1/32 Fujimi Canter mini skip loader

[okdoky]

I made a start on this model today

which is supposed to be built as a Xmas present for my brother. I bought the model as his birthday present with a promise to convert it to a mini skip loader in the style of his Nissan Cabstar shown here

It was advertised on ebay as being 1/24 scale and when the large box arrived I at first anoyed that it turned out to be 1/32. Never did get the 5 pound refund promised by the seller for bad advert.
Despite that I kept it and am very very pleased with the quality of the crisp castings and ease of dry fitting parts.



I have gently cut out the cab door


And will work out how to make fixed hinges based on Gary's current cab to show door held open

It has been ages since I worked in 1/32 scale but the smaller size and clean fit of parts has meant a speedy start to this wee diversion from the 1/24 Leyland DROPS also on the workbench

Chassis has been shortened to match the real truck sizes but cutting just behind the rear axle sring hangers

Front wheels are poseable and there is a lovely batch of rubber Yokohama tyres. I am not going to change the rears to singles. Too much bother at this time.

I started the mini skip loader sub frame by temporarilly fixing the top load frame onto plasticard sheet to ensure I could get theem set true and square

I built up the lower subframe and using a metal pencil sharpener to check the frames true square internally

Dry fit onto the chassis brackets to check progress

And how I left the Canter tonight




It has been a pleasant diversion from the DROPS build which is a good thing to keep the brain fresh. Will be running these two projects side by side but hope to have the Canter at least built (maybe not painted and detailed) but with a promise to my brother in the New year.
This how the 1/32 Canter looks against the 1/24 DROPS (little and large)


Hope you like

Nige

[kammer007]

Neat "little" project. Please keep us up to date!

[okdoky]

Thanks Kammer

Glad you like. Is quite refreshing working with wee kit parts, it is a lovely little truck kit and I will have a neat little, spar flat bed left over that I will have to find a new use for too. Though I don't have any other 1/32 kits kicking about.

Thanks again

Nige

[rwaldram]

do you know if anyone does a 1:24/1:25 scale version of these trucks, i need a small truck (hino/mitsubishi etc) to use as the escort vehicle for my crane.

[okdoky]

Hi there again

I was looking for the Nissan Cabstar when I came across this on ebay. Only panel vans, pickups and minibusses. There are a group of Merc Sprinter panel vans that are very neat ready made kids plastic toys in 1/24. I have five in different colours that I intended to repaint and scratchbuild around for detail as work vans, luton body or cargo body versions. Not got round to it.

How is your crain coming along.

By the way, send me a PM with your postal address and I will send you my own drawings to 1/24 that I drew up after I measured the King Trailer.

All the best

Nige

[9900ix]

Pretty cool looking kit. Keep us posted on progress..

[kiwikelvin]

Nice build here! There are currently 2 or 3 Hino, Mitsubishi and even an Isuzu Elf in kitset form, but all 1/32, Its just not fair! My local hobby shop tells me he just can't move them, If they were 1/24 they would fly out the door!

[rwaldram]

kiwikelvin said:

Nice build here! There are currently 2 or 3 Hino, Mitsubishi and even an Isuzu Elf in kitset form, but all 1/32, Its just not fair! My local hobby shop tells me he just can't move them, If they were 1/24 they would fly out the door!

i know exactly what you mean, if icould find one of those small trucks in the right scale i'd have pounced on them by now. I'm still thinking of buying one of their 'bigger siblings' in 1:32 scale and just re-doing the interior to make it appear the correct scale.

[kiwikelvin]

Sounds like a lot of hard work to me Ryan, but judging by your crane you're certainly not afraid to try!

[okdoky]

Hi there

More work done tonight but not going to make xmas deadling for any paintwork or detailing hoses etc. I will have to write my brother that promisary note after all.

Started on the mini skips and made four

Still got the lugs to make for lifting chains to hitch to

Mini skips would make a nice addition to a modern military scene too and are dead easy to make

I forgot to take all necessary sizes on the loading arms so set this jig up to check by eye against photos and for operation

Got the sizes and angles first time with no hitch

arm sits nicely in over the middle of the skips

Making up the loader hydraulic arms was next with BARVS heating and moulding process (it worked) to make the pivot points and to make a tighter fit on the pistons

The plastic from used cotton buds (minus ear wax) was used a lot for piston rams. pivots and chain bar

Arm hinge points added and allowed to set well

Even without hydraulic arms the load arm sits nicely but moves easily

Skips sit nicely on frame



Truck is really taking shape now


Hope you like


All the best
Nige

[rwaldram]

amazing detal, it's hard to believe that it's all in 1:32 scale, you've obviously got a lot of patience.

[okdoky]

Hi there

It has been a realy easy build in 1/32 as the detailing is still not too heavy. after all it is just a series of box girders, U channels and two boomerang shaped arms. I am greatful to BARV on Armorama site who showed me how to do the simple Hydraulic arms. It looks like I got the size of these first hit which really got me chuffed.

The skips were easy but it did help having the real truck to paw over at my leasure. The original Nissan Cabstar my brother had looked very similar to the Canter. My brother buggered the real one's gearbox and had to buy the newer vehicle.

I am very pleased with the result tonight.

Cheers for the positive comments.

Nige

[okdoky]

Test fit of Hydraulic arms




Merry Xmas BIG BROTHER, Ursula and Melissa

Hope you like the build so far Bro! Is a damned sight easier building this up than working on the real thing.

You will get this to display at home as soon as I can get it finished. You still might have to prise it out of my fingers though as I am liking this wee build.

You will need to give me the Veenman truck back so I can do a photo blog of it for on here too.

Merry Xmas to all on here too


Nige