FROADER's F-250 Supercab

[FROADER]

I wanted a pickup but I didn't want the usual Hilux or F-350 so I contacted my local styrene guru, Pablo, to see if he could help me out. I asked for an F-350 supercab short bed.

I'll be putting it on my SCX chassis and stretching the wheelbase 3/4 of an inch to fit the body. He did an excellent job on it and I'm really digging how it looks. He sent me all of the pictures while he was in the process so I'll let them speak for themselves on the quality of work he did with it.

I also got all my materials for a front and rear bumper, sliders and a bed rack. It'll be my first time brazing, so I hope it is as easy as it sounds.

What I'm working with:
Chassis: SCX-10
Axles: Axial
Trans: Axial
ESC: Rooster Crawler
Motor: Novak 45t
TX/RX: RC4WD Big Off-Roader 2.4
Servo: Hitec 645mg
Batteries: 4500mah 6 cell stick pack (going to try a different way to mount these.)
Paint: I'm still not sure. Olive Drab, desert tan, flat black, flat white... (might wrap it) and this will determine which wheels I use. Will take suggestions.
Wheels: Either black axial BLs or RC4WD OEM steelies painted black.
Tires: RC4WD Mud Thrashers
Winch: 3 Racing
Lights: Bill's Custom R/C Lighting (Awesome guy to work with BTW).
Extras: Some scale accessories.

Here are pics of the body process:

Filling in the handle and stock body mounts:

Being a stickler for detail, he relocated the fuel filler door:

A bonus for me, he made the rear window more scale:

Comparison:

Primed and ready to go:

Another bonus, a rear slider window (he's still working on this). Fricken sweet though!

Here is a quick photoshop idea (if I wrap it) of what I want it to look like. I'm going for the expedition style rig.

I'm off work until Wednesday so I'm hoping to have this thing running and almost done by Tuesday to test it at CDM.


Here are some pics from today's work.

Longer links:

Body mounts with industrial strength velcro. The most rear mount might be changed.

The start of the winch/bumper plate:

This was my first time brazing and it's a little tricky. Definitely room for improvement, and it's not exactly symmetrical, but I guess I'm happy with it. The bigger tube is 3/16 brake line and the smaller is 1/8 solid rod.

I got the Thrashers mounted and decided on the axial BLs painted black over the steelies. I'll use those for the next build.

I'll probably get the sliders cut and bent tonight and braze them tomorrow. I think I need a fine tip for the torch though.

 

[Jester666]

Great job on on the body work, very clean looking. Keep up the great work "thumbsup".

 

[bivens22]

Lookin good. I will definately have to watch this thread. Great job so far.

 

[bmuzz1]

Good work there Colin. Pablo did a sweet job on the body and keep practicing that brazing it'll get easier.

 

[Jensenman]

Finally a super cab, been waiting awhile for one of these to show up. subscribed

 

[FROADER]

Thanks guys.
Jensen, there are a couple supercabs on here. MR. VERTICAL's is the only one that comes to mind right now though.

Today's progess.

I got the sliders all brazed up and mounted. What a PITA.

I had an idea for mounting the battery to keep the CG a little lower, although I'm not sure how to secure them down yet. Any ideas?

Took a break from the metal work and made a quick roof top tent that will go on the bed rack. I bought a thin sheet of balsa wood, cut it up, glued and nailed it together then wrapped it in some fabric I found in the garage.

 

[lobi1kanobi]

velcro straps or use the redneck way duck tape or you could zip tie them to the frame o by the way im really liking the body

 

[FROADER]

I figured out the battery situation.

I brazed another tube on the slider mount bars so the battery rests against the frame, slider mount bar and the new tube. I have to find some smaller straps than the Axials I have though, they are a little too long.

velcro straps or use the redneck way duck tape or you could zip tie them to the frame o by the way im really liking the body

Thanks.

I thought of zip-ties, but the way the battery is configured, every time I change batteries, I'd have to cut and apply new ties. So the velcro straps is what I'm going for.

 

[VanDongen]

Excellent battery mounting. May have to steel that idea from you.
Nice fab work on the bumper and sliders be the way. Looks good!

 

[super mud]

I had that idea too a while ago but it wouldnt fit in my Bronco buggy even with 2/3a's

 

[FROADER]

Thanks guys.

Some more work today.

Made a rear bumper which should have been the easiest part, but it kicked my butt. Not completely happy with it, but it will do until I make another.

I cut the body behind the wheel wells and followed it with the bumper.

Got most of the bed rack finished as well. I just need to braze plates to the legs and drill holes in the bed to mount it.

With the RTT on it.

Tomorrow will be clean-up and painting the tube. If I decide what I want to paint the body, I'll do that too.

 

[bmuzz1]

Looks good Colin and from the looks of your rack it looks like your getting the hang of brazing to."thumbsup"

 

[Tommy R]

Colin, this is looking fantastic!! It's pretty much exactly what I would've wanted with my F-350 build. And it looks like you're getting a handle on the brazing, but be careful. It looks like you brazed to galvanized when you made the front bumper (which came out nice!). Just be careful to avoid those fumes!

Subscribed! "thumbsup"

 

[FROADER]

Thanks, Brian and Tommy.

I am starting to get the hang of brazing and will make new front and rear bumpers eventually, but for now these will do. The only tube that was galvanized, are the side bars (of the front bumper) that I had from a while ago. They were already shaped like that so that's why I used them. I did grind off most of the coating before I brazed so the fumes weren't too bad and I did it outside of the garage.

I'll have pics later today of everything painted including the body. The weather is starting to get warmer and the sun is coming out. Then later tonight I'll have the lights and hopefully the BENDER wheel wells (already had them for my bronco) installed.

 

[Tommy R]

Good deal. I figured you already knew about the fume issue, but better safe than sorry!

 

[grob23]

looks awesome, that's a super clean extended cab8)

 

[FROADER]

Thanks grob.

More progess.

In the paint booth...

Also made a spare tire mount.

I started the paint tonight, but it was too cold outside to finish. So I'm going to try and get the lights and wheel wells installed tonight. Tomorrow will be finish painting and then maybe get to CDM to test it out.

 

[chicostaxxs007]

not a ford fan but looks good

 

[FROADER]

Well it's 95% done.

Got the paint finsihed and mounted most of my accessories.

Still to do:
* Install rock lights (anyone know how to diffuse LEDs? I don't want them to look like spot lights)
* Tint the tail lights red
* Apply a couple stickers
* Find better foams for the tires
* Probably get another Mud Thrasher for the spare to match

 

[bmuzz1]

That looks cool Colin, I really like the clean paint scheme!"thumbsup"