Help for FE35

[DAF]

Hi everyone,  I've done a bit of 1:24 lorry models in the past, now as a present i want to convert a 1:32 uh 35x (hopefully buying it tomorrow) into a fe35 a good friend once had to give as a present.  I think it was the diesel one, so it was a 4 cylinder???

Anyway couple of things, i've exhausted the internet to try to get pictures and info on the differences and i've some reference material but if anyone has detailed pictures it would be a great help.  Or to highlight what should be removed or added to the 35x chassis.

Still not sure whether to strip the paint or paint over.  I'd prefer to strip it off to avoid losing detail and possible reaction but are all the plastic bits easily removed from the metal chassis?  Whats the gear knobs etc made of?  If plastic are they easy to remove and put back on?  Wouldn't fancy chucking it in cellulose thinners to come back and find clean metal and melted plastic details 

Finally the paint...i'm a regular user of halfords but fancy using an airbrush to allow a bit more control with spraying, does anyone do little tinlets to match the grey and gold to save paying probably big money for a lot of paint of which a tiny amount is needed.

Hope you's can help.  If possible i'd love to get this done before Christmas, though i've not left myself much time! 

[05rich]

i have stripped a 1;32 35x before and most of the plastic parts are held on with glue or tiny screws and with a little help from a small flat screwdriver most of them will come off  , the hard part is remembering where they all came from when you rebuild it 

good luck with the build

[DAF]

thanks    i may take photos step by step and then i'll know what goes where 

were you doing the same conversion or what were you stripping yours for if you dont mind me asking

[05rich]

thanks    i may take photos step by step and then i'll know what goes where 

were you doing the same conversion or what were you stripping yours for if you dont mind me asking

i used the 35 x chassis on a ford 333 

[Tractorman810]

i would hold fire for a while mate, i am sure we saw a uh release for a 43rd scale fe35 due soon, knowing uh i would not be at all surprised f they didnt do a 32nd and 16th scale one in the near future

[DAF]

i used the 35 x chassis on a ford 333 

Ah right!

i would hold fire for a while mate, i am sure we saw a uh release for a 43rd scale fe35 due soon, knowing uh i would not be at all surprised f they didnt do a 32nd and 16th scale one in the near future

Yeah i saw that and was thinking a few weeks and they'll announce the bigger scales but thats months back and still nothing.  To be fair i'd prefer the challenge of the conversion, would also give me a bit more sense of pride handing over one i've worked on rather than one off the self.  Though if it turns out rubbish i'll not be saying that...

I'd love to do a 1:16 version though i'll start off on the smaller and cheaper scale to see how that goes.  First go with diecast (well have done a wee bit on 1:50 lorries) tractors, though many years of carpet farming experience of course 

[Tractorman810]

i have a feeling somone did do a 16th conversion a while back, sure theres some pics somewhere on here

[B O R]

it was me who done the 1/16th conversion and then i done a 1/32 for myself.....the 1/16 was a hell of a job,mudgaurds need altering,new engine to make,extra battery and tray,new bonnet knobs,starter switch and new back rims and various other major changes along the way....id def strip off the paint....my subject of the gold belly should be here under tractor conversions....prob away back in the pages,not sure where,its titled FE35 conversion.....

[B O R]

go to page 27 under "TRACTOR CONVERSIONS"  there you will see my 1/16th scale conversion and all the necessary changes are listed

[Lord Ferguson]

and what a cracking conversion that is as well Brian... I reckon you've nailed the major changes there as well...

non-safety shell fenders are a must for the look... as is a button flapped, recessed bonnet and the standard GKN type wheels

[Lord Ferguson]

Just remembered.. There is a buyers guide in the current version of Classic Massey magazine for the FE35... written by some pillock  :D  .. here are some images I took for the feature...

Lights not standard (been added later)..

Better still... grab a copy and I'm sure I've listed all the things that make an FE35 different from an MF35  \  .. and we really need the sales  \ :D

[DAF]

Wow absolutely FANTASTIC Brian!!  I had never noticed the mudguards yet, but from looking at the 35x online from the front view it looks like there is a line created in the mudguard that could be used as a marker to cut along-would that be accurate? 

So you added another cylinder to the front of the existing 3 and as for the battery (correct me if i'm wrong), 6v in normal position just in front of dash under bonnet and another 6v behind drivers left heel?

Not to sure about the new bonnet knobs, all i've been able to see so far is to remove the two bits moulded onto the flap on the 35x.

I'd noticed the back rims, but what offers the correct ones-the 135??

I'm not too sure about certain things, i've seen some with white exhausts, some with grey, some with black, i suppose white is originally how it was.  I'm in two minds whether to do it as last i saw it where it is perhaps not 100% accurate (from memory the one photo shows it with red 35x style lights at the side of the bonnet) or do it as it was out of the factory.  I'm leaning towards the changed one as it is a bit more personal that way, plus the 35x will supply the lights so that is handy enough.

Also noticed from my reference pictures that some have air filters through the bonnet and some don't.  I must hunt out the photo and see what applies.

Hope the uh 35x is in stock alright tomorrow and i'll start seeing what way to go about things a bit better and start dismantling her. 

Thanks very much so far lads, i'll start posting my progress.  Does anyone know if the scaledown website does the paint i need?  Can't see it and can't see an email address.

Never fear Lord Ferguson...A copy was snapped up on friday afternoon!!!    Didn't realise it was you!  I had shelved my model idea for a while and went in to WH Smiths after mulling it over for the last day or two and this mag stood out (only one left-so sales might be doing well  ) and took it as a sign!  Very interesting reading about the diesel and the 'notorious' starting!

The extra pictures supplement the article very well and now i see exactly what you mean about the push buttons

[Lord Ferguson]

Thanks buddy.... Lets hope they didn't start out last month with just two copies then  :D  ... There are 3 brochures (that I know of) for the FE35... if you want to see them on .pdf send me an email to work - mark@histonproduce.com and I'll ping them over to you.

1

2

and 3...

and good luck with your conversion as well..

[DAF]

Yeah i hope not ha ha!.  That would be superb Mark, much appreciated    I'll send you an email.  Whilst i'm on the scrounge... ...if you've any more pictures that you took for the article or even full size ones of the 5 on page 23 i would be in your debt 

[Lord Ferguson]

Yeah i hope not .  That would be superb Mark, much appreciated    I'll send you an email.  Whilst i'm on the scrounge... ...if you've any more pictures that you took for the article or even full size ones of the 5 on page 23 i would be in your debt 

I've got a whole load of photographs... I'll look them out for you

[DAF]

Great stuff!

[DAF]

35x purchased and largely dismantled.  Few bits ended up as casualties where i gently (well obviously not gently enough  ) tried to prise them apart.

So far:

• bonnet removed
  
• mudguards removed
  
• seat and padding removed
  
• hubs and tyres removed (unfortunately one rear wheel hub has detached from the rim but it may be fixable plus they aren't correct anyway)
  
• diesel tank removed
  

The dash looks a wee bit more compilcated to remove given the steering and given the breakages so far i don't want to damage one of the most important bits.

I'd hoped it would have been easier to have removed ALL the plastic bits of the chassis to dunk in thinners to strip but with all the wee gear knobs etc i think theres not much point in even attempting to remove them, i'll only break them and be snookered!  Think it'll just be a respray job and then strip the mudguards and bonnet.  Starting to wonder would 1:16 have been easier with chunkier and less fragile components...  

[B O R]

I Found the 1/16 version very time consuming....when the model is as big as 1/16 you need a lot more detail because everything is seen,for example on my fe35 1/16 scale i had to actually make each injector pipe and all the fuel lines,things like that you wouldnt really notice on the 1/32 model.......i think i sprayed the dash on my 1/32 model and that meant masking everything else....these are definately the kinda jobs you just couldnt do to sell as no matter how well you think you have your price worked out you can be sure you,ll run into many extra hours.....i used genuine mf grey from the dealers,he said it was the same code that was used on the fe35 as on the fergie,room for debate there but we,ll not get into a colour debate.....

on page 2 of my fe35 subject you will see all the changes listed.....this should be of help,they are all MAJOR and vital to distinguish the fe35 from the later mf35........

[DAF]

That is true about more detail being required but my experience of 1:24 vs 1:50 is that while 1:24 should have more detail, it is easier to add it to if you know what i mean.  Maybe its just cos of me and my clumsy shaky hands i find the smaller scale tricker!    You have a handy checklist there to work from 

Whilst in buying the model i looked amongst the paint tins and they had a few sprays one of which was the light grey i assume for the te20 which i too would use.  Gold was only in a 1 litre tin, but if you look at this website (came across this whilst searching for gold or bronze enamels) humbrol 16 (gold) was used on two planes about 2/3rds of the way down the page land it looks not too far off IMO

http://www.canmilair.com/gallery2.htm

[DAF]

Small update:

Stripped down:

This is the humbrol paint just given a patch test on the bottom to check for reaction.  Its hard to know what to think, looks very bright gold here, though tilt it a few degrees and its very dark.  Hard to know.  Unfortunately i don't think this'll be done this side of Christmas especially with the weather which is a bit cool for spraying 

[Lord Ferguson]

uploading those images for you now... sorry forgot    .. will email you the link and password as soon as it's finished

[DAF]

No problem lad   

[DAF]

Anyone know what 1:32 wheels would match an fe35? Getting to the stage where i could do with some if they are cheap to get

[Lord Ferguson]

Anyone know what 1:32 wheels would match an fe35? Getting to the stage where i could do with some if they are cheap to get

ScaleDown wheels are a SPOT ON match for the FE3.. GKN Sankey rims and centres, 11x28's for tyres    .. The UH 135 should have 12.4x28's which would be too big for the FE really 

[DAF]

Thanks very much for the swift response Mark!  I've looked at the scaledown website and can find about four sets of rims and tyres but none look right.  Are they available to buy online?

Got some of the massey 'light grey' today