Meng Ford F350 - Aussie style

Ok, I started this last year but then moved house so it got sidelined for a while. The planned end result for this is as a Tradies ute (well, a general service vehicle actually). I've converted the dash, steering column and pedal assembly to RHD, I have also corrected the exhaust tail pipe (the model comes with a single pipe, however with the engine in this it should have had a twin tail pipe (as from factory).

I've also bought a set of dually's from a guy on eBay and after a few unsuccessful attempts to make a decent looking flare side for the kit tray, have scrapped that idea and am making a full tray back with service kit tool bins on it. The plan is to have it finished before the Illawarra model show in early May.

Here's the modified parts:


The almost complete interior (the dash is just sitting in place, it still requires feature colour to be painted and the dash decal to be fitted)... I'm also thinking of making a 'dash mat' (flocking)


The beginnings of the new tray (this side will be opened up to show detailed interior with tools etc in it), this first photo is just showing the shape & style.

I've been having a bit of a play this afternoon, trying to replicate the fold down sides on this type of tray. This is only my first attempt hence it being a bit rough, I'm going to do the back and the two short sides, possibly with one of them folded down. As can be seen, I have also made the two L shape upright posts that these secure to.

interesting

Great work so far

Nice work going into this , will look great .

Don't you just love a good rummage through the spare parts box...
*I've found a small piece of ? that will work perfectly as a small exhaust outlet coming out of a (notional) generator in the right hand tool bin.
*Another short length of ? that I the perfect shape (ie: curves in all the right places) and the right diameter for a fuel pipe that I will fit from the fuel tank and run upto the space between the small tool bin and left wheel arch.
*A set of drive lights from a hilux I built years ago.
*A cross member that I think was originally the lower brace under an engine from a Mercedes truck (the big U shaped one), I cut the sides off it leaving just the 'raised' centre section and mounts and now have the perfect mounting bar for the drive / work lights (this will fit at the front of the two tool bins directly behind the cab).
*Enough random clear, amber and red lights to give me a full set of (matching) tail lights.
*Some left over PE side running lights.

I've got the right tool bin assembled and am just letting it set in place over night (who's idea was it to do a curved shape, that also gets narrower at the front as well as curving at the top), i'll get some more photos of progress over the weekend.

In the mean time, I've had a bit of a backwards step with the cab itself, I was going to go with a metallic red over 'titanium gold' for the paint, the initial coat of red went to crap, I cleaned that up and gave it another coat... and ran out, the nearest hobby store that stocks that brand is 160km's away... so I've stripped all the paint and will find another colour tomorrow.

Ok, it's been a while since I updated this, aside from a 'mishap' with the front windscreen involving some plasweld (yeah, the glue that melts plastic), this build has gone well.

I've all but finished the tray and engine bay, I'm just waiting for the replacement clear sprue so I can fit the windscreen and it'll be right to put the major components together. I have some driving lights on order from Auslowe which will go on the modified bull bar and also on the roof bar, the tail lights have just been fitted today.








For those of you who were observant, I've got a HotShots calendar hanging above/behind the tool box.