Diamond REO Raider SBFA Michigan Special

[Cornbinder]

I think everybody has that one favorite that just sticks out in their mind. For me, when I think of the perfect heavy truck/tractor "look", I usually think of a Diamond REO Raider. Especially in set-back axle form. There's just something about that big bumper and imposing grille that "does it" for me. And when it's set up on spokes with a short wheelbase, that seems to enhance the brute look.

A while ago, I got a very old Frank Gortsema casting of a Raider. This was a slush-cast piece with the hood and cab molded as one piece. It's hard to see in the pic, but there was some severe damage to the roof and the thickness of some of the casting was inconsistent, so I cut away the resin cab and spliced in an AMT cab. I'd like to point out that I'm not trying to "diss" Mr. Gortsema or his talents... just remember that resin casting 30+ years ago wasn't as advanced as it is now. 

This is the casting as I received it. As you can see it also includes the interior and an air cleaner box, as well as the bumper and interior tub. The dash is a direct recast of the AMT part, even though the Raider, introduced for 1975, had the newer style "square" gauges. Since the dash is so hard to see in these kits anyway, I'll live with the mismatch.

Here is is mocked up on a modified AMT chassis, with the AMT cab spliced in. I wanted to make the hood functional, but two things stymied that effort... the thickness of the casting, and the fact that the grille insert stays in place- the surround tilts with the hood when opened, but the vertical grille bars are attached to the radiator core support and remain upright. That would have meant cutting through that thick resin. And that also meant I'd likely end up destroying the grille insert in the process, so I'd need to make a new one. All this on top of having to make up some sturdier hinges to 1-support the weight and 2- work with the moving hood/fixed grille insert situation. Yes, you could make it work, but I didn't want to go through all of that. So this will be a curbside, with just enough of an incomplete Detroit 8V-71 to fill in the blanks. I used some Italeri wheels and tires up front... not that it is ever a good idea to mix radials with bias plies. :v

There are three different type of tire on the Raider... the aforementioned Michelins, then a quartet of Goodyears on the forward drive axle, and finally four Uniroyals bringing up the rear. Why not? I mean, I've seen a few old tandems that literally had ten different types of tires on them... if it's only being used for yard duty, no need to buy a full set of new rollers for it, right? You can also see a few rough spots in the hood sides.

Here it is wearing a coat or two of Krylon Hunter Green. The can proclaims "Fast Drying". Ha... as of right now it's been on for 24 hours and it's still tacky in spots. :v I have attached the headlights and front signals- more detail painting, foiling, and some weathering is still to come. The fuel tanks and battery boxes are also in place at this point. Unlike the dash, I will be updating the much-more visible outer door handles- they went from the quarter-turn type included in the AMT kit to a push-button grab-handle type around 1973. I think a set of handles from a Revell '64 or '65 Chevy pickup kit will be just the ticket for that. 

While my model won't be an exact replica, this real Raider has served as my "muse" for this project...

 

Edited November 3, 2015 by Cornbinder

[Cornbinder]

I might have some completed photos for this up later today. Stay tuned...