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Kit #2: My ambition is to build most of the AMT truck kits to get a feel for how to go from start to finish, learn the common techniques, and to also find which AMT kit will become my favorite. After I have a couple of builds under my belt, I hope to purchase several (3?) copies of the "chosen" subject and attempt some really advanced building. My hope is to throw some really great paint, like a Peterbilt with a 6-color color scheme, polished, piano hinges, full plumbing and wiring, lights, maybe smoke(?). It is ambitious. Time will tell. After test fitting the Diamond Reo, this will not be my chosen subject. The kit has several big fails. The hood and rear axles are poorly fitted. I have heard the "AMT Freightliner" also has major flaws ( I still want to build one). The wheels and tires are nice. I will keep this in mind as a future donor kit. Satisfied with attempted plumbing of the engine. The hardest part was doing the research. My son had mentioned that "getting the right color is everything". I didn't understand this at the time he said it, but do now. My "Cummins Yellow" is a 50:50 mix X-8 Lemon Yellow: XF-88 Dark Yellow2 plus X-20A thinner for the gun. Doing some visual comparison of the kit mud flaps vs. an aftermarket part from Sour Kraut Model Trucks. I'm going to use the aftermarkets because the kit mudguards are unusable with a tilting hood. https://www.sourkrautsmodeltrucks.net/ Began to question my color choice. But am not willing to start over. I don't like this kit enough to care. Will continue by "faith" that the decals along with some in-service weathering will rescue it. Dash and interior detail is "good enough" for under the over-thick glass canopy. Not satisfied with the kit exhaust stack. Might replace with an aftermarket and scratch-built brackets. Also suspect the AMT trailer tires are over-sized.

The theme of this build is a farm truck that is nearing the end of it's service life and is no longer loved by the hired help. It is spring and the ground is muddy. I am satisfied with how the wooden sliding door and the "rusted" exhaust turned out, especially because the techniques used were a "first time" experience for me. The hood decals were a disaster and broke instantly while trying to get them in place, so I ended up having to paint the body stripes.

Here’s a 359 I built about 18 months ago, but never posted here. Representing a modern day version of a truck that is still serving it’s owner well after all the years. I posted it on the MCM forum, so some of you may have seen it already. It was an enjoyable build, and my second venture into weathering, which I now find to be much easier to build than a showroom clean model - it’s harder to screw it up, mistakes can be disguised. Thanks for checking it out.

The Mack R685ST - weathered. I used Vallejo Dirt Weathering Paint & Testors Dull Coat.