CAR mold for 6 weeks now and its still not ready...lol..



Dave

Well Coach, as you may have seen in the LED thread I was tinkering with a lindy wrecker. I was going to shorten the WB by sectioning the bed, but there will still be an issue with chassis clearance. It sits very high on a stock Tjet. The bed is the problem, as there's only so much you can shave off under the back. I was going to try a wahoo chassis, but I can't even think of buying one until uncle Sam gives me back the money I loaned him all year. The body is a bit too long as is and the proportions are a little wacky because of it. So, if you can handle it, I would try to shorten it to LWB Tjet, and if you can raise the bed a little, it'll be a winner.There will be one other tricky spot, and that is the boom. I've never molded anything before, but I have a decent idea of the process...until I get a 3 dimensional item to cast.. What I can't figure out is how to remove the master from the mold without wrecking the mold and the master, and will you be able to cast more after removing it??? If you want,give it a shot, and will try my hand at it later on down the road, as I have a couple more ideas as far as lighting it. I will be filling the lights in the roof and adding a flashing lightbar if it all works.

UtherJoe

There will be one other tricky spot, and that is the boom.....

I never have either Joe, but maybe it could be cast in 2 pieces? nd

This view gives an idea how it sits on an AW chassis with RRR wheels. I could mill out about 1/16 of plastic under the back to get the tail lower, but beyond that we'll be talking paper thin over the chassis. Other than that or a complete overhaul under the boom, the only other choices left are raising the axle, or lowering the arm and top plate. Neither of those with my 2 left thumbs and goofy fingers are feasible at this time.


http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp251/slotcarman12078/2433278d.jpg

http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp251/slotcarman12078/97c35206.jpg

This project has been at a standstill since my neck got screwed up... The neck problem went away, but the spastic hands syndrome still persists.. Last time this happened it took over a year to straighten itself out.. hopefully, it'll get better soon!!!

http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp251/slotcarman12078/94dbbaae.jpg

This picture should show a better view of the boom... The hook is a snap in piece so it shouldn't be an issue.. but the 4 posts of the boom will be a challange...

UtherJoe

You could "clay in" the inside of the quad-angle, cover the posts about half way, turn it upside down and fill the mold with silicone. Pull out the clay, grease up the hard silicone, and fill the rest. Should work pretty well upside down bubble wise.

Just remember to post pix of your progress. ;) rr

Can you raise the floor of the bed relative to the sides and back of the bed to allow the body to sit lower on the chassis?

:drunk::hat::freak::dude:

Have you ever considered using an Aurora MTJ chassis like that on the '32 Ford p/u ? I heard that the ' 32 Ford was a originally a Mini-Lindy but not sure.


Neal:dude:

Slotcarman... what is a "wahoo chassis"?

This is what I affectionately call the wahoo chassis...

http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp251/slotcarman12078/d6310b7d.jpg

The Mega-G chassis is longer, lower and slimmer.... But is it controllable for lower speed operation?? I like to cruise customs.. Not propel them into warp speed...

Call me crazy, but I don't think it looks bad. After all it is a commercial vehicle and it needs suspension clearance like that when not under a load. Slap some duals on the back and some mudflaps and roll it IMHO.

I agree with you to a point.. You're not crazy!! But due to it's high derrierre, it handles like doodoo going slow. Going any faster than slow and it does a barrel roll on the first 9" 1/8 curve.. I am contemplating a Bill Hall version drop rear axle and a bit more milling in the back half.. Keep in mind, I plan on adding two flashing LEDs to the roof, which will only make it more top heavy.

I haven't seriously tried magnets yet, as I have found with my limited experience the magnets while keeping the vehicle upright they also make it require a bit more juice to get it moving. I only have 2 AW magnet chassis...and one is under the now static model fire truck seen in my videos.

I do have plans on a modified wheelbase model down the road, with maybe a different boom assembly. But that's way down the road, as I have already committed myself to other resin casting projects that I have yet to start.. While they lie mostly unnoticed in the HT library, they are still first on my mind when I start molding stuff..

Utherjoe

is a larger profile tire an option ?
are larger tires sizes available?

Hmmm. Wouldn't a real truck in this year model with "it's high derrierre, handle like doodoo going slow"? I didn't think they built tow trucks for handling in those days. This would require a commercial HO license.

Rich :)

I have a commercial Ho license and I still have difficulties!! :freak: I tried a pair of wheels/rims from a Aurora semi, and they did fill the back wheel wells better, but they also raised up the back higher.. Those, coupled with a rear axle raising may just be the trick... Once the kiddies are back in school, I'll start messing with stuff again. And that's tomorrow!!! :woohoo::woohoo: This was a hellacious two weeks..... And now I get the concept of a two part mold for the boom.. It never crossed my mind to do it that way.. Thanks!!! :thumbsup: I am using an AW tjet with a 9 tooth conversion on this.. I think an Aurora one will run better....:rolleyes:

UtherJoe

Quit Whining about time Coach, git to work........

I have a commercial Ho license and I still have difficulties!! :freak: I tried a pair of wheels/rims from a Aurora semi, and they did fill the back wheel wells better, but they also raised up the back higher.. Those, coupled with a rear axle raising may just be the trick... Once the kiddies are back in school, I'll start messing with stuff again. And that's tomorrow!!! :woohoo::woohoo: This was a hellacious two weeks..... And now I get the concept of a two part mold for the boom.. It never crossed my mind to do it that way.. Thanks!!! :thumbsup: I am using an AW tjet with a 9 tooth conversion on this.. I think an Aurora one will run better....:rolleyes:

UtherJoe
I grew up in Arkansas, so I am used to old Chevys jacked up in the back and running down the highway at 35 MPH. at night with No taillights.

Yep, Make a connical "V" on the end of each leg out of clay on your lifting derrick. It will come in handy when pouring the resin, and for bubble control. The "V's" can be cut off easily if you cut them off before the resin fully cures.

I decided since I'm waiting for parts to get ordered and others to arrive I would finally do something creative with my idle time.. This wrecker has been staring me in the face for way too long without me doing something with it..
I took this...
http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp251/slotcarman12078/e2bd257f.jpg

Which stated like this...
http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp251/slotcarman12078/9fbc80ee.jpg

And made this...
http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp251/slotcarman12078/36ee7b33.jpg

I'm not very keen on the idea of cutting models.. but the extended chassis wasn't working for me. Due to the dips on my track, getting the correct shoe contact was dang near impossible. Other than extending the shoes, I saw no easy option.

Quite a bit was sectioned off... as seen here...
http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp251/slotcarman12078/1375fc08.jpg

And while I was in a grinder happy mood I also dug out as much out of the back as I possibly could..
http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp251/slotcarman12078/60808e91.jpg

http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp251/slotcarman12078/29e642ad.jpg

Any thinner and I could easily push my finger through. Rather than wait yet another 2-3 weeks for the parts to get the lightbar fabricated for the flashing LED strobes, I decided to just go with the roof mount lights as the original had. Hopefully tomorrow I'll be as brave and daring as I was today and attempt drilling that scrawny grill for the head lights and a pair of tail lights is planned for this also....
http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp251/slotcarman12078/d27d72c1.jpg


It's nice when my fingers are cooperating... They were actually doing what my grey matter was telling them to do!! Sorry to comandeer your thread Coach, but I figured there wasn't a better place to post this!! :thumbsup:

UtherJoe

That wrecker is looking great! I always thought the Lindberg version was too long anyway. It looks waaaaaaayyyyyy better shortened.

I have yet to understand lindbergs logic on extending the wheelbase... Maybe, since this is supposedly HO, it's supposed to be a C-50 Chevy heavy duty wrecker, instead of a C-30. There's still room for the dolly wheels alongside the boom.. I can't test drive it until I get some post material, they got the bumper secured at the post, and the chassis doesn't line up with it with the front axle in the foward position. I'll need to run this "pin foward". What's amazing is how low the back is already. I haven't even messed with a raised axle yet.....

Have to agree with Kraz. :thumbsup: Lookin strong now that you made it a little shorter. Have you tried any taller wheel combos yet? Maybe try before you lower the chassis... may not even need the chassis drop? nd

I don't even think I need to Nuther.. It's sitting just about right now... I attempted a pair of AFX trailer wheels in back and to me it looked "cartoonish" so the wobblies went back on. I need to order some tube material for the posts, clean up the mold flash a bit, and start fabricating a tow sling for the back. I'm also wondering if a pair of chrome "stacks" behind the cab might look good, and I need to make a new home for the dolly wheels.

If it all comes out as envisioned, I think I'll copy the modifications to the yellow body, except for the roof lights, and make a go at a resin casting of it, with all it's add on doo-hickies separate. One thing at a time I guess.. This was my first attempt at a sectioning job, be it an easy one.. I need to get ready for the big stuff I proposed late last year for casting... and I haven't even got my feet wet yet.. This job here barely got my big toe damp!!:rolleyes:

UtherJoe

It looks great joe just a little polishing up and it will be great!