Rigzndiesel

Thanks for the comments guys. I would love to have a 750 Holmes wrecker body. Someday I will break out the Ken Smith article on scratch building one. Terry - I've been following your 352 Wrecker build as well. Very, very cool scratch built wrecker body. And all the cool mods to the cab. Looking forward to seeing more! Jeff

One thing I didn't do that I had a chance and didn't was to correct the fenders. Nice touch! Hope to see those old built ups redone with a tread of their own. I find it interesting to follow builds with sentimental value with them. Looking good! Jeff

There has been some really nice wreckers showing up on the board this month. I have had fun watching them as I am building a wrecker too! Back in the late 90s I picked up a little window Wrecker kit (T-522) off of Ebay. I bought it cheap as it was missing the wrecker body. I painted it like the box art only it was without the wrecker body and I just made it into a tractor minus sleeper. It came out OK but then I moved and the truck had some damage. Then, I discovered resin kits and I bought a resin CFC 358 hood. I decided this would be the truck to try out my first resin hood. Shortly afterwards, I picked up a reissued wrecker kit (robbed the wrecker body) and painted the body to match my little window cab. It came out OK. Once again I moved. And again, the truck needed to be put back together but this time I built it as an old OTR tractor with a Mercury sleeper. It came out decent. Then after a few years I moved again, and the truck needed another rebuild. This time I stripped the paint off, ditched the sleeper and left it to sit on a shelf for a few years. I had really wanted to redo it like the original box art (T-522) but dreaded having to strip the paint off the frame and no longer had the decals to do it; I lost interest and just let it sit... What if...Stepps towing started out with a little window 358 Pete?!? Hmmmm............ Anyways, that's the direction I'm going with this. Jeff

I'm trying to get a couple of "stalled" projects back on the bench. They've landed on the top shelf and collected a bit of dust. Here are a couple of sneak peeks to share...I'll post more in the Work Bench area if these "take off". Happy New Year! Jeff

I like this dump truck! This is some really nice work done here. I wish I could have seen it at the model show. I always hear good things and great builds coming from the Fulton, NY model show. You guys up North seem to be in a tight knit group and enjoy building trucks and cars! that's for sharing! I used to live in upstate NY in the early 90s and didn't get back into models until after I left. Darn, I could have met some friends! Jeff

Looking good so far. This is going be a nice build. You picked a cool subject to build a model of. Can't wait to see more... Jeff

Very nice scratch building. I wish I had skill like this. You are doing amazing work here, it is fun to watch! Jeff

Nice rework on the ramp body. I'm with you guys on changing the design on the wheel cut outs. They appear to be to "deep" for a realistic design. I also like the how the ramps are nicely tucked under the bed. That Pete day cab would like nice hauling the Dart! Very nice work! I had the Budweiser combo back in the day. I thought this was a really cool kit with the race car. Never knew there was a couple other Ford combos out there as I acquired/built mine in the late 70s. Jeff

Your off to a great start! Looks really good with that shortened wheelbase. I like to follow these little window Pete threads as I have a couple myself. Is the yellow truck the one your Dad built? It looks really nice for surviving the 40 years in the attic (or in time out status). A few more shots on that guy and some more "war" stories on the truck your Dad built would be cool...just a thought. I take it the wrecker body didn't survive..?!? Thanks for sharing! Jeff

Saw this late last night and had to wake up and comment. WOW, what a beautiful model! The paint.., the assembly.., the resin... and the ingenuity are all wonderfully executed. Very, very nice. I would say you fit in very nicely in the advanced category. There are a ton of great looking models on this board as well as great builders! Yours fits in very nicely, welcome aboard. Jeff

That is a nice looking combo! Very well done, I wish I had that sitting on my shelves! Again, nice combo! Jeff

Mark, This is amazing work! I can't get over the (Alclad) chrome wheels, stacks and breathers! That came out really bright and shiney! The paint job is really eye catching and resembles a today's (2010s) paint scheme. This is real inovative and inspiring work...great stuff. Jeff

- Robert - thanks for the comments. Now I'll have to find a windshield for the other Mack! - Mark - thanks for the comments. Good to see you back on the board. Anxiously awaiting an update to one of your detailed projects! - Angel - that combo is OUTSTANDING!!! I love the gloss red truck and the matching trailer! That is one beautiful model! I agree with Sean, that is a great story behind your choosing that truck and trailer kit. I first built the Mack over 30 years ago too and it was one of my favorites. I knew the model didn't look anything like the picture on the back page of the instructions but I hadn't seen the movie at the time. I was so impressed with the movable parts and opening doors that I didn't care if it resembled the movie truck. I finally saw the movie when I was in my late 20s. It's a great kit and yours turned out really, really nice!!! Thanks for the comments! - Sean - how goes it? PM sent Here's a recent WIP

Tom - Mark Thanks for the kind words! Neat info on the Mack licensing, wish more truck manufacturers had oversight like Mack to ensure an accurate product. Slow progress on this as the trailer has a few missing parts. Mainly the small stuff that is not seen but I'd like to make it a complete model. Acquired a DM800 Mixer that had a decent windshield and am using it for this build. Here are a couple of recent pics. Comments, critiques welcomed...Jeff

Hey Chuck, That is a really nice build. Great weathering and superbly built! The old Reo looks perfect pushing that plow. I like it!! Jeff

Hey Tom, Very nice looking truck and trailer. The gravel trailer looks awesome in red! Very nice build and so is the Road Boss, it's looking good too! Good stuff! Be safe from those tornados, Mother Nature is tough! We got some crazy weather too here in Colorado. Jeff

Been working on this gravel trailer that was once a built up. Got it off of Ebay a few months ago. It helped breath new life into this Mack project. I'm telling myself "No new projects" until this one is done - we'll see how long that lasts. Jeff

I missed this one too, this is a beautiful work truck! This is a really cool build with the winch and the deck plates. Very, very nice. Jeff

Awe man, that is a nice rebuild! I enjoy saving glue bombs too as long as they come apart. Really nice save and that bulldozer is outstanding! Jeff

Sean, Truck is coming along real nice. Good looking truck, I like the color too. Are you going to put the stripe on it like your reference pic? Looks fine without it as well. Question: did you make the front axle turn? Jeff

JT That is a really cool "in betweener" model. You have a nice addition to the fleet! Jeff

Here's one of a couple of trucks that I have been tinkering with. I've been slowly working on this 4200 project for a few weeks now. It's a project because I had to use the junk parts box to put this together. Thanks to fellow modeler Cappy625, I acquired a 4300 frame from him. I shortened it to make this a single axle truck. I'm using an AMT DD8v-71 engine with single exhaust. It took about a month to paint because the weather here in Colorado has been weird. One day we're in the 70s and then the next we're in the 40s making it difficult to spray paint. I think I painted it 4 times now and am at the point where its "good enough" to press on. So here is what I got done so far... Thanks for looking.....Jeff

Very creative Mark! This is exceptional work for such a side project from the other Pete. I like it. I like it a lot!! I spent a few minutes on each picture to see fine measuring and the precision cuts you did on the pieces to make this one of a kind custom. I also like the fact that you have a couple of irons in the fire to keep yourself from getting burnt out on one model. I’m doing the same; got two IH4200s and an IH4070b on the table. One of them is the one you sent me. Much appreciated by the way…thanks for re-inspiring me! Jeff

Sorry to hear about your loss. What a nice gesture from your wife to get a hold of a hard to find treasure...just for YOU! Your model is exactly the way I remember mine as my Dad built one for me back in 1974. The IH cab looks exceptional in red and yours is a very nice build and I like it alot! Jeff

JT, I like this build. I find myself returning to look at your scratch built trailer because I'm digging it! The truck is awesome too! I have always wanted a drop deck trailer in my fleet. I now know what I'm gonna build next. I have an old Ken Smith article on building a trailer like this so now I'm off to the storage pile (garage) to dig out my parts. Thanks for the inspiration! Jeff