Pig Pen's "Love Machine" from "Convoy" movie

[Serioga]

Hi, dear friends.
I guess many of you saw 1978' American movie "Convoy" about Big Rig drivers and their adventures. I guess every body know Rubber Duck and his black Mack, but my favorite rig was always Pig Pen's "Love Machine" (Mack Cruiseliner).
I decided to start this poject, as I was thinking it over for a long time.
Here it is, behind the Dimond T.

With the Rubber Duck:

And here is the Paulie ("Pig Pens") :

I plan to start with this pair of boxes:

And here is small progress:

The frame.

And some semiassemblies.
I plan to make steerable front axle.


I used some pins

steering axle in action:

Couple views:

Here is the reference picture from Cruiseliner broshure:

Cruiseliner steering box is located right on front axle. I guess the movment from steering wheel goes to steering box through cardan shaft (marked with red arrow). As the shaft extends, when the cab tilts - it should be something like telescopic shat. Am I right?

Drive axles and photo etched bolt heads:

Brake chambers with pins too:

Rear cab bracket sat too free on the frame. So I used couple pieces of styrene (marked with red circles).

The frame again:

Happy New year!

[endac]

Great work so far, i like how you added the bolt heads to the axles, should look good painted

[rsxse240]

trick rig, good buddy! come on!

that's trucker speak for That's a mighty fine truck you are building, friend, I would love to hear more about it! haha

I'm so glad the model companies are releasing all these truck kits....I need to buy them all up before they quit again.

Oh, and incidentally, Convoy was one of my most beloved movies, next to Smokey and the Bandit (the first one, II and III sucked)

[Lownslow]

convoy is one of my fav movies i remeber seeing a rubber duck model a few years back but not pig pen's

[CrateCruncher]

So I guess the 379-127 is on "indefinite hiatus" now. That Mack cabover is a bit of a downgrade in terms of class factor. They were only made in the U.S. while overall length laws were enforced. The conventionals dominate the road since they stopped enforcement because drivers hate climbing into them and perceive them as unsafe in accidents. Yes, the steering shaft telescopes and I believe the gearshift does too. I haven't done much with cabovers on account the market for them died before I got involved in the industry.

Pig-Pen was the name of Charlie Brown's rather filthy friend in the newspaper comic strip "Peanuts" by Charles Schultz. Schultz stole it from the Lord of the Flies. Yeah, I know. Useless trivia.

Crate.

[Serioga]

Thanks to every one for your interes.
Hi, Crate. 379 is waiting for inspiration.
The gearshift level on this model stays in the cab, even when it tilts. Permanently attached to the cab floor, it is connected to the transmission by means of a ball and socket break-away linkage (see inside white circle on broshure picture).
This eliminates the typical COE "shift tower", which requires a hole in the cab floor, and seals out engine heat, cold air, dirt and noise.

[kaho]

I like all the moving parts. I am in the process of making a moving suspension for an off road vechicle as well.

About the pins, I assume you use one big end of a pin as a stopper. How do you make the stopper for the other end once you cut it?

[quadzero]

Originally Posted by rsxse240

trick rig, good buddy! come on!

that's trucker speak for That's a mighty fine truck you are building, friend, I would love to hear more about it! haha

I'm so glad the model companies are releasing all these truck kits....I need to buy them all up before they quit again.

Excellent subject choice. I really like the time and care you put into these models. One day I hope to build one of these and your work is a great resource. Looking forward to more, keep up the great work.

[Serioga]

Originally Posted by kaho

About the pins, I assume you use one big end of a pin as a stopper. How do you make the stopper for the other end once you cut it?

Well, the other end is glued (carefuly) with superglue.

[Serioga]

Hi, friends.
I finaly finished working drive axles:
First I filled brake chamber mounting holes (consider teir location wrong) and made new ones :

Here is how they should be from Cruiseliner broshure.

I here is how I made camel back suspension. 0,8 styrene strips were used for springs:

Here I cut original suspension for axle brackets and center point hub.

I found Mack Center point suspension on line:

Here is the jig to glue and shape springs:

The idea is: spring ends sit inside brackets free. Pins (marked with red circles) are hold springs in place:

Of course we need working shock absorbers here. So I used brass tubes:

Billets:

Shock absorber:

Here is the jig to solder a lug to bigger tube:

Tubes a little smaller in diametr, but slide each other perfectly:

I didn't like kit's cardan shafts:

So I modified one. Cooper wire, cooper sheet, brass tube and plastic rod were used:

Here are cross pieces and U-brackets:

Feel the difference:

The result:

The other hand:

All driving wheels are touching the ground :

Here is U-bolts on front axle :

[klutz_100]

Nice work!

[BraskoKH]

This looks very good, do you plan to weather the suspension components? Do not forget realistic gobs of black grease!

[quadzero]

Incredible amount of work you have done here, especially in making the new leaf springs.

[Serioga]

Thank you, guys for kind comments. I appreciate it.

Originally Posted by BraskoKH

This looks very good, do you plan to weather the suspension components? !

I plan to weather the trailer first of all and some parts of chassis.

Originally Posted by BraskoKH

Do not forget realistic gobs of black grease!

Where?

[rsxse240]

Originally Posted by Serioga

Where?

EVERYWHERE!! It's a Mack! hahaha

Looks awesome and makes me want to throw my GMC in the garbage. haha