Trackrover - FINISHED!

[kitnut617]

The IH-Case Quadtrac is available in 1/64th (Matchbox/Hot Wheels scale):
http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Curve-Brands-Quadtrac-Tractor/dp/B001VNC6UM



Its also made in 1/32nd scale.

I see real ones like that around and about where I live.

[B777LR]

The IH-Case Quadtrac is available in 1/64th (Matchbox/Hot Wheels scale):
http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Curve-Brands-Quadtrac-Tractor/dp/B001VNC6UM



Its also made in 1/32nd scale.

Top Gear tested one of those

[nev]

Yeah, I occasionally see them on the farms when I'm out and about walking in the county.

[Weaver]

Okay, I've done some plastic fondling this morning and decided to change the plan slightly.

1. If you just drop the Landrover body onto the Scorpion platform, you get a very narrow, top-heavy-looking vehicle. Now I know that some of these snowcats and that 4 x track Landie conversion are top-heavy, but I still don't like it.

2. You can't have full tracks at the height of the Landie's standard wheels because of the side doors. Imagine the Centaur with full tracks: they'd be halfway through the driver and passenger.

3. That Subaru looks MUCH more stable with the tracks outboard of the original body and the drive sprockets at original axle level.

Sooooo that's what I'm going to do: the tracks will be separate left and right units added to the outside of the Landie's body, with Evergreen mudguards and stowage boxes and an exhaust to cover the original wheel arches. The bottom half of the doors will have to be cut off, making boarding a bit "Dukes of Hazzard", but it's still workable.The "engineering" backstory is that the Landrover's floor now sits just above lengthened torsion bars.

[Weaver]

Damn -typed that last post out this morning and it didn't post for some reason: was still there in the background on my PC.....

Anyhow:

Landie body assembled enough to start playing with tracks. The kit's not bad, but there are some fit issues, notable that the windscreen & firewall part is too narrow, leaving an ugly gap at one side which I'm going to disguse with a high-level air intake. Even if it was the right width, the way the kit's designed can't help but make the A-pillars far too wide. Pity it's not an "all glass" cab like the FC or the Bedford, where you mask the glass off then paint the rest: the Landie's back panel is.... The kit alos gives you a nasty collection of seams on top of the front wings, which arn't there at all on the real thing. Can't help but feel that designing the kit differently could have avoided that.

Track plates added to both sides, wheels assembled and half-glued on, and mudguards cut. I didn't blank off the wheel arches because they'll be covered by stowage boxes and the silencer (which will be on one of the front mudguards). I'll probably add drum-shaped pieces to the inside of the drive sprockets, since I'm tending towards a solution where the engine drives a generator and the tracks are powered by individual electric motors (means you don't have to squeeze a thumping great extra steering-gearbox in).

And lastly - the camera battery's flat, so no piccies yet.......

[Weaver]

Got some charge in the battery now:



The mudguards are just blu-tacked on at the moment:



The problem I've got now is that the rubber track in the kit I've got is bloody awful. It has just one heat-riveted pin to hold it and that's too short, plus the whole track is barely long enough, so it keeps bending the idler and drive sprocket....

[ysi_maniac]

You can fasten both tips of rubber track with thread -as it were fabric- or staples. In both cases leaving a gap if needed. Leave the union in top. After mounting tracks install side skirts to cover the trick

BTW: I love your cocept.

[Captain Canada]

Now for some reason, that just looks right !

[Weaver]

You can fasten both tips of rubber track with thread -as it were fabric- or staples. In both cases leaving a gap if needed. Leave the union in top. After mounting tracks install side skirts to cover the trick

BTW: I love your cocept.

Cheers Ysi - yeah, we used to use the staple trick when I was wargaming. I didn't originally intend this to have side skirts, just a short mudguard at the front as per the Scorpion, but I might have to change that now....

[Mossie]

Very nice, looks the part.  Looking forward to seeing how yo get on with the FC.

[nev]

That looks terrific.  Looks like just the kind of thing the Royal Marines would use in Norway

[ChernayaAkula]

<...> The problem I've got now is that the rubber track in the kit I've got is bloody awful. It has just one heat-riveted pin to hold it and that's too short, plus the whole track is barely long enough, so it keeps bending the idler and drive sprocket....

Join the ends under the roadwheels.  Use fine wire (red in the drawing) to secure the track to the roadwheels. That way, even if it's a tad short, it won't be as obvious as above the roadwheels. Maybe you could criss-cross the wires, bridging the gap with wire.
I used the wire method to get the track on an M110A2 howitzer to lie down on the roadwheels. Maybe it works the other way round as wheel?

[nev]

Are the tracks the rubber band types?  If so, give them a wash with using enamel thinners - it will "loosen" the rubber a little bit and make them slightly longer and bendier.

[Weaver]

Been off work ill most of this week. Normally an opportunity of course, but unfortunately it was a fainty and sickly ill, which didn't mix well with craft knives and glue fumes.

Anyhow, some progress:



It now has trackguards glued on and braced, a track on one side (courtesy of thin thread and an hour's swearing), a high-level exhaust can on the left trackguard with a high outlet, and a snorkel air-breather on the opposite side of the screen. It's also gained a winch, courtesy of the Revell M16 half-track, drive motor housings and (not visible in the pic) an extended fuel filler at right rear. The roof isn't glued on yet, and nor are the pipes.

I'm thinking it should have an escape hatch in the roof over the passenger side, and some sort of roof rack with a ladder up the rear. Also thinking about skis carried on it somewhere: have to scratch 'em though.

[thedarkmaster]

Looks really good mate, top class