Jump to content
Model Cars Magazine Forum

Freightliner FLA question


Recommended Posts

Not sure on the exact measurement but it is narrower than AMT's coe kit by about 2 feet. I do know the length is 56 inches not including sleeper. When Freightliner designed that cab in 1974 engineers used about 85% of panels from their cabover model. That is why they look so similiar.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Truckabilly,

The nominal cab width of a Freightliner FLA is 94.38" excluding the lights, mirrors and grabhandles. The AMT White-Freightliner COE kit represents an early 1970's cab which was 90.38" - unfortunately this difference in width is noticeable in the width of the grille and in the front wheelwells around the tires. Freghtliner also made other changes to the COE cabs between the early 1970's and the FLA in the late 1980's. We're talking 15 to 20 years of evolution, enhancements, and new design. Changes include the doors, cab structure, cab steps, dash, shifter, heater/air conditioner, grille, and one-piece windshield opening - as well as chassis, supension, front brakes and crossmember changes (plus many that I've missed). The Italeri conventional would give you some of the pieces that were common between the FLA COE and the FLD conventional. A conversion would be a challenging but interesting project.

Hope this helps

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Leo, good observation. Take a Freightliner COE - make the tunnel narrower and about 2" high, add a cowl and hood - presto Freightliner FLC conventional cab. It's amazing how many parts are common between the COE and conventional.

Tim, you are also correct.

More info...

Freightliner offered two COE cab series in the 70's.

The "raised" 61 Series cab model was offered in the early 1970's and was discontinued in the early 80's - it can be identified by the single vertical bar in the center of the grille. The AMT kit represents a 61 Series cab at 90.38" wide. As available horsepower increased above 350, the size of the engine tunnel limited space for the larger radiators and cooling packages that were required.

The 71 Series Stretch cab was introduced in the mid 1970's with the Super Cooling Power Package. The 71 Series had a 4" wider engine tunnel making the Stretch cab 94.38" wide. Stretch cabs can be quickly identified by the two vertical bars in a stamped sheetmetal grille.

The FLA replaced the 71 Series and carried over the basic cab dimensions of the Stretch cab.

So - 61 Series - 90.38" wide and 71 Series cabs - 94.38" wide. These dimensions are from the Freightliner Sales Data Book - I suppose 96" looks better in a sales brochure. The Powerliner was also 94.38" wide, but had a different cooling package and was a very different vehicle. That's about as good as my memory is.

Just measured an AMT cab - 3.57" or 1/25 scale 89.25 " get the cab stretcher!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...