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So I've got AMT's Aero Chief kit and I'd like to build it as the old Snorkel truck from my hometown. I've got an extra axle & wheels from a junked pumper kit, so I think I'm ready to attempt the 3-axle conversion.

This color is clearly darker than the standard fire engine red, I'm curious if anyone has suggestions for an out of the bottle match that's close.

Snorkel2_A.jpg

While we're on the subject, any gotchas to watch out for on this kit?

Thanks

Jonah

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So I've got AMT's Aero Chief kit and I'd like to build it as the old Snorkel truck from my hometown. I've got an extra axle & wheels from a junked pumper kit, so I think I'm ready to attempt the 3-axle conversion.

This color is clearly darker than the standard fire engine red, I'm curious if anyone has suggestions for an out of the bottle match that's close.

Snorkel2_A.jpg

While we're on the subject, any gotchas to watch out for on this kit?

Thanks

Jonahw

I work at Pierce Manufacturing, a major manufacturer of custom fire apparatus. From what I see every day, there is no such thing as "standard fire engine red". We must have at least 20 shades of red we use, maybe more. Every fire department seems to have their own preferences. Plus there are many other colors ordered by our customers, yellows and greens predominately but others as well. We've even done some trucks in baby blue and a couple of years ago we had an order for a couple of purple fire trucks. If you live near by the fire department of the truck in your photo you might stop by and ask if they could give you a small sample of the paint they use. Undoubtedly they have some on hand for paint touch ups. If you aren't near by, maybe try writing to them.

Scott Wilson

Appleton, WI

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Scott, thanks for the info. Coincidentally, I just watched the National Geographic show on Pierce's manufacturing online last night, very interesting show.

For now I'm limited to the photos I have, as I think this truck is no longer used by the dept. I'll see what else I can turn up, but would still be very interested in any educated guesses/recommendations from anyone here. I'm not familiar with the automotive color range of hobby paint.

Jonah

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Scott, thanks for the info. Coincidentally, I just watched the National Geographic show on Pierce's manufacturing online last night, very interesting show.

For now I'm limited to the photos I have, as I think this truck is no longer used by the dept. I'll see what else I can turn up, but would still be very interested in any educated guesses/recommendations from anyone here. I'm not familiar with the automotive color range of hobby paint.

Jonah

I was a little off on my estimates of how many shades of red we have available at Pierce. I asked one of our painters and he said well over 150! He told me how many other colors we have, and in whites alone there are over 50 shades, and over 150 yellows and greens if I remember what he told me correctly. Our paint is manufactured by Sikkens if that helps you at all.

If you want an exact match to the Tyler truck, I'd still suggest writing or calling the department. Even if that apparatus is retired odds are excellent that their newer trucks are painted exactly the same color, and I'd bet they'd be very happy to send you a paint sample. Otherwise just go with the TLAR method (That Looks About Right).

By the way, I heard last week that American LaFrance recently went out of business, closed their doors for good I guess. It's a shame but the total market for fire apparatus is way down, what with all the government tax cuts that caused reduced spending. American LaFrance has been in financial trouble for several years, and it seems they just couldn't make it through this downturn.

I know most of the people who were interviewed in the Nat Geo show. I narrowly missed being in one scene, I was filmed but they ended the scene they showed just before I walked across the aisle in view of the camera. The cameraman rode a Segway to film some of the scenes moving through the plant. It was interesting to see.

Scott Wilson

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I am just guessing, but to me that photo looks like it's not very accurate colorwise so it would be pretty hard to base the red off of it. I would echo Scott's advice and write to them or at the least see if you can find some more recent, perhaps better exposed photos of the current equipment. Like he said, they likely kept the same colors. BTW, I went through several colors trying to get my Trumpeter ALF looking right to me and I settled on a Krylon spray can of Cherry Red. It was a tad darker than what most people consider "fire engine" red.

DSC_0448-1.jpg

Good luck and be sure to post in progress shots. Need some more fire trucks I always say.

Bill

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Thanks for the help, I might try the cherry red.

I found a couple more photos that don't really help, but they're still pictures of fire trucks!

Same truck as the original photo is in the center bay:

Station2B.jpg

Not too good for colors, but I do think it illustrates that the snorkel truck is slightly darker than the truck in the bay to the right, which is seen again here and definitely looks to be a lighter red to me (relative to the snorkel):

Engine2.jpg

While we're on the subject of fruitlessly trying to match truck colors from scanned photos taken by an amateur photographer nearly 15 years ago, I'm all ears for any suggestions on the yellow color on the other truck in the station :lol: I would like to eventually build something that resembles that yellow truck, so ordered the Ward LaFrance cab from Models by Dave recently.

Thanks again for the thoughts, happy modeling!

Jonah

Edited by Gator52
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The paint I use and if you have availability to is Humbrol #20 Crimson red. When AMT released the kits they had ALF red in spray cans. May I suggest to you another site:

http://scalefirehouse.com/sfh_brd/index.php?sid=5e51bdaa3c110f1ae432aa49e84007fa

for a wealth of fire information.

For the rear tandem I would suggest a set from another tandem truck kit instead of using two single axles. There are body modifications to make the cabinets work right and there are two variations on the body work around the rear duals.

here is one of my trucks

P1010254.jpg

The snorkel in the kit was exclusive ALF design and not a Snorkel brand articulated boom

good luck and need help I'm here and there

greg

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The Ford Louisville set fits the ALF frame, you have to extend the frame at the rear of double frame to get it to fit when doing an ALF body work, If you do the body work from the picture you might get away with splicing the two frames together.

Here is one of my snorkels with # 20 Humbrol red on it.

P1020506_zps5bab5251.jpg

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So I've got AMT's Aero Chief kit and I'd like to build it as the old Snorkel truck from my hometown. I've got an extra axle & wheels from a junked pumper kit, so I think I'm ready to attempt the 3-axle conversion.

This color is clearly darker than the standard fire engine red, I'm curious if anyone has suggestions for an out of the bottle match that's close.

Snorkel2_A.jpg

While we're on the subject, any gotchas to watch out for on this kit?

Thanks

Jonah

1018 Amer. La France Lime-yellow (L) - 1oz. $ 7.50 ea.1018r American La France Red (L) - 1oz. Go to mcw model car world, this is what you are looking for. Rob

Edited by 71roadrunner426
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  • 1 month later...

1018 Amer. La France Lime-yellow (L) - 1oz. $ 7.50 ea.1018r American La France Red (L) - 1oz. Go to mcw model car world, this is what you are looking for. Rob

Here are two examples of the paints mentioned above

BFDM5_01.jpg

HRIV20-1.jpg

Hope that helps

David

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  • 3 months later...

Sure you're likely done with this build, and agreed the MCW stuff is nice, but the darker reds I think were close by my TLAR (suggested by Scott) are from Floquil in the Rail colors. Check their Caboose red F110020. And for the yellow, check out Testors Light Yellow gloss 1112 sku #075611111209. It has that yellow-green that reminds me of zinc coatings for alloy. Hope to see the build!

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The top pic is the Boyd's red over a white primer:

MF2a.jpg

another older build I did that has the Boyd's over a gray primer:

MF3a.jpg

Same paint, same lighting, different primer looks like two different shades of paint.

Edited by Jeff_C
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  • 1 month later...
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Got my MCW ALF colors in the mail; I've got plenty of airbrush experience with enamels & acrylics, but my only experience with lacquers is Testors Metalizer. Is there anything about applying this paint that I need to watch out for? Do you normally clear coat over this paint, and if so, with what?

Thanks!

Jonah

Edited by Gator52
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