Moebius Models Great Dane reefer update

[lapazleo]

Moebius Great Dane in stock at Tower!!!!!!!

[BigBad]

So, I should get mine soon!

[lapazleo]

Should. Model Round up will have them sometime this week.

[Ben]

Moebius Great Dane in stock at Tower!!!!!!!

Where did you see this? I just called Tower Hobbies and the lady told me late Sept. and that they had not had any come in before today???

[niteowl7710]

Moebius Models Fifty-Three Foot Trailer with Reefer Option

Well, at least that's what the box says. That's right I have one in my dirty little hands right now! Everyone will have to wait for a couple of hours until I get back from the show, but it seems to be packed well, offers 2 sets of decals (one for Erb for the reefer, and Brandsmart U.S.A. for the dry box), and interestingly enough appears on the box and instructions to have no Great Dane connection anymore other than the logo "spears" that are on the sides, but they have no wording.

A thorough investigation of the decal sheet and pictures in a bit when I get to the house (tease tease, tease)

Edited October 1, 2012 by niteowl7710

[martinfan5]

Darn you James, you are suck a tease :lol:

[niteowl7710]

Alrighty then, few hours, the next day...whatever. These are the opening shots, I will post shots of everything else in the box when I get a chance (I took 29 photos, so it's gonna take longer to add than I have time for right this instant.). After a thorough inspection of this kit I have to say I'm not as disappointed with it as I was when I glanced in the box the first time. For whatever reason Moebius declined to include the "Great Dane" in the marketing, all the necessary parts are in the kit, including a decal logo for the trailer door. I will do a Pro - Con - Picking the Nits thing with all of the photos up.

To start off here's the box...uniquely it has a fully printed bottom as well.

Here's what you get when you take off the lid!

The instructions - Photo Page - Decal Placement Guide

Instructions - The Nitty Gritty. Seems Moebius learned some lessons from their other kits and blew up the technical drawings to a point where you can read them without a microscope.

[niteowl7710]

Now onto a couple of teaser detail shots...

Tires are the same as the LoneStar, you get 8 of 'em...I'd have to dig through the LoneStar, but I don't know if I remember them having so much sidewall detail.

Detail engraving on the mudflaps. I had half-expected this to be a decal, this will require some careful painting.

Lastly here is the Logo plate that goes at the top front of each side of the trailer. Again half-expected a decal for the words, but it's crisply engraved, again your ability to detail paint will shine (or glare depending) here.

[Chuck Most]

I'll save ya the trip to the hobby stash James- they do indeed look exactly the same as the tires on the LoneStar.

[chuckyr]

Model Round Up Is just a few mile from me. I going to pick up two this week. No shipping, no tax!

The mud flaps are similar to the Ertl Reefer and dry van. The Great Dane logos look superior to the decals in the Ertl kits. The Ertl Extensible flatbed had plastics logos like the new trailer.

At some point, someone will have to offer a more detailed reefer unit with decals. The kit Thermo King appears extremely rudimentary.

Edited October 1, 2012 by chuckyr

[Mopar - D]

My pre order from GMS arrived today. Looks just like the pictures. Real nice kit.

[bandit1]

hey james...ive been dying to get a review build going but i dont have the kit ....maybe i can con ya into doing a review build on it?

[chuckyr]

Thanks for photos.

[Chuck Most]

At some point, someone will have to offer a more detailed reefer unit with decals. The kit Thermo King appears extremely rudimentary.

Reefer unit itself looks okay to me- but I'd agree it could use some decal embellishments, though.

http://www.thermoking.com/imagecenter/products/SB-310+.jpg

[phoneguy]

I picked the kit up today and hopefully I will have some reefer options shortly.

[niteowl7710]

The biggest disappointment about this kit is the reefer, it rather the complete after thought of including it. It's just a reefer shaped chunk of plastic with seperate grills. There's no handle on the front for the access door, there's no control panel for the reefer, and there's no "divot" in the front trailer wall for the external monitoring lights. Even if they decided to not "divot" the front wall so people could build a dry van without filling it, there's still no parts for the external monitor.

When you look at the excellent level of intricate molding of things like separate slider rails, the dolly gear box, the brake chambers, the inclusion of brake drums that have their lug pattern molded open, etc the "ehh that looks like a reefer unit right?" on something that had been marketed from day one as a reefer trailer is baffling and sad.

[Casey]

When you look at the excellent level of intricate molding of things like separate slider rails, the dolly gear box, the brake chambers, the inclusion of brake drums that have their lug pattern molded open, etc the "ehh that looks like a reefer unit right?" on something that had been marketed from day one as a reefer trailer is baffling and sad.

Dave Metzner mentioned Moebius was unable to secure licensing from Thermo King.:

Sorry, there will be no Thermo King logos etc.. we have no license for that right now.

Dave

Without permission, they can't design something that looks exactly like TK's reefer unit and not face some serious legal action.

[niteowl7710]

Casey a reefer is a reefer, they all have 2 bay access doors, a control panel, and an external monitor (that little green light on the trailer corner). If anything designing it the way they did with the separate grilles the way they are would identify it as T.K. Unit. I didn't expect logos and markings, I just expected something that could pass for something other than a solid bay window.

Edited October 2, 2012 by niteowl7710

[chuckyr]

Every gripe and complaint about this model has been address several times on this truck model board. Anyone can search the previous Moebius Great Dane Reefer threads and find the redundant statements.

It use to be easier to search until the pick up truck threads and real truck threads were mixed up.

The reefer unit is the least of the true big rig modeler's concerns. There are ways to add a realistic reefer units to this fine trailer.

As was stated multiple times, we were informed very early in the development that the reefer unit would not be as accurate as the trailer itself.

In fact an after market modeler asked what future aftermarket truck items we wanted. I suggested a modern detailed reefer unit, among other things I didn't see too many other suggestions.

This kit is more than I expected and is just what I have been looking for at least 20 years.

It's less of an issue than the difference between a flare side and a step side pick up car.

[Casey]

Every gripe and complaint about this model has been address several times on this truck model board. Anyone can search the previous Moebius Great Dane Reefer threads and find the redundant statements.

It use to be easier to search until the pick up truck threads and real truck threads were mixed up.

You need to look no further than the topic you're posting in, Chuck, as the previous. multiple GD Reefer threads have all been combined into this one. No difficult searching required.

The Precedent looks similar in overall shape, but the grilles are totally different looking than the SB-30 and Spectrum series, so I don't think "one is accurate for all" would apply here?: http://www.na.thermoking.com/tk-innovation/global/en/featured-markets/long-haul-transport.html

[niteowl7710]

Well shoot I've only griped about one thing so far, and my overall thoughts are far more positive, than negative as I had a chance to post more pictures of the parts runners. But since apparently everything I'm going to say about this kit has already been said (despite it only existing in retail form for less than a week) I guess I don't need to bother finishing what I think about it. I only drag a Great Dane/Thermo King trailer behind me 275+ dayss year, so what do I know about how wrong, or right it might be.

Edited October 3, 2012 by niteowl7710

[martinfan5]

I guess I don't need to bother finishing what I think about it.

James, please share what you think about it, it would be nice to hear about the kit from someone who has the kit, and not the I will be buying a case of it

[Chuck Most]

I only drag a Great Dane/Thermo King trailer behind me 275+ dayss year, so what do I know about how wrong, or right it might be.

Hmmmmm.... I'd have to say the opinion of the man who sees the thing in his mirrors most of the year would carry quite a bit more weight than that of the typical armchair expert. I'd like to hear that guy's take on the kit, especially since I'm getting more than a few of these Great Danes. Gotta be prepared for when the ProStar gets here.

[martinfan5]

I would like to know, how easy or hard will it be to make the doors open ?

[chuckyr]

Hmmmmm.... I'd have to say the opinion of the man who sees the thing in his mirrors most of the year would carry quite a bit more weight than that of the typical armchair expert. I'd like to hear that guy's take on the kit, especially since I'm getting more than a few of these Great Danes. Gotta be prepared for when the ProStar gets here.

Note, I'm not trying to flame this thread.

The trailer will couple to more than the not available yet ProStar.