Dodge L700 Tractor with Shell Tanker

After thinking for a while.I said why not It will be fun and challenging.

First of all I picked this up at almost 1/2 the price here. Did the tanker first was pretty easy, the tractor was some what harder ( little parts) parts do not have #'s on them have to look at instructions to match up parts. Has some molding flash, mild twisting and the tires where hard to mount had to heat them up to get them on the rims. Just take your time and stock up on clamps and rubber bands and enjoy the build.

In reflect of so many poor reviews of this kit, it is not that bad. Sure there is flash, lots of it in some places. But you have to remember these molds were made in the 60's and probably produced a million kits already. There is flash from parting lines on the cab, front, back, inside and all around... lots of people do not even remove most of it, but this is actually something I enjoy; it's therapeutic for me, and it is not only somewhat challenging but fun! I THINK that's what model building is suppose to be about??? If you want something to just throw paint on, stick it together and drop it on the shelf, than you should get a cheap Revel (snap-together) Kenworth or Peterbilt kit. If all the parts are cleaned up good, the parts go together very nicely. yes, the instructions have faults that the manufactures never corrected, and can be hard to 'see' where parts go, but if you have the internet, and I know you do, because you're reading this now, then look up the real prototype truck - there's millions of them to look at for reference on the web. Yep, the doors are a huge challenge! I love them! And those hinge holders that go inside the cab under the dash need to be trimmed down (between the hinges) so they seat up to the inside edge of the door opening of the cab (why they have that rounded hump I have no clue!) There is just so much to do on these kits and that is what makes them fun! They also can be modified so easily and can be a kit-bashers delight; try building something different by stealing parts from another Dodge l700 or other AMT, MPC/Ertl kits. Add more axles or extend the frame - make a box truck or a flatbed and use the trailer on any other big rig. The trailer can also be used on other truck kits as a short tank for a straight truck, and with some flat plastic styrene you can make two tank add-ons for other trucks (a short one and a shorter one). You could also then use the suspension of the trailer to create a scratch-built flatbed trailer or make a box trailer using the box from the Ford C600 (coke or hostess etc), I am saying there is just so much more you can build with this kit than what you see in the pictures. Set your imagination free. Build a monster truck like I did. Make it old and beat up like many other fine scale modelers have done. Just have fun with it! Oh ya, the tires, they can be pressed into the rims much better if you take your knife and cut a small chamfer edge all around the inside of the rubber first - not need to heat them up lol. And sand the damn threat on the things!!! Make it look like they touch the pavement for a few miles at least. Sorry, a pet-peeve of mine :)