highway

First off, welcome to the forum and the hobby, Michael. As for the question on the sizes, that is the scale of the kit compared to the real subject, which you'll notice here is often referred to as the 1:1. The easiest way to explain it is a 1/24 scale kit is 24 times smaller than the real thing. The larger the number, the smaller the model is. A 1/32 scale car is smaller than a 1/24, a 1/43 scale is smaller than a 1/32, and so on. I have some planes for aircraft carriers that are 1/350 scale, and they are not much larger than my fingernail! Of course, the smaller the scale you start working in, the more difficult they become, just mainly due to the size of the parts. I would say if you want a challenge as your first build, the Audi would give it to you. I have never built it, but I found a PDF of the instructions on Revell's website. Here's a link if you would want to see what's involved before you order the kit. Revell Audi R8 Instructions A skill level 2 is a good start for a first model for a challege, and it does look like the Audi would give you the challege you want. I hope whether you choose the R8 or another Skill 2 glue kit as your first kit, may you have many happy years of modeling to come.

I'm liking the "Gearjammer Lee" Clay! Looking good, and love the pic of what your going for.

Why sure! The AMT 1/32 scale wheels come out close to 18 inches in 1/25 scale, and the tires themselves are about 30 inches tall. Here's a pic of them with AMT's Dodge dually wheels as a comparison. Oddly enough, the tires from the Dodge kit will, with some not so gentle pushing, will fit the AMT 1/32 scale wheels. These are the Dodge tires, the left one on the 1/32 scale truck wheel and the right one on the stock Dodge wheel. I also measured the 1/32 scale New Ray diecast wheels I'm using on my trailer and was surprised to find they measure out to just about 22.5 inches in 1/25 scale, which would be a perfect size either for the low profile wheels on a rig or nice custom wheels for a beefed up dually running semi tires and wheels. Here is a comparison pic of all three wheel sets, left is the 1/32 scale AMT wheels are tires, middle is the AMT Dodge dually wheels, and the right ones are the 1/32 scale New Ray wheels. I just happen to have one similar to those in the stash! It is a Heller kit, but from what I've heard here, these were actually the old AMT 1/43 scale kits. They might work for a 1/32 scale small wheel like the 1/32 scale wheels do for 1/25 scale trucks, but I don't know since I don't have a 1/32 scale ruler. I did check what they would scale to in 1/25 scale, and unless you were building some ridiculous lowrider, they would not work for 1/25 scale. They only come out to be a 13 or 14 inch wheel in 1/25 scale.

You're welcome DW, anytime! Of course, that is the great thing with this forum, you can help with Mopar muscle car knowledge and I can help with tractor trailer knowledge, because after 12 years pushing diesels down the road and being inside, outside, and even under them when I was towing them, there ain't much I can't answer when it comes to trucks! I hope you can win that truck, and if you would want to build the tractor at some point, I would have rear Alcoas from the trailer kit I posted, but if you can find one, I'd suggest finding a New Ray 1/32 scale diecast for it's tractor, it would look much better than the ugly Volvo! That is the manufacture of the Freightliner pulling mine, and I even found a real cheap one to steal wheels for the trailer so they would match. Here's a new pic of the Freightliner with the New Ray wheels on the trailer. If you would want the wheels from the trailer, you are more than welcome to them, but I didn't find any matching front steer wheels, though. I didn't find any spokes, either.

There is no such thing as a dumb question, Andy, at least that's what mom always told me! Anyway, you are very close in your thinking, an annual kit is a kit that is released annually of a certain subject every model year of the subject and reflecting sometimes very small changes between the model years. These four kits are perfect examples of annual kits. The red Probe GT is a 1989 model and the silver is a 1990 model and the Explorers are 1996 and 1997. Most annual kits are mostly the same kit, just as these examples are, but reflect changes that may have been made through a run of a certain body style or maybe as little as a different wheel offered for a model year. The Probe kits are an example of the first, the bumper covers and wheels were changed to a different style in 1990, and the silver kit reflects these changes. The only difference in the two kits are the bumpers and wheels, everything else is the same for both. The Explorers are the same way, but in their case the only difference was the style of wheel offered on the 1:1 truck. The kit is the same way, the only different parts are the correct wheel for the model year.

Yeah DW, the Coke reefer is 1/32 scale, the trailer is the same as this old Tropicana one I have. The trailer has Alcoa aluminum wheels, but the Volvo tractor with it has the 5 spokes. Here's a pic of it I found on ebay of it after a quick search. And the listing for it. http://cgi.ebay.com/AMT-Ertl-Coca-Cola-NIB-1-32-scale-Volvo-Tractor-Trailer-/320631963196?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4aa7277e3c You might get lucky and find it at a hobby shop with old stock, but I think it was last issued maybe around 2000 or so. I'll keep my eyes open for you, I sometimes get lucky at my LHS and find some of the older stuff hiding. I'm not really sure if you can find the wheels and tires like that just by themselves, but that's not to say that there isn't anyone offering them. I'll do some digging here, too, I just might have a set hiding here, but no guarantees. Don't worry about all the questions, and like my mom used to say, there are no dumb questions! That's what we're all here for, to help each other out. Well, most of us, anyway!

Thanks DW, I thought you'd like that Dodge! The only thing I can figure with the long frame trucks is they might have been a custom sleeper truck or something else before they were decked out. There is one running freight in this area that used to have a big sleeper, but now just has the 30 inch casket bunk. As for the TV trucks, I think they are just replicas, but look great either way. As for those wheels your looking for, the only five spokes that are small enough for what you're thinking would maybe be some 1/32 scale wheels. The AMT Coca Cola reefer set had the 5 spokes on the tractor. I think Plaskit had some 19.5 inch rims and tires, but they were the 2 hole Budd disc wheels.

Well gang, instead of working on models, I've been playing around making videos, and no, not those types of videos! I got frustrated I couldn't find any good YouTube videos of one of my favorite trucking songs, so I made my own. This is the first time I've made a video and posted it on YouTube, so I hope you like it. And yes, as the song says, I've run freight out of Wheeling, WV! And no, I didn't plan that part of the lyrics being in sync with the pic of my Ford, it just happened that way.

It's not ending for a year, you have plenty of time to get something else to build!

I just have been feeding her too much, and that's my story and I'm sticking to it!!

No, Andy, the moose bar is Rustoluem Black and the tubes are aluminum tubing. I understand where you seen the "Original Chrome", because that is what the trailer was painted in. One tip of advice, don't get the "Original Chrome" or any Krylon paints, I have never had luck with them. I don't know what happened, but the original older can I had here sprayed fine, but I ran out and had to buy a new can of the chrome at Michael's, and it still fingerprints after months of being sprayed. If you need "Hillbilly Chrome", I suggest going to your local auto parts store and getting a can of Duplicolor Chrome. I used it on the fenders on the tractor, even though they are a little hard to see in this pic. It seems to me to have a better "chrome" look to it, and is much more durable to handling that Krylon.

I'd be doing a happy dance too!

Thanks Andy.

Yet one more method is to use a sealer primer first, something like Dupilcolor's sealer primer. Just make sure it has the word sealer on the can.

That is a good example Mark, but I think most of the problems with even the constructive criticism being taken as slamming the builder is some do not take the extra effort to add the solution in their reply, just point out the problem. A comment like the one you made above goes much farther than just a comment like "Nice paint job, but you could have done better on the decals." A comment like the example I made, in my opinion, just does not help the builder at all execpt make the builder think "OK, my paint work is nice, but my decals stink. It would be nice to know what I did so wrong other than no one likes them!"

Welcome to the forum, Andy. It's nice to see young people still interested in the hobby!

Welcome to the forum and nice find!! Are you planning on doing anything with it? If not, PM me, I wouldn't mind adding to my collection, I've always wanted to build Eleanor.

I haven't found out which agency in my hometown has it yet, but I noticed one of those on a traffic stop on the interstate just outside Wheeling the other day. I seen all the LEDs over a half a mile away!

Gottcha!

I second the motion!

That's just about like the common sign outside some gas stations/restaurant combos: EAT HERE GET GAS

Dave, which Italeri truck detail set are you talking about? I never got any wire in mine! Anyway, you are right on the colors for U.S. trucks, for the coiled lines, the most common colors are red, blue, and green or black. They break down like this for uses: Red: Trailer air supply, which is connected to the red valve in the cab, suppling all air needs to the trailer for brakes, air suspension, etc. Blue: This supplies the service brakes from the brake pedal in the cab, operating the brakes for normal braking. Green: Modern electrical line, includes wiring for modern ABS brakes on trailers. Black: Black was used for the older electrical lines, and to my knowledge, does not have the wiring needed for modern ABS trailer brakes. There are a few execptions, there were a few manufactures who used straight black lines from the factory for everything. In these cases, the gladhands at the end of the air lines were color coded red or blue for which system they operated. Justin, that would be alright for the straight black hoses I just described above, because I have seen quite a few trucks with the straight lines wrapped around a pogo stick like that just to keep them out of the way. I forgot last night that vinyl tubing won't coil like wire will the way Dave described.

You are correct Dave, this kit has not been on the shelves for about 25 years, because this was my first model kit when I was around 8 years old. I have this on my definite "Must Buy" list, too, because it has sentimental value to me. I still remember my dad and I sitting at the dining room table working on this kit together, and how we built it straight from the box just using glue and nothing else. I even played with it after it was done, every Friday night at 8 PM I had it on the living room rug pushing it around while I was watching the Dukes on TV. After I had shown more interest in the hobby and mom and dad bought me my first paints and my own glue, this kit was even my first rebuild painting some of the different parts since dad and I didn't do any painting the first time around. I've wanted this kit back ever since I lost the original in a house fire in 1997 but never had the spare cash to pay the ridiculous prices I've seen these go for sometimes on ebay. I was so happy when I first heard of the reissue because not only can I use my skills on it I have learned on it over the past 25 years since first sitting at the dining room table building it with dad, it will help me relive the happy time I had sitting at that table with dad, who passed away in 1990. Sometimes a kit on the shelf means much more than just another kit for the collection.

Another thing you might try is Dawn Power Dissolver. I've used it on chrome with great results. You can find it in the dish washing liquid aisle of your favorite store.

Steve, while I agree with what you are saying about unworthy praise, I'm still trying to understand what you mean by the comment above. I've been building almost as long as you have (I checked your profile and seen you are 3 years older than me ), and I'm sorry, but I will openly admit I still build snap kits. Yes, some of those are just for the "rainy day" when I need a break from a project I'm putting a lot of work into, but there are some in my collection that are just stunning models for being snap kits. One case in point is the Revell 85 (I think, might be an 84) Camaro that was released a couple years ago in their "Basic Builders" line, and I remember the original release I had years ago that was the Camaro from the TV show "Simon & Simon". Even though it's a snap kit, it can be made into a very nice model, and is very well detailed, including the engine. It might just be me, but I would rather put some extra work into that snap kit detailing it for a show that any of the similar "junk" MPC Camaros from the same years. Ok, with that out of my system, I think this is the best thing said in this thread, Steve. No truer words could ever be said!