The photos are not that great because of the lighting, but gives you an idea of what I have been working on now that the "Hootch Maid" vignette is complete. I used the 3D printed workable tracks from DEF Models. They were easy to remove from their supports and clean up. They also were connected quickly. I painted them and was ready to install them. I decided to go with the DEF Models idler wheel and the drive sprocket from ModelKasten's track kit since I had already installed the transmission and the DEF drive sprockets require the use of their own transmission.
The first set of tracks went onto the left side rather easily.
However, that was not the case with the right side. First I discovered that the pin to the transmission was a bit canted which did not allow for the drive sprocket to be positioned correctly. I cut the pin in half so the shaft from the drive sprocket would fit.
After I solved that problem, I started to install the tracks. They kept coming apart at three different points and would come apart when the tension was applied to them while trying to put the tracks on. After several attempts and the use of numerous four lettered explicatives, I decided to not use those tracks and started building a set from ModelKasten. After about seven hours of work on the replacement tracks, I figured I would do a test fit before painting them. They broke at one point, too. Since I had already painted the DEF tracks, I decided that I would go ahead and use those. I glued the tracks that had been coming apart and was able to install them with no problems this time.
After these photos were taken, I glued the two footlockers to the roof. I still need to weather the tracks and road wheels, add the antenna, and place the shovel onto the front. I started working on figures last night and today.
