Catawissa Freightliner - built from AMT's 1/25 scale kit

A great example of finding inspiration on-line for a model truck project, on https://ninthstargod.proboards.com/th... four pictures of a White-Freightliner tractor, estimated to be of about 1970 vintage, provided enough information to create this 1/25 scale replica starting with AMT's "Dual Drive" White-Freightliner kit.

"Freightliner Fever" soundtrack by Dave Dudley. Back in the 1970's, in the northeastern U.S., this would have been a nicely spec'd truck with aluminum wheels up front, sunvisor, and dual stacks/horns/etc.

Specific engine in the real truck was unknown and a close-up view of engine wasn't available however dual stacks suggested Detroit power so an 8V-72 was sourced from an AMT Titan/90 parts kit.

This video by matthew howell has in-cab footage of a similar Detroit powered 1971 truck and gives an idea of what this one would have sounded like on the highways around Catawissa.    • 1971 freightliner cabover ride  

Spoke drive wheels, taken from an Ertl Great Dane van trailer kit, replaced White-Freightliner kit's chrome disc wheels.

Incorrect headlight position of AMT kit cab's headlights was easy to fix as headlights were modified to single headlight configuration matching 1:1 truck. Cab front panel seams were corrected and rivets removed when sanding joints in multi-piece cab shell replaced with Micro-Mark's O scale decal rivets which are a good size match for 1/25 scale truck cab rivets.

Damaged area at lower right rear corner of cab showed truck had experienced an "interesting" encounter at some point in its life. This damage was modelled by thinning plastic of cab shell until it was nearly translucent, gluing on a thin piece of brass shim for strength, and distressing the "sheet metal".

Red oxide primer coat on cab showed through in numerous places on 1:1 truck, replicated on model by priming cab first then lightly sanding away colour coat to reveal primer where needed. Red and yellow cab stripes were added using strips cut from coloured decal paper.

Script "Catawissa Bottling Co." lettering was drawn on freehand using fine tip paint marker. Thankfully, most of the (unsteady) hand lettering was sanded away to simulate worn paint so it doesn't look too bad. Individual decal letters were used for the "450 Fisher Ave. Catawissa Pa." etc. lettering on cab sides.

Simulating dirt and rust stains, as well as other effects of weather and the environment on a truck parked for the long term, was an enjoyable challenge. Multiple washes of varying colours were used on frame and running gear with ground foam model railroad scenery material used to simulate moss growing in areas of frame and suspension. Reddish brown coloured pencils added rust and worn paint effects.

Bright yellow trailer jack behind truck, which is visible in two of the 1:1 photos, was scratch built from brass tube and wire with base adapted from a 1/8" scale hot rod kit part (that kit supplies bases and posts for rope railing to be placed around the hot rod at shows)

I have been to Catawissa a few times in the past several years, my first trip there was April 2017, ten years after the photos on nsg Truck Pics were taken (April 2007). It is likely the real truck is long gone as it wasn't there in 2017, but it lives on in miniature.

#scalemodeltrucks
#freightliner
#cabovers