Leaderboard

This *should* be a fairly simple project. The idea here is to take the 1972-ish Diamond Reo kit and backdate it to a 1966 Reo GH. The main cosmetic difference is the hood. Though the shapes and basic cues are similar, the Reo does have a few unique features. Here's an example of a "late model" Reo, just before White Motor Co. merged them with the Diamond T division... REO, very late model by Dick Copello, on Flickr Here's an ad touting the benefits of Royalite with a similar hood but a slightly different grille insert. And here's where I stand with the project so far... The basic hood from the Diamond Reo kit was assembled as intended. I stripped the chrome from the grille and lower fender trim and added that as well- it'll be treated to Bare Metal foil later on. I filed the grille smooth and glued it into place, then created a new grille surround and trim from Evergreen strip. My big problem might be getting the tainty Reo V emblems right.

Straps and steps taken care of, and the cab is as aligned as it's going to get.

Getting somewhere...

Chassis has a few touches of yellow, and is now up on wheels.

Blast from the past! For many years, I've wanted to do a Minneapolis Moline dealer rig. Since White Motor Company owned both Minneapolis Moline and Reo, I thought why not make THIS that project? By the early 1960s, Minneapolis Moline tractors were painted in a combination of "Energy Yellow" and a rather unflattering (to me) bronze kinda color. I didn't want to find a color I wasn't fond of, so I opted for something similar but with a little more pop... Enter Tamiya Copper. The hood and cab are now slathered in Tamiya White Primer, in preparation of what will likely be Tamiya Camel Yellow. I bought these adhesive decals from Bossen Implement years ago. These will not only carry the theme, but enable me to work around the Reo letters and emblem problem... The larger MM letters will go on the hood sides. The White logo may end up on the radiator access panel.

Added the fuel tanks and some AITM tool boxes. Not sure if I'll use the Mercury sleeper or make a headache rack.

Chassis is more or less dialed in. And so's the interior.

Reshuffling things a little. The chassis wasn't working out the way I wanted, and I borrowed parts from the V12 for another Autocar project. So I'm going a bit more basic with a Cummins. Chassis came from a White Road Boss, and it'll have some old AITM one piece wheels and tires.

Well, after a long absence, this one is back on the bench. The cab and hood have been painted in Chrysler Forest Green Pearl. And now it finally has a face...

The frame gets some weathering. Added headlight bezels, which was a mistake to do so after paint. I tried to remove the orange peel on the cab with Tamiya compound paste. It is well hidden if the lighting and camera angle are right.