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Hi all, I'm just getting geared up to start my first semi build since roughly the late 80's. I stopped modelling mostly due to real world trucking, 20 years of jamming gears followed a few driving the original M-1 Abrams, then after all that I did maintenance for a few years before becoming disabled. I'll be starting the AMT White Freighshaker cabover once I finish a tank build. I plan on hyper detailing it and the color scheme will suite my better half once she decides. Between you and me, I'll bet it'll have green in it since it's her favorite color. LOL Not really sure what else to say, just an older guy getting back into a wonderful hobby here Thanks, Clair G

This build was wrapped up a few weeks ago. It is a kit bash with the Watkins 925 and the Malone race truck. I used the long hood (15mm longer than stock) and the twin blower/ twin turbo V12 engine. The turbos were exchanged for larger turbos and re-plumbed for an intercooler. Frame stretch, hand built aluminum exhaust, custom fuel tanks, fabricated headache rack, grill was cut out and replaced with a screen, custom interior, aftermarket tires, and cast mirrors.

Just finished this build today. Nearly every part was modified/ replaced with 3D print or scratch built.

Hey, how are ya, thanks for looking, may do this kit bash again in a custom road truck.

Nice custom fabrication. Something you’d see at a truck show attracting a big crowd. Aftermarket tires and the grille screen make a big difference. That engine is a beast!

Thank you, yup wish I could drive a truck that nice

....One last update for 2025.... Have the hopper done and ready for weathering Began some subtle weathering on the upper panel Will be scratch building the control handle for the over head winch that ties in with the controls for the upper and lower panels HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL AND KEEP ON TRUCKIN'

Nothing SPOOKtacular to report on this Halloween day........ Inching closer to completion, still a ways to go.....had hoped to have had it in the model clubs annual show coming up in a couple of weeks, looks like next year. Since the P.E kit that I got from S.T.S came with a radio face, I went all in and scratch built an antennae to go with the radio. Still need to dirty up the front of the cab a little bit as the dirty windshield-clean body look wont pass muster with the judges. Scratch built the hydraulic lines for the front of the packer body, also the electrical conduit for the rear of the packer body (vertical round white piece, Left of center going down into truck chassis) Overhead electrical and hydraulic line raceway going towards the rear of the packer body.

...Finally got enough work done on the packer body worthy of posting.... Got the under body control valve assembly plumbed. Used 24 gauge floral wire for the hydraulic lines. I've began some subtle weathering in spots and taped off the areas that need to stay white. All the packer bodies coming off of the Garwood assembly line were painted white, which makes things a lot easier as far as a build goes. Electrical conduit for rear lights on the hopper...located between the hydraulic lines and the under body control valve assembly.....flexible section to be tied in to the trucks electrical system later. Since I am going to be displaying this with the packer body roof off at shows, I added a support rib at the rear of the body to support the race way for the rubber hydraulic lines (3) and the metal electrical conduit. The electrical conduit line is already attached.

..........DESPITE procrastination, busy season at work, life and recently being a storm refugee I have made some decent progress. As I have stated before my goal is to have this a box art , curbside build (no engine or transmission) by the 4th of July. I will come back to this one later and assemble the engine and transmission, stretch the frame and add the milk tank and additional decals. Got some sticky tape residue to deal with on the hood....used scotch clear tape to mask off the area dividing the red and blue, no problem...used Tamiya tape in other places no problem( great stuff!!),,,,used some expensive blue painters tape...leaves a sticky residue ☹️ The white stripe decals just barely wrapped around the backside of the cab..didn't like the way it looked...so I taped off the the backside of the cab since it was molded white to create white stripes. I do need to go back and do some touch up work with some white paint. Need to put some heat to the smoke stack and straighten it out.

Thanks, and yes , I like that motor build. Planning another road truck with sleeper using the long hood and a V12 again. Will do better with the plumbing.

That’s a great looking build, love the tire/wheel choices, adds to the timely look of the truck.

Starting over with #2 Test fit. FrameFF

Thanks for the response!!!! I have had too much outside the hobby room drama going on to maintain the focus and concentration needed...should have knocked this one out a long time ago....so I keep on keepin' on.

One of the most detailed builds of this kit I’ve seen so far. Nice upgrades. I like the scratch built hydraulic lines and the electrical conduit for the rear of the packer body. That’s something I’d forget to add.

Update on the build. Took a ton of time off since my last post. Here it is with the stripes laid down. Then with decaling done, and the frame in semi gloss black.

Finished this one early this year. I started with the Revell/Monogram snapper. Shortened the frame and scratchbuilt a bed.

Rally nice and detailed. FYI the Cummins engines were never yellow. Especially in that year bracket , they were aa light brown in color or they were white sometimes. Duplicolor does make a Cummins brown in aerosol can and very right on to the Cummins brown. Only Caterpillar engines were yellow. Keep up the great work.

All it's missing is some muddy foot prints on the deck plate.

Pics with the trailer I just finished.

As of 2023, its been brought to a keen modelers eye attention that Tamiya thin cement and Tamiya airbrush cleaner are 99% the exact same product. Tamiya thin cement costs around $6 for a 40ml bottle whereas Tamiya airbrush cleaner cost about $10 for the 250ml Bottle. So if you bought the same quanity of each, you'd be spending almost $40 more for the thin cement. Proof: the chemical ingredient list shows they only use 2 ingredients for both products. In comparison to each other, there's only a 1% difference in chemical make up. Ergo, same product. Theres some guys who posted youtube videos about it, check them out. In short, you can refill your tamiya thin cement bottle 6+ times for a one time purchase of a $10ish bottle of taimya airbrush cleaner.

If it turns out well, I am thinking of casting the hood, grill, and headlights. I will need a few for some other builds and if there is interest, I'll make them available to others.