Johnny M

Great --- Welcome ! Johnny

Beautiful ! Love the cement dust -- I can almost feel it under my fingernails 😬 Johnny

That looks great! I like the angled top edge on the bed. I remember older trucks with that configuration. Very helpful in loading if you're hauling bulk materials like gravel or feed. Interesting factoid about the factory not polishing the paint jobs on some commercial vehicles. I did not know that. Makes sense, though, especially if you're never going to wash the truck anyway. It was a kinder and gentler and less glossy time, I guess. The little tail light and license plate in the rear view are another perfect detail. Congrats! Johnny

Hey Brian, good to have you on board. Please keep posting and send pics when you can. I'm pretty new here myself, and that's why I know you're welcome. Folks on the forum will love anything you send in. I know that's true because they seem to like my stuff, and I send in the most random and poorly photographed submissions on the board. I've always loved actually building and customizing models, but I'm not very good at staging and photographing them. Plus I had to get my granddaughter to show me how to post, so... Anyway, welcome! Johnny

Lookin' good ! I like that little jig you made to mount the brackets. Johnny

WoW -- That's the good stuff right there, Brian. Great work -- love the paint job and the finish. What is the story behind the 4-door cab? Would that be like from a fire and rescue vehicle, so you could carry crew members or passengers? I could definitely see how it would be useful in a recovery vehicle like this one; I just don't think I've ever seen one before. Congrats, Johnny

Totally agree -- it's a perfect detail. I remember seeing them like that, back in the day. Always Fords -- I was like "Come on, Ford, really?" But I figured it was just me, so I tried to ignore them. Good to know I wasn't the only one. Keep up the good work -- love your models! Johnny

NIce! Looks great -- love the fuel decals and the fifth-wheel grease. Q: Why did they have the exhaust stacks off-center like that? That would make me crazy if I had to drive it. Not that I'm OCD or anything (well maybe a little, but only sometimes -- ok a lot, I admit it, full disclosure.)🤪 Johnny

Nice weathering !! Looks like they hosed it down when it came in but didn't try too hard. (Plus it's been dirty before.) And thanks for the tip about the Vallejo brown earth. Johnny

WoW -- That's beautiful! And thanks much for showing your steps along the way. Well done! Johnny

Many happy returns! Of birthdays, that is. Sorry, no returns on 55 gallon drums of super glue. Too sticky -- way too sticky... Johnny

Looks like you're off to a great start -- Carry on, please. And I think it's good that you've moved your toolbox over onto your cutting board -- saves all that walking back and forth across the room every time you need a tool. Johnny

That ain't tattered, Cornbinder, that's a workin' truck! Might have to replace that headlight, though, so you don't have to visit with the highway patrol every time you go out. 😎 Johnny

WOW -- just brilliant! Congrats! Johnny

Lookin' good! Nice fat front rubber. Also, roobars roole! Johnny

Thanks, Driptroit. I think you're right, and that makes sense. 49 was a big year of change industry-wide, for cars and trucks both. Also I think I remember that Autocar shared the later curved-window cab with some of the Whites, and the setup on your truck looks strictly Autocar-only. Anyway, great work! Johnny

Driptroit, do you know what year model that truck might be, with the flat windshield? I think all the Autocars I've ever seen on the road have the later, curved, windshield. I'm guessing this one must be from the late forties. I kinda want to say they didn't introduce that set-back front axle tractor until after the war but... As always, I could be wrong. Johnny

Wow -- that's beautiful! Congrats -- super job. Johnny

That's beautiful -- so clean and nice and showroom fresh! So I'm gonna go ahead and make a wild guess that you're not quite done with it yet. Love the grill and front bumper, btw, they look perfect. Johnny

HeHe You know that's an old song fer sure -- "ICC is checkin' on down the line, I'm a little overweight and my log book's way behind" Who? What? Do what now? HeHe Johnny

I love this truck -- super job! Johnny

Nice catch! If the main body parts are already that nice yellow, how about going with some kind of black two-tone. That way it'll not only be my favorite colors, but you'll only have to mask and spray it once and you won't have to mask between the colors. OR you could just wrap the part you want black with some of that fabulous VViViD gloss black tape and not have to paint at all -- OK, I know, that would be extremely lazy, but it would look just as good as a rattle can paint job and be way easier. Just a thought. Johnny (the lazy guy who loves dem DeWalt tools cuz -- well, you know.)

Oh that's just beautiful. You are so good at getting the road dirt look just right. Love the diesel fuel overflow in the dirt on the tanks and the fresh grease job on the fifth wheel. Those drive tires look like recaps. Nice touch! I wonder if McLean was into recaps. I know a lot of those big carriers gave up on recaps and just went over to all new tires. Not sure about McLean, though -- I never drove for them. Congrats on a terrific model! Johnny

Here's the new floor installed on my sectioned Wilson flatbed. I went with the hardwood flooring because that's more like what they used back in the day and also to cover up the joint where I removed the 13 foot section from the original 53' trailer. Feel free to ignore what's left of the joint 'cuz we won't be able to see it after I get the trailer loaded. I think I'm gonna go with a load of steel tubes chained down without a tarp for now, I was planning on steel coils with tarps, but I'll have to work on that later in my spare time since I haven't been able to figure the tarps out yet. That's the tape I used to cover the floor. I got it from Amazon, and it works great. The tape is very thin and it conforms to the surface of whatever you stick it on, plus it's not peel and stick -- it just unrolls like duct tape. I haven't tried to age or weather it yet; I'll save that for another day. Johnny

Thanks, Mark. I like those smaller sizes mostly because they take up less room 😋, plus you can get away with of with a lot of detail stuff -- like in the interiors -- 'cuz people can't see inside. That's a plus for some older model builders (not saying who) who don't have a steady hand. I guess 1;43 is my favorite because it's kind of right in the middle. All those trucks up on the shelf there are 1:43s, as well as way too many others. Johnny