Ben

It's not emotions, Harry. It's my knowledge of this end of our hobby. Have you been a die hard collector and builder of heavy trucks and construction equipment for over 40 years? I have been! I have had thousands of conversations with truck builders from all over the world and I know the kits they have been wishing would be produced! I have had my own line of heavy truck exclusive resin parts that have sold well since 1994.

I see, so what your saying is that Moebius, with their 60.00 Lonestar and Prostar kits and Revell with their 100.00 Bill Signs Peterbilt and Stepps Can Do wrecker produced these kits thinking they would draw in builders of the "occasional" model kit rather than the many die hard fans of heavy trucks already heavily into building them? That makes sense.

You guys keep making your points but how do you have any idea that a new construction equipment piece would not sell well????? Just because it's a subject your not interested in means nothing! I keep proving myself with the Lonestar semi truck kits!!! All the other model companies were too scared to take a chance and guys like you were saying "oh, a new truck kit would be a waste of time". I bet Moebius is sure glad they didn't listen to the naysayers and came out with three new kits for us truck builders........so far! I bought thirteen Lonstar kits, four Prostar kits and four reefers!!! I buy only two of each car kit I like.

If I had that type of funding, I would do just so! I have been in the model truck and construction game for forty years. I know what the guys are asking for!

You don't have to meet in person to have a club. Try telling this to the guys on the Model Truck Discussion group that is on Yahoo and Facebook. Hundreds of members and has been going strong for many years!!! That's just one of many!!!!!

But......they never would have reissued it, if they didn't think it would sell, right?

I can see that but that's the chance you'll take with any subject. There are no guarantees.

Also, I use Moebius for an example as they were the only company with the guts to produce all new, fully detailed semi truck kits and it looks like it's paying off for them!

And when those companies did release those subjects, they are selling well......right? How do they know for a fact that if they did tool up a new dozer kit that it wouldn't sell well??? The AMT D8H kit was rereleased FIVE times. Apparently there ARE people out there love to build dozer kits and they have ONE 1/25 kit to choose from!!!!! Knowing these facts, you wouldn't invest in an all new modern dozer kit????? I sure would!!!!!

Because most model companies don't listen to their priimary market! Look at Moebius, they chose to produce sublects that have never been attempted by other copmpanies and look how well they are doing! A new construction model has to be produced before it would sell well.

This is a current issue from Revell. How much money and time do you think they invested in this HUGE kit? This is the second release. Must mean it sold well the first time! http://www.revell.com/germany/other/80-8813.html

You can't have a market for something that doesn't exist. The hot news on most of the model truck and armor forums, of which I belong to many, is the release of that new Meng Cat D9R dozer kit. It's only 1/35 but it's the only kit of a D9R ever produced. I'll bet you a hundred to one that kit flies off the shelves! I know several people that have already bought two and paid the extra shipping from China just to get them faster. As soon as they hit the states I'll be buying two as well. It's funny, there were no new truck and trailer kits a few years ago either. Why don't you ask Moebius how well their Lonestar, Prostar and reefer are selling! Guys are buying them by the case!

Or any other modern construction equipment like this.

Model CAR club! Take it to a model TRUCK club and see how many guys would be asking where you bought it! Two of those would make a very nice load for a flatbed. If you guys don't build trucks and construction equipment, how can you have an opinion on what would sell well? That would be like me going to a thread on model aircraft and telling the guys in there that a plane they would like to see would never sell well. I mean, I don't build planes, I don't work on real planes but I have the right to tell them that, when they know WAY more about them than I do, would never sell well! This is a model CAR forum with guys that build model CARS. Go to any of the hundreds of model truck forums on Yahoo and Facebook and see if your "model construction equipment would never sell well" fly's over there!

I guess First Gear made an unwise decision to release an International TD40B dozer in 1/24, An International Payscraper in 1/24, an International Payhauler dump in 1/24, An S Series International with tri axle lowboy in 1/24 a S Series dump in 1/24 and a Komatsu dozer in 1/24 with every one of them being in the 200.00 to 300.00 range and every single one of them sold well.

Well, it's funny, ERTL made four different tractor kits, plow kits and trailer kits. A backhoe kit and an off road quarry dump kit all of which saw a second release. Yes, even the John Deere farm tractor was released a second time. AMT offered a D8H dozer that has been issued five times! With and without a trailer. The Kenworth Challenge Mixer is the holy grail of model truck kits. Always fetches about 300.00 on Ebay whenever one is listed. I assure you guys, I know what I'm talking about here. I have every 1/24 and 1/25 Construction kit ever made by both American and foriegn companies. Not to mention the hundreds of construction kits in various other scales. I've been in many, many model truck groups for years and almost every member is a fan of construction equipment. Model truck builders have been using them for years as loads and have been turning to diecast models because the construction and farm kits are so hard to get.

I just bought this as well. It is a prototype of a very detailed toy that is normally produced in 1/16 scale. The person I bought this from had purchased five of them and none have been seen since. He then took them home, disassembled them, repainted them and detailed them with hoses and wire grab handles. Of the five made, I have two of them here right now. The second one bought is for a friend in England. They are 1/24 as well.

Here is what you end up with if you decide to tackle building a 1/24 D9T Cat dozer. I purchased this off Ebay for 300.00.

A few years ago Kit Form Services of England offered a Caterpillar 325B excavator, a Michigan front end loader and then the excavator was later changed to a "generic" excavator. These multi media kits were done in 1/24 scale and sold for about 300.00 a piece. He sold every kit in every run of each model!!! I have been a HUGE fan of construction equipment and big rig models for over 40 years. I assure you, models of construction equipment and farm equipment WOULD sell very well!!! Just try to buy any of the original ERTL farm tractors and see what you end up having to pay!

Do you know how to keep a really gullable person in suspense?!?

With their fist! Hello!?

That's some really great work!!!! Your gonna have to hire a plumber to get to that engine!

That looks really good!!!

Wow! You taught him well!

It's crazy to see your work being just as good as any muliti million dollar model company could produce if not better!!!!! Looking really great so far, Tom!!!