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Would you be willing to share photos and measurements with us. Gary

Clifford, Thanks for the offer of manuals. I would love to get my hands on anything you might have. I think the parts manuals would help and I would be willing to pay to have the other manuals scanned. Can you give the the pub numbers for the service manuals? Many of these are available on line if you know what to look for. I have not done much work on the project lately been too busy at work and was missing details for some items. Regards Gary

Gents, I know that back in 1964 monogram release Kit #PC91 which was a stock version of the 40 Ford Pickup. I cannot find any release since that had the stokc parts but I seem to remember that someone made a resin set of parts. Does anyone remember who made those parts or have a set of stock parts to sell or trade? Other than the scale are there major differences between the Monogram 40 ad the AMT 40 kits? Also if anyone has stock versions of the Monogram kits do they have the artillery style wheels? Thank in advance for your help Gary

I agree with most that the new Meng F-350 will be very expensive at the projected $75 price but let's get real. I was at the local hobby shop yesterday and the shelves are fill with kits that were tooled 30 or more years ago and every one of those kits is selling for $26 to $31 dollars so lets get real. Most of those kits were made back in the days before corporate America decided it need a piece of every item sold with their name on it. Mack and Caterpillar along with the Union Pacific railroad were some of the earliest companies to jump on this band wagon. There was a time when the car companies commissioned promo models which is paid for most of the research and tooling costs. Now the model company does all the research, pays tooling cost and licensing cost. If you want to know the other reason that new models cost so much go look in a mirror. Modelers today are spoiled, we want every part to fit without effort, be the perfect shape size and thickness and we want every possible option available that was available on the real vehicle. We demand perfection but we are not willing to accept the cost for perfection and when a new kit comes out every one wants to immediately blast the model company for any small error or compromise they made to give us the kit. Will I buy the new Meng kit, absolutely I bought their new D9 kit and it was worth every nickle I paid for it. Will I ever see this as a 1/24 or 1/25 scale kit, no, why, because modelers will not pay the price. If anyone out there thinks they can do a better job I challenge you to invest $75,000 to $100,000 of your own money to research develop and produce a kit and pray that people buy it. That is my two cents worth I will now get off my soap box and go back to model building.

Gents, What Patrick is asking is if anyone has drawing or photos that show how the track or rail system on a sliding rotor wrecker are built. I have looked at several thousand wrecker photos and I have never seen the details he is asking for.

Gents, I found the mixer body I was looking for in my stash. I placed it with a Monogram 55 Ford for size comparison. I think this was from a New Brite toys mixer. Now I need to go buy a cab. I already have the Opel Blitz. What do you guys think can we make it happen?

Nice build.

Gents Herb Deeks used to have these wheels but I have not seen an ad from him in a while. Some where in my future projects boxes I have a short mixer that was made by New Bright toys I believe. I bought it at Kay Bee toys many years ago and never got around to the project. I will dig it out and post pictures. There are several of these trucks in existence I have photos of at least 3. I want to do this rig,

Some good information about mounting bodies here: http://www.ustruckbody.com/literature/011806BodyInstallationManual.pdf You might also consider a sub frame assembly. I have seen flat beds mounted on 2 or 3 2x4s stacked on on the other. Your cab interior is looking great. Gary

Casey, Nice looking rig great concept. On full size trucks most body builders use wooden sleepers between the bed and the truck frame. This raises the bed for clearance but also prevent the bed and frame from rubbing which creates both sqeaks and corrosion. These beds are usually mounted with large u-bolts. Another common practice it to install a metal sub frame under the main stringers. If you would like details let me know

Arnd, The engine will be a Cummins diesel with an Allison transmission. I got the chassis rough out and I am working on the cab now. This is a project that I have wanted to do for years. How is your build going did you finish it. Gary

Les, I would appreciate any photos you might have. I know the drawings in the maintenance manuals are not exactly correct or perfectly scaled. When I build them they way they appear in those drawings the cab will only tilt to 45 degrees. I have rebuilt the cab skirt and the front cab supports 3 times and I still do not like them.. If you have a box or drop box account you can place them there or my direct email is. gldobias@hawaii.rr.com Thanks for your offer

Gents Thanks for all the suggestions. I finally dug out my stash bottle of Scalecoat wash-away stripper and got all the coating off the white plastic. I try to use it sparingly because no one will ship it to Hawaii anymore.

According to the 1993 Ford Truck Body Builders Layout Book on the LTL the front of the radiator is mounted 14.89 inches forward of the center line of the front axle for both the Cat 3406 and the Cummins N-14. For the 3178 and L-10 the distance is 13.54 inches. Unfortunately they do not show an actual mounting diagram like the did in earlier years. Let me know if you need any other info. These books are odd sized so hard to scan.

Load King 353 CS.pdfGents, I also heard the AMT was supposed to be a Loadcraft. I have searched dozens of archives and have collected every line drawing I have ever seen and I have never seen a drawing or photo of this trailer list as Loadcraft. Loadcraft is as far as I know still in business in Brady,Texas so yes there would be copyright issues. I have found a drawing of a 35 ton trailer form Load King that is almost identical to the AMT trailer. Notice that the drawing does say narrow neck. The Caterpillar D8H has a listed operating weight of 70,503 lbs technically over limit for a 35 ton capacity trailer. Could it be that someone at AMT lost his notes and got the two companies confused?