As for getting the desired thickness in scale, here's an idea. Either find the right logo on the net or do it yourself on photoshop, print it out on photo paper which is pretty thick, then glue them on the mudflap. I've done this with dash gauges and custom liscense plates and it works really well. Just have to remember to use white glue as CA will get into the layers of paper and clear coat and smudge the print. Anyway, this method will let you do solid letters, outlined letters, etc.


Hermon

Ya know what? I think this one is finially done!! All I can say is puting the cab on turned out to be a royal pain. It still doesn't totally line up right, but after three days of trying to get it on, it's on now and that's where it's going to stay.

Here's a teaser pic. I'll post more this afternoon.



Jim

I remember something of the same nature with mine back when...I had it alittle easier since I had to rest the cab mounts early on with having chopped the cab into a daycab so I was somewhat prepared.
I hear the mack cruise liner is worse....

Toss up some pics soon....

Gotta be the cleanest 5th wheel I've ever seen.

Yup, more pictures please.

Hermon

More pics, as promissed. It's your typical gap-toothed AMT Astro, but I like it. I added the PE stacks & wipers from KFS, aluminum horns for Auslowe, and 1/8" screen for tread plate between the frame rails. The air ride suspension is from the AMT GMC General kit (not 100% accurate for an Astro) as are the wheels & tires. The front axle steers.

Enjoy!

That looks nice, but I'm renaming the truck..."Mr Clean".
You gonna leave the mud flaps in white?

Thanks, Bob. Yes, the flaps will remain white on this one. In fact a friend of mine is hooking me up with some vynal "GMC Trucks" logos for the flaps. Should be here in the next couple of days. Once those are on, I'll move it to the display shelf. Oh, and post more pics, too.

What's your thought on quarter fenders? I'm thinking of putting the quarter fenders from the GMC General on this one.

Jim

Those are nice, you could make your own full wrap arounds too...what's alittle more time into her at this point.......could just leave it open per the kit. Your build, your call sir...she looks good as she sits, I think.
Could use a tutorial for making those muffler guards...I have 2 packs for some lucky truck...someday.

Ok, so now it's really done! Added some quarter fenders from the AMT GMC General & some custom "GMC Trucks" mud flaps.





Jim

She's so fast the front tandem is coming off the ground Jim.
Beautiful. The quarter fenders and mudflaps really set it off. Still not sure about the white 5th wheel but all the white on the frame sure does set off that awsome paint job on the cab. 2 thumbs up here.

BTW, what paint, or mixture of paints did you use to get that Detroit engine color? Looks pretty dead on.

Hermon

Thanks. That front tandem is off the ground because the base I used for shooting the pic isn't flat. Has a dip in the middle, unlik the one behind the camera!

The 8V71 engine is painted with Dupli-Color Detroit Diesel Alpine Green, so it should be pretty close.

Oh, and it's so clean for that "just off the lot" look. Factory fresh!

Jim

"Warped table"...what a let down, and here I thought it was doin a wheelie!
I love the mud flap decals...you do those yourself?


...alright - I dood it!.........hey, she looks pretty close to that "BJ and the bear" truck, but, since yours is orange we could call yours "OJ and the bearclaw"!
{No real pastries were harmed in this not real joke}...I'll stop now.......{I'm gonna get hit by the glove that didn't fit, aren't I?}

No, I didn't make the flap decals; a friend of mine did. They're adhesive vynal. He made the "GMC Trucks, Chittenango, NY" flaps that I used on this one, "GMC", & "GMC Trucks". I think I have (8) sets of each. Do you have any GMCs in the pipeline? He might be able to make some for you, too.

At least B.J. McKay had some taste in trucks by using the Kenworth K100 Aerodyne. Wasn't his truck red & white with black stripes? I don't think I ever really saw the show.

"OJ & the Bearclaw"? "If it doesn't fit, you must aquit!"

Jim

Yup, factory fresh!
Personally, I could never build any model kit that clean. Why you ask? Well, basically I've become really good at covering up mistakes with soot, mud stains, and rust. Hey, I'm just sayin'.

Never thought of Dupli-Color. I'll have to pick some up.


Hermon

Wow, for stickers those look really nice!
You never saw BJ and the bear...thought the blonde would've done it for ya{did for me}...I watched Movin' on too.

To weather or not is the modellers call...how he/she wishes to deplict the given model in they're eyes is part of the build picture they envisioned. It tells the story....Jim's truck, like my logger, is the "new and pristine" view. I still envision trucks and cars as "clean" builds and armor as "dirty"...I have crossed myown lines by making the ratty chevy and the dirty Astro....it's hard to explain - some builds cry out "leave this one alone - keep it clean" and some don't.

BTW Jim, you know I was just messin with ya on your truck....I do like it...I just happen to be finishing a leftover bearclaw at the time of posting that and it hit me{like the glove}!

No big deal! I never saw "Movin' On" either, but I want to build an accurate "Movin' On" W900.

As far as movie/TV trucks go, I want o build the "Movin' On" W900, the "Smokey & the Bandit" W900, and the "Blue Mule" from "White Line Fever".

I have some 1976 New York license plates to put on this, too.

Hermon, one thing about Dupli-Color engine paint, it does tend to go on a little thick. The Detroit Diesel Alpine Green is quite close, but the Cummins Biege is too dark & too brown. I haven't located a local place that sells the Detroit Diesel Series 60 Blue yet, and I think Rust-O-Lium sells New Caterpiller Yellow. John Deere Yellow is pretty close.

Jim

When you said you driven about every kind of truck, but did any of them have one of these 8 71's in it or a 6 71 or have you driven one of the old slanted 220 cummins or 250 cummins or even a 270 cummins or the monster 903 cummins answer to detriot or the cummins 335 or 350 then the new 400's then on up. Now of course Catipillar had their 425 HP back when the other engines were only putting out 200 because of them military engines that went into trucks if you could afford them but you don't see to many of these on the road any more.

I got another question by any chance has any of you seen a model of the old Cracker box GMC with a sleeper on it because I sure would like to buy a model of one of these or just find some pictures of them because I don't think they would be to hard to scratch if I could see how they look again.

Because I remember this old guy from down home that used to have one with a V-12 he put in it and he had his city weld trailer restraped so it had a real big arch like a cat that was mad and with his side kit on he could pull in behind a scale over loaded asking the scale master where was the other truck that was over loaded then when the scale master didn't know what he was talking about he would leave from behind the scale, well most Cracker Boxes only had a 6 - 71 or a 238 in them so when he took off with ease the scale master figured he had to be empty.

Everything you need for your crackerbox can be found at Sourkraut's. He has the Chevrolet Titan that you can use for the doner kit, the Detroit Diesel 12V71, and the Crackerbox cab.

Good luck, and post pics when you can.

Jim

I really appreciate you letting me know about this Sourkrauts address because until now I never heard of it but their engine price might be doable their Cracker box seems mighty steep for a cab that has no curves to it.

That is why it got it's old name Cracker box was because it looked like a Cracker box the only ones that looked a little different were the ones they put sleepers on and even those had straight lines on them nothing curved except the roof and you couldn't even see that because it curved nothing like the new ones do now back then they just had a slight hump in the middle then it went down on each side to the drip edges.

The going rate for resin cab conversions is "roughly" $70 a cab{AmericanIndustrialTruck/SpauldingTradingShipping/SourKrauts}...curves or no curves. Some of the UK conversion kits run over $100. The only other choice is to scratch your own, like I'm slowly doing with my Dodge LT1000coe, or pay the guys for their work/time/effort. Here's some links you may not have;
RMR
STS
AIT

...this guy is good, but remember to add shipping!
Auskid40 on ebay - also known as Backyard shed resin casting

Speaking of Auskid40/Backyard Shed, he's just released an International Emeryville & and Kenworth Bullnose COE that looks pretty good. I think he fixed his Ford W9000 as well. At least the grill looks more accurate now.

Boy, this thread sure has taken on a life of it's own!

Jim

Yeah, sorry for taking it to left field...was just rying to answer a fellow modeler's question.

...I did see the IH and KW the other day when I was on ebay...I quickly went elsewhere to avoid the tempting items!
Truth be told he's far more than just cabs...I have a catolog here somewhere with all the stuff in it....trannies, wheels, goodies and bits...and cabs.

No big deal. The build is done, so what the heck. Let's let it go where it will. Could turn interesting.

I have his catalog, too. I think you sent it to me a while ago, actually. It does look like he has some nice stuff, just too bad there are no pics.

I did the same thing when I sayw the KW on the Web. Quickly went elsewhere! I'd like to build a Bullnose one of these days, but I need to save money right now for taxes.

Jim