SpreadAxle

this is gonna be cool

I find the small stuff hard to find. You know, the little everyday items. i can find some really cool things for my trucks, but sometimes it's those little things. I'm probably not looking in the right places. Now if I go back to HO scale dioramas, I could probably find everything from soda cans to a dog positioned like he's(how do I say it nicely) using his favorite fire hydrant.

That would be fun to drive it just once.

Your trucks Rock 8) Anthony!!! I love the engine details. Very nice work. I see you sort of specialize in dump buckets. I recently cruised your album. Fantastic work.

So that's how you made that deck. I remember seeing these pix, I like this truck.

Any time Brinx. I'm glad it helped.

You're right about that Ultraliner. I've been in an astro daycab. Just sitting in it I felt cramped, and I was a skinny little 5'8" guy weighing about 155#. The one i actually drove had a sleeper. They rode rough, but they weren't bad trucks.

It's my favorite too Brinx. the movie was released the same year I was, so I grew up on that one, and of cousre, Smoky and the Bandit. 8)

George, you're very welcome. Barbo, that was a cool idea about the Nascar truck. There were 2 0r 3 Nascar trailers released by AMT in the early 90's. I know one was a Kodak Film Racing trailer(I believe they use Kenworth trucks) and the other was Bill Elliot's #9 Coors trailer. I browsed thru all the dioramas and loved them all. The ones I listed are the ones I've thought about doing the most. I would like to do a fuel island scene with a few pumps. Especially with most truck kits representing 1970's trucks, I would try to do a 70's style fuel island. I was wondering if this would generate a response. Thanks for looking.

It makes it look a little better when you paint the "wooden" portions flat black first, then when go over it with a simulated wood paint of your choice. When the "wood" paint dries, sand lightly so the black will show trhu a little bit. It gives the fake woodgrain some depth, and kind of makes it look a little weathered as well. remember, sand lightly or you will have black wood. Good luck. 8)

Tim, would "someone" be you? LOL. I think it's an honor that your models would be on the box cover. Congrats.

I love this topic, and every post I see here displays beautiful work. I see one of my fellow truckers has been here. I know models of 18 wheelers take up more space, but simple ones can be done. Any ideas???? Here are subjects I've kicked around myself: 1.) Truck stop fuel island 2.) Truck shop(maybe just 2 or 3 bays) 3.) Truck at a weigh station. Many of the older scalehouses are still in use, and they are structures no bigger than the garage at your house. 4.) i love the "going down the road" look. a highway scene. I did one in HO scale years ago and I had so much fun with it, I knew I would someday enlarge it to 1/24-1/25 scale. 5.) Truck at a loading dock. this could be done on a bookshelf if done right. Design Detail has a wall with two loading dock doors on it. that's a simple one I will do. 6.) Flatbed being loaded/unloaded. Or you can have the driver wrestling with the tarps like I have to for many of my loads. Any other ideas?? I just posted this one for fun. Tim ahlboorn did a great highway scene many of you might enjoy. You can see it at Truckmodeler.com . Look at the 4 lane road link. As for those of you who don't build trucks, but posted your work in this forum, I love your work. Very inspiring.

COOL! I love the engine work. that's always been a favorite detail on model trucks for me.

Sweet. Nice Largecar!

Where did you get those model ship hinges?

Did you decide on the GMC or Chevy version?

I'm not much of a contest guy either, but your model I believe could compete. It is nice. Still thinking of hinging the hood on an Autocar kit because of the results I saw here. very nice work.

here's an idea for your Great dane that is missing the frame. I got this idea looking at the length of the 2 deck sections in the kit. They are cut to lengths that make me think you should be able to convert it into a drop deck trailer. If you look at the page I linked in my latest post, there is an article on making the Fruehauf kit into a dropdeck. Some modified Plastruct I beams for the frame rails, and a parts box suspension unless you have the kit suspension, and you should be able to do this. It's a simple conversion. You just need to find smaller tires/wheels. I think 1/32 truck tires are the right size for the smaller tires for a dropdeck. Modern day dropdecks now use 22.5 inch wheels with very low profile tries, but older ones use the small wheels. 15' I believe.

I will scratchbuild the 1/24 version of both of these later in the year. I just need to gather my Plastruct/evergreen plastic and other parts. I figured the scratchbuilt "enlargements" will diversify my collection. It seems model railroaders get better selections of trucks than we do! Any slight change to the real thing, and they get a new kit in HO scale. I have one or two vans I may try as well, but the flatbed seems easier.

Most of my planned trailers will be from scratch. When I got to this site, that was the first thing I saw, and you had best believe I copied that QUICK!!!!! I run in Texas a lot, and I see these bottom dumpers EVERYWHERE!!! Also, you will see single axle double versions in the western states. A single axle tractor pulling a pair of these is a future project. I too am disappointed with the available trailers out there. I would like to see them stay available longer, so I don't have to stock up like a madman. By the way, I am VERY impressed with your model shown here. Nice work. My stepfather left a handful of his model railroad goodies behind to me, including his modeling tools, and all the trucks in 1/87th scale. i have 2 kits that i will "enlarge" to 1/24-1/25 scale. they include a 1983 Trailmobile Flatbed, and a 1998 Wilson grain trailer. These kits are by Lonestar models and Highly detailed given their small size. Lots of measuring to do. I could use a HO scale ruler. I hope to find one. I also want to reduce in size the 1/16 Monogram trailer, as it represents early 80s, rather than late 60s/early 70s. I will be scratchbuilding these 3, as well as the 2006 Utility Flatbed that I pull now. I just have to get out there and start measuring. I will post those measurements here in the 1:1 reference page eventually.

I think the Dodge L700 was all for tractors. As for the van and flatbed, they build fairly easily. The flatbed requires that you add to the frame rail. Some Plastruct I beam should work to make it more accurate as all flatbeds have a full length frame. the flatbed and van also appear to be 35/36 scale feet rather than 40, which is good for '50s/'60s trailers. You can also build truck body versions of each. THC released the flat and tanker in the mid 90's, inculding a tanker with a plated chrome finish. Also, there were kits released by them that just had enough for a truck body. Cool choice for this truck as a trailer. I know of a guy on a german website that built the duel tanker. That is a 1948 trailmoblie. according to the guy with the convoy website. he bought one of the 8 or so trucks used in the film duel. those truck are 1959/1960 petes. Here are the parts he made. and here it is mocked up and a competed photo: here's a rear shot I hope these help. Good trailer choice for the pete though.

279, that's it! I thought it was more than that.

That rocks!!! i like the shade of blue!!! I have only seen one department with blue trucks. It's the Carnegie, PA VFD. theirs are baby blue. If you go to greentree, PA, which is the next exit up on I 279, theirs are my favorite color: GREEN! This is a sharp truck though.

Looking good

that's where i got mine.