Ice Cream Rod

[Brandon]

Sometimes I build things, or go down a path and decide to change directions. This C-cab body has probably been 60% completed three times. One thing that has always bothered me was the shortness of the floor and the relationship of the cowl to the roof. The seat ended up being comically stubby. I wish I had taken a photo of the Ice Cream rear piece before I stripped the paint in Purple Power, but it was a glue-bombed, bush-painted nightmare. I hve fond memories of drooling over the re-issue of the Ice Cream Truck in the issues of the Ertle Blueprinter magazine (remember those?) but I never bought one for myself. I dont' remember how this back piece ended up in my bone yard, but I didn't have the heart to chuck it. Finally I decided to accept the self-imposed challenge and see if I could make something out of it. One late-night mockup with the C-cab and I found that both of the rear windows were the same. Lining them up gave me a good place to anchor them together in design.

Here's the rough mockup:



I stretched the cab using some plastic stock:




I also had to construct a bed floor with more plastic stock, as I don't have the bed lower. You can see the smeared glue inside.




As part of another challenge to see if I can make something from stuff that seems useless, these Groovy Grader wheels now have chrome outer hoops.



And as it sits at the moment with the stretched cab and new bed floor:




Obviously there's a ways to go, but I think it's taking shape...

[nighthawk]

So do I. Please don't postpone for another 8 years or so.

[plastimatic]

I have a reissue I can't seem to get past the substructure and partial paint phases. It keeps going in and out of the box... and each time I break the fender supports
The extended cowl IS a nice improvement for that overbite cab!

[70spop]

Ooo.... looking good so far. The stretched lower part of the body is a big improvement. I don't like when C-cab roofs hang way past the cowl.

Brian

[Bert]

The stretched cab is the way to go on this one. Looking good! So, how many engines in this one?

[Dennis M]

Looking good.

[Brandon]

Now that the cab is a normal length, I can add a normal seat, although this one required a little narrowing..




I also found the 409 I had built for it a while ago when it was a paired with a Hangman tow boom...

[Brandon]

It'a always crazy to me how you can spend several hours working on things and it doesn't look like you've made much progress past the mock-up... LOL.

But.. I've got everything kind of tacked into place, and converted the rear wheels into useable items, and found the blower scoop I wanted, and have the wheelbase dialed in. I'll mount the fenders and work on the front suspension next.

[johnverkerk]

Looking good , what's that in the back ground , is it the Undertaker turned into a deora of some kind? Inquiring minds would like to know.

[Dennis M]

Looking good Brandon.

[Brandon]

Jan 2, 2016 7:47:40 GMT -6 johnverkerk said:

Looking good , what's that in the back ground , is it the Undertaker turned into a deora of some kind? Inquiring minds would like to know.

That would be The Pollywog: coffincorner.proboards.com/thread/19690/pollywog

I should have an update on both pretty soon. I've been chipping away on them both.

[scratchbuilt]

Another awesome build, i'd like to see done for real in 1:1 scale.

[Brandon]

Progress....



After fabricating the missing lower Ice Cream box portion I decided to cap it with a thin panel of plastic. It ends right in line with the cab. I wil be painting this blue.. You can see everything is still in the rough-out stage...


Then it was all blown back apart... I put things together many times during the process. I often "tack" things in place with small drops of glue so I can bust them back apart easily.




Working with a glue bomb has its challenges.. but I knew that turning one of the most hopeless pieces in my Boneyard into a something cool wouldn't be that easy. Both doors needed new upper hinge pins. Infact, only one door is from the Ice Cream Rod, and the other is from what I believe to be from the Fruit Wagon. Interestingly enough, they are the same doors.





I had to fabricate a lower door sill piece with holes drilled in them to locate the rear doors. They now swing open like they should. I'm adding the steps of a Paddy Wagon and some seat bracket trim from a Tijuana Taxi...




The cab and chassis have also been painted at this time. I will paint the side panels and rear steps next and then detail out the interior and ice cream box. Getting close!

[Brandon]

The chassis is completed and in roller form.. The interior is underway, and I'm dialing in the bed.





I found some dry transfer letters for the side windows. The Cool N Tasty verbiage makes me laugh... I think it's the name of the truck... the Cool N Tasty Ice Cream Rod.

[showrodjohn]

I am liking this. My avatar was a Ice Cream Truck custom as well.
I found it a real pain for the parts to stick together. I used all types of glue are you having the same problem Brandon?

[Brandon]

Jan 22, 2016 5:51:12 GMT -6 showrodjohn said:

I am liking this. My avatar was a Ice Cream Truck custom as well.
I found it a real pain for the parts to stick together. I used all types of glue are you having the same problem Brandon?

Actually by now the only thing really left from the original gluebomb is the top of the bed box, the bell rack for the roof and the steering wheel. The rest is all stuff from the Boneyard. I believe my parts are from a lot of models and parts that I got from a guy I used to work with, and they were his when he was a kid in the late 60s, very early 70s.. the plastic is ok. I know they re-issued the kit several times over the years, and they might have used a different plastic, but mine good ol' soft AMT styrene..

[barten]

Yea Brandon, the name is perfect!!! fun stuff!!!!

[scratchbuilt]

I love it.  I also liked the Z'eed and stepped chassis. hahaha. I know of hotrod trucks built in a similar fashion in 1:1 scale.  But no one see's it with the body in place....