Need help finding photos of old moving truck or van

[BKLN]

I am worried that the cloth sides will always appear like bad craftsmanship in this scale. Any kind of textile texture will be out of scale. If you go for cloth, I would get some good take out food for lunch and turn the aluminum tray into a tarp and have decals on it.
But if you want to go with the easier way, just pretend it's sheet metal and print that thing on paper with a few thinned out white coats of semi gloss to get a shine and same light fading.

[DaKra]

Yeah textiles are a problem in miniature.  Even the 1/6 scale doll, uh, I mean action figure guys have trouble getting cloth to look and act like scale cloth.  2 part epoxy putty is my choice for tarps and stuff like this.   Did a quick test on the test parts, it might look OK.   I'll decide after I see it with the decal on.  Right on the fading, that will help it look more like cloth.     

[BKLN]

That looks pretty good, but brings up another question: If the sides of the truck have those tarp covers, why wouldn't the back side look similar? Don't mean to throw you off. Just wondering.

[DaKra]

I'm figuring the cloth panels are padding for the stuff they'd carry on the shelf rails, like bedposts and table tops.    Putting a similar load on the doors in back would stress out the hinges fast, specially going over cobblestones etc.  The brackets for the side rails are in line with the truck bed, so plenty strong.   Don't think they're on the rear doors.  That said, the back upper part of the doors could well be a drop down tarp, with a fold down door on the bottom.   

However, rest assured no matter which way I build it, Murphy's Law says after I finish the model, I will find the missing research material, and it will prove I did it the wrong way.   

[DaKra]

Here's a source for quite a few old moving trucks

http://www.sessions-station.com/Old%20Trucks/index.html


Here's personal favorite

I see this truck you like also has the bottom rail and cloth panel above it, so now I'm pretty sure its padding for oversized flat stuff.     

[DaKra]

update.  Moved the wheelbase a little closer together, and the body forward,  to better match the snub nose appearance of the vehicle in the photo.     

[Malachi Constant]

Awww ... look at the little-bitty truck ... it's so cute! 

Coming along nicely ...
Dallas

[chester]

This is exciting Dave. You can't imagine how I've been wanting more fine details in this scale and you are providing us with a bunch. I will most definitely be looking forward to a kit of this.
I'd have to say that decals are the way to go as well but dry transfers would be my choice.

[Ray Dunakin]

Looking good. Nice work on the "cloth" sides.

[lab-dad]

The "canvas" looks great! especially in HO!
-Marty

[DaKra]

hey Chester, do you have experience making dry transfers?  I would love to know how to do these.  Ink Jet decals have some drawbacks mainly the absence of white. 

I don't think I can make a kit out of this particular vehicle, because it requires too much chopping up Jordan parts and  putty filler work.  But the experiment has given me really some good ideas for HO scale vehicle aftermarket parts.   

Small update, I made the top using the kit roof plus epoxy putty.   There is a raised lip around the lower edge of the top.   That is a paper strip cut with a razor blade, back filled with CA.   I actually still cut some things by hand.    

Dave

[chester]

I have run across a product that allows a laser printer to do dry transfers but not an ink jet. I will try to find the info. And we'll be waiting a bit more to be able to print white at home affordably. I understand that this would be a tough kit to put together but as you say the idea was born.

[finescalerr]

I thought white decal backing was readily available. One source I recall is Micro-Mark but others offer it, too. -- Russ

[DaKra]

Russ

The problem with white decal backing is the entire film is white.   In theory I can use it to make individual white letters, then color fill the background to match the model.   In practice, it won't match.   The other problem is all the white film I've used has a peculiar tendency to stretch, warp and cling to itself.   Its not like the usual decal film. 

There are some decal makers online who offer custom decal work, including white pigments.   Last I checked, some were quite reasonable, but I've not tried any yet.

Dave

[BKLN]

I think you can get away with printing on paper for this one. Print on good photopaper in high resolution, seal with dullcote, sand down and glue it on with white glue.

- or just put this aside and work on your brick projects instead