Building progress 1:43 NYPD ESU Truck

[Hazmat]

Hi everybody,
as promised the building progress to my ESU unit
First the "basematerial" from New Ray

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SAM_4193 (Large).JPG (351.92 KiB) Viewed 4241 times

I started by cutting the extended cab to the single cab version...

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and shortening the chassis as well.

NYPD_ESU_Ford (1) (Large).JPG (220.34 KiB) Viewed 4241 times

NYPD_ESU_Ford (3) (Large).JPG (169.32 KiB) Viewed 4241 times

[Hazmat]

then I built the cardboard mock up of the rear compartment section

NYPD_ESU_Ford (6) (Large).JPG (202.95 KiB) Viewed 4240 times

NYPD_ESU_Ford (7) (Large).JPG (207.31 KiB) Viewed 4240 times

since the dimensions seemed ok to me, the 1mm styrene version followed. Meanwhile I also changed out the tires

NYPD_ESU_Ford (9) (Large).JPG (160.95 KiB) Viewed 4240 times

NYPD_ESU_Ford (10) (Large).JPG (180.59 KiB) Viewed 4240 times

[Hazmat]

Then I created the front bumper out of 1mm white and 0,5 mm black styrene and white 1 mm u-shape rods.

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Like on the original Truck I also had to remove the former front bumper.

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[Hazmat]

Meanwhile the compartment doors were also done, out of 0,5mm styrene.

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NYPD_ESU_Ford (35) (Large).JPG (178.95 KiB) Viewed 4239 times

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At this point I started to dislike the idea of leaving the mirrors as they are on the truck (like on my first LA County FD conversion ).
Since it was very difficult to cut the mirrors away without damaging the cab, I figured to cut horizontal into the mirrors and leave the remaining pieces as supports for the selfmade mirrors

NYPD_ESU_Ford1 (4) (Large).JPG (190.21 KiB) Viewed 4239 times

Since it was a "twin project" and the parts are the same, I only made progress picturs of the FDNY version, which are attached

FDNY_HAZTAC_FORD1 (29) (Large).JPG (192.84 KiB) Viewed 4239 times

FDNY_HAZTAC_FORD1 (42) (Large).JPG (257.35 KiB) Viewed 4239 times

FDNY_HAZTAC_FORD2 (13) (Large).JPG (243.3 KiB) Viewed 4239 times

It was not a very big thing to do, but it enhanced the look a lot

[Hazmat]

The next thing was to add some diamondplate to the rear section and I further painted the rims gray and the front wheel arches, door handles and mirrors black.

NYPD_ESU_Ford2 (1) (Large).JPG (273.45 KiB) Viewed 4239 times

NYPD_ESU_Ford2 (4) (Large).JPG (212.09 KiB) Viewed 4239 times

then i built the running boards out of 1mm styrene and the rear compartment top handles out of white paper clips

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NYPD_ESU_Ford2 (9) (Large).JPG (303.9 KiB) Viewed 4239 times

NYPD_ESU_Ford2 (16) (Large).JPG (252.84 KiB) Viewed 4239 times

[Hazmat]

uups forgot the picture of the running board on the truck

NYPD_ESU_Ford2 (23) (Large).JPG (238.91 KiB) Viewed 4238 times

the progress continued by building the rear leaders out of 10mm styrene square tubes.

NYPD_ESU_Ford1 (3) (Large).JPG (315.08 KiB) Viewed 4238 times

NYPD_ESU_Ford2 (51) (Large).JPG (249.65 KiB) Viewed 4238 times

NYPD_ESU_Ford2 (54) (Large).JPG (276.1 KiB) Viewed 4238 times

[Hazmat]

This time I also wanted to upgrade the interior, so i created door panels which do not exist on the New Ray model

ESU_FORD2 (33) (Large).JPG (318.32 KiB) Viewed 4238 times

ESU_FORD2 (34) (Large).JPG (381.42 KiB) Viewed 4238 times

ESU_FORD2 (35) (Large).JPG (311.83 KiB) Viewed 4238 times

....not thinking of the vehicle chassis, the first, very detailed door panel had to be shortened and flattened
So this is the outcome, i guess it´s still ok though

NYPD_ESU_Ford3 (1) (Large).JPG (275.01 KiB) Viewed 4238 times

I further started the smaller details like the rear traffic advisor

NYPD_ESU_Ford2 (30) (Large).JPG (253.33 KiB) Viewed 4238 times

NYPD_ESU_Ford2 (33) (Large).JPG (279.58 KiB) Viewed 4238 times

[Hazmat]

...the next small details like the rear scene lights out of clear plastic pins and some fly net and rectangular leftovers as handles...

NYPD_ESU_Ford3 (7) (Large).JPG (279.58 KiB) Viewed 4236 times

NYPD_ESU_Ford3 (9) (Large).JPG (380.63 KiB) Viewed 4236 times

...the rear jet strobe mini lightbar out of a shortened FRR jet stream lightbar with 0,5mm styrene as interior added and chrome lenses painted with the "liquid chrome pen" from molotow

NYPD_ESU_Ford2 (27) (Large).JPG (335.66 KiB) Viewed 4236 times

NYPD_ESU_Ford2 (34) (Large).JPG (217.4 KiB) Viewed 4236 times

and the rear compartment door locks with small half round pieces as handles, also painted with the molotow pen.

NYPD_ESU_Ford4 (1) (Large).JPG (198.27 KiB) Viewed 4236 times

[Hazmat]

a little more time consuming were the main scene lights on the top of the comparment section. I therefore used 3mm square polysterol rod in which i drilled a concave hole in. I further used u-shape rods as mounting brackets and a thin wire for the power cables. Finally I simply used 0,3 mm clear acrylic sheet as lense covers.

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NYPD_ESU_Ford5 (16) (Large).JPG (265.32 KiB) Viewed 4233 times

and I further made the rear wheel arches out of a 3mm half round rod glued on a 0,3 mm styrene strip to bend into the wheel arch shape.
followed by the front extendable scene lights. I later replaced the lights with the thinner ones you see in the foreground.

NYPD_ESU_Ford3 (10) (Large).JPG (284.31 KiB) Viewed 4233 times

[Hazmat]

the next step were the front flashers on the bumper. These are, like all the flashers on the vehicle, made out of self-adhesive gemstone stickers which I painted in the desired coulour.

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NYPD_ESU_Ford5 (1) (Large).JPG (439.6 KiB) Viewed 4233 times

NYPD_ESU_Ford5 (3) (Large).JPG (272.54 KiB) Viewed 4233 times