This is another one of those "didn't know what forum to put it in", so here it is. HO scale vehicles are so expensive these days that I buy what I find on sale and turn it into something else. This truck was part of the last order I placed because it was only $9.95. There is already a beverage vehicle on the layout, and my original intent was to turn this into a flatbed. The chassis is glued into the lower blue bodywork portion. The cab and everything else comes apart with screws or friction fit, but the frame / chassis isn't coming out. The racks of soda are already removed, as is the cab glass for painting. The lettering comes off easily enough, but not the frame. So no flatbed. I guess it could simply be repainted to coke or something better known than the orange soda thing, but that's a last resort. What about a wrecker hoist sitting on the back portion (photo with the lowered back and the upper part removed)? Maybe some type of tank truck or oilfield truck? Any ideas are appreciated. Thanks, Paul Moore
If you are planning to save at least the lower portion and wrecker would be a decent choice as they are typically skirted like that. Add a deck and a simple boom and winch it would be believeable enough. If you can get that body off and want other options I can add pictures of several HO bed types I have in the stash.
Thanks, Karl and Steve. After looking all over the internet for ideas, I will probably make an oilfield or construction related service truck. It will be similar to a wrecker but have a fuel tank, a winch, etc. Here's what I have so far. There was a ridge all the way around the flat portion of the bed that had to be filed off and holes to fill. The fuel tank is made (fuel tank for whatever it services); lettering is all gone. there will be a fueling hose coming out of the tank. It might be coiled up on an upright on the driver's side of the flatbed. The white patches on the sides are tool box doors. Once it is painted, they will hopefully look like doors. The winch / hoist parts are laying on the ground next to the truck. There will be some chain on the back of the truck---maybe a tiny rack for chain and cable to be laid over. The fuel tank is a little larger than I wanted. Maybe there will be two placards with gasoline stenciled on one side (end) and diesel on the other. That would require two hoses and nozzles, but that gives more detail. If you think of any other ideas, let me know. Thanks, Paul Moore
Got the headache rack and winch mostly done. I might try to squeeze on a compressor or generator. This evening I remembered the mine on the Colorado portion of the layout. Maybe the former beverage truck will be a mine service vehicle...paint it yellow like the other mine vehicles.
I like the service truck approach Paul. And you can make it about any color, so like it is a contract service vehicle. Thataway, you can move it to different places and fit in. I was looking, and placards really weren't around much before 1970, as that was the year Gerald Ford signed a new hazmat law, placards weren't legally required until 1975. It may have been they just had gasoline, oil or whatever simply written on the tank ends.
OK...That's really what I meant. Not a legal placard, but something indicating what was in each side of the tank.
