FORD LTL9000 CHASSIS UPDATE

Further to recent posts detailing progress on this Italeri 1:24 scale truck kit, I'm pleased to say that the chassis is now virtually complete and ready for the wheels and bodywork to be added, along with the fuel tanks (currently receiving a faded chrome finish) and mud flaps.

I've put quite a bit of effort into weathering the chassis, even though much of it will be hidden once the cab and bonnet are fitted. A highlight has been the addition of a resin Jost fifth wheel and adjustable baseplate (from Kit Form Services) that replaces the solid plastic mouldings supplied with the kit. As a result, much more of the suspension and chassis detail will remain visible.

The CAT power plant and transmission are now permanently installed and 'plumbed' into the cooling system. I've added jubilee clips and used lots of different shades of black and grey to pick out the separate hose sections and the rubber universal joints.

All the extra work, adding the hydraulic and air pipes, electrical conduits and valves to the chassis frame has really paid off and I'm looking forward to starting on the bodywork in due course. The rubber tyres need a bit of 'scuffing-up' and weathering, but I'm undecided about whether to replace the kit's plastic wheel hubs with some KFS resin castings that I have in stock - they were meant for a different project, but I may pinch them and add another touch of refinement to the Ford...