SpreadAxle

By the way, here is an idea for you. In the late '80s early '90s, AMT offered 3 race car tarnsport trailers. These are nothing more than the AMT Trailmobile moving van trailers of the 1970's with race team decals, and tools for in the trailer. Model express has 2 of the 3 available for less than $40. Go to www.jbot.ca, and you will find he has a set of Allied van lines decals for their pre 1980's color scheme, when the bottom of the trucks were gray. Gooche decals, if he is still around, makes the North American decals that were in the kit from years ago as well. You have to be creative when it comes to trailers. For more late model stuff, scratchbuilding is still the way to go on a lot of them. Good luck. This is my biggest beef with kit makers is trailers, lack of availability, lack of American trailers, and lack of modern trailers. Think about it, if say, a Camaro came with just a different gearshift knob from one year to the next, we would see a new kit. A little exaggeration, but close. lol. Go to TRUCKMODELER.com, and check out Tim's trailers. He inspired a few upcoming builds for me.

Oh it is a legitimate question. No one's picking on you. I myself had trouble finding trailers for kits. I don't even start tractors without having an idea for a trailer. I discovered that trailers tend not to stick around as long as an offering from the kit mfgrs. Also, the vast majority of available American trailers are AMT's trailers, which are all of 1970's vintage. Not too many more modern trailers were ever made in kit form, except by Italeri and Revell AG. And many of Italeri's kits were based on European trailers. One thing to do is start shopping around.

That's agood point too Jarius. Driver's ed in high school, or a trucker's safety seminar would be a great place for this one.

I read this tip in FineScaleModeler(I think) years ago, but I just figure it's my way of getting something back from the Marlboro man for the damage done and money spent. I am quitting, as it cuts into my model money. 8) lol.

Very nice work Jim. I've been curious to see this one finished. Welcome back to truck modeling.

Here is a brochure pic of the engine, basically the kit engine laying exhaust side down as you mentioned. WHen I was in school, I was told some buses used a model like this also.

I took a break from the Autocar as I didn't want to rush the final details, so I started the drom box for this truck. Just waiting for the putty on my rear wall halves to dry so I can finish the assembly. I made it 7 scale feet long using the AMT Ford Louisville Shorthauler body to put this one together. I got the inspiration for making the drom box this way from this truck that I believe was on Tim's website. the only difference is mine only has a door on the passenger side. I don't know how it's set up on the Allied van, but I know there is no door on the driver's side. here's another shot.... I cut both side walls in the same spot. The smaller sections of the leftovers were put together to make the rear wall. While I waited for the putty to dry, I worked on the Autocar's interior. I still have to sand the rear wall a little, make some corner sections, and cut the roof to length, but I feel good having started it. I'll post pix of the cab modifications I made 2 weeks ago as soon as I take some shots. I 4got to last time. All I did was cut the sleeper in half, but I still have to figure some things out with it. I don't think the cab shell will be very hard, but the engine mounts, and interior are what I think will be the challenge, as the engine is under the drom box, and the cab has a flatter floor. Keep watching, it will progress. Thanks 4 looking Oh yeah, before I forget, anyone with some more info to share, please let me know. Feel free to add to my post in 1:1 Truck reference as well. I'm sure others would like to try this one. This is one of those trucks with virtually no information to find. Thanks again

I definately have an appreciation for the glue bomb restorations now as I restore the Autocar. Although I didn't glue bomb it, removing certain parts to repaint was challenging as far as trying to be gentle and not break them. I really understand it as I work on my cabover Freightliner. It makes me respect the work I see here that much more.

Tim, I love it. Very nice work. This makes idea #2 this week that I've had and got to see what it would look like finished, the other being the long Trailmobile I mentioned yesterday. Incidentally, you wouldn't happen to know what year freightliner dropped the White name would you? Anyway, I love it. Very cool. This style of Freightliner conventional was always a favorite of mine.

Thanks Tim, I was wondering if I could find that aircleaner.

I only painted 2 models yellow in my time. I used Testors bright yellow both times. I like that shade. One was a Revell HOT ROD magazine series '69 Yenko Camaro, and the other was Monogram's 1/25 scale Kenworth areodyne. On the truck cab and sleeper, I noticed that the yellow pulled away from a lot of the small details. Trucks have lots of rivets in their construction, and these were molded to the truck's body. I never could get it solved, and I ended up stripping it and painting it as an Allied Van lines tractor since it's molded in orange anyway. As for the camaro, it took to the Yellow a little better, but I know I've had nicer paintjobs than that one. It ended up having some of the issues the rest of you mentioned. Thanks for sharing the tips. I hope I can solve that rivet poblem now. White does it to me too, where the paint pulls away from the rivet head.

That is such a cool trick, and a fine model you have here.

I'm discovering that as I redo my first glue bomb. One of the kits going into my "penthouse" Freightliner is one of those glue bombs with what seems like 40 thick coats of paint, and the parts were glue bombed with crooked installations of parts afterwards.

Aww that's not gory. You did this one in good taste. I fugured i would find that if I could see in the sunroof, but you didn't overdo it. This is just right. The fake article is pretty cool, too.

I haven't seen you here in awhile John. Nice Pete there.

Good looking dozer. I have one of these to be built as a load on a lowboy trailer. nice job here.

I had to come back and look at this. The details are superb. The busted windshield, the spilled fuel by the truck fuel filler neck, the figures, again, well done. Kind of like some military/war dios, it has that shock and horror element to it. Without being graphic with detail(no gore)you conveyed the message well. You can tell it's a serious situation without the horror show. But these serious dios, are powerful when done right, and this is done right. I would love to see that one sitting in a driver's ed class somewhere as realistic as it is. Excellent job.

Today's work centered around the exhaust pipe and some more engine details. I had to craft the exhaust pipe using sections from the Diamond Reo kit pipe, the A64B pipe, and the section under the cab is K and S metal tube. I just have to rust the pipe a little now. I also scratchbuilt a crude copy of the exhaust support bracket from the A64B kit. I have to do the same with the upper exhaust bracket that mounts to the cab. I have an A64B that I bought on ebay that was going to be just for parts because when it arrived, it had no cab. It did contain 2 complete sets of the chrome trees, and several other parts trees were in duplicate, including two additional complete engine trees. The guy felt bad, so he threw in a whole bunch of extras. Thankfully he did, because some of this truck's original chrome is missing. However, there were only one of some parts, like the frame parts, and I did find a cab, so there will be an A64B built of that kit. Anyway, I digress. Some minor engine details were added as well. As soon as the cab is done, I can really go after the engine compartment with some more lines, as well as the radiator braces and heater hoses. Almost there, almost there.

By the way, I posted some pix in 1:1 reference of the 2006 Utility flatbed that I pull. More will be posted with some measurements. It's a 48'x102" trailer with a 10'2" spread axle suspension. These will give a starting point as far as looks. I figured it would give you a good scratchbuilding project. I will be building multiples of these, as I plan to model the two trucks I've owned, which have both pulled this trailer. Who knows, maybe somebody with casting ability could make a kit for us. Anyhoo, I hope the reference material helps. Northwest and Wild Child, you will find that most of the trailers in kit form are 70's models, like me. Although the Great Dane van can be updated with minimal work. Lengthening it to 45 or 48' is one option I have going for future projects. Very little that I can see changed with that trailer thru the 80's and into the early 90's. Semi trailer mechanic is probably the best friend we will have on this subject. check out his builds. trust me, he knows his stuff.

by the way, I was standing on the deck, and the rack just grazed my head. It took my hardhat off and pinned me against the rest of the load. No injuries, just a change of underwear, lol. Anyway, I figured that story would raise a question or 2.

Here are some pix I have of it, behind my old truck. I will have "refernce photos" posted here soon, with some measurements. But here are some shots I already have. The trailer is a 48'x102" trailer. 10'2" spread axle Hendrickson suspension. Nose rail Rear shot with a load of "training wheels". It is available with 6 taillights also. The other two would be mounted inboard, and right next to the inner most taillights in this pic. Hopefully you get some good side details in these next few shots. I was using the tractor to right this load with a chain. It was very unstable and was trying to escape. It's the only load I ever had try to runaway. the top rack fell on me during unloading. I love my HARDHAT. Anyway, you should see some details here. There are 3 nailer wood nailer strips. One runs up the very center of the deck. The rest is aluminum. The toolboxes are 5 ft long, 2 ft tall, and 2 ft deep. I hope these help get you started. More photos with measurements coming soon. I will be taking more detailed pix for this post. Watch for updates.

aww michael that's no good. That's why my rigs usually don't have rolling wheels. I used to replace the metal axles with Q tips that had the cotton ends cut off instead of the metal axles that AMT gives you to slide into the drive and trailer axles on their kits. I found some truck kits will roll very easily, believe it or not. By the way jarrettfan, where is Houston, MO? I must keep missing it on my map. Never heard of it. Anyway, if there is a hobby lobby near you, they often carry K and S stuff, and I think they have the sandpaper that K and S sells. I have an assortment pack of it, and most of it is fine sandpaper. then again, there is always automotive sandpaper.

Cool dio, not cool situation. I've been the almost victim of this situation numerous times. I like the dio, but you would be amazed how many people in our advanced society of today still haven't figured this out. :roll: Nice job. Excellent detail work and theme, but boy I hate to be that driver, because there is no guaruntee he won't get sued, and believe it or not, some states will ticket you for going into the lane next to you to turn. You have no choice at some intersections though, just too narrow. . Again, excellent job on all the details, and you did good with the weathering on the trailer. just the right amount of soot.

Looking good with the trailers. It's pretty cool that Dad lets you photograph your models with his. It's also cool to see that his models survived thru the years. I hope mine do. I moved too many times in my life, that's why most of teenage builds are in my cardboard "boneyard". Well, that, and mom was trying to be nice when she would try to dust my trucks, but my Bison, and one or two others nosedived off the shelf. She bought me some makeup brushes to get around fine details when dusting. No display cases big enough you know.