Here's my build log for the DAF XT concept truck resin cab pieces from KFS. My truck will be built on a 4" stretched Mercedes dual drive chassis and the cab has been given the USA , "bigger is better" treatment via a double sleeper extension. I was going to do a dual steer/dual drive chassis at 1st, but decided to keep it simple this time.
Here's a pic of the KFS finished concept model, while very nice, it needed more in my opinion.

Here I have the stretched cab and hood...this thing is gonna be a monster since the main cab is 6" long itself as seen by the 6" ruler there.

Here's the started interior shot showing all the room now afforded by the stretch and the pieced roof up top - that'll require some smoothing and filling yet. The clamps are holding in the inner strengthening strips and there's a top one too. If you look, you can see the repeting panels that I doubled up on...my cut was just behind the door on one cab, and another like piece was added behind it. The pattern is full panel plus 1/4, then repete...pretty simple for this stretch. DAF lends itself to that while the Scania's don't so easily.

Another shot of the interior with a scratched floor and pilfered parts from the old short interior.

Donor kits used are the Italeria DAF XF105{#3842} for the grill{you have to} and the Italeria DAF XF Super space cab{#3834} kits for everything else cab wise...I'm not building the "cat's eyes" top lights version as KFS did - I wanted the other DAF roofed version of the XR. The chassis is part of a semi finished ebay kit, old Italeria #793 Mercedes super truck, for the dual drive chassis. I hate the 2 pieces tires those old kits get, so I'll simply use the two above kit's tires for those nice looking rubber tires Italeria has had for a while.
I just started the chassis stretch with the 4" extension pieces...pics will follow of that when it's done and cured. The chassis will measure out at 14 1/2" long.

Subscribed!
I gotta watch this.



Hermon

Looking good, Bob. I like this truck. Might have to do one myself.

Jim

Alright, we've got a chassis for the most part!
A 4" stretch{real time} and I buttoned up the fake motor and drive shaft tonite. Why doesn't anyone, including Italeria, make a actual DAF engine?! Some kits come with Scania or Mecedes engines, but no DAF inline!



The front jumbo tires and rims are staying but the back drive wheels{old all plastic ones} are temporary ...I have to alcadII chrome the kit ones yet to match the fronts.
The roof is nearly done, just have to add the rear air dam and blend it in.
Had to tweek the hood to clear the interior pan up front as well as blend the hood better to fit near the windshield...opened up the front two scoops too while I was at it-

Looks good Bob. A question, since I'm gonna have to do this myself later on in the year for the EOD campaign, what did you use for a jig to hold everything square while the glue was drying?


Hermon

Ah, that's the eternal problem with semis is getting the frame straight with no shifts nor twists...My building table, I've found, has a warp to it right where I usually build, so since finding out about it I've purchased a 2'x2' square of particle board to build them on{frames}. I use a square to keep frame shift at bay{where one side is hiked forward or back more than the other meaning left or right side} and a level build board to keep the frame from twisting. If there's pieces that stick up and won't let you lay the frame fully flat, use blocks where ya can to get it level when drying. Same procedure for those multi piece cab kits.

Alrighty, we got not only a cab done, but some color as well. Put a light coat on early today and then a decent coat this afternoon....now to let it dry fully and wet sand 1/2 of it off to get it smooooth. The color in question is chrysler company electric blue pearl and I'm toying with a silver swoosh on the side of the cab as well.



Now I'm thinking a red chassis might be in order.....

I'm trying to order some pinstripes and scroll work decals from M&G for this truck build...hopefuly he gets back to me soon.

Who's M&G? Don't think I've heard of them. You going to put a Cummins ISX in that thing?

Jim

M&G mouldings
They have some great pinstripe sets with multi radius curves unlike KFS who has only 2-3 curve radius' given. I'm waiting for a reply back with US S/H costs since the site doesn't list outside of the UK costs. They take paypal, but charge 5% extra for the services{no problem by me}. I'm getting a DAF flat roof too for a future build{wanna do a mixer}.
DAF has their own inline 6 but no-one makes one in scale, so this rig will be a curbside this time.

Thanks for the link. Some nice stuff there.

I hear that Kenworth & Peterbilt will be offering the DAF 12-liter (or is it the 14-liter) engine within the next couple of years. They're already offering the PACCAR/DAF PX-6 & PX-8 engines in their Class 5 - Class 7 trucks. One can only hope that when the PACCAR engine is offered in Class 8 trucks that some resin caster will offer one.

Jim

That 6 is the one I'd love! DAF's website has 1-2 pics of the engine, but not enough to rough one out.
Got an email back this morning about the pinstripe sets and sent the payment...I'll snap a pic of them when they show up and you'll see why I like them since I'd bet you could use these on US trucks too....they probably never really thought of that.


...oh, BTW the chassis is red now!

Red & blue. Should look nice. Are you building this DAF as a Euro-truck or as a possible US import?

Jim

Well........she'll be running the "wings"{rear wheel wells} so techincally it would be in euro trim, but early US trucks ran the same kind of fenders/covers. I'm sure that if they did come over with those on they'd be left alone to run on roads that way{why not?}, so it could go either way, but I plan on installing the upper added light bar{looks cool!} that ya wouldn't find on this side of the pond too easily...she'll be a tweener!
...and don't even ask about plates yet cause I haven't thought that far ahead!!!!!