"Trudy" - Ford F-150 project.
 

I have decided to start a new project. This is mostly to be built from left over/extra parts I have accumulated over the years.

For the body I am going to use the body from my first hard bodied scaler, a Blackfoot body. I had cut the bed off originally and made the old truck a truggy. I kept the bed for incase I ever needed it, looks like the time is now. I am not going to do anything with the cab, but the bed will get a drop floor.
It will all ride on TLT axles mounted to a set of axial frame rails with a R2 transmission between them. Shocks will prob be a set of HPI touring car shocks. Wheels will be a set of RC4WD steelies with Mud Thrashers.

The goal for this truck is to have it represent the regular everyday trucks we have around here. A little lift and some big tires. A truck that you will see at the bonfire on Friday, at the lake on Saturday with a bed full of beer, on the trails Sunday, and outside at work on Monday, a little mountain redneck truck. The name was my wife's suggestion, she said the truck looks like a "Trudy" so I am rolling with it.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...rudi/trudi.jpg

Thanks for looking. Hope this turns out like I envision in my head.
-Prime-

Re: "Trudy" - Ford F-150 project.
 

Have got a little work completed. The tranny is mounted in between the frame rails. I used some delrin blocks in the front and rear of the frame to space it out. Also got the bumper mounted up.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ztIMG_5813.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ztIMG_5816.jpg

Body sitting on the frame just to see how it looks.
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ztIMG_5818.jpg

Next up, mount the front axle. Thanks for looking.
-Prime-

Re: "Trudy" - Ford F-150 project.
 

Cool where'd you find the OBS body style ford?

Sent from my SM-G920R4 using Tapatalk

Re: "Trudy" - Ford F-150 project.
 

It is a Tamiya Black Foot body. I got this one years ago from a fellow on here. Used it for a couple of years and then after I got over the 2.2 craze I had just put it up on a shelf and kinda forgotten about it.

Re: "Trudy" - Ford F-150 project.
 

Got the front suspension mounted up. Used an old TMP front mount, HPI touring car shocks in a droop arrangement, and Traxxas links.

Looks a little odd but seems to work good.
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ztIMG_5822.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ztIMG_5826.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ztIMG_5833.jpg

And with the cab mounted.
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ztIMG_5850.jpg

Not a lot of travel with the HPI shocks but should be plenty for scale travel.
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ztIMG_5851.jpg

Next up is to set up the rear suspension.
Thanks for looking.
-Prime-

Re: "Trudy" - Ford F-150 project.
 

The rear suspension is now in place. I still need to sleeve the links but other than that it is completed. Works and cycles very well.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ztIMG_5859.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ztIMG_5863.jpg

The required flex shot. Not a ton of flex but a scale usable amount.
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ztIMG_5866.jpg

Also shorted the frame so it will fit the body and it's short wheel base.
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ztIMG_5872.jpg

The bed is now cut apart so I can start the process of making it in to a drop bed.
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ztIMG_5853.jpg

Thanks for looking. More to come.
-Prime-

Re: "Trudy" - Ford F-150 project.
 

Are those bike chain links that you used to mount the shocks to the frame rails? Nice build going. Want to see how you do the drop bed. Subscribed.

Re: "Trudy" - Ford F-150 project.
 

Not sure if bike chain or not but are from some chain master links I found at the local hardware store. "thumbsup"

I've got drop bed started and the basic shape/panels roughed in.

Here it is taped together to get an idea of how deep to make the bed.
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ztIMG_5876.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ztIMG_5879.jpg

Front bulkhead in place and the old body mount holes filled with some styrene. http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...IMG_5888_1.jpg

Front bed corner rebuilt.
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...IMG_5885_1.jpg

To set the depth of the bed I glued these tabs to the bed floor. They rest against the inside top of the bed sides. Trimmed till the bed sides were where I wanted them.
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ztIMG_5889.jpg

Then glued into place.
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...IMG_5884_1.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ztIMG_5899.jpg

For a body mount in the rear I am using this old touring car mount I have. It bolts to the bed floor and goes through the delrin block in the rear. I will shorten it eventually and drill a hole for a body clip to pass through it.
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ztIMG_5893.jpg

Inner bed side panels and wheel wells in place. I plan to add a lot more detail here. The end result will hopefully look like the truck has an over the rails style bed lined in it.
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...IMG_5903_1.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...IMG_5901_1.jpg

That's it for now. Hopefully will have an update in the next couple of day.
Thank you for looking.
-Prime-

Re: "Trudy" - Ford F-150 project.
 

Lovin the TLTs Prime, I'm still rocking one with TLTs myself it it got retired from scale competition a couple of years ago but still gets driven regularly. The F150 is coming along very nicely what are you thinking for colors? The stock two tones always looked good on that body style.

Re: "Trudy" - Ford F-150 project.
 

I love my TLT axles. I still three rigs plus this one riding on TLT's and enough axles for one more regular rig and a future 6x6. :)
Far as paint, not sure but kind of leaning toward keeping the cab the way it is and making the bed look like it is from a different truck. Maybe a red/white two tone one. Thinking of the multi tone look because most trail trucks around here are rarely a single color. My own trail rig has a different color fender, grill, and hood thanks to a mishap on a muddy off camber. :oops:

Re: "Trudy" - Ford F-150 project.
 

I have the inside of the bed finished up. Detailed it to look like the truck has a plastic over the rails style drop in bed liner.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ztIMG_5906.jpg

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ztIMG_5914.jpg

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ztIMG_5909.jpg

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ztIMG_5918.jpg

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ztIMG_5916.jpg

I will get some primer on it tomorrow afternoon and start on the body work.
Please stay tuned for updates. :)
-Prime-

Re: "Trudy" - Ford F-150 project.
 

Got some primer on the bed. You can see the details much better with the primer in place.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ztIMG_5923.jpg

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ztIMG_5924.jpg

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ztIMG_5925.jpg

Got a skim coat of bondo in place....
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ztIMG_5933.jpg

And after the first sanding the low spots are disappearing.
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ztIMG_5940.jpg

A new coat of primer is drying on the bed now. Then another light coat of filler will hopefully complete the body work. If all goes well will get to the painting stage in the next couple of days.

Thanks for looking, please stay tuned for more.
-Prime-

Re: "Trudy" - Ford F-150 project.
 

Thanks guys. I appreciate the kind words.:)

Body work is all completed on the bed and the white paint is drying.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ztIMG_5942.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ztIMG_5945.jpg

Once it finishes I will mask it off and apply the red, then paint the bed liner.
-Prime-

Re: "Trudy" - Ford F-150 project.
 

Awesome build and nice detail done to the bed..

Tlt axles are the best for scale builds.. I still have all my tlt axles..


Sent from my 2500HD

Re: "Trudy" - Ford F-150 project.
 

Thanks guys. :)

@rocpede: I agree, tlt's are the best axles for scale builds. "thumbsup"

I have the red two tone applied.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ztIMG_5959.jpg

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ztIMG_5973.jpg

You know what? I am rather liking this red/white combo. Think I will paint the tailgate in it too and if I like how it turns out I think may just go ahead and repaint the cab in red/white as well.

Re: "Trudy" - Ford F-150 project.
 

Lovely job so far. you've got a great eye for detail work.

Re: "Trudy" - Ford F-150 project.
 

I'm really liking the 2-tone paint job!! Keep up the good work


Sent from my 2500HD

The bed came out awesome. Was wondering if you can get a picture of the bottom of the bed. Color combo works. I am trying to do a drop bed on an F250 and just want to see how you attached the inner side parts to the bed bottom.

Re: "Trudy" - Ford F-150 project.
 

Thank you.


The two tone has really grown on me too :)

Thank you. Like looking up from the bottom of the truck? Yeah I can get you a pic, though I am going to admit, it is less than pretty lol.

Re: "Trudy" - Ford F-150 project.
 

Top notch combo. The selection of the color combo and wheel style really gives this rig that mid 90s scale look. Great job