SpreadAxle

That is an NTC 475, but diesels don't like it when you get beyond 2,200-2,500 RPM. When they runaway(overrev), you need to get as far away as possible. they will explode. As for my paintjob, it's Testors Classic Black the brown and blue stripes that come with Autocar Dump Truck kit. I will have that repainted soon.

looking good

good job Casey. What paint did you use to simulate the Mack interior green?

very nice

that is the kit's axle with the ends VERY CAREFULLY removed. I did it from, you guessed it, Phil jensens book. as with the brake details. the reason the axle is orange, is that it comes from the snowplow kit. Had to try it more than once. This truck is the 1994 reissue of the shorthauler van. I just took some evergreen tube(will get the size later) and made 4 "washers" out of them. I then used a fairly thin piece of plastic rod for the spindles to rotate on. the tie rod ends were simply cut, and again, small thin rod. I believe like 1/16", but I may have had to shave it just a hair thinner. that was the very first modification I made to this truck. I think I will do this more often.

sweet

that's an idea Dave. That's the way the Peerless logging trailer it originally pulled was painted. Light blue with black log bunks. that's an idea I will consider.

I finally sat down and ran some of the air brake lines tonight. So far I only have the lines to the chambers at the wheels, and the main line to the rear axle barkes, but at least we have progress. And I finally remembered to "pose" the front axle for the camera. Enjoy I have the world's brightest flash, and I can't turn it off, so I just partially blocked the flash bulb. Once a coat of primer goes on, I won't have to do that, but this plastic is so light, I had 2 do something. Thanks for looking. 8)

Strange, although I've known those to break, leaving some of the Mack name there, Seeing 3 in the same pic from same fleet is weird.

Quite a list there.

I'm glad it did. However, i can't take the credit. i got it from a t shirt I have that shows a 377 passing a rough road sign and it looks like the driver is going to go off roading. I love the saying though. I will eventually have it on the back of my rig, to remind some of us(myself included) that you have to outlast the bad times. Good luck to you.

that's a pretty accurate assessment.

Thanks guys. I just found the Phil Jensen article the other day. and you're right, It's 5 years older than I am. I started building models in 1990 at age 12. I once found an Auto World Catalog by accident, so I bought it. It was their 1991 catalog. I never knew they went under. It is from that catalog that I ordered the book I teasingly call the Bible(Old testament). Building Model Trucks by Phil Jensen. I love that book. Now, I will just have to find those gears. My favorite Pittsburgh, PA area hobby shop closed(or moved), so I have to find another. A.B. Charles and son was the name, in Dormont, PA. Anyhow, if someone can give me a brand name on the gears they use, that would be great. Thanks. If anyone knows of other conversion articles Phil has done, could you pass them along? I love his work.

You definately captured the CF look with this truck. I know b4 their demise in 2002 they did use GMC Topkicks, so it may be possible they used an Astro or 2.

You know the next :?: What did he have for a truck?

The blue Peterbilt in the center of this pic is my last truck. I know you are wondering about the giant yellow tube coming out of the passenger window. that is a system called Idle Aire. I get heat-a/c, high speed internet, 4 electrical outlets, cable tv hookup, and phone hookup all thru that tube. I thought a diorama of about 3 or 4 trucks next to each other hooked up would be really cool. When I'm online, I'm usually hooked to one of these. Simple plastruct could make the overhead support structure. Every 2 or 3 parking spots there is a pole with a concrete base holding it up. I've been kicking it around for awhile now, as more and more truckstops have it. Different, huh? Here it is again. That's my new truck, hooked to it in this pic. I know I have a pic somewhere of the inside of my cab showing menu screen and all the hookups.

I'm a truck driver and I keep a couple of projects with me. Some nights I get to sit and relax, which means that my trucks progress. Some of the loads I do on weekends are only going short distances, so if I can quit staring at everyone else's work on these pages long enough, I really get things accomplished. I was out of the hobby for a few years, but I'm back at it nowI'm rebuilding the 3 survivng trucks from my collection, and finishing one that I started, but found myself stumped on a few years ago. When I get things back in order, I can start doing a dio or two again. The bases for which I will do at home. i can justify carrying the trucks, but the bases would take up precious space in my sleeper. Time is just something I have to take when it comes. Between driving, loading/unloading(and as a result, the strapping/chaining/tarping of the loads), as well as maintainence on my rig since I am the owner, I have to squeeze the model building in when I can. Lately, I've had more time, but I know I need to use it wisely. Also, when I go home, there's chores, errands, and friends/family that need my attention, so I actually get more done on the road. I can think and plan when I drive. I take pix and write down ideas for projects in a 3 ring binder I carry with me. If I don't have time to build, I at least go over the kit's instructions to make notes, plan things, or sometimes ideas happen when I do this. Often times, I get out and take pix for diorama ideas. I've been wanting to display my rigs in scenes since I built my first truck 16 yrs ago. So 4 me, it's just a matter of seizing oppurtunities in a business that can keep you busy one month, and slow the next. :roll:

That will bring down property values!!! lol. on a serious note, what did you do to get the flat tire look? Heat it?

That explains it. I knew I saw their name recently. thanks Rocket.

I see that someone posted pix of a Ford LTL9000 with an Italeri reefer. He opened the doors using Brass model ship hinges. Can anyone tell me where I can find those???? I would like to look at them and see if I could use those.

I'm glad you said that Tim. I picked up some JBOT wonslow stripes on eBay about a month ago that I thought would look good on this kit. I will keep your note in mind.

Here are the first shots of the trailer for this truck. This is the mid 70's Ertl issue. The frame rails were warped outward, but gluin/clamping seems to have straightened them out. The frame will be black. Aluminum colored box. I'm debating and would like your opinions on this. I may make a second trailer for this truck to make it a Michigan train. I can't decide. :roll: Either way, I think converting it to a dump tractor was a good move.

I wrote the name backwards, it's Design Detail

Mine was a 4ft long bookshelf that I made into an HO scale interstate when I was 15. I had every detail I could think of. Guardrails, overhead highway sign, grass on the edges(which was the worst "landscaping" I ever saw, but it was my first attempt). I made the beginnings of a deceleration lane/exit ramp in the foreground. It wasn't bad for a 15 yr old, but then again, the availability of HO scale items was incredible. There were skidmarks simulated by coating one of my trucks wheels with flat black and rolling it towards the ramp. I loved that diorama, but, as is my luck, it got destroyed during one of my many moves as an adult. At least the trucks were safe!!!!!!!! I wish I could find my pix of it.

I have one of their old pricelists from like 2000. They have so much cool stuff in there for dioramas, including my warehouse dock doors, but I can't find a website for them. Can anyone help me? They are from Seattle? :roll: