AMT Diamond Reo as a plow truck?

[Chuck Most]

I just bought the Diamond Reo reissue, and I'm thinking of bashing it with the plow, dump body, and sand spreader from the AMT Ford Lousiville plow truck when I can get one. But I have a few things nagging me...

1. Would using the parts from the LTN-8000 be consistent? I'm assuming the two kits date from roughly the same era.

2. All of the 1:1 DR plows I've seen had a set-back front axle. I've never seen an exception to this myself, either in person or in an online image search. Moving the front axle and fenders would not phase me, but I'd like to keep the front end of the truck the way it is represented in the AMT kit. Would doing so violate any serious "accuracy laws".

3. If I do set the front axle back, would the hood be the same length? Also, the set back axle trucks all seemed to have butterfly hoods. Was such an option available on the hood style depicted in the AMT kit?

4. Could I keep the turbocharged Cummins engine supplied in the DR kit? I've seen very few turbo plow trucks from this era, though I'm sure there were a probably quite a few around. Leaving the turbo off the NTC-350 would work if I needed to.

And last one...

5. I know some DR trucks and tractors had aluminum frames, but were they all aluminum, or was a steel frame also offered? I do plan to weather the truck a bit, and rust on an aluminum frame rail just wouldn't look right!

I guess the bottom line is- would the type of Diamond Reo the AMT kit represents even be a good choice to start a plow truck project? I understand I'd need to lose the sleeper, probably shorten the frame, etc.., but none of that should be a big deal. I'd appreciate any answers/tips/insights you guys could provide!

[mistermodel]

The ford plow should be ok to use.I don't know about a serious accuracy flaw with a set forward axle,but why they are set back is because a set back axle can carry more weight on the front axle,plows would possibly over load a forward axle.

Try googling some western state plows because set backs aren't really for the west.

If you have an autocar kit swap frames,then you could build a forward axle autocar as well

Steel frames were probably standard.I cant see why the engine couldn't be kept turbocharged,swap autocar or freightliner parts if you don't want it.Ford and internationals have tilt hoods with small peek-a-boo butterfly openings on each side to check oil and such so a custom hood like that could be possible.

Here is a link to some brochures.The first 2 on the list will give you pics of set back dimensions, front of fender design,and butterfly hood options

http://public.fotki.com/modeltrucks25thscale/truck_brochures/diamond_reo/

[lapazleo]

Question 1 yes would be ok. Question 2 I've seen many plow trucks with set forward axles back then. Question 3 The AMT DR kit is a 116" bbc the DR set back is a 114" bbc not worth worring about. There are resin hood conversions for the set back version. Yes DR offered a butterfly hood option with steel fenders on the set back and set forward model. Question 4 Plow trucks normally being owned by municipalities usually had lower horsepower engines so a 250 Cummins from Amt's freightliner kit might be better but the 350 Cummins in the DR kit is fine too. Question 5 Steel frames were the norm 95% of the time but aluminum was an option for weight sensitive highway operations like tankers or bulk carriers not real common as durability was an issue. A truck speced for plow duty would have a steel frame most likely heavier than the standard frame i.e. thicker higher psi rating etc even a double frame.

Edited August 22, 2012 by lapazleo

[lapazleo]

Here is a pick of the butter fly hood version

[Chuck Most]

Thanks for the info guys!

One last question... what materials are the cab and hood made of on the model AMT's kit represents? Fiberglass hood with an aluminum cab? Fiberglass/steel? Steel/steel? Or some other combination?

[lapazleo]

Fiberglass hood Dr called it Royalglass. Steel cab

[Chuck Most]

Thanks! Should have enough info to at least get started on the truck.

[Aaronw]

I think most plows have butterfly hoods because of the plow equipment. A tilt hood would hit the plow equipment, so they would have to dismount the plow to service the engine, kind of a pain for minor service.

[Fat Brian]

In doing a quick google image search it seems that there are various plow designs for both tilt and butterfly hoods. Older ones do tend to be more geared to butterfly hoods but there seem to be exceptions.

[Chuck Most]

One more irritating question, then I'll actually get cracking on the kit. I have it on good authority that the dump bed from the Ford plow truck is a perfect fit on the White Western Star frame, with just a little modification to the rear of the rails needed. Is the built up DR pretty close in length to the Western Star, or at least have a similar amount of frame behind the cab? I do have both kits, but neither are built up so I'm not sure what fits where at the moment.

[lapazleo]

Yep they are for intensive purposes they are the same. The DR ,WS and Road Boss have the same basic frame just as they would have in 1 to 1.

[Chuck Most]

Cool! Looks like I'll be able to kill the time while I'm working out a trade for the plow truck to build the DR.