3D Printed Trucks Initiative Needs Your Help

By on August 3rd, 2015 in models

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Arin Panait is a Romanian hobbyist with an affection for 1960’s trucks that’s so deep he’s developed several incredible 3D models of them. And he needs your help. 

The 52-year old lives in the small city of Slobozia, a few hours drive from the Black Sea. There he grew up surrounded by classic 1960’s Bucegi trucks. Wait, you haven’t heard of them? Panait explains: 

“Bucegi” is the brand of the old Romanian truck I’m in love with. I drove one for many years while I was younger and it was pure love. Based on a Ford Y-block pattern V8 gasoline engine of 140 HP, the first SR-131 truck was produced in the summer of 1960. In the five years a lot of trucks have been produced, including  military vehicle, long vehicle, tip-lorry and crane.

So far he’s produced fully 3D printable designs for three trucks, and they include incredible detail. At top you can see a finished version, and another here. 

Details are modeled right down to the lugs on the wheel rims, which by the way are fully steerable. 

Panait’s project is to complete the development of another 15 similar truck models, each of which is comprised of 30-40 printable parts. There’s so many parts he’s included a set of instructions on how to assemble them. Two versions are included: a “preassembled” version that has only a few parts, and a “full” version with all parts separate. Panait recommends using the preassembled version for printing smaller versions of the trucks (they are otherwise at 1:43 scale). 

Panait seeks up to USD$5,000 to defray the costs of development for the remaining 15 3D models, and offers an inexpensive way to obtain them. As is done in many crowfunding campaigns, this one involves cascading levels of increased payments. The more who buy, the higher the cost. However, at the moment you might be able to buy the lot for only USD$10, an incredibly good price for such a quality set of 3D models that will keep your 3D printer busy for months. A deal at even a higher price. 

Via Indiegogo

By Kerry Stevenson

Kerry Stevenson, aka "General Fabb" has written over 8,000 stories on 3D printing at Fabbaloo since he launched the venture in 2007, with an intention to promote and grow the incredible technology of 3D printing across the world. So far, it seems to be working!