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I really like it! Gives great encouragement to us newbies at dioramas with limited resources, Proves that it can be small and still have the "wow" factor. Something a fool like myself that does 1/16 semi's has to keep in mind. Peace.

Somebody is doing some serious styrene slinging! VERY nice job Jeff. This one is going to be a definite "wowee".

Some incredible workmanship on display here!

"Dear, I am going to buy an old fire truck and fix it up" plus "But Honey, not until you do all that dirt work in the back yard you say we cant afford" equals The above. I love it! I have got to find some glue bombs and try to pull this off.

I like it!

Good luck with it. It is a great kit with oodles of potential. The biggest "trick" I think is the tires and wheels. It is a poor design and very difficult to get them to look/set right. But if you fiddle with them long enough, they can come out good. Keep us posted!

WOW! That is super!

Thanks. Lugnut is the brains behind this operation. I am just along for the ride....and also that way have someone to blame.... Peace.

Lugnut just wanted to say "Howdy" and give a bit of an update. The lower half of the rear cab is in. A good geometry lesson (aka file, fill, sand, repeat) is on the agenda for the upper half. I am on his case right now getting the rear "done" just to provide some stability to this thing. The fire wall segment will come later as a complete drop in assembly. That way, Lugnut can do all the upholstery work. No decision made yet on a sleeper but it will more than likely have something. Trying to correctly do the back wall of the cab with all recesses causes nightmares and flashbacks of the front bumper license plate pockets. Yup - trying to cheat. BUSTED! The vent windows may look like a little odd but weatherstripping will be painted in on the bottom and on the divider post between them and the main window. I may just cut the divider once done manhandling the doors and replace with brass channel or similar but it is so thin, I knew it would get broken. The exhaust piping (blue tube) is just some dinking around with the other half of the cheap noise makers being used for the cab corners and just set in. Seems to hold potential but research is needed to see how it was routed especially considering the air cleaner piping has to go in the same area. Man, is that air compressor in the way! One "botch" is that the fuel tank on the passenger side is about 1/4" too far back so there will be no way to put the fill cap in front. I was so concerned with having the fenders on the hood clear I forgot about that. How does that old saying go? Oh yeah........OOPS. But since the tanks are "slid" in on the straps, Lugnut might get a good workout and push it forward for a look-see though it will make the rear really offset. But that is how it is done on the drivers side. Another battle for another day. Lugnut did some welding practice on those straps and removal of them is not where we want to go. Peace.

I surely like this. It will be sharp. So with all the DR builds going on, when is someone going to build this thing? Of course it is ALMOST orange and a monster wheelbase... right JT? wink wink...

Ditto the above. And your job on the tracks (which is always royal pain to get to look and lay right) is top notch! Thanks for sharing!

"All I got was a rock". No, wait, that was Charlie Brown at Halloween. Thankful to have the airbrush back after 30 years. Nice hauls guys! Put in a good word for some of us poor slobs next year!

As much as I like Marmon and other oddballs, I too will have to pass. A Marmon grille does not the shape of a Marmon hood and cab make.. But the "paint job" looks nice....which will entice somebody "just scanning boxes wanting a cool looking big rig". For a collector of kits though, I have a hunch 20 years from now it will be a prize just from a rarity standpoint.

really sharp! Hope to see more on the mixer.

VERY VERY neat. Maybe the GM Futureliner was not so original after all....

This is really neat. Just to think about how "unbalanced" these things were, not to mention the 50 turns lock to lock of the manual steering, the fact they could do any of these tricks without it always landing on its side or nose is most impressive. Whole different ball game than the Europeans like to do with their newer COE's. And Dukes of Hazzard and Joey Chitwood? Eat your heart out! Thanks for sharing. Peace.

I think this is incredible work. You are a huge step ahead of many of us that just wish we could do this. Stick with it and who knows, you might be in business before you know it. It would be nice to have a OLD truck parts source. Keep us posted with your updates!

Ahhh....the post Christmas "junk" that is 75% off at Hobby Lobby! I had been racking my brain trying to figure out the large radius "cab corners" trying to find a material I could "dink around with". FOUND IT! A bag of cheap little noisemaker flutes (10 for $2) made of a thin but rigid plastic tube with just the right radius. I know it does not look like much in the pix but I nearly wet myself with excitement. The front right cab corner is roughed in with the lower right rear corner just taped in for a trial fit. And so Lugnut is hammering and sanding away. We do have door skins made but forgot to tape those on for the pix. Will post more once one "side" is pretty much done. Now you may be wondering about the slight angle on the back of the cab upper half. Makes it look like an old White Road Commode or Pete cabover but indeed it was there....just normally hidden behind the stacks. And looking at the factory drawings I surely dont recall the floor pan being so high above the door sill but IF that drawing is right, I placed it about right. I think it was because the doors were so tall to begin with since they used the same shell and skin as the Astro. That, and the cab "looks" very low above the frame rails compared to KW and Pete yet the exhaust was run above the frame rails.. Necessity....no,.determination is the mother of invention. Very thankful for a casual stroll yet being attentive....that is what makes it exciting. Peace.

Really nice! I am curious what if anything you did to get the chrome so spot on. It just sparkles with no scratches and no visible seams (especially the cab steps). And the undercab "insulation blanket"! Such a no brainer that I never even thought about. Well done! Look forward to seeing more. Peace.

VERY, VERY COOL! Thanks for serving and sharing. Prayers are with you battling the VA and other fronts. You got a fantastic idea. A 4x8 sheet of plywood and a couple of saw horses could make a heck of a diorama "base" starting point. Would love to see some pix of what your are starting with and be far to eager to poke my nose in where it doesn't belong and offer unsolicited suggestions....LOL Lots of really encouraging and talented guys here that don't pass judgment. A great, non destructive place to hang out where (I think) it becomes more about respecting the talents and abilities we do have and trying to do just a little bit better each time...regardless of where you are starting at. In short, a safe place to get a little breeze blown up your skirt when it seems everything else is crashing down. Peace brother, I welcome a PM anytime and would enjoy hearing some of the adventures.

Just caught this one. WOW! Delusions of grandeur usually remain just that.. What is so great is you are indeed making it happen! Very, very clever, creative, and well done! Kudos, applause, whistles, holding up bic lighters and waiving them, throwing roses at the stage, and assorted other types of fanfare.

Thanks JT but as the Moody Blues sang so well, "I'm just a singer in a rock n roll band". Lugnut is busy sniffing soldering fumes and candle wax for the General project however we defer any accolades to some of the far cleaner builds out there including some of your stretched masterpieces and trailer work.

I sense another Pavel masterpiece beginning to take place!

Nice Stuff! And a great thread idea. This year for myself, Dipstick, and Lugnut spent 90% of our time on a 1/16 W900 Gold Nugget. Lots of fun. A couple of "quick saves" included a cameo appearance from Billy Dee Williams and Morgan Fairchild from the horrid TV movie "Time Bomb" and its main character the equally horrid Aero Astro. It was later repainted into General Motors fleet colors. And not semi related, was a stab at a "post race" 1/16 Petty Charger after meeting the "king" himself.. 2015 will continue with Lugnut pounding away on the scatchbuild above the frame rails 1/16 GMC General and a 1/25 AMT tanker trailer. Peace.

Thanks jeff. Guess I haven't found my three bears porridge yet. Always too cold or too hot using hot air (Not human generated!) on thin sheet stock. Can't seem to get it just right. I will try some pvc and for sure hot water. Makes good sense. peace.