Author Topic: 1/35 Frankentruck (Read 2248 times)

Frank3k · « **on:** July 15, 2026, 11:27:03 AM »

A few years ago, Story sent me an old Omega-K (later, ICM) 1/35 Ural 4320 cargo truck:

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/omega-k-35001-ural-4320--120605

It's a very detailed kit, and many parts (like the front wheels and the rear suspension) can be made movable, without resorting to overscaled parts. The skill of the mold makers was beyond the capabilities of the molding technology at the time, but the kit can be built and detailed without much trouble. It's a good example of a 1990s good quality ex-Eastern European kit.

I built most of the chassis and started working on the cab when the idea of a cab over engine (COE) version came to mind but it seemed like a difficult conversion.

The kit sat unfinished for 2-3 years; along the way, I found the 3D files for a 1/16 scale Kamaz COE truck. I thought of scaling the cab down to fit the Ural chassis, but converting STL mesh files to something easily workable was more effort than I wanted to expend and other projects grabbed my attention.
Last week, I looked at the files again, drew the outline of the existing cab and just made my own. I used the STL files and pictures of the various Kamaz trucks for inspiration and finally had something that I could print. It's Kamaz-ish.

This is roughly the goal and inspiration, although it's not quite a Kamaz 43113

I tried a few quick filament prints to get something that would fit the chassis and based on that, I sent the latest version to the resin printer, where it's printing right now.
I broke my long term habit of making the windows glue from the inside of the cab, which has always been an annoyance. Let's see if gluing them in from the outside is an improvement:

Exploded view. The upper cab shell is one unit, which helps hide the supports inside and minimizes supports damaging the exterior:

The instrument panel is a copy of the Kamaz 4310 IP. The radio is one of my previous designs. Some of the other knobs and switches are inspired by the interior of the HEMTT. The seats are generic and I'll probably reuse them in other builds/designs:

There's enough room in the cab behind the driver and passenger for a bed and plenty of supplies and equipment. After seeing Buzzbomb's post-apocalyptic MRAP, I may turn this into a post apocalyptic (or post Russia) vehicle.

Buzzbomb · « **Reply #1 on:** July 15, 2026, 12:57:52 PM »

Quote from: Frank3k on July 15, 2026, 11:27:03 AM

There's enough room in the cab behind the driver and passenger for a bed and plenty of supplies and equipment. After seeing Buzzbomb's post-apocalyptic MRAP, I may turn this into a post apocalyptic (or post Russia) vehicle.

Happy to be of service sir

That is great design work and there is certainly room for more Softskin options like this.
Recently saw the International Acco truck in 1/35 as used by the Australian Army on BNA . Did a lot of miles in the back of these during my Army days, plus they were used in Vietnam, but at $156 AUD for the kit,which would be about $2 worth of resin, you sort of think not just yet.

So great work, looking forward to seeing how the prints come out.

Claymore · « **Reply #2 on:** July 15, 2026, 06:17:21 PM »

Wow, beautifully detailed design work. Hugely impressed!

Old Wombat · « **Reply #3 on:** July 15, 2026, 10:50:02 PM »

Beyond me but the shots look good, if a bit squarer & more flat-topped than the KAMAZ.

Quote from: Buzzbomb on July 15, 2026, 12:57:52 PM

Recently saw the International Acco truck in 1/35 as used by the Australian Army on BNA .

The ACCO F.1 looks like a really nice kit ... But, yeah, $156 is a bit steep for a truck

Still, not much more expensive than the $100(+/-) of the Trumpeter 1/35 M1078 LMTV Standard Cargo when it came out - in "real, what your dollar could buy" terms (it's still in the $90+ RRP range).

Jeffry Fontaine · « **Reply #4 on:** July 16, 2026, 01:12:59 AM »

Nice to see this project getting some attention. The COE looks great. Hope the fit is perfect.

Frank3k · « **Reply #5 on:** July 16, 2026, 11:11:50 AM »

Here's the cab on the truck. The resin is splotchy because I let some of it sit in the printer tank for too long and the pigment separated. Perfectly ok, though. The parts have some dust on them from removing the supports and sanding. I knocked the mirror off of the driver's door. The passenger door still has its mirror in this picture, but that was knocked off five minutes later. I expected this, so there's room to replace the mirror support with wire.

The kit wheels are too big for the vinyl tires, so they look a bit wobbly in these pictures. The tires are pretty nice, so I'll trim them until the wheels fit. If that gets too tiresome, I'll just print new tires:

Here's the cab with the wheel arches. I'm not loving them; I may just add mudflaps or reprint them:

The front bumper looks OK. I'll add a PE mesh behind the grill. The small vertical bars on the grill are supports; I may leave them in. I'll also block off the area between the chassis and the front of the body.

The dashboard came out OK:

I also have an Italeri M923 A1 "Bigfoot". I shortened the chassis a while ago, but haven't had the motivation to finish it since the main attraction - the bigfoot tires - are crap. But looky here, the cab fits and looks good! I'll have to remove and reattach the fender to allow the cab to move forward a bit. I guess I'll have to print another cab:

Frank3k · « **Reply #6 on:** July 18, 2026, 10:27:30 AM »

I found a couple of spare wheel arches I'd printed to correct the ICM 1/35 Renault AHN truck that I built. They fit well; some sanding, trimming and a mudflap at the rear and this section will be good to go:

I don't have any suitable tires for the Italeri M932 truck, so I started working on some tires. They probably won't be exactly like the Michelin tires on the real M932, but far better than the kit tires. I found a cross section of a weighed tire, so I may try to make a sagged tire. Here's the rendered and shaded versions of the WIP (not sagged):

apophenia · « **Reply #7 on:** July 18, 2026, 10:58:17 AM »

Quote from: Frank3k on July 18, 2026, 10:27:30 AM

I found a couple of spare wheel arches I'd printed to correct the ICM 1/35 Renault AHN truck that I built. They fit well; some sanding, trimming and a mudflap at the rear and this section will be good to go ...

Wow! So that fit was just happenstance? Amazing

Your Michelin XZL R20 renders look great so far! Interested to see how they look when weighted

Frank3k · « **Reply #8 on:** July 22, 2026, 01:45:37 PM »

Stephen - the arches just happened to fit. Pretty amazing. I went ahead and printed out a couple of extra cabs with the doors closed and with and without wheel arches, plus mudflaps and separate arches. This project has expanded - I started out with making just the cab for the ICM URAL, then the old Italeri M923 Bigfoot (not 932...) joined the party. That kit's tires are awful, so I started to CAD a new set.

I've always been curious about how to CAD a sagged tire and how to add the wavy sidewalls caused by the radial supports... I saw it as a skill-building challenge. So, after a couple of days ofCAD work, I have these - almost ready for the printer:

The front tires. The radial pattern and lettering may be a bit too much, but we'll see once they've been printed:

The rear tire is pretty much the same, just a different hub. It's hard to see the tire sag:

I have seven tires that are going through a final check. Each is different (sag in a different spot re the lettering). I didn't make an unsagged spare - the seventh tire will have to do. I was surprised to see my pretty powerful computer struggling a bit, but the tires are more complex than they appear.

Not great, compared to after-market resin parts, but not terrible either. These are not exact copies of the Michelin tires, though. This is a hobby not a job after all.

Claymore · « **Reply #9 on:** July 23, 2026, 01:19:33 AM »

Wow! Great work Frank.

apophenia · « **Reply #10 on:** July 23, 2026, 03:50:22 AM »

Quote from: Claymore on July 23, 2026, 01:19:33 AM

Wow! Great work Frank.

What he said! Your computer work here is a thing of beauty, Frank

Quote from: Frank3k on July 22, 2026, 01:45:37 PM

...
I have seven tires that are going through a final check. Each is different (sag in a different spot re the lettering)... tires are more complex than they appear...

Putting the sag in varying spots to have the individual tires rotated to differing degrees is one of those details that will really pop on the built model! Nice

Quote from: Frank3k on July 22, 2026, 01:45:37 PM

... These are not exact copies of the Michelin tires, though. This is a hobby not a job after all.

True. But, if it were a job, Michelin SCA should be paying you for depicting their product so well

________________________________

Off on a tangent ... I do wonder why corporations' marketing department take so little interest in seeing their products depicted in scale form. It just seems like good exposure to an enthusiast part of the tax-paying market (and probably better value than most of their adverts placed in often obscure trade mags). [/tangent]

Frank3k · « **Reply #11 on:** July 24, 2026, 11:55:39 AM »

Thanks, Stephen. To answer your question - I think corporate lawyers probably get involved since they have to protect the brand, somehow.

...

I printed 2 sets of tires, 14 in total (I paid for the build plate and I'm going to fill it up, dammit!) Here's Steve considering opening "Steve's Bigfoot Tire Emporium":

The tires are just out of the curing station, so they still have some supports visible and small dings. It's hard to see where the sagged section is, but if I put the tire on a flat surface, it will roll until the sagged section (which is thicker, therefore heavier) is facing down.

Front tire. Some small supports (and dings) are visible.

Rear tire. I had to drill the attachment hole in the back a bit deeper since it was too shallow:

The radial ribbing isn't very visible and not really close to the reat tire, but it's good enough. I used the published dimensions for the Michelin tire compared to the ltaleri tire. I may have used a larger tire dimension, but the Italeri is a scrawny tire any way you look at it:

On the shortened M923a1 chassis. The cab is a new print. I taped the mudflap on:

The back tires are loose and slightly twisted. They are close together, but when pushed onto the axles, they're about 3mm apart. Close, but since they're at a fixed separation I don't think it would be an issue in the real world.

Somehow I've ended up with two parallel truck builds. How did that happen?

Buzzbomb · « **Reply #12 on:** July 24, 2026, 05:36:27 PM »

Oh.. those wheels are super good.

Excellent work there

Old Wombat · « **Reply #13 on:** July 24, 2026, 10:25:27 PM »

Excellence across the board there, wheels & cab! Brilliant work, Frank!

apophenia · « **Reply #14 on:** July 25, 2026, 03:19:36 AM »

Frank, your XZLs are things to true beauty

(And "scrawny" doesn't begin to cover those Italeri shirt-buttons!)

Quote from: Frank3k on July 24, 2026, 11:55:39 AM

... I think corporate lawyers probably get involved since they have to protect the brand, somehow.

Yep. Óðinn forfend that any good product publicity should slip past the legal department

On the ribbing, it is subtle but I wonder if they will pop back out with a bit of paint detailing/weathering?

Quote from: Frank3k on July 24, 2026, 11:55:39 AM

... Somehow I've ended up with two parallel truck builds. How did that happen?

Frank3k · « **Reply #15 on:** July 25, 2026, 04:14:13 AM »

I did screw up on the tires; I went with the largest quoted diameter I found online, which makes them considerably larger than intended. I have to measure the gap between the rear tires, but it's around 3mm. The tires are 2mm larger in diameter than they should be. I'm not reprinting the tires, so more plastic surgery! Of the two tricks this one will definitely be the Frankentruck. The Ural mods are sedate in comparison and will lack the violence I'll inflict on the former M923.

Kerick · « **Reply #16 on:** July 25, 2026, 07:50:37 AM »

Is it possible to move the axles slightly farther apart? You’ve probably already thought of that.
Will this be a civilian truck? Lots of possibilities there! The cargo ideas will be unlimited. I’ve been watching this. Classic whiff!

Frank3k · « **Reply #17 on:** July 25, 2026, 10:34:33 AM »

Fixing the wheel separation was a lot easier than I expected. I just cut off the four axle attachment points for the wheels, glued four square posts on the outer edges of the axles, drilled suitable holes and reattached the wheel attachments. I reinforced everything with CA. The axle isn't symmetrical, so it took some care to get everything in the right positions and all the tires to line up. This out of focus image shows the mods:

I should have made the lower posts longer to keep the axle distances the same, but I later made a small spacer to keep the back of the tires aligned.

Just a test shot; the rearmost wheel is a little wonky because it isn't quite in its "sagged" spot. The gap between the tires is now 7mm, which should be good enough:

I'll try to paint both chassis this weekend.

Kerick · « **Reply #18 on:** July 25, 2026, 11:11:12 AM »

Beautiful beast!

Buzzbomb · « **Reply #19 on:** July 25, 2026, 07:59:31 PM »

And that is fixed

Claymore · « **Reply #20 on:** July 26, 2026, 12:54:17 AM »

Great work Frank!

Frank3k · « **Reply #21 on:** August 05, 2026, 08:03:53 AM »

I'm making some progress. I'm building two trucks, so progress is slow (plus I have to keep checking which truck I'm working on). I saw the Italeri Mercedes-Benz Wrecker Truck:

and liked the front bumper, so I borrowed the idea for the repair truck version (based on the M923 chassis) and designed and printed something similar. I also made a utility box/cargo area. Steve will need a ladder to get to some of the equipment in the top cabinets :

I'll add a no-skid plate for the space between the cargo box and the spare tire:

This version of the bumper had some minor printing errors; it's just held in place:

The Ural 4320 version has seen some progress as well:

The kit tires looked good at first, but they have strange swirls and cracks in the vinyl. They're not as visible under the paint, so I'll keep them. The KUNG box is straight out of the box (right now) and it fit the chassis quite well. I had to move the fuel tank, a few mm to the left, but that was the main mod.

Jeffry Fontaine · « **Reply #22 on:** August 05, 2026, 08:33:05 AM »

Really liking that maintenance box you created for the one vehicle. Looks like a real practical bit of kit.

Old Wombat · « **Reply #23 on:** August 05, 2026, 09:45:13 AM »

Both coming along nicely, Frank!

What are you filling the space forward of the tool box on the M923 version with?

Frank3k · « **Reply #24 on:** August 05, 2026, 12:30:42 PM »

Thanks guys - The space in front of the tool box would be for either welding gases or tools/equipment for the box. it could also be a way of climbing into the box without a ladder (at least a long one)

Jeff - the tool box should be about the same x and y dimensions as the box on the Unimog 404:

I may reprint it with some minor changes. What looks like supports on the four corners of the top surface are actually vent holes to prevent any resin in the hollow boxes from pulling the box off the build plate, either from suction forces or weight. I should add at least one, maybe two more per side to act as supports for a canvas top. I also have two small drain holes near the cargo floor that would act as drains for water on the real vehicle, but acted as resin drains on the print.

I also need to add internal supports to the empty side boxes. The walls are pretty thin and can warp (in or out).

Frank3k · « **Reply #25 on:** August 06, 2026, 10:30:03 AM »

I'm focusing on what I think of as the "American" vehicle today . Some work was done to the ~~cockpit~~ cabin. I used some Ural 4310 3D decals for the instrument panel and they look good:

Cat hair is a bonus. The seats are loose and I still need to add some bits (floor mats, pedals, brake and shifter, more weathering)

Jeffry Fontaine · « **Reply #26 on:** August 06, 2026, 06:44:49 PM »

Quote from: Frank3k on August 05, 2026, 12:30:42 PM

Thanks guys - The space in front of the tool box would be for either welding gases or tools/equipment for the box. it could also be a way of climbing into the box without a ladder (at least a long one)

Jeff - the tool box should be about the same x and y dimensions as the box on the Unimog 404:

I may reprint it with some minor changes. What looks like supports on the four corners of the top surface are actually vent holes to prevent any resin in the hollow boxes from pulling the box off the build plate, either from suction forces or weight. I should add at least one, maybe two more per side to act as supports for a canvas top. I also have two small drain holes near the cargo floor that would act as drains for water on the real vehicle, but acted as resin drains on the print.

I also need to add internal supports to the empty side boxes. The walls are pretty thin and can warp (in or out).

That was good design planning on your part Frank. The holes could also serve at mounting points for a platform to increase storage or as a work stand to service things higher off the ground. Either way, brilliant design and it looks legit!

apophenia · « **Reply #27 on:** August 07, 2026, 07:17:39 AM »

Quote from: Frank3k on August 06, 2026, 10:30:03 AM

... Cat hair is a bonus...

And, if it can't be removed, it becomes part of the 'wiring harness'

Frank3k · « **Reply #28 on:** August 07, 2026, 10:47:13 AM »

Cat hair removed. I added more comfortable seats, added seat belts, floor mats, pedals and a shifter:

The strange lines on the seats are an effect of printer aliasing interacting with the surface details I put on the seat cushions. The angles were just right. I'm keeping them because they look like they belong, although it would be difficult to reproduce if I wanted to.

Old Wombat · « **Reply #29 on:** August 07, 2026, 03:33:34 PM »

There's a 1970's concept car vibe to those seats.

Claymore · « **Reply #30 on:** August 07, 2026, 11:31:36 PM »

The seats look great (sometimes unexpected consequences work out fine) and the detail is exceptional!

Frank3k · « **Reply #31 on:** August 07, 2026, 11:59:04 PM »

Guy, I think I got these as either a free STL or I modified a free STL. I like the side supports, especially for a truck that'll go off-road.

This is one example of where print orientation is important. There are also other relatively minor issues with the print that are due to my wanting to rush the print and picking a resolution (50um) which is standard on most printers. This printer has much smaller pixels (and also rectangular) so in some situations, you get more obvious banding.

Old Wombat · « **Reply #32 on:** August 08, 2026, 12:37:44 AM »

Explanation is over my head (a little), I just think the seats are cool, Frank!

Frank3k · « **Reply #33 on:** August 08, 2026, 10:01:49 AM »

I added some color to the American truck. Parts are just resting in place. I think Steve is pleased:

Except that the tool box at the rear is supposed to be orange. It came out redder than intended:

The color on the tool box is splotchy for a reason. I've also "prepositioned" some damaged areas:

Kerick · « **Reply #34 on:** August 08, 2026, 10:44:25 AM »

Steve should be pleased! That’s looking great!

Old Wombat · « **Reply #35 on:** August 08, 2026, 11:20:10 AM »

A bit of colour & she really POPs!

Dr. YoKai · « **Reply #36 on:** August 14, 2026, 03:57:46 AM »

That is splendid. Not sure it's really McQueen's speed, but he'll get the best out of it...

apophenia · « **Reply #37 on:** August 14, 2026, 05:11:24 AM »

Quote from: Dr. YoKai on August 14, 2026, 03:57:46 AM

That is splendid. Not sure it's really McQueen's speed, but he'll get the best out of it...

Yep. It may not have been Steve's thang but those six Michelin's will give traction on slippery SF roads that Bullitt's GT 390 fastback could only dream of! (It would also be fun to see what that 'roo bar could do to a Charger R/T!)

Frank3k · « **Reply #38 on:** August 14, 2026, 10:58:33 AM »

Thanks, gues!

I started weathering - it still needs some dust and wear in spots. My idea of designing the cab so that the windows are placed from the outside is not a great one. I now have to figure out a way of hiding the gaps and edges around the glass.

24/7/365 sounds like a good name for a specialized, all terrain and weather repair service:

The side-view mirrors will go on last. I may use the 3D printed ones or use the mirrors that came with the original kits (M923 A1 for this one, Ural 4320 for the other). :

The gray gas cylinder is from a Wave Gundam accessory kit. I have 1/35 gas cylinders on the way, so these may not get used:

The KRAZ Novo Truck Factory is an offshoot of the Ukrainian KRAZ company, formed after the collapse of the Russian Federation. It specializes in salvaging, dismantling and recycling the thousands of abandoned and destroyed Russian trucks in Ukraine and Russia. The salvaged vehicles are equipped with new engines and cabins and sell at a greatly reduced cost. These low cost vehicles are sold under the Kraznov brand of heavy duty trucks. This is the Kraznov 2608 (which is also the year and month I hope to finish this model):

I think the guy on the left is saying:

"Duuude! I'm standing next to Steve McQueen! Yeah, I know he's supposed to be dead, but maybe he faked it like Elvis!"

Jeffry Fontaine · « **Reply #39 on:** August 14, 2026, 07:43:40 PM »

Will the vehicle be equipped with the Trunk Monkey Security System?

The weathering looks pretty good. Reminds me of the contractor vehicles that were working for the Navy on Adak back when I was there as a kid.

apophenia · « **Reply #40 on:** August 15, 2026, 05:00:51 AM »

Excellent! Love the Kraznov backstory, btw

GTX_Admin · « **Reply #41 on:** August 16, 2026, 12:44:29 AM »

Claymore · « **Reply #42 on:** August 17, 2026, 05:27:00 PM »

The grubby weathering effect is simply stunning.

Kerick · « **Reply #43 on:** **Yesterday** at 01:31:15 AM »

Most excellent truckishness!

Frank3k · « **Reply #44 on:** **Today** at 10:08:30 AM »

Thanks for following along, guys!

Truck "A" is now finished. I was going to paint the cargo, but I'll do that for another project; I still have the Soviet ("S") truck to build.

On a lark, I put the M923's cargo canvas cover on this truck's tool box area and it was a perfect match. I shortened it to match the length of the tool box and gave it a quick paint job. It doesn't look too bad on the truck:

Without the cover. There's plenty of room for supplies. I have a Miniart gas cylinder set and a welders set coming in, but they'll be here too late for this build. Not visible in any of these pictures is the nice "rubber" (painted Tamiya tape) mudflaps I added to the cab's wheel arch:

The bags are from the Gecko Lambo three wheeler:

Surprisingly, I didn't knock off the side mirrors:

I put the canvas cover back in place, but I may have it on backwards. Our French mechanic is for scale. Not only is he wondering how to climb into the cab, he's thinking "I have a nagging suspicion that something is missing":

Oh yeah, I forgot to add the windshield wipers; I have them cut out and ready to go. Maybe the KRAZ Novo Truck Factory is a bit like the early Hyundai (in the US) where items like A/C or radio or passenger side mirror were all "add-ons". I'll rephotograph when the second truck is finished. The inside of the cab looks good from the front. The cab body is loose and I accidentally bumped it, so it looks twisted in some of the pictures above:

Old Wombat · « **Reply #45 on:** **Today** at 10:51:18 AM »

Put that against the right background & no-one's going to know it's a model!

OK, I can't say the canopy does anything for me, but the rest of the build, painting & weathering is excellent!

Kerick · « **Reply #46 on:** **Today** at 11:10:07 AM »

This looks really great! I can’t wait to see the second truck!

Frank3k · « **Reply #47 on:** **Today** at 12:57:58 PM »

Thanks guys!

The cargo cover is so that I don't have to build and paint stuff to go back there.

Truck "S" looks very different, even though they share the same cab. The smaller tires really change the look.


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Author Topic: 1/35 Frankentruck (Read 2248 times)