AJR's Customs

[AJR]

As the DAF looks better in a light colour, I chose a pale blue (I may repaint the trailer now to match).

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I thought I was being clever buy using the orange wheels and tyres from the Major Pack Guy but they were just too large and Matchbox don't do lower profile tyres than those used on the MB39 tractor, so I had to stick with the proper wheels which now look a bit too small.

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The differential was made using a brass olive filled with modelling putty and drilled through to accept a 3/32 sleeve. A spare Matchbox axle was used for the propshaft.
Unfortunately, the propshaft doesn't allow me to semi-permanently screw the trailer to the unit, so I am going to use a twist and lock method similar to all other Matchbox artics.

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While I had the paint handy, I gave another two models a quick waft ... one being the K13 King Size DAF (apparently a pre-production colour) and the other being the MB38 Vauxhall Victor FB Estate.

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[GHOSTHUNTER]

That has turned out to be a good color choice as it really suits the DAF cab and the Vauxhall now reminds me of a RAF staff car, loving it enough to give you a 10/10

Ghosthunter.

[motorman]

Very nice.

[matchboxtom]

I like the trailer as is. Looks great.

[AJR]

Just found this pic on t'internet. Shades of my conversion ?
Incidentally, these DAF 2600's were known as Ergo DAF's and used Leyland engines.

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I recently picked up this Lion Car cab from a swapmeet for a quid. 1:50 scale I think.
More detailed than Matchbox's version showing the two part windscreen and lantern effect wraparound.
I suspect this is a defect casting never actually fitted to anything ... no paint, no jewelled headlights, casting faults on the doors and on one step.
A bonus is that the cab interior and glazing were included and intact.

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The chassis isn't that difficult to scratch build on one of these and so it is in the queue of the "To Do" pile.
Here is an old eBay pic of the Lion Car DAF chassis for me to work from ...

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[AJR]

A desert sand rattle can from our local pound shop. I thought I'd try it out on a Matchbox Alvis (a colour they didn't do AFAIK).
No yellow wheeled Alvis's were harmed in the making although a few Ford tractors were.
Wheels look a bit bright though so if they will take paint ... they'll have it.

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[GHOSTHUNTER]

Be careful what models you cannibalize, you'll have the 'Save all Tractors with Yellow wheels' justice league after you...

Ghosty.

[AJR]

A spare Superking K4 (a bit rough but the tipping body was nice on the outside) and a spare K17 / K20 Ford.
Cabs are of a similar dimension, so a cut and shut plan was hatched ....

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Straight down the back of the Leyland cab including rear part of mudguards.
Straight down the back of the Ford cab to the top of the wheel arches and then remove lower portion of said arches and clean up.
Offer up and file to a good fit, angling the top of the Leyland rear part of the front arches.
Doing the arches that way makes for a stronger seamless join (that on the real vehicle would part company anyway when the cab was tilted) and keeps the cab square to the chassis.
I'll be sorting through the spares box for an amber roof beacon.

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[AJR]

A really rough Dinky 290 Hovercraft gets set about with the razorsaw. I thought it wouldn't hurt (unless the razorsaw slipped) to have a go converting an SR-N6 to the earlier SR-N5 .... in other words, cutting out three sections. Pics help tell the tale ...

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Above pic is a photoshop that I worked to showing the Dinky SR-N6 in the centre .... a stretched SR-N6 at the top and a shorter SR-N5 at the bottom. The real stretched SR-N6 was a project from an accident damaged SR-N6 and two surplus SR-N5's.

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Three sections of the model were cut out ... easiest were the front three along the straight edge as shown above. The interior is best cut towards the rear.

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After the same amount had been removed from the interior and baseplate, it was reassembled. Just needs the skirt cutting now which will be cut from the rear giving just one join.

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Comparison between the SR-N6 and the SR-N5. I'll probably paint this as a Rescue craft. I need to source another tatty model as this one has no glazing, no door, no radar, no propeller. I used this model so that if the project had gone belly up, it would be no major loss.

[GHOSTHUNTER]

I think this is far from belly up and a very interesting project to follow. Makes me want to get my hand tools out and have a bash at something

Ghosthunter.