Muncie

Fuel lines were cotton covered wirebraid - probably something available at Hobby Lobby or Michaels with close to the right texture. maybe braided fishing line dyed black... painted in the chassis up to the engine. Production probably varied at the fuel tank end - some unpainted, some painted to the fitting on the tank. The compressor discharge line to the chassis was copper tube or optional cotton covered wire braid. This line has a lot of heat in it so it would be unpainted on the engine, and painted in the chassis.. Chassis air lines are nylon tube installed before chassis paint at the Portland TMP - may have been different at other plants. Could be plain wire or standard model detailing wire, something that will take paint to represent the smooth nylon tubing. The air lines from the relay valves to the brake chambers are cotton covered wire braid - also chassis painted. The lines to the chassis mounted oil filter were also cotton covered wire braid. This filter was required with Cummins engines but rarely specced with DDE engines. what did I miss? Let's leave this open for more model material suggestions.

Freightliner claimed the only "clyclomatic" dual action cab tilt pump. The pump worked when the handle was moved in both directions so it actually tilted the can fairly quickly - like Brain said, not terribly fast or slow. Once you got past 45 degrees, the weight of the cab would finish the tilt. There is a small valve, the thing sticking out with a crosspin above the cyclomatic valve, that controls up or down. The horizontal location in the photo is more correct than the vertical position in the AMT kit. But it needs to be far enough ahead of a fuel tank bracket so the tilt pump handle doesn't hit the fuel tank brkt.

it's not so much which side the linkage is on - some aftermarket tri-power linkage kits move the linkage to the opposite side of the carbs... it's getting the linkage to pull the throttle open when the pedal is pushed. That could be worked around, too.- but much easier to use the original carburetor orientation. It's just a visual thing on a model...

agreed, the fuel bowls on the carbs need to be forward so the carb linkage can be connected - the stacks can be either way but as molded to the carbs, they need to face forward - a couple of quick cuts and they can be turned around. That's a cool car and nicely done.

those white diamonds are cool. They could be original, or a replacement sleeper curtain. Freightliner stitched their own upholstery in the truck plant at the time - something like that would have been easy if a customer knew how to get it.

I agree, the Burgundy Brougham was the best looking color. No idea on the "C" - My guess and nothing that I can confirm, is that Freightliner provided a show truck built for Marketing purposes to AMT (or photos of a show truck) as the prototype for the kit. Shows trucks were usually highly optioned customer trucks. The "C" meant something to the customer but the reason has been lost to time.. I might cut that center panel out, leave the side panels so the sleeper curtain is open.

My Freightliner knowledge is based on what I saw in the later part of the 70's, but Freightliner didn't change the interior colors very often so I would say it was the same in 1971-73. The diamond pattern upholstery in the AMT kit is the Brougham option. Brougham colors available were blue, red (kind of a burgundy), saddle (tan), and green (dark avocado - it was the 70's). I don't remember black upholstery in Brougham but it may have been possible. The dash and console on the tunnel were molded in black ABS (semi-gloss) with woodgrain instrument panels - black instrument rings. There were custom shops that could stitch up interiors in other colors that were not offered by Freightliner. Vintage Freightliner brochures on the internet are the best guide for detail colors. The letter "C" stitched on the sleeper curtain is an option for a specific customer - it's a rare custom option so I wish AMT had left it plain diamonds. Brougham came with a metalflake plastic steering wheel to match _i'm not making that up. The Custom interior level had smooth pattern vinyl upholstery in black or tan. no diamonds. The standard interior - only specced by a few fleets was able board - probably black in the early 70s - production changed in the mid/late 70's to turf tan. Able board looked very similar to painted cardboard. Custom level and standard interiors came with an ivory colored steering wheel.

It is the door for the oil check and fill. Inside the door are two tubes with caps for the oil fill and check. The oil fill tube can be pulled out so it extends past the grill for access. The tubes attach to the side of the radiator bracket and go back to the engine - varies by engine but it is usually a plate on the block... not sure where on the 8V71T. Older Freightliners had oil check and fill on the engine so the cab had to be tilted to check the oil. Another option was oil check and fill at the back of cab in the tunnel.

Cool! neat old truck. I ran across a 1966 Freightliner in Montana last summer in similar condition - had to stop - the owner really wanted me to take it home... As it sits, does this truck have the 8V-71T engine?

That'll work - this would be the standard cab entry step for a Freightliner built at the time that the AMT kit represents. The fabricated box step under the door is what is in the kit. The loop step and cab skirt modifications are fairly straight forward. The ends of the loop go all the way up and attach to the cab deck, there is a triangulated brace from the step (at the lower rivets on the skirt) to the deck about 12 inches inboard of the skirt. The box step was changed to the formed step about 1973 (which is one feature that dates the kit). The standard loop steps were available until 1982 (another memory cell kicked in) when the 61 series raised cab was phased out of production and new FMCSR regulations for COE cab entry made the ladder step standard. Production changes at Freightliner were more evolutionary than based on model year. New features went into production when they were ready for prime time. That's why you'll see things that don't fit a specific model year. Looking forward to seeing you get this one together - interesting project.

I will also go with 1971-73. the AMT cab is a 61 series raised cab which was available say, ohhh... about 1969 thru the eaerly '80's. other things in the kit were more specifically available on Freightliner 1971-73.. The loop step in the wheel well under the door was used on the 61 series cab (yellow cab above) until the 61 series "rasied" cab was introduced with the box step under the door. Early box steps were fabricated assemblies until they were replaced in production with the formed step under the door like the silver cab above. Raised cabs had the box step under the door and either loop cab entry steps or ladder steps - loop standard, ladder optional. The fabricated ladder step like the AMT kit was the first version - fabricated box step and fabricated ladder. Later versions have the formed step frame. In the 1970's, Freightliner was owned by Consolidated Freightways. Way back in the '50's, CF didn't want to sell trucks so they set up a 25 year marketing agreement with White to handle the marketing and sales. The agreement expired in 1976 in the U.S. and a couple of years later in Canada. That is when the nameplates changed on the cab. The 1975 in the top picture is a 71 series "stretch" cab - 4"wider then the raised cab to accommodate the Super Cooling Power Package for larger engines. Very generally speaking, for a certain time period in the 70's, fleets specced lower horsepower raised cabs and stretch cabs with more horsepower were the premium truck. Hope this helps

WOW! - very impressive, I keep going speechless... What you done with the body modifications is awesome, extra points for degree of difficulty working with the resin Satellite body. They aren't the best to start with.

Is there any new information on the Bed Buggy? There are definitely some parts in there that I can use...

The trick here may be to wander over to the craft side and take a look - there are alternative gold-silver colors over there

cool, thanks

Pat, Based on the shape and location on the front accessory drive, it is the power steering reservoir. Type, size and location varied by truck manufacturer. That looks like a very well detailed engine - what kit is it?

the original post is 4/28/2006, the oldest topic in car kit news and reviews follows that on 6/18/2006. it looks like the original request was granted.

I've heard a drop of lacquer thinner on the backing near the part to soften/dissolve the adhesive... seems like it would work.

not sure about the kit - there are some here. https://www.shapeways.com/shops/maple-leaf-modelworks from forum member spex84

some history and great model building reference photos in the auction listing - https://www.mecum.com/lots/FL0118-312675/1965-dodge-hemi-coronet-afx/

something specific to these Revell funny car bodies - the edges of the body and the end pieces are very thin. They don't have a lot of contact surface for the glue so the joint can be fragile. I usually build up a layer of gap filling super glue or gel super glue inside the body in the corner. Normally about 3 coats allowed to dry between coats before starting the body work and filler on the outside.

agreed, good stuff, also works well with a fine microfiber polishing cloth. This is the go-to polish for softer paints like Model Master enamels, other polishes can be too abrasive and will cut thru the paint.

not Tim, but does it really matter why? this is a topic about making a request to kit manufacturers for a 1926 to 1927 roadster kit...

I've been enjoying all of the KK and RRR projects on the work bench. That's an excellent idea for these wire wheels. I'm generally not a fan of wire wheels. I had also written off the wheels in the '32 sedan because they looked a little heavy to my eye with the kit tires and there are so many other choices. But your wheels look really good on these Firestone dirt track tires. No doubt I will be using your tutorial and making a set of these. Thank you for posting your instructions.

cool! a new kit announcement is good news - the way the time zones work out, it will be announced Sunday before I have my morning coffee!