Ford V3000S 4x2 truck - German Ambulance - case report

Medic !!!

      And speaking about Fords and ambulances, let's see this kit, which I built in 2011.

      It's a Ford V3000S 4x2 from ICM, with an old resin shelter from Panzer Resin Models, built as  ambulance, in a field adaptation. The injected kit:

ICM kit box art - Ford V3000S 4x2 German 3 ton truck

History: 

  The Ford trucks were widely used in WWII by Germany. As we already mentioned in a previous post, the Ford Koln AG built thousands of these trucks in its various versions.

Ford V3000 with open cabin

Ford V3000S from Das Reich 

     The Ford V3000 was a very popular with the soldiers, by its reliability and sturdiness. The Germans used this amazing truck in all theaters of operations, in its many factory versions and adapted in field, besides using the Fords built by the conquered countries.

Ford V3000 made by Netherlands in German use - Luftwaffe
(notice the windshield divided)

Ford V3000 with gasogen device

Two Fords V3000 ambulance truck - field adaptations

Ford V3000 in Wehrmacht use - notice the shelter - field adaptation

Car wash !!! - SS Ford V3000

Ford V3000 in the sun - DAK

Happy driver students with Dutch Ford V3000 in German use

A proud soldier with his truck Ford V3000

Specs:

Ford V3000S
Type	Cargo truck / transport vehicle
Place of origin	German (more then 24.000 built)
Specifications
Weight	5.830 Kgs
Length	6.390 mm
Width	2,250 mm
Height	2,175 mm
Crew	2
Armor	none
Gearbox	5 forward + 1 reverse
Transmission	4x2 (rear axle)
Engine	Ford V8·3.900 cc 95 hp at 3500 RPM
Suspension Tyres	semi-elliptical springs 7.50 x 20
Speed	85 km/h

The kits:

  I started the kit following the ICM's booklet (a bit vague in their information ...). The engine first:

The ICM booklet...hmmm...

The engine Ford V8 and the gearbox - right side...

The engine and the gearbox - left side

      The building of the chassis is a little confusing, because the drawings of booklet are not detailed:

Chassis under construction...

      Some parts just do not fit ... It seems that the ICM has released this kit a little "too fast" ...

The notches of the engine cradle are too big.
Not fit in the chassis (red arrows)

Cutting the notches. In blue, the standard; In red, clipped.

Growing...

Chassis with engine, axis, suspension  and transmission.
Alignment is critical in this step

      Instead, the cabin fittings are superb ... point for the ICM!

Ford V3000 cabin...Wow !!!

The rear of the cabin. Notice the instruments panel in place...

She's gorgeous...

Side by side with an old resin kit from Panzer Resin Models : Two  Fords V3000

The details in the doors...

The seats and the steering wheel. Notice the wheels...

      And the wheels. Very good stuff:

Wheels, bro...wheels !!

The exhaust pipe has incredible 7 different parts...

The exhaust pipe in place...

      As I said before, I decided to forget the original cargo bed and build this truck with a shelter . I had an old resin shelter kit...time of empty the closet ...

The PRM shelter - side view...

The PRM shelter - rear view...

The truck with wheels...

      One thing I didn't like was that the front suspension looks lowered. I didn't like the "sunken" look of the front of the truck

The front of the truck sunken...

      I decided to put plastic shims (strips) with  2mm  of height between the springs and the chassis. Something like that:

Lifting the front suspension....

Much better...

Notice the details...

The roof's ventilator was made with metal scrap and plastic

Beautiful girl...

Building the moveable ladder

Side view - ladder lowered

The strings and the restrictors of movement - ladder raised

rear view

Prime in the kit

       Color time: Dark-yellow (post 1942...)

Tonal variations in yellow

       After to apply the camo spots in green and red-brown, I masked the shelter and applied the white band:

white band...Medic !!!!

Future and decals from my spare box...

Ambulance from Wehrmacht !!  Achtung !!!

Notice the spare wheel...

The kit no have windshield wipers...What a shame, ICM !!!!

      After the weathering, the girl was ready:

Ford V3000S - Ambulance truck

      The kit is fun to build, but the ICM could have a little more painstaking in the details. The lack of windshield wipers consider a silly flaw, easily repaired, if the manufactures want to ...

      The pins of the rear wheels is another detail that should be reviewed, as well as the height of front suspension ... A pad greatly improves the look of the vehicle ...

      But it is a beautiful representative of "snouted " Fords.

See you soon, Comrades !!!