doorsovdoon Posted June 2, 2021 Share Posted June 2, 2021 Time for another big rig build. I wish I never started these semi kits as they're sooo addictive! Lol. This is my third semi truck build, the first one I give to my dad and the second one is on my fireplace getting very dusty. I have no idea where I'm going put this one when it's finished, but as I said to myself last time.. build now, question the space for it later, haha! I've already made a start getting the engine sub assembled, but boy, the instructions are a little convoluted. Some of the sprues don't have numbers, the sheet even mentions this and advises the builder to look at the printed lay out of the trees on the first page to see where on the sprue the part is, problem then is that some of the drawings look nothing like the parts on the sprue! One section says where the oil filter go's, but there's no picture of the oil filter, just the feeding pipe for it, so I have no idea how to place it, Lol. The oil filter is there but which way up, or down, does it go? Anyway, rubbish instructions aside, I'm really looking forward to building this:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim B Posted June 3, 2021 Share Posted June 3, 2021 Well, I'd say you're off to a good start. I built this back in 2011, and I looked through my pics to see if I had any of the engine out of the frame. I don't. So you know, Tamiya Gold Leaf X-12 is a good match for Mack Gold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mopar - D Posted June 3, 2021 Share Posted June 3, 2021 Nice start, I’ll be following your build. Have you selected any colors yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doorsovdoon Posted June 3, 2021 Author Share Posted June 3, 2021 52 minutes ago, Jim B said: Well, I'd say you're off to a good start. I built this back in 2011, and I looked through my pics to see if I had any of the engine out of the frame. I don't. So you know, Tamiya Gold Leaf X-12 is a good match for Mack Gold. Thanks, James. Big rigs are a different world to me when it comes to the mechanical side. I can tell what parts are and what they are for on a car, but trucks are just weird. Doing some research I realised the instructions showing the oil filter is actually correct, but to me it looks nothing like an oil filter, lol! Thanks for the colour suggestion, I was wondering how to do that, looks like gold plating when I was looking up pictures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doorsovdoon Posted June 3, 2021 Author Share Posted June 3, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, Mopar - D said: Nice start, I’ll be following your build. Have you selected any colors yet? I've narrowed it down to three. Either box stock using the Ryder decals, or one of the two pictured below... Edited June 3, 2021 by doorsovdoon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gatorincebu Posted June 3, 2021 Share Posted June 3, 2021 Gareth. A good start on this one. I like this kit.Have one built in need of a rebuild and a couple more in the stash . There are so many possibilities with trucks . Have fun with the build. Be Well Gator Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mopar - D Posted June 3, 2021 Share Posted June 3, 2021 Garett with your painting skills if I were you I would go with the paint in the picture of the one with the double trailers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doorsovdoon Posted June 3, 2021 Author Share Posted June 3, 2021 4 hours ago, gatorincebu said: Gareth. A good start on this one. I like this kit. Have one built in need of a rebuild and a couple more in the stash . There are so many possibilities with trucks . Have fun with the build. Be Well Gator Thanks mate. Yes, I get very lost when I'm looking up possibilities for these big rigs. So many options that can be done, not to mention the trailer options, and then there's the colours and graphics for the cab! Cool beans indeed. 1 hour ago, Mopar - D said: Garett with your painting skills if I were you I would go with the paint in the picture of the one with the double trailers. Thanks, Dan. I too really like that one! The green cab would be easier to do, but yeah, the multi coloured cab looks way cooler, I might even pick up the AMT Double Header Trailers for this one as I just love how it looks. Again, I'll worry about where to display it later, Lol! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doorsovdoon Posted June 3, 2021 Author Share Posted June 3, 2021 It looks like some of the sprues are slightly different to what's on the sheet. There's also two sets of mud flaps and two different manifolds, could be a fuel injector bar but I can't find it on the instruction sheet. Is this kit like the AMT '57 Chevy where they removed most of the original extras leaving some sprues with parts that weren't on the instructions on the re-release? It's not an issue, I just find it interesting and like learning about these things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gotnitro? Posted June 3, 2021 Share Posted June 3, 2021 Good start! Really like the doubles paint scheme , but there's 1000s of options ! Seems like amt has parts from other kits molded on their sprues, might be the case here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doorsovdoon Posted June 3, 2021 Author Share Posted June 3, 2021 3 hours ago, gotnitro? said: Good start! Really like the doubles paint scheme , but there's 1000s of options ! Seems like amt has parts from other kits molded on their sprues, might be the case here Yes, loads of options. I spent ages looking through images, so many cool looking cabs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRIPTROIT 71 Posted June 3, 2021 Share Posted June 3, 2021 Great project! If I am not mistaken, this kit comes with two water manifolds. Looking forward to seeing more! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doorsovdoon Posted June 3, 2021 Author Share Posted June 3, 2021 Building up the chassis tonight. So far pretty straightforward, but the instructions are giving the old grey mater a run for it's money! Some of the sprues have numbered parts but they must be from an older release as the instructions show the parts with different numbers! ...on top of that, some of the pictures show the parts facing one way, when on the actual part they fit the other way, Lol! I figured out what that manifold was, I think it's a fuel injector rail, just next to the valve covers. It's nowhere to be seen on the instructions, not even a drawing of it. The amount of test fitting with this kit will have it built up unpainted! The rear suspension built up ok but took a while to work out which way around everything went. There is locating paints shaped in a particular way so as not to mess it up, but again, the illustrations don't show it very well and you have to figure a lot of it out by test fitting first, even so, I bet I'll still screw something up with instructions like this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doorsovdoon Posted June 3, 2021 Author Share Posted June 3, 2021 11 minutes ago, DRIPTROIT 71 said: Great project! If I am not mistaken, this kit comes with two water manifolds. Looking forward to seeing more! ah, right, that's what it is then. I took a guess and thought it was a fuel injector rail. I found where it go's now but didn't really know what it was. Thanks, Brian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamsuperdan Posted June 3, 2021 Share Posted June 3, 2021 23 hours ago, doorsovdoon said: Time for another big rig build. I wish I never started these semi kits as they're sooo addictive! Lol. ...the instructions are a little convoluted. Some of the sprues don't have numbers, the sheet even mentions this and advises the builder to look at the printed lay out of the trees on the first page to see where on the sprue the part is, problem then is that some of the drawings look nothing like the parts on the sprue! One section says where the oil filter go's, but there's no picture of the oil filter, just the feeding pipe for it, so I have no idea how to place it, Lol. The oil filter is there but which way up, or down, does it go? I hear you. I'm not a truck guy per se, and I know pretty much nothing about them, but I love building truck models! As for your other points, welcome to the world of AMT truck kits! I find the ones I've done more challenging than they need to be because of the same things you've discovered. Some parts numbered, some not. Vague instructions, etc. Ahh well, I still like them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldmopars Posted June 3, 2021 Share Posted June 3, 2021 6 minutes ago, iamsuperdan said: I hear you. I'm not a truck guy per se, and I know pretty much nothing about them, but I love building truck models! As for your other points, welcome to the world of AMT truck kits! I find the ones I've done more challenging than they need to be because of the same things you've discovered. Some parts numbered, some not. Vague instructions, etc. Ahh well, I still like them! Looks like you got a handle on things, good job. This Mack is on my list to build. The other AMT Macks have the same suspension issues. As for truck kits. I build mostly trucks and I agree, AMT/MPC are challenging. Italeri are easier builds, great part fit, but have been know to cut corners on accuacy. If like me, you don't know what it is supposed to look like, you just build happy, but if you are a stickler for accuracy, Italeri has some issues. The other issue with truck kits is, there are only so many truck kits. Not all trucks have been kitted, most are 1980 or older in AMT/MPC, Italeri are 80-early 2000's and limited US trucks. I really enjoy truck kits and while I have worked on trucks professionally, it has been many years and my knowledge is very low. I enjoy the challenges and making a poop kit into something cool. Thanks to Round2 we are getting a lot more of these kits to build. They may be repops, but better than it was a few years back when there was nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doorsovdoon Posted June 3, 2021 Author Share Posted June 3, 2021 Yes, it's one or the other, detail or an easy build, choose your side! haha. I'm not complaining though, it's a great time for modelling now that Round2 is releasing all these old kits, and even creating new ones. I'm not a big truck guy either, only in the sense I don't drive them or know much about them, but I love building them and seeing all the countless variations there are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doorsovdoon Posted June 3, 2021 Author Share Posted June 3, 2021 Trying to figure out how the steering box locates. The instructions sort of show where it go's but not how it fits. I've tried test fitting it all and it doesn't really go anywhere. In the instructions, it looks like it sits on the front axle but part of the steering gearbox mech pushes way in front of it leaving the other part just sort of floating in mid air and has nothing to attach to. Help!! Lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim B Posted June 3, 2021 Share Posted June 3, 2021 I don't know if this'll help or not, but it kind of fits like this: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRIPTROIT 71 Posted June 4, 2021 Share Posted June 4, 2021 Here’s a couple of pictures of the real thing: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockford Posted June 4, 2021 Share Posted June 4, 2021 (edited) So, looks like the steering box is fixed to the front axle and not (as usual) to the frame. So whereas on other trucks the steering shaft down to the box is fairly rigid, this one has to flex enough to accommodate spring deflection on the front axle. You can see it's that way because the drop arm is at 90degrees plane to that of a normal box. I think the piece sitting on your cutting board, the left hand end sits on top of the axle, next to the spring u-bolts, or drops down in front of the axle beam and butts right up against it with the output shaft housing sitting on the axle beam. Maybe it was to eliminate bump steer, or confuse AMT builders. I know I probably haven't helped there. Edited June 4, 2021 by Rockford Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doorsovdoon Posted June 4, 2021 Author Share Posted June 4, 2021 (edited) Thanks guys, that has helped. I just couldn't understand why the steering box was mounted on the axle and thought, that can't be!? Lol. I tried mounting it the way shown in your pic, James, but it looked like it was bolted to the leaf spring. I tried to live with it but I was actually laying awake last night for an hour thinking how bad it looked, Lol! So I turned it upright, it still looks weird and don't fit right but at least it looks like it's bolted to the axle now and not the spring. Edited June 4, 2021 by doorsovdoon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doorsovdoon Posted June 4, 2021 Author Share Posted June 4, 2021 Test fitting the cab now. The cab hinges are glued to the front cross member but they just sort of sit on these stubs and slide about, so I quickly glued the hinge pivots on the front grill before the hinges on the crossmember dried for me to mount the cab so I could slide it about to get it in the right position! xD This build is making me work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim B Posted June 4, 2021 Share Posted June 4, 2021 Starting to look like a Cruiseliner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bennyg Posted June 5, 2021 Share Posted June 5, 2021 Looking good! Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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