Why so little truck modelers out there?

Mike - Here are a few sites I've bookmarked in the past few months. I, too have been bitten by the truck bug and am in the middle of an ERTL International Paystar 5000 tractor. I put my first color coat on just last night. There are plenty of aftermarket products as listed in some of the sites below. Problem is price, for me. Many of the kits I want to build are discontinued and re-releases are far apart. I've been buying on eBay as of late but wish the companies would get re-releases out sooner so I can stock up at *reasonable* prices.... Knock yourself out in surfing these sites - there's plenty to see and lots of talented builders out there. Try the Yahoo group - it's a great place to get some solid advice on the model truck hobby.

Frank Kranick IPMS/USA 20352

Might have something to do with size. The most popular scale seems to be 1/24 and a semi must be almost two feet long.

There are lots of military trucks coming out in 1/72 scale. Mostly Eastern European, but quite a selection.

Tom

Price is another factor--some of those kits go for over $40 USD, others for a lot more. I built some of them as a kid when they sold for under $10....same kits, different time.

there's always military trucks. and you already have the paint problem solved, OD overall and a bit of mud and you are done...

Craig

Yup! And, when 1:25 scale truck kits were $10, car kits were $2.00 (1:25 scale). Yes, times have changed, it takes more dollars to buy anything today than it did back then, but then, most of our jobs pay quite a bit more today than they did 30-some years ago (at least the same position did).

Art

IMO, the best way to get started in modelling is to pick something you like, be it planes, cars, trucks, ships, armor or ??? and go from there.

Mike,

Model Truck building (by that I take it you are looking at civilian, as opposed to military trucks!) had a huge surge of popularity beginning in 1970, with the release first, of Industro-Motive Corporation's 1969 Dodge L-700 Tilt Cab tractor, which was followed by about 4 months by AMT's Peterbilt "California Hauler". Over the years out to about 1974, AMT, MPC and Ertl (in the days before they bought AMT) pumped out something on the order of at least 25 different 1:25 scale OTR trucks, a few construction trucks, even a handful of medium-duty semi and straight frame units as well. Also, AMT and MPC released a number of semi-trailers as well, to a then-very-receptive audience (it was, after all, the era of the "cowboy trucker", CW McCall's truck-oriented records, and movies where the truck was the starring vehicle). However, by the late

However, as you allude, yes, truck modeling, while certainly a passion with truck enthusiasts, is nowhere nearly as hot as model cars, for perhaps the simple, two-fold reason of price and available space--truck kits have always been several times the price of a car kit, due largely to the number of molding operations necessary (size of the parts, for example).

As for "is truck modeling a good thing to start with if you want to get into modeling", well, the only thing I can say is, if it feels good, do it! That's what all the modeling hobbies are about, doing that which feels good to do. If you want to get into model trucks, then by all means do it, and don't let anyone discourage or dissuade you--it ain't you being negative, it would be them.

Go for it!

Art Anderson

I remember building a giant White Freightliner AMT kit back when I was a kid, it was fun. I think one of my Baa-Baa Black Sheep 1/32 Corsairs attacked it with a BB Gun and lighter fluid (they attacked a lot of my models back then).

I've seen a reissue old Ford US Postal Service Tractor Trailer combination put out by AMT. I remember this kit from ages ago, was it an AMT kit way back then? How is this kit and what scale is it in? Looks like it could be an interesting project. Rob Gronovius Visit my motor pool in the

Because so many S10 models available!

The only person I've known that builds truck models is my father, who is a retired truck driver. He built them occaisionally while he was driving, but really got into after he retired.

It seems to be more popular overseas, since Italeri does quite a few kits, and my father told me one time about being at a rest stop somewhere in the Midwest, when a busload of Japanese tourists got out and started taking pictures of all the trucks. Some even came by and asked him a bunch of questions and took pictures of the inside of his truck.

Here's the only one I know of:

Ken

---------------- Ken Lilly snipped-for-privacy@technologist.NOSPAM.com

This thread brings to mind something that I've been wondering about for a long time. When I was a kid (well over 25 years ago), I remember seeing a kit at a local drugstore that I always wanted to purchase, but never did due to a lack of funds. It was an orange dumptruck/snowplow setup, I think maybe by AMT or ERTL? Anyways, does anyone know any specifics about this model (ie. truck make..Mack, Ford, Chevy?, and which model company put it out (also what scale was it?). Now that I have some pocket change to spare, I'd love to pick one up (FINALLY!).

Thanks!

It is out now by AMT/ERTL. Ford Snow Plow. About 50.00 IRR.

The kit you refer to is AMT's 1970 Ford Louisville Line LNT-700. This kit is a bit of a "goldmine", as not only does it have the parts for the snowplow and Gar Wood dump box, but also hidden on the sprues is a 5th wheel assembly as well, should one want to make a semi-tractor out of it.'

As already stated, it is out (or at least due very soon) once more.....

Art Anderson

Bob, that sounds like a great model. You should post some pics.