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    THE AMPHITRUCK
    23 Posts · 15 Followers · 145 Photos · 156 Likes
    Began 1 year ago by
    Fleet Admiral
    New Zealand
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    Latest Post 8 months ago by
    Fleet Admiral
    New Zealand
    Most recent posts shown first   (Show Oldest First) (Print Booklet)
    📝 AMPHITRUCK - TOWBAR FITTED
    8 months ago by 🇳🇿 jbkiwi ( Fleet Admiral)
    ✧ 44 Views · 6 Likes · 2 Comments
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    Decided to add a towbar to the truck so I can tow the Hartley cabin boat and runabout (still doing a trailer for that). Trying to do a decent launching vid, and the truck is a bit more to scale than he jeep,- also has better grip, being a lot bigger and heavier and having a 4x4 rear drive.

    Took a bit of bending to get it right, and had to slot a couple of places to be able to adjust it all to the right position. Probably around 60+ tweaks to make it fit, as it was a difficult shape to do, and the 10mm x 3mm ally strip was tough to bend in the small lengths. Just needs 2 more screws for the back angle and a file and paint and it's ready to test on the boat ramp.

    The length of the whole outfit is 1.5m now,- more of a load to take to the beach😁

    💬 Re: AMPHITRUCK - TOWBAR FITTED
    8 months ago by 🇳🇿 jbkiwi ( Fleet Admiral)
    ✧ 32 Views · 1 Like
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    Hi Steve, just finished swapping a receiver over, as the truck and boat were on the same TX, (forgot about that)😐- using the HK 6ch now. Also changed one of the TrackStar ESCs for the prop drives, as one motor was lagging. Reset both ESCs but one is still slightly behind (must be the motor,- slightly different wind) Reset the main ESC as well to get the sound to sync ( have to reset things if you change TXs) Took a while, but seems ok now. Only problem with the 6CH is, I'm a channel. short now for the fire monitor pivot, (using the 9x before)- can always siamese that to the water rudder servo if I need to.

    JB
    💬 Re: AMPHITRUCK - TOWBAR FITTED
    8 months ago by 🇦🇺 stevedownunder ( Captain)
    ✧ 31 Views · 1 Like
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    Hi JB,

    Great mod, looking forward to seeing how the truck preforms.

    Cheers,
    Stephen.
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    📝 AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇳🇿 jbkiwi ( Fleet Admiral)
    ✧ 63 Views · 7 Likes · 3 Comments
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    Time for a local beer ad to go with he truck (label even has a nautical theme.) My son and I had it with dinner tonight,- nice drop. Produced near Wellington.

    JB

    💬 Re: AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇳🇿 jbkiwi ( Fleet Admiral)
    ✧ 58 Views · 1 Like
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    Don't see my son a lot, so have to bribe him to visit with beer and food 😁😋

    JB
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    💬 Re: AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇨🇭 Mike Stoney ( Midshipman)
    ✧ 58 Views · 3 Likes
    Flag
    Hi JB!
    You deserve it!!
    Cheers you two!!👍👍👍
    Greets Michel-Claude
    💬 Re: AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇬🇧 Colin H ( Admiral)
    ✧ 63 Views · 3 Likes
    Flag
    I hope you claim sponsorship for advertising.
    Cheers Colin.
    📝 AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇳🇿 jbkiwi ( Fleet Admiral)
    ✧ 76 Views · 7 Likes · 6 Comments
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    After the trucks' swim this morning, I noticed that the ESC felt hot,- shouldn't be, as it's a 40A Hobbywing car ESC, and the brushed geared motor only sucks 5A stalled. I decided to try a fan on that, as well as the motor fan to see if it's the ESC overheating and reducing power (can't see why it should unless it's rubbish).

    I mounted a fan on the ESC and linked it with the motor fan auto circuit. Now when the motor reaches 30c, the ESC fan comes on as well. Have a couple more geared motors with lower ratios coming from Ali Exp, but not holding my breath on them coming this month (one was ordered on the 4th and still not shipped !) hopeless lot.

    Vid of the truck 'bathing' in the estuary 😁



    💬 Re: AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇳🇿 jbkiwi ( Fleet Admiral)
    ✧ 66 Views · 1 Like
    Flag
    HI Rowen, some of the sellers on Ali Exp are very good, just depends on which one you pick and the method of shipping they use. If you accept the free shipping option, all those apparently go to a consolidator in China, who waits for the airline with cheapest shipping option before sending them on. They may then go to another country (stated often as arrived in as destination country,- doesn't mean your country unless specified) and sit there waiting for the same thing.

    Ali Express std shipping is another which can be rubbish, I've found that Yan Wen special line and a few others are a better option, but there are no guarantees with any of them. I had something sit in Uzbekistan for 5 months before it moved on, looked like it had been trampled by yaks when it got here a month later.

    I have had some sellers send things by shippers I've never heard of, and the item arrives in a week or 2. Sometimes you will pay for better shipping, but the person sends it by a cheaper method. If you ever get that, report them to Ali Ex and they might get banned. You have to remember that a lot of these sellers are students or people selling part time from small apartments, and are not proper businesses as such. Ali Exp is just the middle man, but they are quite strict with sellers who try and go outside the rules, IF you report them.

    For marine stuff, I've found that the Tilkiea Model store is one of the best (99.2 % pos). They have a good range of props, jet units, shafts and other bits, which I've found to be quite good quality, and their shipping has been reliable so far,- bit slow at times but reliable.

    I've found Ali Exp itself, to be quite good at resolving disputes if you have all the relevant info and pics for them. Boils down to - Ya pays yer money and ya takes yer chances as the old saying goes 😁

    JB
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    💬 Re: AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇨🇦 Rowen ( Captain)
    ✧ 74 Views · 2 Likes
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    Note your AliExpress comment. I have had enough of these shysters.
    You order something with an expected delivery date. Then the date is arbitrarily moved. The delivery can now be months after it is needed.
    My advice, is do not unless you can accept 3/4 months delivery on an order
    💬 Re: AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇨🇦 Newby7 ( Admiral)
    ✧ 63 Views · 1 Like
    Flag
    Well done JB Bathing is right nice video of the amphitruck's water walk.
    Rick
    💬 Re: AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇳🇿 jbkiwi ( Fleet Admiral)
    ✧ 74 Views · 1 Like
    Flag
    Re fan, Hi Steve, it is a bit odd with such a small motor attached. It was really only a temporary fit to get the thing going, as it was a bit high geared for the Jeep tow wagon with the Hartley behind it (weighed about the same) I'll see what happens with the new geared motors when they come, but I suspect the motor has lost grunt due to it getting a bit hot previously, - although the small old 380 motor in the Maiami would get too hot to touch and has suffered no ill effects. Probably the quality, as the 380 was a German multiplex motor. Chinese motors have very light (and maybe impure) copper wire and it doesn't take much to cook them (like their drills).

    JB
    💬 Re: AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇦🇺 stevedownunder ( Captain)
    ✧ 74 Views · 1 Like
    Flag
    Great video JB,

    Hopefully the fan will fix your problem, though it does seem strange that the ESC gets hot at all.

    Cheers,
    Stephen.
    💬 Re: AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇦🇺 peterd ( Warrant Officer)
    ✧ 89 Views · 2 Likes
    Flag
    I am going through that with my Baby Bootlegger. Not enough airflow. I have just received a new esc with attached fan so hopefully that will make a difference.

    The boat was slowing down dramatically after 15 minutes in the water, mostly just stooging around with a variety of speeds.
    📝 AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇳🇿 jbkiwi ( Fleet Admiral)
    ✧ 85 Views · 10 Likes · 13 Comments
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    A few pics from todays beach outing. Actually had the truck swimming, but forgot my bike helmet with the camera mount, so couldn't video it in the water (too many fingers required.) Quite a current running with the tide coming in, which made it a bit difficult to manoeuver (full power, it was standing still). have to do another one on a better day. Did a quick vid on land while I was there. Made a fuel tank for the outboard earlier as well, for another small addition.



    💬 Re: AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇳🇿 jbkiwi ( Fleet Admiral)
    ✧ 79 Views · 0 Likes
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    Probably not one of the better marine craft ever designed Nerys !

    JB
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    💬 Re: AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇳🇿 jbkiwi ( Fleet Admiral)
    ✧ 79 Views · 0 Likes
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    You'd have to have a death wish to drive one of those Doug !- not a lot of freeboard, calm sailing only.😐

    JB
    💬 Re: AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇺🇸 pressonreguardless ( Commodore)
    ✧ 79 Views · 1 Like
    Flag
    Great History Lesson, Doug.
    This Site is all one needs.
    It has a plethora of information on all topics 👍👍😀😀
    Trev
    💬 Re: AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇦🇺 peterd ( Warrant Officer)
    ✧ 85 Views · 0 Likes
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    Will check them out. Certainly fits the vehicle.
    💬 Re: AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇬🇧 Nerys ( Fleet Admiral)
    ✧ 94 Views · 2 Likes
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    If you do build a Sherman tank, floating version, JB, please make sure it has plenty of buoyancy, a lot sank, drowning the crews, on D Day before they reached the beaches.

    Nerys
    💬 Re: AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇦🇺 stevedownunder ( Captain)
    ✧ 81 Views · 1 Like
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    Hi JB,

    Fantastic result and those photos really are great, atmospheric I would say. 👍

    Cheers,
    Stephen.
    💬 Re: AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇩🇪 RNinMunich ( Fleet Admiral)
    ✧ 87 Views · 2 Likes
    Flag
    Great stuff JB,👍
    Now you've proven the basics how about one of Hobart's Funnies?
    You've guessed it - a D DAY Sherman DD tank😮
    😁😎

    💬 Re: AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇳🇿 jbkiwi ( Fleet Admiral)
    ✧ 84 Views · 2 Likes
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    Hi Peterd, uses a GT Power mini sound unit, one of the better ones I've found. 58 different vehicle sounds loaded.

    JB
    💬 Re: AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇳🇿 jbkiwi ( Fleet Admiral)
    ✧ 83 Views · 1 Like
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    Hi Phil, a few improvements to make with the drive yet, - new stronger geared motor with more torque ordered, - think I might have cooked this one a bit earlier as it overheated on a test, and now doesn't have half the go it had before, (bit too high geared for the weight.)

    JB
    💬 Re: AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇳🇿 jbkiwi ( Fleet Admiral)
    ✧ 83 Views · 2 Likes
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    Thanks for the comment Peter, better vid to come soon hopefully. Tide was a bit strong this time for a good one.

    JB
    💬 Re: AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇭🇺 MouldBuilder ( Vice Admiral)
    ✧ 90 Views · 2 Likes
    Flag
    Looks fantastic. Great job JB.👍👍
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    💬 Re: AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇬🇧 philcaretaker ( Captain)
    ✧ 89 Views · 2 Likes
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    " Great fun 👍😎project " JB
    💬 Re: AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇦🇺 peterd ( Warrant Officer)
    ✧ 93 Views · 2 Likes
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    Engine noise is very realistic. Sounds like a truck I used to own. A great project with a difference. Looking forward to more videos.👍
    📝 AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇳🇿 jbkiwi ( Fleet Admiral)
    ✧ 88 Views · 4 Likes · 1 Comment
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    Trying out the fire fighting capabilities. Would have been quicker if I had remembered it had rotation.



    💬 Re: AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇭🇺 MouldBuilder ( Vice Admiral)
    ✧ 90 Views · 1 Like
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    Brilliant. Hope that was not your steak in that pan.😀
    📝 AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇳🇿 jbkiwi ( Fleet Admiral)
    ✧ 93 Views · 5 Likes · 3 Comments
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    Testing the water pick-up for the monitor, and draft. Has had a total of 1.5kg added, - pump, canopy, RIB, (silent H 😁 lol) etc, which has increased the draft by about 5mm. Still heaps of freeboard. Have ordered a 1000rpm/12v reduction geared motor, as the 1600rpm/12v is a bit high for the weight, and struggles a bit on thick grass. Motor got hot and faded during a hard test, even though the auto cooling fan came on at 55c. Have now fitted a 30c temp switch, to start cooling earlier.

    A lot to ask of a small 35x40 brushed motor, trying to haul 5kg on anything but fairly smooth terrain with that gearing. The geared motor was from the Jeep tow wagon for the Hartley model, (just used to set things up) which was also swapped for a 1000rpm/12v version. Can go even lower if necessary, as these little gearboxes have tons of torque, - will skid all 4 rear wheels if held back on a table for eg. Jeep with that set-up pulls 13lbs total easily.



    💬 Re: AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇳🇿 jbkiwi ( Fleet Admiral)
    ✧ 91 Views · 0 Likes
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    My tinfoil hat is obviously not thick enough Ron !😂

    JB
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    💬 Re: AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇺🇸 pressonreguardless ( Commodore)
    ✧ 92 Views · 2 Likes
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    Capital Idea👍👍
    💬 Re: AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇨🇦 Ron ( Vice Admiral)
    ✧ 101 Views · 3 Likes
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    Wow, a mobile watering can for the roses, Next will be a water trailer to be towed behind the truck! All controlled from the shade on the deck, with lemonade n ice in hand.😋😎
    📝 AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇳🇿 jbkiwi ( Fleet Admiral)
    ✧ 98 Views · 5 Likes · 5 Comments
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    Latest addition is a fire monitor, made with a nozzle from an epoxy kit, a plastic dome of unknown origin I've kept for years, and a few other bits and pieces. Dome has a ply base glued on, with a hole for the silicone tube (also a hole in the dome for the tube to exit) There is a 3mm bolt with nut, tightened and cyano'd in place in the center for the pivot. Holes for the bolt and a quadrant for the tube to travel in were cut in the roof.

    The silicone tube was fed through the dome and base and into the nozzle as far as possible. Nozzle cupped end was filled with hotmelt glue and applied to the dome. A thin plastic disc was made to fit under the dome,-over the bolt and tube to provide a friction reduction. Another disc was made to go under the roof, and under the 'tiller' for the monitor. The 'tiller' has a corresponding bolt hole and tube hole at the rear end which holds the tube and uses it to turn the monitor round the quadrant, using the bolt (secured with Loctited nut) as a pivot/leverage point.

    A servo was mounted under the roof on the opposite side with a plastic tube and clevis connecting rod. The servo is activated using the assigned pitch throttle rotary sw on ch 8 the 9x TX. The lights are on ch 5 which uses the assigned gear switch, the water pump is on the assigned throttle stop sw on ch 7.

    The water pump (6-12v) is mounted on the diff box cover, (mounted with silicone) and has a pickup tube through the hull in front of it. Monitor has about a 30deg range of motion, and a range of 8ft on a 2s LiPo

    💬 Re: AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇳🇿 jbkiwi ( Fleet Admiral)
    ✧ 90 Views · 1 Like
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    Hi Stephen, thanks for the comment, the name is from our native Tuatara, a slow prehistoric reptile, which lives in burrows (not a lizard or Iguana, but a living fossil) Both our countries seem to be blessed with weird ancient creatures. The name of the car was taken from this.

    There's also an Italian company which calls itself Maori Yacht,- taken from the NZ Maori
    supposedly to represent a Pacific Islands flavour, - makes some pretty flash super yachts.
    https://maoriyacht.com/
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    💬 Re: AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇦🇺 stevedownunder ( Captain)
    ✧ 91 Views · 2 Likes
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    Hi JB,
    Your Tuatara is certainly packed with equipment and working features. I looked up what a Tuatara was to discover it is a Hyper car with a 1750 hp engine and capable of more than 300 mph, does this mean your version is a support vehicle or a new form of go anywhere hyper truck?

    Great work.

    Cheers,
    Stephen.
    💬 Re: AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇺🇸 pressonreguardless ( Commodore)
    ✧ 97 Views · 1 Like
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    I like sneaking up on the Sun Bathers😂😂😂😂😂
    💬 Re: AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇨🇦 Ron ( Vice Admiral)
    ✧ 105 Views · 2 Likes
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    Next, we will see it traveling? Sneaking up on unsuspecting sunbathers, and cooling off with a shower. Or, a nice cool brew!
    💬 Re: AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇺🇸 pressonreguardless ( Commodore)
    ✧ 96 Views · 1 Like
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    Excellent way to fill the dog's water bowl 👍👍👍👍👍
    📝 AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇳🇿 jbkiwi ( Fleet Admiral)
    ✧ 112 Views · 10 Likes · 6 Comments
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    Almost finished the RIB and outboard combo, which slides into the back of the truck. RIB is just carved balsa blocks and balsa sheeting. Outboard is a balsa block, squashed ally tube (ex TV aerial) and decals copied from the real ones, - prop is just from a plastic container. RIB's a bit rough, but is mainly just for effect, although it can float. RIB is 280x160x35mm

    💬 Re: AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇳🇿 jbkiwi ( Fleet Admiral)
    ✧ 102 Views · 0 Likes
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    And all the way back to China as well Doug, Strong legs on those little guys.

    JB
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    💬 Re: AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇩🇪 RNinMunich ( Fleet Admiral)
    ✧ 109 Views · 0 Likes
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    "we aren't allowed to crate Kiwis any more, too rare now😁"
    Oh dear 🤔
    Do you make the poor little things swim and walk all the way to Germany then?😮
    😎😁
    💬 Re: AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇳🇿 jbkiwi ( Fleet Admiral)
    ✧ 106 Views · 2 Likes
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    Surely you mean crates of Speights Doug or do you mean the other?, we aren't allowed to crate Kiwis any more, too rare now😁

    JB
    💬 Re: AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇭🇺 MouldBuilder ( Vice Admiral)
    ✧ 112 Views · 2 Likes
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    Looks great JB. Soon be in the water.
    💬 Re: AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇩🇪 RNinMunich ( Fleet Admiral)
    ✧ 112 Views · 1 Like
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    Ooops😮
    Bit of a faux pas there Ron!
    More likely a truckload of Kiwis😁
    But with that RHIB and tools and wotnot there ain't much room for payload such as crates of kiwis 🤔
    😁😎
    💬 Re: AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇨🇦 Ron ( Vice Admiral)
    ✧ 116 Views · 3 Likes
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    Awestruck or is it Aussie-Truck ? 🙄
    📝 AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇳🇿 jbkiwi ( Fleet Admiral)
    ✧ 119 Views · 7 Likes · 3 Comments
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    I was in the big hardware shop picking up some fertilizer and having a browse in the cabinetry fittings isle, for anything which might be of use on the truck, when I spotted some very interesting items,- spring loaded drawer pushers ! "Drawer pushers"? you might ask, "what would you want those for"? I thought they would make perfect levelling jacks. Painted them black and screwed the brackets to the truck sides, trimmed the brackets so the pushers could slide in and out easily, and presto! truck jacks. (Pushers are a push on, push off type". Made some balsa foot packer blocks as well, stained them and added pull ropes.

    With the blocks in place, all 6 wheels are just off the ground, (or any corner if required for changing a wheel), Could do with slightly stronger springs, but as they are,- 90% perfect. Might groove them near full extent and add circlips to hold it right up for storage and display purposes. Blocks and 'jacks' all fit nicely in the tray each side.

    The blue EVA foam is glued to the the slides for the RIB (under construction)

    💬 Re: AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇺🇸 pressonreguardless ( Commodore)
    ✧ 117 Views · 1 Like
    Flag
    Very Clever👍
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    💬 Re: AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇳🇿 jbkiwi ( Fleet Admiral)
    ✧ 118 Views · 0 Likes
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    Hi Ron, very soon my frozen friend LL,- can't do it only 3/4 finished, wouldn't be cricket (or water polo) Just a few more bits to add and we'll be paddling in the briny. Re weather,- bit cold tonight (this morning), wind, drizzle and only 25.6 C BRRRRRRRRR

    JB
    💬 Re: AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇨🇦 Ron ( Vice Admiral)
    ✧ 124 Views · 1 Like
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    Okay mate, we are all anxiously waiting to see this creation take to the road and waterways. When do you anticipate this to happen? After all, you are enjoying summer while we in the northern hemisphere are looking at snow and ice.😁
    📝 AMPHITRUCK
    1 year ago by 🇳🇿 jbkiwi ( Fleet Admiral)
    ✧ 125 Views · 7 Likes
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    Now that the canopy has been made, and I shouldn't have to flip the model over, I have added some of the breakable accessories which had been previously made, (along-side other things as usual) Exhaust pipe, intake snorkel, (made from ally tube from an old TV aerial, V cut, bent and bends filled with epoxy to mould in place, - intake top was another screw cap epoxied onto the tube, door handles and 'hinges', a couple of tool boxes (balsa) with decals, and name 'badges' for the front and rear. Also added a pair of fire extinguishers from Ali Ex,- bought last year for the runabout, (which were too big for it). Some pieces of reflectorized tape were added to the back as well, (bought a roll for marking my letter box and fence posts on the drive)

    More to come yet.

    Show 13 More Posts


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