all,
Not actually a truck but I assume construction equipment will slot in here as well .
Thought I might as well do a build log (sort of to show the sceptics that theres more involved in diecast conversions that what most folk think, and that it should be considered a legitimate form of modelling ).

This is my entry for the Unfinished Business 2015 Campaign and a project I initially started a couple of years ago but quickly got sidelined , anywho enough yakkity yak (I know most just look at the pictures ):

The starting point - 1 x Norscot D8T @ 50th scale:






and as far as I got on the first flush of enthusiasm:




and what I intend to try a recreate:






Time to let the chaos commence

And first up - let's play Spot the Differences :




Well I think that kills any ideas of a quick repaint and call it quits .

This is a pretty cool project, Roger. Looking forward to your progress. Do you have a 1/50 low-boy & tractor to go along with it?

Jim

Jim,
Cheers for looking in.
I have a selection of possible candidates for tractor units and a few low-bed trailers that suit conversion.
But that's further down the line , need to get the D8R up and running and finished before I think of any more projects .

Have decided to bin the Norscot tracks and will be using a set from a First Gear Komatsu D375 instead.
This does turn the Cat D8R into an D8R LGP (Low Ground Pressure) and although I haven't seen any photos of LACoFD using an LGP I have some photos of a Fire Dozer (I believe Ventura County) with LGP tracks. So it's valid .
And a quick comparison shot of the two tracks,
Norscot on the left - First Gear on the right:



Cheers for looking in

Lookin great sofar!!!!! I ran an old D-7 in Afghanistan last year, and I am a full time firefighter on the east coast so this build has alot of parallels for me! Are the LGP tracks going to give you fit problems with the idlers and bogey?

Brian,
Surprisingly the tracks are a direct fit, no fit issues with the idlers. Mainly because the original Norscot track fit is quite sloppy.



As can be seen in the above photo, Norscot take a number of short-cuts (assuming to keep costs down) by not including lower track rollers or the inside rail lower roller body and fitting the rear idler directly to the body (my main complaint with all Norscot dozers).
Just had a rummage through my spares box and found a set of even better tracks (Norscot 374D Excavator tracks) so will be using those now:

Norscot D8T - 12.25mm (31/64")
Norscot 374D - 15.2mm (19/32")
1st Gear D375 - 17mm (43/64").

Just finished cutting out a set of templates so I can start the build very soon - this has now become a complete rebuild/scratch build .

Just a quickie to show where the major redesign/update is needed, for those that haven't noticed in the previous photos of the 1:1 it actually has a two man cab:



Just looking at various 35th scale D9 Doobi builds to see how that has been done before I barge ahead .
Cheers for popping by.

That's going to be a really cool looking dozer.

Jim

Cheers Jim,
unfortunately life's up's and down's are impeding on build time at the moment. Fingers and toes crossed I'll get started properly very soon.

Hello Roger,

Here's some photo's of Ventura County Fires Dozer #3 I found. I use to live in the neck of the woods before moving to Colorado. Also, Note the different set ups.

http://www.californiadozeroperatorsgroup.org/ventura_pics_047.jpg

http://www.californiadozeroperatorsgroup.org/Ventura_1.JPG

http://www.californiadozeroperatorsgroup.org/ventura_pics_052.jpg

Here the link: http://www.californiadozeroperatorsgroup.org/

L.A. County Dozer #2

http://www.heavyequipmentforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=17836&stc=1&d=1211400041

See ya in the funnies.....................

Brian,
I had already been through all those links, but thanks anyway.
Sod all action on this project at the moment, just trying to play catch-up with some other things, plus have finally made a start on a project that has been rolling around in my noggin for 30+ years .
Cheers for popping by for a gander.