Freightliner COE day cab DD (Double drive)

Bill Newcomer
Started on Freightliner #2. Rectangular headlight conversion done with NO putty. Ripped open all the bags of parts to trim and sort for paint. Ran into a big snag. 🙁 Since I am doing the 1st Freightliner as a triple drive I had planned on mixing and matching wheels and tires with my other truck/trailer kits. It turns out that the Freightliner tires are too big to use with my Coke truck rims. So that leaves me 1 axle worth of rims short. I found an extra set on ebay but the guy wants $25. I got the whole kit for $37 I think. So... I broke down and bought a set of Moebius Big Rig wheels and tires for $17.77 + free shipping. Now I will have a larger batch of spares for my parts box/future builds.

Bill Newcomer
Engine is complete. After seeing reference pics of the whole thing painted one blah color, I just could not do it.

Chris Greathouse
Your engines are both very clean and neat. I think I like this gold one over the pink one.

Bill Newcomer
Thanks, I am starting assembly on the frame. The paint is still a bit tacky though.

Munkyslut
Fan blade rivets are perfect, details, details!

Bill Newcomer
Slow but steady progress. The gold is to be masked as the stripe color.

Bill Newcomer
Slowed progress. Masked tanks that have been dried for weeks. Painted straps. Got bleed under PLUS masking tape imprints GRRRR!!!! The frame has also been painted for sometime and is still tacky GRRRR!!!!! I did get the wheels and tires detailed and mostly assembled. Had to get creative to make skinny metal axles work with Mobius Big Rig wheels and their 1/8 diameter holes. Started masking gold stripes for black topcoat. Need to figure out a solution to prevent bleed under. Any suggestions?

Tim Heimer
Good tape- Tamaya works good for me, BMF, thin automotive pin striping tape. For what it's worth start with a thin tape. my 2 cents worth.

Bill Newcomer
Got some 1/16" vinyl masking tape. I can make nice straight and/or curved lines but it doesn't stay down in the gaps which WILL result in bleed under. Got creative with BMF and used it to deal with the valleys. I am contemplating spraying clear to seal the edges of the masks BEFORE top coating in black. I am hoping for no bleed under via this method. I have no idea when I will be able to paint. The Gloss black that I was going to use looks nice but remains tacky for WEEKS.

Tim Heimer
It kind of looks cool with the bmf.

Bill Newcomer
My wife said the same thing when she say it. It might be some thing I might try in the future.

Tim Heimer
I figured out why! The Transformers!

Bill Newcomer
Finally got the pesky frame together enough to do a mock up. I like the Moebius wheels and tires. With the day cab on the dual drive frame, I'll have plenty of room for a scratchbuilt headache rack. I will have to move the exhaust stacks outward which means I'll have to move one of the fuel tanks rearward. Such as the price you pay when you choose to deviate.

Martin Oostrom
Try this for masking: Painting Swirls on propeller spinners using Parrafilm"M". | Album by RedRoo

Bill Newcomer
Martin, I have some Parafilm and I like it. It just does not make perfect width lines. It does have good bleed under protection though.

Bozzer
Hey Bill. First, I dislike Tamiya tape. I found that it allows bleed too. I use normal masking tape, cut to size. Like everything else we do, it's all in the prep. After that, I shoot some clear. Allow an hour, then shoot some more. Then when dry, shoot your colour. Obviously, do a test first, on something else. I also flatten my tape edges, with a blunt edge or credit card, prior to painting or clear coating. Hope this helps.

Bill Newcomer
Bozzer thanks I think I will try that.

Chris Greathouse
@Bozz, this may sound dumb, but how do you figure out the shape to cut in your tape without it having ragged /cuts on the perimeter? I do dirty masking, meaning I lay down the tape, smooth it out to the perimeter, then with a sharp #11 I'll cut the tape down the window panel so the cut isn't visible, but I have to be super careful because I cut the car sometimes, also this dirty cut trick works on panel lines. I've tried 'cutting to size' but matching/guessing the size I'll chop to small, then I'd have to grab another piece and all the while trying to not desticky the back. I'd really like to try another method 😄

Martin Oostrom
Don't use a #11. With it's pointy end, it is too easy to cut too deap. Better use one of these and cut away from you, push the knife #10 Blade (Proedge Tools 00100, No) or one of these #12 Blade (Proedge Tools 00120, No)

Bozzer
Chris, I cut lengths and shapes on my clean, cutting mat. I wish I could figure out how to share images on here, with this damn phone, but alas, I haven't yet. I did a complex stencil and I'd love to show you guys. First of all, I'll try to get everything in a folder. That will make it easier to find. Wish me luck!

Martin Oostrom
Take pictures and create an album with extensive comments. Should work very well.

Bozzer
Thanks martin, I'm gonna try that 🙂

Chris Greathouse
Juicy tips incoming!!

Martin Oostrom
Back on track; After painting Bill, cut the edge of the BMF. It can slide from under the paint, leaving the whole masking process redundant. Learned that the hard way 😉

Chris Greathouse
Question? How should Bill be painted? Or that up for interpretation?

Martin Oostrom
Alclad Candy Lemon Yellow! oh, a comma can do so much 😄 I claim second language incompetence!
Shall we eat grandpa?
Shall we eat, grandpa?

Chris Greathouse
😄

Bill Newcomer
Made some minor progress. Fuel tanks are detailed and mounted. Working on diamond plate caps for the battery boxes. Still brainstorming the headache rack. I hope to paint more parts in my new paint booth this weekend.

Slavo Hazucha
Trucks & gold just go together these days... Very nice work on the cabi. with the different metals! 👍

Bill Newcomer
Slavo, the silver is actually just masking to protect the gold before the whole thing is painted black. BMF while spendy, seals better than masking tape.

Bill Newcomer
Made some progress today. I was looking at where the exhaust stacks attached to the frame and I am not liking their location. They block the (nearly useless) back windows and make placing a headache rack awkward. Also the mounting brackets seem awfully wimpy for the stacks (which also seem too tall). I fabricated some braces to move them both outboard to line up with the cab sides. The top pipes have lots of flash and do not really fit to the brackets. I happen to have just the perfect evergreen tubing to make hollow angle cut pipes at a slightly reduced length. I am reusing some of the cut off stack piping to fill in for the additional spread of the exhaust.

Bozzer
Bill, on my stacks, I kinda cheated. I found some drinking straws that snuggly fit over the top, then chromed them with Molotow, slash cut at top. I also agree about the mounts.

Bill Newcomer
Straws hmmm. I'll have to remember that one. My Evergreen tube fits snug and is cementable. I am going to cheat and use "Chrome" spray paint. I don't think I can scribble Molotow well enough to be acceptable.

Tim Heimer
Sounds like exhausting work! LOL

Bill Newcomer
Ah-ha, Ah-ha. (Woody from Toy Story)

Bill Newcomer
Finally got to paint today. I have been waiting since Thanksgiving for the humidity to be low enough. Paint booth works great. Wife with sensitive nose did not smell me painting in the spare bedroom.

Chris Greathouse
Paint!!!! 😄 Musta been like a 2nd Christmas to finally be able to rattle some cans and spray some paint. 😄

Bill Newcomer
ABSOLUTELY! The suspense has been killing me.

Bill Newcomer
Made some progress this weekend. Interior started, modified exhaust started, blacked out the grilles.

Tim Heimer
How do you like the Dupli-color chrome?

Bill Newcomer
I really like it. If you spray it right it looks like polished aluminum. If you spray too dry it never glosses. If you spray too much. It wrinkles.

Bill Newcomer
Made a little progress today. Detail painted the shifter, finished assembling the interior, added one more item to the chassis (air cleaner). Once the engine is done then I can install the exhaust stacks. I still have to repaint the mudflaps and decal them. After that I will see if I can salvage the paint on the cab.

Bill Newcomer
Interior assembled. Fabricated diamond deck in between crossmembers.

Chris Greathouse
What color/finish on the gas tanks?

Bill Newcomer
Krylon Rust Tough enamel rattle can. If you spray it heavy enough it lays down and smooths out pretty well. The black under the stripes is "Black Chrome" brush paint. The Chrome straps are actually 1/8" chrome tape.

Tom ...
Looking great, Bill. I guess that paint booth is working out! yay!

Bill Newcomer
Been making slow progress. Exhaust stacks mounted, Interior finished and tool box started. The front bumper is on and the bottom of the interior is masked for paint.

Bill Newcomer
Finished chassis. Well, missing license plate but. done. Scratchbuilt to tool box and the tail light bar. The pogo stick and the suzie coils were really challenging because my wire was so stiff.

Munkyslut
Worth the effort tho Bill, looks great 👍

Tim Heimer
Looking Good Bill!!

Bill Newcomer
Munky, Tim and James. Thanks. Now to detail the cab exterior.

Nathan Dempsey
Looking great Bill.

Chris Greathouse
Your rear-end is looking great Bill. 😛 😛😉

Bill Newcomer
Yeah, I got creative on this one. Extended the frame, spread the stacks, added the chain box, doubled and diamond plated the battery boxes, and scratch built the tail light bar. The pogo stick (parts box), and suzie coils were a last minute add on. A semi doesn't look right without them.

Bozzer
This is looking awesome Bill 👍

Bill Newcomer
Thanks guys! 🙂

Bill Newcomer
Got to test fit cab to chassis with grille and bumper.

Munkyslut
Bill! You are doing an awesome job here, gonna look great 😉

Bill Newcomer
Thanks Munky, Things have been going along pretty well due to taking my time.

Tim Heimer
Keep doing that! Looks good!

Chris Greathouse
That looks great!

Nathan Dempsey
Putting in some great work there Bill. That Freightliner logo looks nice.

Slavo Hazucha
That front looks really impressive! 👍 Just waiting for the Terminator to pop-up behind the wheel😉

Munkyslut
Agree with all the above 👍
Excellent work Bill

Bill Newcomer
Munky Thanks. BTW I just changed jobs so I have to kit out a whole van (again)

Bill Newcomer
I have been patiently working on this day by day. Took fresh pics of completed chassis. Passed the milestone of having installed the interior tub into the cab. I have detailed most all of the chrome bits that go on the outside. Now I am slowly adding one every day. I am having a helluva time with the side mirrors. They keep falling apart because there is so tiny of surface area where the itty bitty parts touch each other. GRRRRR.

Bozzer
Them mirrors are just a plain bitch! Most guys go for aftermarket parts mate. Kudos to you though buddy, she's looking stunning! I had a guy tell me, on one of my FB groups, they don't make gold gas tanks. I produced a picture of the real thing, he shut up! Great work Bill mate 👍

Mark Boots
It all looks so nice and clean. Love it!

Bill Newcomer
Bozzer, who sells the aftermarket ones? I may be interested.

Bill Newcomer
I am glad you like it Mark.

Munkyslut
That's looks brilliant Bill, you're really knocking this out of the ball park 😉

Treehugger
Shiny and chrome 🙂

Bozzer
Bill, I think it's CTM (Czech Truck Models) but I'll have to double check. Please Google Kit Form Services and Auslowe. In the states, you guys have A.I.T.M. I like stuff on all their sites! And just to throw another name in the loop, don't forget Modeltruckin.com for all your decals. Jerry is awesome! Oh, and there's Doug Wagner, who makes the most sexy of trailers, that I've ever seen! Unfortunately, I can't remember his website off hand, but he's over in Ronks, PA. Damn, I should've been a salesman!

Bill Newcomer
Bozzer, Thanks for the leads. I will check them out.

Tim Heimer
A,I.T.M?

Chris Greathouse
American Industrial Truck Models

Tim Heimer
Thank you, never heard of them.

Bryn Crandell
Looking good so far. Really like the electric cable and air lines. I've seen a lot of truck at shows and that is the feature forgotten the most.

Brandon H
Lookin sweet, Bill! Well done!

Bill Newcomer
Bryn, I agree. It is similar to a car engine with no ignition wires.

Bill Newcomer
Brandon, Thank you.

Bob Hall
Epic ! Awesome Job Bill !

Bozzer
That's pure class Bill! Worthy of a trophy!

Bill Newcomer
Well Gents, I have FINALLY FINISHED my first rig of this year. After MANY HOURS over MANY WEEKS, it is ready for your inspection. (Sorry I had to take pics on a cloudy day)

Mark Boots
Very, very nice. Well done.

Tim Heimer
Beautiful job on that!

Bill Newcomer
Mark and Tim, Thanks. Bozzer, I am not sure if it is trophy material but it did turn out as nice as I could muster.

Bozzer
I love everything about it Bill. The colour is amazing! I will be putting those colours to work, on one of my future builds. Munky, remember the old JPS logo? Black and Gold? Our kid had a MK2 Capri in the exact livery. Mate, that was mid 80's, if memory serves me right?

Munkyslut
Holy shitballs!!!!!! This is amazing Bill!
It's just perfect mate, colour scheme, brightwork, finish.
I can't say enough good things about it, this is a proper standard raiser 👍

Yeah Boz, the old JPS black & gold never grows old eh? 😉

Slavo Hazucha
I feel 9 years old and the God of Trucks just appears in my dreams... 😄

Chris Greathouse
Wow! Fantastic!

Munkyslut
Ha! Excellent words Slavo 👍

Bozzer
I just love this truck! I keep coming back to look at it! Truck [****] at its finest. I think I'll crack a few cold ones in the garden, after I've cut the grass, and admire this truck some more 👍

Bozzer
DOH, forgot I can't use the other spelling of pawn. But that's what it is. You want it, you see it, but you can't touch it!😉

Brandon H
Truck yeah!! Outstanding work, Bill!

Bill Newcomer
WOW Thanks guys. This was just my practice truck. My other one will be done soon.

Thomas K.
looks good! 👍

Munkyslut
Practice truck????? What does Bill do for an encore?

Cliff Jones
Nice work!

Neuling
Beautiful truck in nice scenery!

Nathan Dempsey
Practice truck? LOL
Fine work there Bill 🙂

Bob Hall
I know right ! If this is practice, I GOTTA see the main attraction !

Matthew Stec
Great job!!

Bill Newcomer
Thomas, Cliff, Neuling, Roland and Matthew. Thank you very much.

Bill Newcomer
Munky, Nathan and Bob, as you know I have been building two at the same time. That black one was progressing a little bit faster than the other one due to frame paint issues. The next one is nearly finished but now needs some minor mods on a painted and detailed cab (shudder). I am working up the courage to tackle it.

Bill Newcomer
John, The CB antennas were a happy accident. I bought them from Auslowe in a package order and they seem to simply be some sort of organic brush bristle. (horse hair?). Anyway, when I went to spray paint them white, the paint lined up in little beads instead of coating it evenly. I thought it gave the effect of spiral wrapped fiberglass rods so I left them as is. I tipped the ends red with Testors enamel. I think they turned out pretty neat.

Bozzer
I'm with the guys! Bring on your best Bill! I'm already signed up to a monestary! Lord have mercy on us all! Amen

Christian W
Beautiful!

Nigel Chapman
Stunning and a day cab just to be different.
Love the colour.

Bill Newcomer
Christian and Nigel, Thank you. I did do it just to be different.

Dominik Weitzer
like the color combination. black and gold 🙂
nice built Bill!

Jarrett
Just Beautiful!!! I am hoping that my 4th Freightliner AMT kit which finally have good pieces looks half this good. I've had bad luck with some AMT kits, the Freightliner cabover ones in particular.

Bill Newcomer
I have 3 helpful hints. 1) sand the cab halves mating surfaces on a large piece of sandpaper taped to a flat surface. This will true them for when they are glued together removing the gaps. 2) Removed the useless ceiling porting of the window glass piece to permit the side windows to adhere to the doors of the cab. 3) File down the upper perimeter of the assembled interior to help it fit into the body without splitting it apart.

Jarrett
Bill that you for the tips!!! Very thankful for the knowledge! I will surely utilize them when I build the truck.