Yes, what is this? The seller described it as 'fair, but being sold as defective' and despite quite a few bids it ended on just £16! To me it looks like a #901 converted into an articulated version? Why anyone would do this is pure guesswork, but maybe the chassis broke?


Don't you think it should be possible to convert it back, using superglue or similar? Of course it will probably be less strong than the original, but for displaying I hope it's okay. No matter what: I've always wanted one of "dem Fodens", but prices are normally way out of my league... according to the Toymart price guide, the Foden #901 is currently valued at £454!!!!!!! In other words: it would be completely out of the question to ever get a good one, so I'm extremely satisfied with this.

That does look as though it has been converted and not snapped. The cut on the cab looks far to straight to have broken. Superglue may be not hold it that well but maybe a little solder, But Jim (Nobleco) is the man to ask.


Tis still a very good score at that price.

Take the box off as it is only on with a bolt. Check out the fit on the cab to chassis. I think your missing some fender though. I could weld it, yes but I don't have anything to rebuild the fenders with. Talk to Dinkyboy as he has done many of these as fixes and also the Chinese 6 wheeler. He will know and he may even have some fender material for you.

Teebodk, forget super glue! Even the gel! It will not hold!
......... all though there is an adhesive. It is called = "LAST GLUE" because it is theoretically the last glue you will need to buy. Attaches anything and everything. LAST GLUE advertisement guarantee states 2 years. I do not know how good it really is although I have seen demonstrations, and the results are favorably impressive. The end result looks a bit messy probably for the demonstration, but I am sure that some filing, sanding, or whatever it takes for display could clean it up. The real down side is, you need their "cleaner product", their "filler product", and finally the the glue. ALL 3 ITEMS ARE REQUIRED! On the internet, the prices are extreme for a fix you are contemplating. In fact they are extreme for just about anything that I would need to repair. You need all three items to make it work. And you do not get that much!
Without real close-up in-focus pictures, hard to tell if fractured or just plain cut apart. My money would be on just plain cut. It is different and maybe you can find a set of trolly wheels to supplement the trailer.
Even if Jim welds it, without some strengthening across the entire chassis both bed and cab, welds are strong, stronger than the rest of the casting and THAT is where a fracture will occur = next to the weld.
The FODEN FRACTURE is similar to the BEDFORD fracture, referring to Jim's Post welding the fractured Bedfordcab and chassis. There is not as much stress at the cab base as across the entire chassis. Additionally, since the bottom rails are missing and the box bed front locating prongs are also missing, these locate the bed into the chassis casting using only the rear spare tire(tyre) screw.


        You can try to return it to original, lotsa work and could be done...........


        ME?


        KEEP IT as is. It is VERY UNIQUE.


       If just cut to make a code 3, a real shame that some one would cut up a good toy. Like you have said, their priced out of this world, even broken (fractured).
Good luck with it. A nice find.


       Go shopping..............
dinkyboy

Thanks, I only noticed that thing about the fenders when you mentioned it, but you're right. Hmmm, not sure if it's not better to just leave the fenders alone - I'm afraid any repair-work would really stand out, especially if the paint is left as is (and that's my intention)


Dinkyjay, you're probably right that it's a conversion, not a snap - the thing with the fenders further indicates that. But the answer should be really easy to see once it gets here: jagged edges = snap, clean cut = conversion.

The other thing about his truck is where did you get it from. If in England there are lots of these at boot sales and the like so I don't think it would be very expensive to purchase to do this kind of work on it, even if just for fun. Over here in Canada or down in the USA these trucks go for a pretty fair dollar as they also do on Ebay and the like. If your online to buy one of these, be prepared to pay a lot. If at a boot or garage sale/Yard sale (that is what we call them) then the chances are you will find some fairly cheap. But probably only in England.

Teebodk, I did notice the fenders cut at the top. The box's bed rails have been shaved (filed?) off at the front and more clearance was needed for the box bed to swivel, so off come the rear fender tops. Neat thinking.


            Now if there is a reality of this mod. Foden does make a short 2 wheel truck tractor cab, but not this short. Not from what I have seen. The other part, I would not want the trailer connected where it is, behind and below the rear set of wheels. You may see that with an automobile or light pick-up truck (ute) hauling a house or small utility trailer or the like using a bumper hitch.


            Oooooooor, a Scrammell tugging one of those oversize loads. But not on a short wheel base like this. The leverage would lift the front wheels of the truck (lorry) off the ground or lift the rear wheels off the ground depending on load distribution, road condition and whatever else plays into it scientifically.


            Ohhhhhh wait a minute!!!. Those of us who are "experts" in these code 3 matters. Could this articulating Foden Code 3 trailer really be the result of 2 toys. One had the front demolished and the other had the rear demolished as well, and this was what was left and as we all know and preach, make it work.    If so, WELL DONE!

           Phewwy, There I go taking the fun out of some youngsters Dream Machine. Sorry.


             Keep it as is, it is UNIQUE.   dinkyboy

Teebodk, a scribe line and a file to the line and it looks good. Check under the front of the box bed. The rails were filed or shaved off and the locating pins are removed. Sand paper will remove the file or saw marks. dinkyboy

Teebodk I,ve seen these on ebay before I think if its the same guy and it certainly looks like it, he just chops them up and puts a bolt in them. The guy was asking a rediculous price for the first one I saw he had a few bids but they soon got retracted.(The guy is a clown).

I hear what the others have said in regards to joining it back up, but maybe if you clean up the top and underside of the chassis where it says Dinky Supertoys sand or file the letters down so its smooth. Then use a piece of flat metal top and bottom the width of the chassis with some superglue ,(use a longer piece of metal on top to give it more strength) you might just get it back together! Of course you could leave or try and rebuild the mudguards.

There should be enough gap between the deck and chassis on the top side to do this, with a plate both sides you should be able to at least get it back together and it will be reasonably strong! I have used this method before and it will work and be stronger in a case like this than trying to weld it together and make it look tidy!

Just a thought good luck with whatever you decide to do!

Yeah Tee, give it a go and show us a nice code 3

Hmm, sounds like I may just have to leave it more or less as it is. I have no experience with code 3, no tooling, no matererials and from the sound of the solutions proposed, I also don't have the time and/or patience required.

I forgot to answer one question asked... this Foden was not bought from a UK seller, but from a Dane on QXL, so probably not bought cheap from a boot sale. The prices here are generally insane as well when it comes to Fodens, so it sounds as an extremely stupid idea to cut one up like this, unless...


Unless it was done many, many years ago before the Foden-craze took off. If it was just considered 'an old, and slightly battered toy truck', then perhaps the idea wasn't seen as crazy back then.

I think I tend to side with Dinkyboy on this. Probably two broken trucks made into one different but good working and playable truck.

Oshkosh makes a truck with that design, a pivot in the frame behind the cab and engine. It has two hydraulic rams that push the frame from side to side, and the very first axle also steers. I have one in the garage from Conrad as an airport fire truck. I'll have to dig it out and take pics. The US military used them, another variant of the HMMT 8X8. They used both the straight frame and articulating frame versions at one time.

oldtruck56, yup. The truck with the rams is for special duty, I do not believe you see it trailering down the highway on a regular basis. i believe that I have seen it as well.
Most of those double jointed articulators for fire fighting are neat items. dinkyboy