Mercedes Benz LP/LPS 1418

[MichaelW]

To start I bought and built the the Tamiya High Lift kit, and it runs as advertised. Has a Tamiya CR tuned motor, an Axial AE5 ESC and a Spectrum 415 receiver. Running on 2S LiPos. Oh and I wanted something else than the stock black plastic, so I painted it.



It's completely stock at the moment, but I'm going to lose a lot of the unneccessary bits on top, 'specially the electronics tray, battery holder and servo cover. I recently made an OM352 motor as found in the Unimog 416 (planned for another build which didn't pan), and might end up using that in this build because to date I've been unable to source decent reference images of the engine in the LPS 1418.



Note that the engine is far from complete - I stopped working on it when that last build idea didn't work out. Anyway things may change. It's early days on the build.

[MichaelW]

When the chassis was done I made a start on the cab.







Got the windows cut out. Taped onto the base because I want the top section removable until the inside is done.





Cut out some roof ribs, and notched them so that they'll slide into each other to provide accurate contours.



Dry-assembled it, and tried it on...





That brings the build up to date. New developments will be posted as they happen.

[Egon]

Looks interesting

[MichaelW]

Looks interesting

I hope so! It's somethig from my early childhood, so definitely interesting to me. Anyway, got a skin on the roof.



Then started the rather tedious job of trimming back the ribs on the in/underside. This isn't finished, and will take some time unless I succumb to the Dremel ...



Here it is on the cab:

[MichaelW]

That 2mm base plate is coming off before it goes on the body, but that aside the roof is done.



Styerene at bottom right is a little thin and needs surgery...





Next step is to get the cab mounted on the chassis, get the rest of the cab structure done, and then (eventually, some time) start on the detail.

[MichaelW]

Tires are looking a little lost under that...

[MichaelW]

Did all the cut-outs today. The grill was particularly concerning because I need to retain that curve, but it worked out well.



Bigger tires. They're probably a little more suited to an expedition truck, which this may become. Also, happily, there's lots of space in there for an engine. Eventually found some reference pictures of the direct-injection OM 346 diesel engine so I'll attempt to make one.



Finally, started testing out and sizing assorted hinges. They'll take a while yet, only just ordered up the M1.6 and M2 hardware.

[MichaelW]

M1.6 and M2 bolts I need for the hinges arrived, but no nuts, so I cut out the pieces I'll need for the hinges on the grill and left it there.



Made a start on the inside instead. The floor is done, bar the clean-up.





Happily there's heaps of space in there for an engine.

[MichaelW]

Been working like crazy on this thing without much to show. Most of it was working back the ribbing and trying out different ideas for door hinges and pillars. Also managed to assemble the grill hinges, but haven't stuck them in yet.



The pillars were hard going. Well, putting them in was easy enough, once I'd worked out how it would hold a windscreen and support the roof.

Window frames are just resting on their own weight, so look a little more sunken in than they should.

[MichaelW]

Got the bumper shaped up.

[MichaelW]

Transplanted the steering servo to the front to make way for the bed. Did this using the JunFac front steering kit for Tamiya High-Left axles (J44221). What I thought was going to be a 15 minute job turned out taking almost two hours. First, JunFac (GMade, really) assume all servos are equal. Seems some are more equal than others - mine needed belitteling at the waist, and embiggening in the screw holes.



Next, once fitted that servo mount gets in the way of the diff cover which, while gaudy, does serve to cover the hole through which the differential is locked and unlocked. In fairness JunFac call this out on their product page.



I don't want to disassemble and clean the axle after every run through water, so I had to do some remodelling:



So far so good, and no train smash. The train smash happened once I had it all assembled. Notice how close the steering servo is to the shift servo's arm? There's zero space left for vertical axle travel, and I'll probably have to stick a bump stop in there to keep it clear.



Adding insult to injury, with the diff cover in place steering is even more rubbisher than it was without. And stock Tamiya steering sucks monumentally enough without the help. The obvious fix is to get rid of the dish part of the diff housing cover, and simply leave the tab that covers the hole. That aesthetic is going to be an eyesore, so I'm better off just making a new track rod.



So pretty disappointed by the whole experience. Leaving it there until I think of something better though - I can at least get on with the body.

[MichaelW]

Lots of big steps coming so rather than get started I played with ride height last night. Because I know what this thing is going to be now.



And some comparisons -





I think it will end up between what's in the photos and what it was before. It's going to be a bush freighter in Mozambique so it needs to sit higher than an exclusively road-going truck, but not so high that it makes similarly-scaled trucks look small (as happens with the Bronco in the photo).

[MichaelW]

The first one is in.







The photos aren't very good. I'll do better when the other side's done too.

[MichaelW]

The sides of the grill are officially back in. Need to see how much space I have for a latch for the main piece, so stuck the makings of a dashboard in there with magnets.



Here it is from the front. Needs sills, so they don't close further than the body.



And open.



Windscreen is going to be interesting. I have 0.75mm clear perspex, but I doubt it'll hold the curve. Need to do some research...