Chuck Most

So far, this is the only Class 8 COE I've got- AMT White Freightliner Dual Drive I built about five years ago. It was the first semi tractor model I ever built. I did not fix the too-tall headlights or too-wide front axle on this one. I'm currently working on another one. This one will be a short-wheelbase Michigan Special.

Starting with the recent reissue of the oil tanker, but that won't be the body I'm using. The idea here is an old junker that was in use well into the '70's before finally being put to pasture. This might entail an engine swap, more modern lights, and things like that. I'm still not sure what to put on the back, but I'm leaning toward a stake or other type of platform body. Then I could park a junked-out Model A pickup, or something like that, on the back. Here's what I've got so far... Front wheels are modified Italeri pieces, converted to a two-hole design. The centers were opened up to accept the stock Mack hubs. The tires are also Italeri- a bit modern if you're building a period-correct piece, unless that period is now, and the old truck in question has had a few upgrades over the years. Rear wheels and tires won't be the ones shown in the photo- they're just on there for the time being to keep the axle off the ground. The paint as of right now is DupliColor "Rust" sandable primer- it's a nice color to use as a base if you want to build a rusted, weathered model.

Nothin'. The tire shop dragged over some tires for the G1000, but for the time being I'm not dragging home anymore mechanical carcasses until I've made some progress on the ones I already have laying around. To that end, the G1000 now moves under its own power for the first time in about 20 years, and has good rear tires. Next thing will be knocking off that Full Vision cab and finding some proper factory MM fenders.

This one showed up to install some new rear tires on a tractor today- And stumbled across these at a scrapyard-

So.... this actually exists in real life.

Hit the salvage yard earlier today, and...

If I had the space I'd keep it... but my '54 F-600 takes up enough room as it is.

It is in very good shape- nothing more than minor surface rust, a few dents in the roof (no doubt caused by somebody walking on it) and a tent/tear in the driver's side headlight bezel. Odometer shows just over 66,000 miles- as far as I can tell that's actual. Hasn't run since about 2002.

Dug this out of a barn yesterday- '57 Ford T700.

I don't think I've seen a 720 this clean in.... well, I don't think I've EVER seen one as well-preserved as this in Michigan.

I don't need to find any "exciting" stretch of road, what with an 80-mile round trip commute on good old US-127. Being an interstate highway, it's pretty much arrow straight, but even then it gets mighty interesting. The first part of the trip has actual intersections- no overpasses, just secondary roads with stop signs. It never ceases to amaze me how many people will wait until they can see the whites in my eyes before flooring it across four lanes of traffic. I don't even know if I bother lifting off the gas for those people anymore, much less letting off or hitting the brake. Even once you get past that section and the speed limit bumps up to 70, the fun doesn't stop. From there on it's the doofus who tailgates you while texting, the old geezer in the Buick who's doing 10MPH under the limit and weaving between the lanes, and the 16 year old girl behind the wheel of Dad's Suburban... seemingly after taking a handful of Mom's Valium. Just a few days ago I thought I was going to get to watch a pile-up happen right in front of me... (relatively) slow moving traffic in the passing lane and a guy in the right lane who, seemingly being unaware of the purpose of a deceleration lane, started to slow down rather dramatically in the right lane itself. The line of cars behind him (unable to pass due to the slow-moving left-lane traffic) became like a row of mobile Christmas lights as the drivers behind him hit the brakes. Sort of related.... "maintaining a safe following distance" seems to be a lost art. It gets really fun in winter... especially after the first big snow, or if it's icy. I have no idea how you can live (and drive) in a place like Michigan your whole life and have no idea how to drive in slippery conditions, but it seems like there are always huge pileups, or you'll see clusters of cars in the ditch or on the median. We like to call them "The Summer Tires Support Group". Nobody seems to remember the laws of physics, or how they pertain to a vehicle in motion- yes, you can drive 70 miles per hour on snow or ice... but your abilities to turn or stop are greatly hindered, even if you have every traction, braking, and/or stability aid known to man. If it's raining badly enough it's almost as bad. Certainly there are times I wished the roads in the US were more like the roads in India. That would certainly thin out the idiot driver herd by quite a fat margin. Barring that, there are days I really start to think that maybe the Amish have the right idea about transportation.

The other major mag is called "Scale Auto", and they cover trucks as well. Commercial vehicles seem to be quite a bit more popular than the wine-and-cheese open wheel racing stuff. If you aren't interested in a particular subject, steer clear of those parts of the forum and post your non drag/non NASCAR race cars in the "Under Glass" section like everyone else has been doing. Sounds simple enough.

The "elephant ear" mirrors from the '88-style MPC/AMT Chevy 1500 kits can stand in for the Dodge mirrors with a little reshaping.

Reattached the mirrors, and slathered on a little rust.

The SnapFast and SnapFast Plus kits never stopped using them, though sometimes they only used a pair of screws on one end and a tab/slot arrangement on the other.

Thanks guys! I got to spend the day doing a little automotive archaeology, so I'm happy. Other than the fact that one of the hulks I found used to be a '55 Vicky.

Ford medium-duty F-Series with a 3-D pumper body.

That's very cool! I thought of doing something similar with one of those kits. Funny, for some reason I was under the impression it was 1:35 scale.

Typical Michigan lumber rig, with self-unloader and pup. Not sure if these are particularly geographically unique, but in MI we like running a higher than normal number of axles.

I can certainly get one going during April. As far as finishing it... not so much. Unless we're talking next April.

Chevy engine alone "blows it", regardless of the rocker covers he's running.

Nice!

http://blog.caranddriver.com/clarkson-hammond-and-may-removed-from-topgear-com-home-page/

I've always wanted to try that, because I never did it as a kid. Buy some cheap reissue of a '50's-era 3-in-1 and use every single custom part on it just because I can. And maybe after that, I could partake in another old modeler's tradition I skipped out on as a kid... blowing it up with firecrackers.