I'm finishing mine now and I had no problems, It's a bit complex kit but not as complex as a bad resin kit, sorry you payed that incredible price for it, maybe they made a mistake in your local store?

Check out the competition over at Mirror Models for the best Diamond T Wrecker build! The grand prize is a 1000 shopping spree! WOW

http://www.mirror-models.com/Diamond-T-969-wrecker-contest.html

Right now Pascal is in the lead but they are all looking like seriously good modeling work!

Here is Henri's offering:


I love the engine detailing, the tools on the front fender and that Texaco oil can.

or Jan's work.





or Francis

Click on the link below to cast your vote:

http://www.mirror-models.com/Diamond-T-969-wrecker-contest.html

Trying to get the engine ready for final installation:

Saw a photo in Doyle's Diamond T book that showed the wrecker with the air compressor having a wire mesh pulley guard so I had to give it a shot:

and this one
Hey Michael, don't forget this one as well

Sorry Mike but did not think I should show all the models but rather to post the link and try to encourage more voting,

Best of luck!

Thanks Mike,

I've washed out in the build contest.

It's good to see your posting your work , I have been watching. It is a challenge of a build but persistence is the key because the wrecker looks the part when completed.

Now back to a famo and Panzer 3

Well my Diamond T Cargo Truck arrived today from Wanamaker Hobbies. (Oh Boy!) As every one knows I was planning on doing a scratch/conversion changing the cargo truck into the Diamond T dump truck. However it looks like King Libor at Mirror beat me to the punch:

On the last page of the cargo instructions King announces;
"Coming Soon: Diamond T dump truck!
I wonder which cab he will include? Hey King, I need some way to acquire extra enclosed cabs!

Oh well I'm back to plan A which is to swap the hard cab for the wrecker and use the open cab on the cargo truck.

The cab swap is on!



p.s. I also picked up the the new vac-formed cloth top for the open cab while I was at it!

A couple of extra details added:


The wire mesh pulley housing on the air compressor.


Vise mounted on the front bumper.

Beautiful work.

Kinda tough decision between this and the M19 The Diamond T Tank Transporter.


I will keep in touch on this one.









Jeff

The kit of the M19 looks to be every bit as well detailed as the Wrecker and looks to produce just as good a build. I would love to have them both but the Diamond T/Holmes wrecker is just packed with SO MUCH detail I couldn't resist. I know the M19 has sheer size going for it but the wrecker is a 6x6 whereas the M19 is a 4x6 so there you have even more driveline detail going for the wrecker!

_________________________________________________

Also, and this is just a personal observation that is not a reflection on anything other than that it expresses my own likes and dislikes. I have always had this idea in my mind that a ballast tractor such as the M19 is just an inherently wasteful design. The idea that you would have to load dead weight onto a towing vehicle in order for it to have sufficient tractive effort to pull the trailer just goes against the grain for me.

As an alternative example; the Dragon Wagon is based on a semi trailer design so part of the weight of the load is transfered to the tractor and converted to tractive effort without the need for adding additional dead weight. Similarly with the Mack NO when pulling the 155mm Long Tom without the towing limber; the specially designed Mack hitch on the tractor transfered part of the weight of the gun trails onto the prime mover chassis so there was no need for additional dead weight being added to that vehicle.

I know, I know . . . I'm weird!

Right now the T is sort of looking like a 6x6 Rat Rod but things will smooth out in the next few days!

Hi Michael,
you would like to show the drive train details? Why not just topple it over? Maybe they forgot to use the support struts properly or it sank in soft ground, or, or, or.
Just an idea. Upright or toppled - just keep posting. Looks like it turns into a nice one either way ;-)

Michael

Interesting; a buddy of mine is scratch building a C2 Army Air Corps wrecker with a Gar-Wood crane in 1/32 and plans to to do that very thing. He intends to pair it with some WWII aircraft in a pose where clearly the load got away from the operator and he tipped the vehicle over.

Right now I just want mine dusty but otherwise pristene. I wish the booms and jake legs were positionable so I could work on a diorama idea later but unfortunately no.

A couple more planned "extras" in the way of detailing the T wrecker:


Red Mars Light/Siren from the spares box, a.k.a. Tamiya Dragon Wagon.


Resin Easy Line fire extinguisher from Plus Models for the right side running board.


(Photo by Lars van Lier)

Some engine details:

Might want to note the crank case vent and filler (red cap) and the additional coolant plumbing on the driver's side of the engine. Also the horizontal pipe (the governor shaft) running to the carburetor on the right side.

p.s. and the location of the dip stick! (also here painted red.)

Progress - left side fender, fuel tank and running board.

The cab swap is a simple drop in/change out. All the other body panels are the same.

Here is something a bit different: a front mounted stiff leg crane mounted on a Diamond T being used to place a bridging secton.


(Photo Life Magazine)

Judging by the angle of those boom support cables they probably go all the way back to the rear beam of the load box. From there, I suspect they are attached to the truck frame.

Hi Mike

I guess this one hasn't already been posted here . Here's a link to a thread stuffed with (mostly restored) Diamond T's. Many wreckers inside

http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?7379-Diamond-T-Gallery

Keep on the good work !

H.P.