Gary Chastain Posted October 7 Posted October 7 This is a really old kit that I have had for many years. Bottom right hand corner says I gave 25 bucks for the kit. I started this build several years ago and it ended up back in the box, not sure why other than….squirrel. I promised myself that this winter I would finish up three started kits, so this is number one. The instructions have turned very yellow and crunchy. I may take photos of the instructions in case they self destruct. The plastic seems to have yellowed as well or maybe it was molded in this color. Like to build this as a road truck with maybe a couple custom goodies, I have these custom wheels so they are going on, changing the sleeper. See how carried away I get. 7
Biggu Posted October 7 Posted October 7 Sweet ,,,, heavy haul? Custom show truck? Custom work truck? 🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔
Gary Chastain Posted October 7 Author Posted October 7 9 minutes ago, Biggu said: Sweet ,,,, heavy haul? Custom show truck? Custom work truck? 🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔 Just a nice road truck with some simple updates 2
Gary Chastain Posted October 8 Author Posted October 8 Well that’s interesting, did not know this. Is this an AMT thing or was this real life of manufactures sharing truck bodies? First cab is from the Autocar, second cab from White Road Boss, third cab from Diamond REO, all exactly the same cab. 3
Jürgen M. Posted October 8 Posted October 8 21 hours ago, Gary Chastain said: This is a really old kit that I have had for many years. Bottom right hand corner says I gave 25 bucks for the kit. I started this build several years ago and it ended up back in the box, not sure why other than….squirrel. I promised myself that this winter I would finish up three started kits, so this is number one. The instructions have turned very yellow and crunchy. I may take photos of the instructions in case they self destruct. The plastic seems to have yellowed as well or maybe it was molded in this color. Like to build this as a road truck with maybe a couple custom goodies, I have these custom wheels so they are going on, changing the sleeper. See how carried away I get. You can download the instructions here: https://www.round2corp.com/amtmki/ I'll keep following. Very interesting build! 1
Gary Chastain Posted October 8 Author Posted October 8 21 minutes ago, Jürgen M. said: You can download the instructions here: https://www.round2corp.com/amtmki/ I'll keep following. Very interesting build! Thanks Jurgen 1
BK9300 Posted October 8 Posted October 8 2 hours ago, Gary Chastain said: Is this an AMT thing or was this real life of manufactures sharing truck bodies? Found this while searching online; brought me back to the forum - https://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/topic/168980-diamond-reo-white-western-star-and-autocar-same-truck/ 2
Gary Chastain Posted October 8 Author Posted October 8 51 minutes ago, BK9300 said: Found this while searching online; brought me back to the forum - https://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/topic/168980-diamond-reo-white-western-star-and-autocar-same-truck/ Well that answers alot of questions , thanks Brian. And that manufacturing process still lives today, amazing. 2
Gary Chastain Posted October 8 Author Posted October 8 Well I have never gone to this extreme just to align rear axles. This poor old kit needs lotsa love to assemble it, or age has taken its toll on the parts. Now I now why it got stuck back in the box. 4
Gary Chastain Posted October 8 Author Posted October 8 Oh my, this kit has no brakes……anywhere on the rear axles. Non of the air brakes I have will fit. I have a full set of air disk brakes, not sure if anyone has ever upgraded a truck to disk brakes. What the heck…..why not. Kinda changes the scope of the truck but that’s ok, see where this goes or I get to add another bad idea to my growing box of bad ideas. 6
Biggu Posted October 8 Posted October 8 I think it had Wedge brakes. Which the Western Star & Reo have. They are the small brake chambers that are on the backing plates. There is two on each backing plate according to the instructions. The Ford Louisville cement truck I used to drive had only one pot back in the day. Not the greatest set up for a heavy mixer. “S” cam brakes are much more efficient. 2
Gary Chastain Posted October 8 Author Posted October 8 30 minutes ago, Biggu said: I think it had Wedge brakes. Which the Western Star & Reo have. They are the small brake chambers that are on the backing plates. There is two on each backing plate according to the instructions. The Ford Louisville cement truck I used to drive had only one pot back in the day. Not the greatest set up for a heavy mixer. “S” cam brakes are much more efficient. This what you are talking about? I seen parking brake chambers, first thought was then where are the air brakes. We can see where my knowledge stops 1
BK9300 Posted October 8 Posted October 8 2 hours ago, Gary Chastain said: Oh my, this kit has no brakes…… I have a full set of air disk brakes, not sure if anyone has ever upgraded a truck to disk brakes. What the heck…..why not. Kinda changes the scope of the truck but that’s ok, see where this goes or I get to add another bad idea to my growing box of bad ideas. Gary, if you check out @vincen47 's, Peterbilt 379 RV, on page 1, he added disc brakes to his truck. 1
Gary Chastain Posted October 8 Author Posted October 8 1 hour ago, BK9300 said: Gary, if you check out @vincen47 's, Peterbilt 379 RV, on page 1, he added disc brakes to his truck. That is actually kinda cool, I had forgot he did that. Jeff suggested that the wedge brakes were not that good. Maybe an opportunity here, more research. 2
Biggu Posted October 9 Posted October 9 4 hours ago, Gary Chastain said: This what you are talking about? I seen parking brake chambers, first thought was then where are the air brakes. We can see where my knowledge stops Yes # 10 & 11 is what I was referring to. Not really very well detailed nor sized to scale but yes those are the bits. 1
Scott Eriksen Posted October 9 Posted October 9 ................the wedge brakes were actually good,,,until you had to adjust them ..............the Road Boss was a good kit,,I stuck an 8V-71 in mine .I had the same issue with the axle alignment Gary 4
Scott Eriksen Posted October 9 Posted October 9 Gary..............I just noticed........I have a few of the Autocar kits marked "NO DUMP BODY" also ,,lol ! 2
Gary Chastain Posted October 9 Author Posted October 9 19 minutes ago, Scott Eriksen said: Gary..............I just noticed........I have a few of the Autocar kits marked "NO DUMP BODY" also ,,lol ! I have about 6 or 8 truck kits where something went wrong or broke and I just steal parts from those boxes. Kinda makes truck parts inventory🤣😂😆 3
Scott Eriksen Posted October 9 Posted October 9 Just now, Gary Chastain said: I have about 6 or 8 truck kits where something went wrong or broke and I just steal parts from those boxes. Kinda makes truck parts inventory🤣😂😆 ...........I just like to build dump trucks lol 3
purepmd Posted October 9 Posted October 9 9 hours ago, Gary Chastain said: Well that’s interesting, did not know this. Is this an AMT thing or was this real life of manufactures sharing truck bodies? First cab is from the Autocar, second cab from White Road Boss, third cab from Diamond REO, all exactly the same cab. This IS a case of art imitating life. The White Motor Company, at one time, owned Autocar, White Western Star, Diamond Reo, and White Freightliner. They were providing cabs for Diamond Reo, White, Autocar, and Western Star conventionals all at the same time. All the AMT kits reflect this. This carried over to cabovers for a short time. The Road Commander II is the same White based cab as the new for '79 Western Star cabover 4
Jürgen M. Posted October 9 Posted October 9 If you need custom made brake chambers show me what they look like and tell me the size and I'll design them for you. I can send you the .STL File and you can print them or have them printed. Just an idea! 😉 By the way, the AMT White Western Star also has the same cab. I used it for the Diamond T and then built the Brockway from the Autocar kit. Same cabs! 3
Pete68 Posted October 9 Posted October 9 (edited) 19 hours ago, Gary Chastain said: Well that answers alot of questions , thanks Brian. And that manufacturing process still lives today, amazing. Gary to further answer your question. That cab was actually made by “The Corporation Cab Co.”The White company started using this cab around 1963 on their 9000-4000 trucks as their “Custom Cab” option to their smaller White 9000-4000 cab. Autocar used this cab dating back to the early 1950s then in 1966 the Corporation Cab Co. added 3 inches to the height of this cab. The first truck to receive the new cab in 1966 was the White 9000 and the 4000 the other White family trucks followed as well. In 1968 when Diamond T and Reo merged they started using the new 3 inch cab. I discovered this when I was restoring my real 1.1 Autocar A64B and my 1968 Diamond Reo in the year 2000 and 2001. The cab was made in 3 sections I found this out when I replaced my headliner. I think other truck manufacturers also used this cab as well. Western Star used this same cab from 1967 well into the 1990s with some more modifications. Hope this helps. Edited October 9 by Pete68 1
Gary Chastain Posted October 9 Author Posted October 9 This is great information guys, complete history lesson. I find it interesting how the trucking industry functions and sharing resources/ materials. In reality I believe this is still the strategy today with many brands. 1
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