Dieselhead

Wow! The carrier looks great! Do you intend to build the upper to be poseable or are you going to set the crane up as a static model?

Fantastic work here. I've noticed you always have very clean tubing work in your models. Do you have any particular tools or techniques to get those results?

Very interesting subject, great work! I've only seen a handful of pictures of these units, even looking up the IH model 8066 tractor doesn't get many results. Will be following this one closely. Any plans for a load at this time?

I'd agree with Tom, there's no real standard, it's pretty much whatever fits. I would get some sheet balsa (Hobby Lobby, Michaels, etc), put it on, and just play with the widths, and then score the board with a knife to create the illusion of boards. Do it deep like panel lines, wash it dark and I think it would look great.

I would agree with you on the fender and then a short flap on the back. Great work on building the dump body!

Thanks guys. I figured I would have to use some form of chipping coat (I bought a vallejo rust and chipping set for the project, hopefully it works) in conjunction with the salt method, and probably some creative masking work. Just wanted to see if anyone else had found a good way to do it that I wasn't aware of. I'll be sure to show off my results once I get working on it.

For a project I will be starting soon, my vision of it shows it having some panels where paint has chipped off, exposing bondo/primer. A quick look at most other weathering techniques goes straight to full-on rust and rot, which is not what I'm looking for. Would a normal chipping method work for the desired effect? Has anyone else gone for this look? If I figure it out I'll be sure to post my method so others can follow. Thanks.

Maybe a big ol blower and butterfly catcher in the back there? I like the 4 exhausts out the back idea.

That's one hell of a project! Great fabrication on the pole body. I'll be watching this one.

I'll be sure to look out for this one, I've been wanting to build one of these for quite a while.

Coming together great! Can't help but think the Tamiya M1A1 Abrams kit would go great with this!

I know there's quite a few classic wrecker groups on facebook, and a few Holmes-specific ones at that. Unless you want to fork over the dough for a manual, maybe asking one of those groups could help you, at least with the 1:1 reference side of things.

Nice early pete!

Hoo boy, this is gonna be a big one. This might interest you, a good bit of detail on the M911s. http://www.vannattabros.com/truck.html

359's have different cabs, called "little window" or Unilite cabs, which are far removed from the newer styles. Another good one is the fact that due to center point steering, 359's generally have smaller track width up front than both 79's and 89's. And of course, if we're talking 1/1s, powertrain options are just about always a dead giveaway.