AEC Matador gun tractor 1/16 scratch build

[Awins]

Are there drawings available to scratch build this type of model. If so where can you buy them and how do you go about sratch building.

[wibblywobbly]

I see that you have used the Lego wheels, I bought some once and used them on a scratch built truck, but had a hell of a job mounting them ( I drilled them, used bolts etc). You seem to have done it an easy way...what is it???

Cheers

RobG

[AlwynTurner]

Hi Rob, Where to start. The technic wheels use the cross axle and where possible I use the technics axle such as on the front wheels of the matador where I used the technics steering component. With the bedford I had to cut a piece of axle and glue it into the wheel, then carefully drill a straight hole the diameter of the donor axle (took 8 attempts to get 4 straight wheels and luckily I has able to extract the wonky piece of technics axle and reuse the wheel!). With the matador back axle, the drive system had stub axles in the gearbox with square holes, and I had to file a technics stub axle to a square shape to fit into the square hole in the gearbox stub axles - again several attempts in order to get a single axle for each side. The answer is persistence with a modicum of bad language, regular breaks for alcohol (I tend to do this in the evenings) and a great deal of good luck!
Cheers. Alwyn

[wibblywobbly]

Thanks Alwyn, I was hoping you had discovered some magical simple solution. I really should invest in a cheap pillar drill, it would make these tasks so much easier.

RobG

[AlwynTurner]

Yes Rob, my christmas list included a pillar stand for my dremmel following the fun with the bedford wheels! It is almost impossible to drill a straight vertical hole using eye and hand coordination as I found so many times doing that job. I hope santa reads my Christmas list!
One solution I forgot to mention is that if you drill out the centre of the wheel, then make a flat circular plate for the back of the wheel (most of the technics wheels are flat on the back) and then superglue or araldite the plate to the back of the wheel then you can make whatever arrangements you want to fasten the wheel to the axle. Hope that helps!

[AlwynTurner]

Things progress despite the pc board and the cab is started. I didn't appreciate until I did some research yesterday that the matadors engine was mounted slightly off-centre and the drivers position is very close to the centre of the vehicle! I wonder if this was to give the driver a better view or because of all the fancy knobs and levers in the cab? Anyway here it is, I've put the bedford in for comparative scale.



Before working on the cab detailing I think I'll get the load bed structure put together so I can see the approximate proportions and see the overall effect/size.

[jarndice]

RobG and indeed everyone else who has yet to find out how useful it is, so not you Alwyn I cannot praise the DREMMEL WORK STATION enough, absolutely essential. shaun

[HERMAN BIX]

The offset ,if a Bedford van is any indicator ,was because the motor was a slant head.?

[AlwynTurner]

Hi Herman, I'm not sure, but here is one of the pictures I'm using as guide to the build. Maybe the transfer box was off center?

Anyway it all makes for an interesting build. Some of the images from google have been really useful in getting detail for the cab.

[HERMAN BIX]

Owned an RL bedford army truck once.............similar set up. The pic you have seems to not have the pronounced slanted engine block like the '70s vans or my RL, but the transfer linkages and other hardware seem to be consistent with that style of utility engine/running gear. Off set steering because of angled engine.
One thing you wont have trouble with Im sure is keeping brakes up to the damn things