AMT Trailmobile Reefer

[Rockford]

Finally finished something, one of my two reefers I started last year. This is the AMT Snap-Fit reefer trailer. It's typical AMT fayre in that it's awful in many ways but the subject matter makes it still worth the effort. The sides of the box are fantastic, all the rivets and beading is so well cast, mesmerising! The rub-on decals are a new thing to me. I only used the licence plate. 

Altered the spacing of the rear axles to sort the underscale issue with the tyres, also narrowed the track.  Made mudflaps from electrical tape. Dropped the ride height. Added working landing legs. Added marker lights all around. Did someone plumbing on the rear tandems and the reefer including the repeater lights for the driver's mirror. Added some decals I drew up on the laptop. 

[Dutzie]

Great looking trailer. Very clean looking. 

[Jim B]

Trailer looks great. Very well done. 

[DRIPTROIT 71]

Great job! I always liked the tail lights on these trailers. 

[The Brush]

Very nice work on this trailer, Neat detailing & painting, well done.

[Warren D]

Very well done!  I may have to get one of these....

[trick my mixer]

You did a nice job on this trailer. Looks good with the the KW hooked up to it.

[cifenet]

Once you attach this to a truck, it really comes alive!  It completes the semi truck setup, I must say. 

I like the details done here including the electric wiring and overall nice clean job completing this.  I know there are no side logos on the side and I prefer this clean look here.  Somehow it works 1 with the white exterior color.

BTW, is this kit hard to find?  The box has that antique look with "MATCHBOX" company name.  I am starting to realize that many of the US semi truck kits are issued 40+ yrs ago!  And yet, they build up to be quite amazing!

[Rockford]

Thanks for all your kind comments gents. As I've said before, I love the plain white or silver van trailer, such a staple of the American trucking industry. 

This kit is on eBay quite frequently. It's cheapest from the model railway suppliers who sell the version that came with the Volvo N10 tractor. They sell it as a piggyback unit. I'd like one of those kits but the shipping and customs charges to the UK just price it out of reach. I wouldn't advise anyone to venture into 1/32 if you don't have to though, stick with 1/25, you're in a much better place with that scale. 

It does seem that the golden age of trucking coincided with the golden age of truck modelling. The majority of what you see on websites such as this are kits manufactured or engineered in the late 70s or early 80s. That's my era, I left school in 1980 and went to work for a fleet of 200 trucks in Liverpool, UK. I just don't get as excited by the modern stuff, as superior as it is, it just doesn't have that brutal beauty of the older stuff. 

Edited July 5, 2023 by Rockford

[happy grumpy]

Great build Steve. Very nice details especially in this scale. 

[cifenet]

22 hours ago, Rockford said:

Thanks for all your kind comments gents. As I've said before, I love the plain white or silver van trailer, such a staple of the American trucking industry. 

This kit is on eBay quite frequently. It's cheapest from the model railway suppliers who sell the version that came with the Volvo N10 tractor. They sell it as a piggyback unit. I'd like one of those kits but the shipping and customs charges to the UK just price it out of reach. I wouldn't advise anyone to venture into 1/32 if you don't have to though, stick with 1/25, you're in a much better place with that scale. 

It does seem that the golden age of trucking coincided with the golden age of truck modelling. The majority of what you see on websites such as this are kits manufactured or engineered in the late 70s or early 80s. That's my era, I left school in 1980 and went to work for a fleet of 200 trucks in Liverpool, UK. I just don't get as excited by the modern stuff, as superior as it is, it just doesn't have that brutal beauty of the older stuff. 

Thanks for the info on this.  I agree, I think 1/32 scale is another league, luckily there are still many 1/24 and 1/25 kits to go through for me!

 

[ChrisR]

Very nice!

[chuckyr]

You improved the model nicely.  I have had this model for years, but it is still unbuilt in the box.  The basic details are good on this trailer, but as you stated, some are out of scale.  

The Thermo King unit is one of the most accurate and detailed of any in ay scale.  If the engine doors had opened, that would have put it over the top.

I built the Monogram reefer sometime ago.  Your build is inspirational.

[Rockford]

On 9/18/2023 at 11:08 AM, chuckyr said:

You improved the model nicely.  I have had this model for years, but it is still unbuilt in the box.  The basic details are good on this trailer, but as you stated, some are out of scale.  

The Thermo King unit is one of the most accurate and detailed of any in ay scale.  If the engine doors had opened, that would have put it over the top.

I built the Monogram reefer sometime ago.  Your build is inspirational.

Like the Sunkist truck, looks great. I'm jealous of your Ford CL9000, they're as rare as hen's teeth now! There's a couple of the Snap Fit LTL9000s on eBay but, as usual, exorbitant prices that I can't (and won't) pay. 

[J.B. Customs]

Always impressed 

[Rockford]

Thanks, that's very kind of you.