Mousa Models M&SWJR milk van help needed

[Stewart Mason]

Hi all.
I'm building this kit and can't figure out what the tabs are for on the van sides? I've folded one according to the etch lines but they seem to have no purpose that I can see.
The kit was not supplied with any instructions.
Has anybody built this

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[Stewart Mason]

Ah. Problem solved. I was bending the tabs the wrong way. Bill Bedford helped with a little diagram.

Happy days.

[Jeremy Suter]

Hi Stewart
You have folded the first fold the wrong way its a 180[o] Bend to fit against the back of the side the second fold is a 90o fold in the normal way( crease on the inside). So that the end can be fitted to the side and held together in the correct position for soldering

[Stewart Mason]

Thanks Jeremy. Yup, I got it wrong. Still a newcomer to all this. I managed to fold it back the proper way without it snapping, so it's all good.

[Stewart Mason]

Only trouble is, now the body, which went together quite well, seem too wide for the underframe?
Hope the photos illustrate.

Stew.

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[splam32]

Only trouble is, now the body, which went together quite well, seem too wide for the underframe?
Hope the photos illustrate.

Stew.20230102_163349.jpg20230102_163255.jpg20230102_163230.jpg

It looks like it needs a floor, maybe from plasticard?

[grovenor-2685]

Only trouble is, now the body, which went together quite well, seem too wide for the underframe?

It is normal for a body to be wider than an underframe. The solebars, ie the side longitudinals of the undeframe would usually be timber 12" x 6" and centred over the axleboxes to sit nicely on the springs. Axlebox centres are standard at 6' 6" which means that the width over outside of the solebars will be 7'.
The width of a van body is most likely 8' or 8' 6".

[Stewart Mason]

Apparently I bent the tabs the wrong way. They should touch the van sides. Ah well. Drat. That's one for the bin then. Too many mistakes for me to be happy with it. I can't help but think that even rudimentary instructions would have helped.
There were other issues too. Roof didn't fit, and some of the etched parts had rivet detail missing.

[myoxall]

Very similar to my own experience using this supplier. I also found him to be rude and unhelpful. Since then I have used my hard earned cash to buy from more reputable suppliers. Buyer beware!