I mentioned in another recent post that I am interested in a NASCAR car hauler to somewhat resemble the following: There are several different looks as far as the ads on the trailer, and I have loaded just about every one you see in this image. I have vectorized them and will be making decals next. Now here are the kits that I have for the project: Those of you with good eyes will note that the 1:1 tractor is a Pete and the model is a Kenworth. Also the 1:1 trailer is made for car hauling and the model is an electronics/moving van. Oh well, it is what it is and I'll have to work hard to make the model resemble the 1:1. As the little steamer said " I think I can, I think I can ". If interested, I'll post progress shots.
The 1:1 tractor is a pretty late model, too. Note the side mirrors and the "aerodynamic" hood & chrome shade. What's on the front of the trailer? Almost looks like a refrigeration unit, but maybe just a cabinet.
That Is an AC unit. Cars are hauled on an upper level and the lower level is a work area and crew meeting area. https://d1moysbdfluzeo.cloudfront.net/uploads/production/2015-01-21/news-gallery-photo-3831.jpg https://d1moysbdfluzeo.cloudfront.n..._center-center_95/news-gallery-photo-3830.jpg
For accuracy: 1. NASCAR haulers don’t have the side double doors like the model does. The lift platform seen in the photos @mtntrainman linked, serves as the trailer door. 2. The meeting area, (“the lounge”) is in the front, over the tractor’s rear wheels. And they’re nice, fairly roomy, with seating for 8-10 around a long-ish table, ethernet & laptop plugins for everybody, DirecTV and a bigscreen, timing & scoring feed, etc. 3. They have another personnel door, on the right side, a few feet behind the tractor’s rear wheels. Edit: oh, the lounge also generally has a restroom, kind of like what an airliner has.
Another interesting note. The first image is Micael McDowel's truck, driver of the #34 Loves Mustang. Honestly, I do not follow NASCAR as much as I used to, but Micheal is my current favorite, and he is sponsored by Horizon Hobby who owns Athearn Model Trains. Micheal is a super nice guy and met with the employees last summer before the race in Indy. I got his autograph and he complimented me on my Mustang. I wish I had been at the Indy race this year. He won and the Mustang was wearing the Horizon Hobby scheme complete with the Athearn logo. Good luck on the project!
One other thing, and this will affect the appearance of your model: The tops of the trailers are often festooned with the name & logo of the primary sponsor of the team. This photo doesn’t include Front Row Motorsports, though, but it will give you a general idea: Note that the back 20-25% of the trailers are undecorated. That’s because at the track, on Friday and Saturday, there is a platform erected up there where team personnel can go aloft to observe practice and qualifying. And teams want the complete sponsor logo to be visible, and not have part of it covered by the platform. On race day, NASCAR requires the platforms to be down. For your hauler, the logo on the trailer roof would probably be the Love’s logo and the hearts, maybe the Speedco logo, too.
Hey, looky what Google Earth helped me find!: So, there’s your topside look for the Love’s team hauler. Note that a little bit of the front topside real estate is reserved for the A/C (heat pump) outside coil air ducting & the satellite & internet mast extension & stowage.
Thanks to all for the constructive comments and suggestions. C&O MM - thanks you for the special effort on your part to find images for me, much appreciated. As I stated in my original post, i have to work with the kits available. The trailer is nowhere near a car hauler. Yes, i have sanded the doors off of the sides, after I prime I most likely will have to work on that more. The axles are not in the proper places but I do not want to cut up 2 new models in an attempt to make one correct. So modelers license ? ? Here are 2 images that I found and did a screenshot. They have been fooled with using GIMP so they do look strange, but a good view of the 20023 version of Love's rig and especially the top side. Overall view as the rig entered COTA last spring: GIMP altered top side image : I may sand down the bottom of the sleeper and add a tool box or another small tank to better represent the 1:1. Again working with what I thought "most accurately" represents the 1:1. Jim Wiggin - not surprised that you are a fan of 34 ! How about this version of the ads on trailer ?
Not all race car haulers have spread axles...JS https://i.pinimg.com/736x/45/e2/ad/45e2ad846f142b14cd43beccf947725b.jpg https://i.pinimg.com/originals/85/be/f9/85bef94ce1c1975e3ecf97a7095b1d72.jpg So whatever you come with will be easily acceptable...
As a side note, whenever I log into the trainboard forum and see the listing of threads, when I see the orange “TB” logos for folks that don’t have avatars/ profile pics, I still reflexively think for a moment that I’m seeing Bobby Labonte’s car number 18, from his Interstate Batteries car days.
The NASCAR races I really enjoy watching are the road courses, where the car and driver actually have to turn both left and right. I watched him win at the Indy road course race. I'm also a Ford/Mustang fan, so he checked both boxes with that win. I favor model train layouts like that too, that turn both ways (see how I brought this message back to model railroading?!) That will be really cool to recreate his team's truck!
Thanks guys ! George, you are causing me to buy a larger cap, wow thanks. I saw those trailers on the Featherlite site so I have decided to leave this one alone so I can use the extra trailer for an Earnhardt unit. Here is the trailer that I have sanded all the doors off of sides and tail end. I painted with Dupli-Color Auto Primer Filler. Sides look good but tomorrow or Wednesday after the primer is dry I will wet sand with 1000 & then 1200 grit paper. Should then be ready for colors : I sprayed the chassis gloss black along with parts of the sleeper so that I can "chrome" the appropriate parts. Later !
Well i just could not be patient, so I colored the trailer today. It is pretty good but I can see some very small lines above the curbside trailer wheels and may wet sand with 1200 grit paper or not. BTW I airbriushed this rig with TruColor TTX yellow. the main thing is I do not see ( may be my old eyes ) any door lines on the sides or tail end of the model. I am making a cabinet, A/C unit (?) for the front and also I found some other model train goodies to use. I have pics. Here are 3 images of the trailer : Here are some goodies I shall use. These are diesel engine long hood doors that I shall attach as cabinets under the trailer. The 1:1 trailer has them but they are hard to see because they are red : Here is the tractor ready for chrome work along with the Legacy sleeper : I drove a Kenworth ( the Chevron Cabover body load and pup unit above ) but lately have not kept up with anything but Petes. So here is a 1:1 image I found toady of the combo that I am using. Good looking rig : Something leaking !
Are those units (sans sleeper) typically used for box trucks? Man that'll make one long rig with the trailer! Only so many parking lots you can get in and out of with it!
You got that right.They’re purpose-built pieces, built for hauling specific equipment to specific destinations. And they don’t do much stopping along the way, except for fuel. Two drivers, no overnight stopping. For that matter a good number of driver pairs on the NASCAR circuit are husband & wife teams.
Here are a few photos of the back ends of haulers, in the event you want to add some details. This one, I picked because the ambient lighting shows the rubber/neoprene stops distributed around the backside of the door (which becomes the underside when the door gets laid flat - supports the weight of the car/toolboxes/people, while keeping the door off the pavement. Then these show the back of various haulers closed up. This is to show the tall, thin, hinged flaps that close over the sides of the door when the lift gate is put in the stowed position. Keeps the elements out of the door track. Because it flaps over the door, it creates a raised edge & visible line. Obviously a lot of variety in the light configurations on the door: And as far as weathering/grime goes? You’ve probably figured this out, but: Absolutely none. Wash & wax, spit & polish inside and out, every week, as soon as they get back to the shop, keep it neat on race weekends & test dates.
C&O_MM, This rig and the two tank trucks I have done will always be pristine, just my thing. I think in my part of the world Gemini Trucking keeps the tank rigs spotless all the time. Thanks for your images. I showed these earlier and said I would use some of them : So, here is what I have done so far, along with modifying the rear end to better represent the 1:1 tail : Here is an image that shows my black/white decal sizing worksheet. I have vectorized and am now getting them to the correct size to get all on the trailer : I found this in my "parts" box, a lot of nice grills, fans, etc. to be placed on top of trailer : Thanks for looking, I'll update. PS : was TB down most of the day or did I have a problem ?
