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I just wanted to make a quick note to say thank you to the admins at Model Truck Discussion, Model Truck Mafia, Building Big Rigs Tips and how did you do it and Model Trucks Other Than Pete or KW for allowing me advertise MTB.com in their Facebook groups. Thank you to those that have given me permission to post images of their builds in the gallery, to those who have added their own images and to those who have posted in the forums. Finally, thanks to all who have visited and/or registered. I hope you find your way here often, contribute content when and where you can, and most importantly, find the site useful and enjoyable. Please do not hesitate to let me know what I can do to make MTB.com better. --Casey

I think everybody has that one special truck or tractor that just jumps out at them. When talk turns to "all-time favorites", we all have one that stands out above all the others. For me, that bogey is the Diamond Reo Raider. While I like both versions of the Raider, I tend to lean more toward the set-back front axle type. There's just something about that broad, tall grille, blunt bumper, and the slope of those square-ish fenders that just "nails it" for me. Think of the Raider as kind of what the International LoneStar is today... basically, the LoneStar is a ProStar with a unique hood, bumper, and more lux features, right? Well, that's essentially what the Raider was. Underneath the skin, it was standard fare Diamond Reo, but offered a unique look and exclusive options. The Raider was the flagship of the brand during the years it was owned by Alabama resident Francis Cappaert, who had purchased Diamond Reo from the White Motor Company in 1971. However, the company soon found itself in financial hardship. Just around the time the Raider was going into production, Diamond Reo filed for bankruptcy. The following year the company was taken over by Pennsylvania's Loyal Osterlund. The Raider disappeared, along with the compact tilt cab Rouge model. Fewer than 50 Rouges were ever built, and the Raider was in production for less than a year. Under Osterlund, Diamond Reo focused on custom-built heavy trucks and tractors, and it was during the Osterlund years that the iconic Giant was released. Some 150 trucks were produced each year, to customer's orders, until 1995, when the Diamond Reo name ceased to exist. Today, when you mention the name Diamond Reo, most people will respond with either a blank stare, or "Yeah... aren't they a country band?" Anyway... back to the story at hand. Like I said, I just love the way the set-back Raider looks. That front end, the classic lines of the Driver Cab (originally an Autocar design dating back to 1950) are great enough on their own, but set it up on spoke wheels and a short wheelbase, and all those traits conspire to create one brutish looking machine. I have only ever seen one Raider in the flesh. It is owned by a local salvage yard- they use it to transport their auto crusher. The owner of the yard had a Diamond T many years ago, and when the opportunity came to purchase the Raider, he jumped on it. This Raider is a typical Michigan Special. Okay.... I hear some of you saying "What is a Michigan Special"? Basically, it is a short-wheelbase tractor, set up to haul heavy loads.... up to 75 gross tons on eleven axles. Years ago Michigan law dictated a short wheelbase for certain applications. Now, there are no restrictions on wheelbase. But during the years of more stringent laws, the short, dual-drive tractors were a common sight. Front axle capacities of up to 20,000 pounds were allowed, so in many cases flotation tires were used on the steer axle. Many had cast spoke wheels and double frames, and more than a handful had hand-painted scrollwork and numbered flags. In fact, I'd be willing to bet quite a few truckers would argue it's not a "real" Michigan Special without such graphics, regardless of how it's spec'd out! Of course, I've always wanted to build a model of a Raider, in set-back, Michigan Special form. I always have an AMT Diamond Reo kit or two on hand, and I recently obtained a very old Frank Gortsema resin casting of a set-back Raider. And after spending a few minutes poking around the salvage yard's Raider, I had a pretty solid idea of what I wanted... I opted not to do a full-on replica, more of a lookalike. The old slush-casting had a weak roof, so the cab was cut away and replaced with an AMT piece. The inconsistent thickness and sheer weight of the hood led me to attach it to the cab, rather than try for a tilting hood. Another detail is the grille- on the real Raider, the grille frame tilts with the hood, while the vertical bars and diamonds (insert) stay vertical, attached to the radiator core support. The casting lacks the holes in the bumper- given the nature of the old, brittle resin, I opted not to cut them into the bumper for fear of shattering it. I think the fact that this was built using the vintage Gortsema castings adds to the overall "feel" of the model... almost like it has a little scale modeling history built right into it. In this picture the "stubby-ness" of a Michigan Special tractor is evident. The kit battery boxes and tanks were used, just re-positioned a bit. I don't recall how much I cut out of the wheelbase- I just eyeballed things and hoped for the best. The front axle was also moved rearward. I robbed the exhaust stacks from an Italeri parts set. The entire model was weathered to appear as a tractor that was showing its age, but had been mostly well maintained. Also note it's wearing three different types of tires... Michelins on the front, Goodyears on the forward drive axle, and Uniroyals on the rear axle... apparently nobody told this Raider's skinflint owner about the dangers of mixing radials and bias-plies! This was done for two reasons. One... old rigs like this never have the same tires- the owner will typically run whatever is cheapest when the time comes to buy a new tire. And because the Michelins are just a bit taller than the kit supplied Goodyears, the middle axle would have been off the ground. This is also why I used the Uniroyals at the rear, they are just a tad shorter than the Goodyears. So, by going from tallest to shortest as I went rearward, I ensured that all ten tires would sit flat, and gave the tractor a slight tail-down stance... just perfect for a loaded trailer! The flags were made from white decal film, hand painted and topped with a dry transfer number. I've had the door lettering for years, the decal graphics came from the original 1999 run of the Revell '41 Chevrolet pickup. Unfortunately, these graphics are not in the current "Trucks" reissue. Killins Gravel Company actually did exist at one time, and I've found quite a few old photos showing the site. No idea if they were still around in the '70's or if they ever had a Diamond Reo, but it's a model, so why can't I suspend reality just a tad? During test fits the cab tilted to the rear a bit. I decided to keep the look- it gives the impression of broken-down cab mounts. I also went with a flat rear frame... the frame just plain ends after the mud flap brackets. It looks a little bare with no trailer lines back there, but I might get to that when/if I ever build a trailer for this. As a Michigan Special, it could pull pretty much anything, from a flatbed full of coiled steel bound for an auto plant, to a pair of end-dump gravel trailers. Seeing as how it's lettered up for a gravel pit, I'd imagine I'll have to gunk up a gravel dump for it. I guess we'll see. Anyway, that's about it, I hope you enjoyed reading all that drivel. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a forward-set Raider I need to get around to building....

We're all here because we share an interest in building scale models of "big rigs".... semi tractors, straight trucks, wreckers, transit mixers, logging trucks.... or whatever particular subject(s) may light your fire. But for me, a lot of this is new. While I've always had an interest in pretty much all types of machinery, and have been building scale models since the age of six (which was a time much further in the past than I'd like to think about), I have only really gotten into modeling the subjects we showcase here in the last few years. In fact, it was not until 2009 when I built my first semi tractor model. That's just over one decade after building my first model ever. Sure, I'd dabbled with a few, and I'd done a few medium duty truck models, like a Ford C-600 stake bed, but I'd never built an honest-to-goodness semi until I picked up the reissued White Freightliner Dual Drive kit from the now-defunct Hulings Hobby House in Alma, Michigan. I don't know why... the box art makes the WF look so unappealing with it's yellow and brown color scheme, but something about it just jumped out at me. So... home with me it went. Wasn't too long before I had it built, and even though it's a mess of a model, it still sits on the shelf, and I'll never change it or redo it unless it gets damaged somehow. It was Numero Uno, and it was what got the ball rolling. Here it is... in all it's glory. I learned a lot on this one, what to do and much more importantly... what NOT to do! It wasn't until 2012 when I really got serious about them again, and that's when I started accumulating kits at an alarming rate. I have to say there was a method to my madness. I thought "Truck models cost more, and take up more room. Maybe that will help me keep tabs on the stash, because I won't buy as many kits due to those factors." I couldn't have been more wrong! I've finished quite a few this year... more than at any point up to now. I even did a second Dual Drive as a Michigan Special. Since I was never happy with the first one, I always vowed to pick up another DD and "do it right this time". And I have to say the Dual Drive isn't my favorite subject, in 1:1 or small scale form. But here I am, with two built, and two more in the "I'll Get To It" pile. If I actually like the subject? Forget it. I can't tell you how many Internationals and Diamond Reos I have accumulated. I don't have as many Transtar Eagles as I have Moebius F100s or Hudson Hornets, but give me a few more months and we might just see! What got me into semi models, at first, was the challenge. I kept hearing about how fussy those old AMT truck kits were. But I have to say... I don't really see the big deal. A few truck modelers have this kind of superiority complex, and seem to think that they are better modelers who build other types of models. That's pure malarkey. Any model is only as challenging as you make it out to be. The only real difference between a kit with 300 parts and a kit with 30 parts is that on the 300 part kit, you're gluing more stuff together. Really. That's the only difference I see. Yes, some truck kits can be a pain in the bum to wrestle together, but some are an outright pleasure. Same as with any other type of subject I've built. So, while I expected a challenge, I stayed simply because I enjoyed it. The experience was a lot of fun. A kit of a big rig subject inherently includes more detail, just on account of it's size. While a kit manufacturer can get away with a one-piece "plate" chassis with everything molded to it if they're doing a '70 Chevelle, they can't really get away with that on something like a Peterbilt highway tractor. But I have to say the real appeal (for me) of these kits is variety. Yes, you can build, say, a '67 Mustang in a variety of ways. But with a standard semi tractor, you can pretty much go in any direction you want. That AMT California Hauler could, with a little work, become practically any Unilite-era Peterbilt you want it to be. There are so many choices as far as engines, axles, wheel and tire combinations, etc.. Most manufacturers had more than one BBC (and thus more than one hood length), set back axle configurations, sleeper options, and the like. And what do you want on the back? Anything from a simple fifth wheel to a two-bedroom combination car hauler is possible. There aren't as many limits, and that's before you consider building something custom. And in that case, all bets are off. If you don't let the complexity scare you away... like I said, you're just gluing more parts together... a big truck model is an impressive addition to any display shelf. The same basic modeling skills and tools you'd use to build a 1:25 Corvette, 1:48 P51 Mustang, or 1:35 Abrams tank will serve you just as well on a 1:25/1:24 truck. Try it, you might like it!

And here's the finished result of my work. With the license plate and IFTA decals on, and outside pictures in decent weather, I think I can call this truck done. All that's left is the Build-Off judging itself...

The Build-Off Peterbilt is getting close to completion! I have the hood functional, the mirrors are on and I made a big bumper from styrene. All that's left is the fenders over the rear wheels; I'm still not sure about the definite style and way of attaching them, but I have some time left to figure that out. License plate decals and IFTA decals are last. The stack tips are in place as well, but I'm not really sure If that was smart. I might have to work on the underside of the truck a little for that. Oh well...

I'm sure that I'm not the first one to do it this way but I was looking for an alternative way to stretch a frame versus butting the ends of the cut frame rail sections against one another and lapping a strip of styrene over the joint. Here's that alternative: At the Joint of the frame, remove the shaded portion of the frame rail ends as shown below. On one frame rail section, remove the center of the vertical portion of the rail leaving the horizontal portion intact (left). The length of the portion removed is not critical, 3/8" or so should work. On the other frame rail section, remove the horizontal portion of the rail leaving the vertical portion intact (right). The length of the portion removed should be the same as the length of the portion removed from the other frame rail section. Note: Do not remove the horizontal portion by sawing along the inner edge of the horizontal portion of the frame rail, you will remove too much material from the tab. Carefully cut the horizontal portion out with an Exacto knife, etc. Connect the two sections like puzzle pieces and glue. I use a straight edge (in this case my miter box) and a flat surface to align the sections and keep the rail straight while the glue dries. Once dry, you should have a strong, straight joint that requires very little filler and is more realistic than the lap joint method. Hope this helps, Casey

Some work has been done on the big beast. I completed the engine setup, which means that I put on the exhaust system. For that I had to attach the cab to have the exhaust stacks in place. I cut off the exhaust tips, I want different tips. And while I was at it, I also put on the sleeper. Wheels I put on the axles; I used chromed 10-holed wheels with round holes from an Italeri Western Star kit I had saved, because I ran into a little issue with the lift axle. The rims I ordered fit the axle hub, but they are too wide for my taste; the tires that came with them have a pretty rough thread, more fitting on a dumper I think. It took some consideration, but my buddy Patrick Tompkins gave me a tip about using AMT wheels. They're a little smaller, like 22.5", and they would do well. These wheels come with round holes, and to keep the wheels more or less looking uniform the Western Star wheels were to go on the other axles. I put Italeri trailer tires on the front axle, they're a little wider than the standard truck tires. I do need to remember to put on the axle hubs on the front axle, though... With the battery boxes and tanks in place, the truck has now entered the "Roller" stage; she should be able to move under her own power now. I'm getting more and more happy with how this truck is turning out! As you might notice, the truck has two extra air tanks inside the frame, right about where the lift axle is located.

Who am I and why have I created MTB.com? I guess the first thing you need to know is that I am not a skilled writer/blogger so please forgive me if what follows is a bit clumsy. Second, I am not an expert model builder. In fact, over the past 20 years, I have only completed two model trucks but I have just recently started two new builds. Third, I am not a truck expert but I am a huge truck fan. My uncle is an owner operator and from an early age until I joined the Air Force at age 18, I spent every moment I could on the road with him or at the garage helping him work on his trucks. He has owned many makes; Mack, GMC, International, Autocar, Ford, Freightliner, Peterbilt, Kenworth, and multiple models of most of those makes. I was bit early and I have never lost my love for trucks. I picked up some truck knowledge along the way but that knowledge is fairly limited. I know enough to sound smart to the complete novice and little enough to sound stupid to the experts, so I will spend a lot of time in the "Tips, Tricks and Help" forum. Early in my career, I learned that models do not fair well during military moves and thus, I decided to save model building for a later date. However, thanks to the internet, I have been able to keep up with hobby and with the works of builders like Kuenn McClinton and Tim Ahlborn, I remain inspired to built my own model truck fleet. I completed what is likely my last cross-country move earlier this year and now it's time to get started! I obviously don't need to operate a truck modeling website to build my fleet but having picked up some webmaster skills during my 8 years running C-130Hercules.net, I thought I would try to build a site for the model truck community. A site where builders can have their own photo album(s) to display their work, find reference photos, chronicle their builds (blog), download kit instructions, share their WIPs, get feedback on their completed builds, and get tips, help and more. Wish me luck! Thank you for stopping by, please join and contribute to the community, and let me know if there is anything I can do to improve your MTB experience. --Casey

Tuesday, November 10th 2015 Been a while since the last update, but work has kept me busy. However I found time to tinker on a little. The work on the hood, cab and sleeper continues diligently, although there have been some SNAFU's along the way. A little bleed-under in the painting process, which has been mostly corrected. I tried the pinstripe decals from KFS as a demarcation line, but they were absolute horror! So it's fallback to Plan B, masking tape and paint. As soon as the results are satisfying enough, pictures of the bodywork will come. Then the livery is being revealed as well. Also it seems that the hood hinges from this particular kit are missing (funny, I do remember all the bags were sealed…) so I have to improvise a little. As you can see, I finished the big CAT C15. The way I put on the belts and pulleys might not be the 100% correct way, but then again I'm not a rivet counter and I had to make use of the stuff I got. For me it works this way at least. For the colors I went a little Old Skool; transmission in frame color and I put a twist on the 'white" engine Peterbilt featured back in the Olden Days; I used Tamiya's Pearl White, since that color comes back on the bodywork on this truck. The cab needs a dash too. Since I'm building a Post-'05 Peterbilt, the new style dash is needed. I've painted the dash a little custom too. Red dials and switches on a gunmetal background, while the upholstery is supposed to look like white leather.