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Of course, this fascination carries over into my modeling habits, so any C-cab kit would be a winner. Fortunately, the old AMT kit is actually pretty good. And Round 2 has brought back the stake bed version-
I really have to say I like the new decal sheet...
Check out the "Atom Trashers Radioactive Disposal Service" markings,and radiation symbols. Imagine a fleet of C-600s rumbling through your town wearing THAT company's livery!
The kit is very good- though the multipiece chassis can be a bit fussy- I suggest building it up on a sheet of glass over some grid paper, to help ensure what you're building is a straight, true frame and not a wet-noodle jungle gym. The kit could stand some thinner mirror brackets, too- as with most truck kits, the mirror brackets are molded way too thick to look in scale. These aren't gripes specifically aimed at this kit- they're pretty much shared with the majority of AMT's big rig kits.
There are two minor hiccups with the kit. The first is a discrepancy with what's on the box and what's on the cab- the box reads "C-600" but look closely (very closely) and you'll see the door emblems actually say "800". Only the fussiest contest judge would even notice- just refer to it as a "C-800" in that case!
The other gripe is that the air intake vents behind the door handles, just below the rear 1/4 windows, are not in the kit- this area is totally smooth on the kit cab. My guess is AMT did this because it was easier to mold.And no, the extra framerails from the semi-tractor are no longer included, though all the other tractor-specific parts are still on the sprues. It was nice of AMT to include them as 'bonus' parts in previous issues, just because they opted not to make a return trip for this reissue isn't something I'd knock the kit for.
But those are really minor nits- the rest of the kit is great. AMT's new white plastic seems less prone to sink marks than the grey stuff used in the last reissue, and AMT's new decals are always nicely printed and apply well. Sure- there's still some flash and a few molding blemishes, but they're easily dealt with. And the resulting model looks and sits just like the real truck.
Like I said, I'd love any C-cab in kit form, but the fact this one is so good makes it that much better. You can build a very cool '71-'74 model stake bed, and with some kitbashing and a little scratchbuilding you can build one in just about any configuration ever made from 1975 to 1990.
As an aside, I sure hope AMT reissues the tractor version soon, at THEIR price, not Stevens International's price! I could sure use one of those as a donor for that resin Mack N-series transkit I've been hearing about...
Edited by Chuck Most, 23 October 2010 - 10:23 AM.
