redneckrigger

Nope, stock length from the kit, though I did shorten the wheelbase of the tandems which gave more room for the pusher.

VERY nice preservation work!

I am currently gathering parts for a project that will need a 454 V8 as well as a 400 Turbo transmission. I am asking for opinions on what is currently available in a current production kit. I am TRYING to build a replica of my old ride from many years ago, my 1985 GMC K35 SRW pickup. I bought the old girl new and drove it to death. I HOPED to rebuild it and gathered all of the parts, new cab, box, doors, fenders, chrome, a crate 502, wheels, tires and almost everything else needed. Started doing the frame and got most of it done, but ran out of steam and finally sold the entire kit and caboodle when we built a new house and moved. I have a lot of the required parts, but in the interest of availability, I would like to find a good source for a 454/502 big block and a Turbo 400. Any help greatly appreciated!

I just got three of the 8' GM beds from Kris today, and I have to say they are tremendous. Not only did they arrive extremely well packed, the quality is awesome, rivaling anything I've seen elsewhere. No telltale body work lines or flaws that I can see, and a surface finish that looks like injection molded sytrene. Thank you VERY much!

Very nice looking, keep the photos coming!

WOW! Love it!

Got the Neway from Jamie Rahmoeller.

Looks to be an old military 2 1/2 Tonner. Neat photo!

I've been building for over 50 years, since I was about 10. I used to be a car builder, but then about 30 years ago, I took a job with a construction company, and got very interested in equipment and trucks. While I do still build a car or a piece of armor or ship, my main interest is now and has been, trucks, for the last many years. I also used to own a body shop where we used to do all kinds of jobs, from cars to trucks to equipment. Because of this, the paint methods I use are from the 1:1 world. I tend to be the kind of builder who likes to copy a prototype from the 1:1 world. And I am also the kind who is very hard on himself. I am forced, perhaps by adult OCD, to get things STRAIGHT, and TRUE, and the lines JUST RIGHT. That said, my eyes are failing me, and my dexterity is AWOL some days. I try to build with imagination and try to make things different, with the result that as of late, ALL of my builds are from the recycle box, and NEVER from the kit box. So, since I am so hard on myself, I kind of figure I am an advance novice to maybe a so-so intermediate builder. I am also possibly the slowest builder in the world. The Mack DM600 dump truck on my bench right now has an in process time of about 25 or 30 years..................SOMEDAY it may get done!

Charles, IHC USED to have a Builders Manual, that had ALL of the dimensions and line drawings of all of their trucks. I have one from the late 80's. I would expect that such info is still available for the body builders who make the bodies and accessories etc. that are used on these trucks. It may not be a paper manual any more, but I am sure that a current IHC dealer could help you locate the info you seek.

I would bet that NO ONE else even comes CLOSE! Wonderful imagination and superb execution of your ideas!

Very nice build!

Nice looking DM..........................LOVE Mack trucks!

Very nice work on that build! Love the colors!

One little piece at a time!

A small update on the DM project.............................added a second battery box, steps to the passenger side mounted hydraulic tank, a frame rear towing plate with pintle hitch, a Neway pusher axle, another sir tank and a few other tiny details. Going to use floats on the front and traction tires on the rear drive axles from Jamie Rahmoeller. Haven't had much time as of late, but every little bit counts!

A little update, finally found some time to work on the old dog. Got the chassis finalized using a DM800 as the source instead of the original DM600, added fuel tanks and air tanks, battery boxes, and a V8 engine. Removed the cast on roof marker lights. Narrowed the wheelbase of the rears and added the radiator to the resin cab casting. Did another mock up with rear fenders. Am going to put a winch on the back with a pto chain drive if all works out well.

Very nice build........... have one myself in the "to do" pile.

In a perfect world, we wouldn't need such invasive heavy handed government intrusion. But we all know this is not a perfect world, and we all have seen adults who truly need such management, some even to the point where they should be made to wear a helmet 24/7 because of their inability to navigate life by using common sense and foresight. I am a retired Paramedic and have seen the results of idiots who simply have no concept about how to drive a car without using a cell phone, texting, drinking, eating, putting makeup on, shaving, doing their hair, using their laptop, reading the newspaper, showing off by driving like a stuntman in the movies, watching a video, picking up a dropped cigarette and myriad other issues where they should not have been doing ANYTHING other than driving their damned car. And I have also seen the human carnage they have caused. I have seen seatbelts that worked as designed, and some that horribly went bad and the same with airbags. And as Bill said above, there is NO substitute for awareness of one's surroundings while navigating not only the streets, but life in general. Sadly however in today's nanny state government, they will continue to "take care" of us all.

Thanks guys.............................while I really don't care if someone doesn't agree with me, I do appreciate that some know where I'm coming from. I have many of my father's and both of my grandfather's "things". And they mean the world to me. I am hoping that my sons will follow my wishes to try to get hold of those friends I have made in this hobby, (and I have a list for them), and get this stuff back into the hobby. While my collection is modest by many standards, I would love to think that someone further down the line will get some enjoyment from the stuff I have, much of which came from friends of mine who have passed. As with my gun collection, I do not consider myself the owner of these hundreds of guns, but merely their caretaker. Many were here before I came and all will be after I leave................I also hope that is the same with my model collection. Cheers, Tom

At 61, it's been about 17 years since my 20/10 vision started downhill. I have to wear bifocals now, and use an Optivisor to see small details. My hands don't have the dexterity they used to and I have tremors in them as well as pretty bad arthritis after many years of abuse. But, I still TRY to build and still greatly enjoy it. The other thing that comes with my advancing age is wondering what will become of my collection after I'm gone. My two sons have no interest in my "toys". My 1:1 Mustang GT and '46 Chevy truck and Harley, and my gun collection are no problem as they will split all of that. But, the plastic mountain in my cellar, I fear will be dumped on the curb!

Get well soon, and keep doing what the doc says. I know several people who have gone through this and all with good results. Best wishes!

Incredible rust work................wish I could do that!

Yes, BMF works well, but I can totally understand the leaf alternative. Jimmy has given us a tremendous tutorial, and I for one will give it a try at least once. BMF has in my humble opinion, gotten worse in quality over the last several years. I used to paint cars and trucks in the 1:1 world. One thing we did a lot of was fire trucks and commercial trucks. The smaller departments and owners on a budget, would have us do vinyl striping and lettering, which looked OK, but it was DEFINITELY overshadowed by the traditional hand lettering and gold leaf striping and highlights that those with a bigger budget would have us do. We had a sign painter who excelled in both vinyl and traditional methods do our work for us. Sadly, he was murdered by his stepson, (hired by his wife!!), a couple years after we closed. I am SO glad I had hand striping and lettering done by him on my motorcycle before his untimely departure. There is, again, in my humble opinion, no comparison at all. I hope to see some better photos after burnishing from Jimmy. And I do expect that the leaf method will far outlast the BMF method over the long haul, both as a model simply ages, or when it is handled repeatedly. I am gonna give it a try!

Beautiful work! LOVE the dio!