Don Mills 1:48 log truck parts: what donor truck chassis do some of you use???

[DennisT]

I got enough parts from Don Mills a while back to build a logging truck in 1:48 scale.  I thought I'd read some use the Revell Honest John missile Kenworth as chassis donor.  True?  Or,  ..  what chassis models do some of you use to go under Don Mills parts?  Thanks, Dennis

[Pete68]

On 1/30/2023 at 6:03 PM, DennisT said:

I got enough parts from Don Mills a while back to build a logging truck in 1:48 scale.  I thought I'd read some use the Revell Honest John missile Kenworth as chassis donor.  True?  Or,  ..  what chassis models do some of you use to go under Don Mills parts?  Thanks, Dennis

Dennis the Revell KW will work fine if you plan on putting the Stinger on you will have to modified the back of it. I have a couple of these kits and I’ve talked to Don for years. The Revell KW frame can be used on any of Dons Cabs if he still sells them. I’ve also used Dons wheels and tires on all my Revell KWs that’s on my O scale layout here’s a couple pics for you to look at as a guide of what they will look like with his parts and wheels and tires. 

[DennisT]

Hello Lee:

Thank you for confirming the use of the Revell kit and the wonderful photos.  Today I did make contact with Don, who also said the same thing.  Whenever in the past I got log truck parts from Don, I was smart enough to also buy wheels and tires.  I really like your NP Monad.  And I see you model O Scale, 3-rail.  I have an armload of O scale 2-rail, but currently am not doing anything with it.  Your photos are a really great help and encouragement.  You did a nice job with them all.  Thank you again,  Dennis in E WA state

[Pete68]

1 hour ago, DennisT said:

Hello Lee:

Thank you for confirming the use of the Revell kit and the wonderful photos.  Today I did make contact with Don, who also said the same thing.  Whenever in the past I got log truck parts from Don, I was smart enough to also buy wheels and tires.  I really like your NP Monad.  And I see you model O Scale, 3-rail.  I have an armload of O scale 2-rail, but currently am not doing anything with it.  Your photos are a really great help and encouragement.  You did a nice job with them all.  Thank you again,  Dennis in E WA state

Your welcome Dennis. Keith Wiseman of Wiseman models also sells a log trailer but it’s more pricey than Dons and I like Dons better. I bought 3 of these before the guy sold his company to Keith the suspension is junk and hard to work with as for Dons just falls together very simple with the same results. What truck do you plan on using to make your log truck?  Thanks for the complement on my trucks they were fun to build. Here’s a couple of my favorites of the NP.   

[DennisT]

Thanks again, Lee.  I will be using the Revell Honest John Missile KW.   I had purchased two of that kit.  I only have enough detail/extra parts to finish out one.  Never thought to buy two batches of things from Don to do two trucks.  First things first though, with a logger.  I've had a life long serious interest in logging railroads and geared locomotives.  Resulted in production of two hardbound books that took many, many years to pull off.  Never again.  Too old now anyway....!!  I also have a 1:25 truck kit (AMT ?) and a set of logging fixtures from American Industrial Truck Models to do this in a scale close to G scale, or 1:20.  Too bad what happened to AITM.  What I got from him was his Sterling truck cab set up.  My favorite of all old trucks is the early Sterlings with the Hall-Scott motors.  1950's vintage.  I used to watch them go by our house when in high school.  I also like the earlier Pete's.  A local logger named Harkness used to run one with no side hoods that I loved.  I was in Morton, WA, a year or so ago with my log buyer cousin.  We visited one of his clients and something came up about Peterbilt's.  The other fellow said, "oh they started out here you know??"  No, I didn't know.  He said it was the Peterman Brothers, of Morton, WA.    

[Pete68]

Glad you liked them Dennis. O scale is about as big as I’m going in the Model RR field. I still need to build a couple log trucks myself. I have one in mind I redone a old Rick Manz 1/50 International Westcoaster resin cab years ago it’s just about done and it fits perfect on the Revell KW frame I’m pretty sure Rick Manz used this frame on all his limited edition models he built because all of the Resin cabs I have of his fits that frame.