Chuck Most

Very nice! I like that front end. The nekkid aluminum frame looks great with the red cab.

True, but then you just have a realistically painted object that's still just a toylike plastic blob of a human. The majority of the figures I've seen in car kits are barely passable as JC Penny dummies, even with careful paint detailing.

Wasn't that done by Moebius? And yes you could- the Chariot was based on an actual Sno Cat, you'd need to do some scratchbashing, but I've been toying with the idea myself. That Dodge is way cool!

Mainly 1930 to 1960, that's the bulk of my collection, but if it strikes my fancy, I'll build it no matter what vintage or manufacturer it represents.

Thanks for that link! I've seen the completed trucks and read the storyline behind them, but this is the first time I've seen any in-progress photos of them. Very cool! And thanks to everybody for helping ID the kit. Jim- I kind of thought that someone had glued part of the instructions to a plain box, but it appeared to be a special-made sticker- it was sort of glossy on the exposed side, and there was no printing on the back side of the label. The kit did include a full instruction sheet. It showed Texaco markings in the illustrations, but the kit had no decals (at least, mine didn't).

I WANT to say they're from an AMT Kenworth T600, but I don't remember for sure. Chassis/drivetrain is Ford F-350.

Ah, I'm not too worried about value...

I am just wondering, were they all issued in this box? I have seen two in this style box. It is completely blank on all sides, but has the stick-on label shown in the photo on one side. None of the truck modelers in my area have ever seen this box- was it a special edition, or something like that?

I was digging around in my spares pile yesterday, and coughed up a few interesting parts. Suddenly, an idea was hatched... I found... some wheel/tire/hub assemblies from a Monogram '26 Mack AC, and some chrome scripts and Bulldog ornaments from an old AMT R-600. I also managed to flush out a Pitman arm and 5th wheel from a Revell Peterbilt 359, a steam whistle (radiator ornament) from an AMT Orange Blossom, a pair of MRC wheel adaptors (perfect fit into the front wheel mounting bosses!), and some quarter elliptic rear springs and brackets from an AMT Peterbilt 359 (I think...). I'm leaning toward using a modified AMT Lil Mixer chassis, and maybe a '40 Willys cab. I suppose we'll see- this is another project I will just 'wing', the model will more or less design itself as it progresses. I am shooting for a sort of cartoony, Ed Roth/Tom Daniel end result, but still keep it somewhat realistic as a vehicle that could be theoretically driven.

That's what I do. The trick is some kits have VERY light emblem and script detail. In that case, Photoetch is about the only way to go. Many kits include the scripts and emblems as decals, which looks okay, but nowhere near a foiled cast-in or foiled piece.

I think these two statements are the big two reasons you don't see too many kits with figures included nowadays. A lot of auto modelers aren't great with figure painting- it's a totally different set of skills for the most part. Whenever I try to paint a figure, it always ends up looking like Heath Ledger as The Joker. The fact that most of the figures included with car kits aren't as up to snuff as the rest of the kit never helps. Everyone talks about the figures in the old MPC Gangbusters kits- they were the weakest part of those kits in every instance.

Correct me if I'm wrong- but wasn't the T600a kit pretty much all '70's vintage under the skin? I seem to remember reading the only new parts were above the frame rails on that one. '90's rigs? Yeah, now that you mention it, they were overlooked. I'd love to have an HME from the early '90's, or a mid '90's Ford/Sterling of any type.

I keep seeing this Gremlin kit, but every time I do, I'm really thinking of the '68 AMX GT concept car... Trouble is, where am I supposed to find a junker AMX body to use for the doghouse and front bumper?

There are a handful of Ford GT-40 parts in the kit (the engine is a Ford FE), I'm not sure what they based it from. I've never built it, but I've had a few of the kits- most of what's in the box has a kind of 'patched together' look. The parts I did use went together well, but I couldn't say how well the entire kit builds.

Uh-oh... now it's not a secret!

That is either one giant squirrell, or that is a tiny little car. My head aches...

Generally speaking, absolutely. Not too many fleets want to pony up the bucks for a Lonestar- that's a big-ticked, owner-operator rig. Even though it can be had with a lot of different paint/trim options, there are a LOT more possibilities for the Prostar. Speaking of possibilities- wouldn't it be nice to have a Durastar? Jada does one as a wrecker in 1:24, but who wouldn't love one of those in kit form? You can find pretty much any body imaginable on the back of a Durastar.

The tub was the T-Bolt kit's one big downfall, I've often wondered what was up with that myself. It's like they ran out of money by the time they got around to doing the interior, or something. Other than that it's up to snuff, though.

Everything from the original T-Bolt is still there.

I think it's been more than ten years since AMT has produced a new tool of a muscle car kit (aside from the Camaro Concept and the curbside Challengers), but as far as reissues go I'd have to say the '66 Fairlanes and '67 Mercury Comets are my favorites.

That thumping sound is me smaking my forehead.

Nice.

They don't, AND they don't fall into the 'Revell' category, either.

Obviously Cat did change their minds on the design, if you look at early 'supposed' photos of the truck. And there's still talk of a Cat highway tractor, as well...

For starters. I'm sure there are differences inside, and I won't even speculate on mechanical differences.