Aaronw

The kit has been out in various forms, my guess is the first time around it was a C800. Ironically the only other Ford C currently out is a C900 tractor with dual US Mail trailers. :? Hey but thats a great kit and it looks like you are getting a good start on it. Not positive on the engine but I have been told it is a Ford 534SD 8.8L (534 cid) gasoline engine

Spalding Trading and Shipping has alot of detail stuff for trucks, both parts and reference material. http://www.stsmodeltrucks.com/

I have a couple of the Lindbergh (old AMT) 1934 3 in 1 Ford truck kits that include parts for a wrecker as one of the options. I'm just wondering how late that style wrecker would have been used. Would it be reasonable to use the parts with a 50 Ford or Chevy? I don't have a specific project in mind I just have several of these kits and at best I might do one as a wrecker, looking for ideas for the other kits parts. Thanks

RMR has a 1970's Dodge Bighorn listed. I don't have his email handy but I'll try and dg it up if someone else doesn't post it first.

Well to follow the others theme I was 2 when this thing rolled off the assembly line Since you would have to be a big fan of the Iron Pig to really get the year, I'll give you a hint, the truck is almost a 70 (and its not a JEEP!!!!! :twisted: )

Looks very nice. Just one more kit on my wish hey would re-issue it list. :roll:

I think MTFACO had one, so you might check with AITM http://www.aitruckmodels.com/

Wow I don't feel so bad some of you have as many "in progress" projects as I do. I probably have 20 or so "car" models in various states of completion and another 20 or so military models. I have the attention span of a gerbil when it comes to models. Here are a few of the fire apparatus builds I have going, I probably have tripled this since I took the photo and none of these are done although I did recently get going again on the 55 chevy and with any luck I will get it done soon.

Wow, thats alot of truck.

Well it makes sense that STS has some trucks I can use since I got the 6-71 from them, I've just been waiting for AITM to finish the updated Fleetstar so thats another good place for me to use the 6-71. I agree ebay s a great place to find pics of trucks, you need patience sometimes but there are eventually photos of almost anything you could want when it comes to vehicles. Thanks

I've got a resin 6-71, but I'm not really sure where I can use it. I know it was available in some American LaFrance fire apparatus and some busses but thats about it. I've tried googling it but I mostly find info on 6-71 marine engines, great if I decide to make a tug boat but otherwise not to helpful. What would be helpful would be when it was introduced, commonly used, fell out of use which trucks it would typically be found in as an option anything else that you know of that would be helpful regarding using it in a build Its not that hard to track down a truck and find a motor to use but it doesn't seem to be very easy to do it in reverse. Thanks

White!!!! :evil: now what am I supposed to do with the Cummins beige I finally found. :cry: Nice pics though, I have the AMT 359 and I'm just waiting for inspiration to build it, thse will help. (like I don't have enough projects going :roll: )

I know there are many variables, I was told when our last bid went out for engines that the tie breaker between using an International or Freightliner chassis was IH threw in a cassette player, the FL just had AM/FM. :roll: I am a little surprised to see Volvo so low on the list, but they do seem to be everywhere lately so that makes sense. I don't see many Westernstar trucks here in California, not sure if I'm just not looking or if they may be a regional builder and this isn't a popular area for them.

Great looking truck, nice job. Interesting color choice too, it fits the truck well. I've never had good luck with truck kits tilting hoods or cab, I usually end up gluing them shut or leaving them loose so I can just remove it to see the engine detail.

I've only used ink jet printers, with the ink jet I find it is definaetly worth while letting the ink dry for at least a couple hours if not over night. I have applied the clear coat almost immediately after printing but have had much less trouble with smearing if I leave a good amount of drying time, red seems to be particularly prone to running. I've used Micromark, Testors and Bare Metal Foils decal paper. The Testors is very thin, which makes it good for some applications, their white decal paper doesn't cover that well though if you put it over a dark color you need to double it or paint a white area where the decal will go. Micromark and BMF paper is thicker so the white works better than the Testors, it is also easier to apply but you will probably want to use some decal setting solution if there is detail under the decal (rivets, panel lines etc). I am currently using Micromark and am happy with it, the BMF was fine too, but me LHS changed brands to Micromark. I use the Testors decal clear coat since that is the only one I can find, it works fine with all 3 brands of paper I mentioned. Dieseldoc, I've never used a laser printer for decals, I've heard you don't need a clear coat with laser printers, is that true? I make a fair number of decals, enough that I would consider buying another printer, would you say that a Laser is worth the extra cost in regards to decals or more of a if you have access to one its a little better? I was considering getting an ALPS until I saw that they are not going to support them with ribbons, parts etc anymore.

I'll have a look around for those. Stefan here is a link to the Mercedes Crash truck, it is a TLF 24/50 http://cgi.ebay.com/Revell-Germany-Mercede...4QQcmdZViewItem

It is an airport type fire engine. I tried to find one online to lnk to but can't find one. It is a cab over style truck similar in appearance to the Unimog RW-1 rescue truck but a little different. When I get home I can check the box and find out exactly what the kit name is.

Looks nice so far, I've had my eye on several of those AITM kits, just so many unusual and interesting possibilities. Is that one of the full kits or just the cab kit on a donor chassis? If it is one of the full kits how well does it all go together? I've done resin conversions but never a full resin kit.

Thanks, thats all I was looking for, just a rough guide. I realize there is alot more than just the price paid right now, resale, longevity, maintenance / repair etc, local dealer network, tradition etc. Am I safe in assuming that when GM, Dodge and Ford were more heavily in the commercial truck market that they fell towards the lower middle range?

When I'm choosing a truck to build one of the things I sometimes consider is price of the 1-1. For example when I'm building a Forest Service truck I have to remember the federal government is cheap, I'm sorry, it is "thrifty". Most city fire departments are a little looser but still keep a tight grip on the purse strings and then ironically some of the volunteer departments will be pretty free with the money (when they have it. I guess if you only get a new truck every 30 years you buy the best). It seems to me International is definately on the economy end of the scale, I get this from people I know who have been around trucks a long time as well as looking at what the government and many fleets operate. (I'm not bashing Internationals, I've worked on many and they seem to be good trucks, just have less frills than some). I'm not real sure on the others though I'm guessing the "big 3" auto manufacturers (Ford, GM, Dodge) fell in the middle when they built trucks which leaves the purpose built over the road types (Mack, Peterbilt, Kenworth etc) at the top end but I have nothing to really go on, just making a guess. So in general is there a pecking order regarding price / economy? Not peoples favorites or one is better than another but when price is a factor where do the trucks fall? Which ones make the bean counters happy and which ones are reserved for those more willing to pay? Thanks

Spalding is usually my first stop, I but didn't see what I want this time. One of the KFS wheels might work, was RNK the one that had the old Peterbilts? If so I'm glad to hear he is coming back I really wanted to get one of the 40's petes but when I went to the site to get one his site was gone. Stefan, the Unimog won't work, too balloony but I have a Revell AG Mercedes crash truck, I'll check the wheels on that I forgot I had it on the shelf until you mentioned the Unimog. Thanks

Some of you might already know this but I have a reference site to help building emergency vehicles. Model Fire Apparatus http://www.geocities.com/cnf_e32/index.htm

I'm exactly the opposite, I like this new Challenger but don't like the new Camero, it just looks out of proportion to me and that grill is just odd. I do like the new Mustang though one of the better "retro" attempts in my opinion, the Thunderbird was a dismal failure for me, it just looks like a Honda or something, how can you try to catch the essense of a 50's car without including some sort of tribute to the rocket fin.

Anyone know of some tires / wheels for a large truck with an aggressive tread? Preferably an older style tread since I'm going to use them on the rear wheels of an IHC R-190 pumper-tanker I'm planning. I'd like something like the tires on this truck http://www.geocities.com/cnf_e32/apparatus...sh6/BrushZ1.JPG I guess I can use a set from the Paystar but I would prefer something other than that kits military non-directional tread. I've checked STS, AITM might have some but I can't find my MTFAco catalog to check. Thanks

Thanks, I'm planning on doing 2 of these one as a pumper (2 axle) and one as a pumper-tanker (3 axle), assuming the first one goes well. It took awhile but I found an R-190 pumper on ebay that had some shots of the cab interior and motor, the motor was very dirty though so its handy to know they were red, you really couldn't tell in the pics I saw. That website you listed will be handy too, maybe not so much for this build but I've got my eye on a 1-1 1939 International pickup, that site looks really handy if I do get it. I like building the older stuff too, the new stuff is nice but there isn't a new truck that can compare with the trucks from the 40-60's.