In 1997 in conjunction with Cronulla Carrying Pty Ltd’s 80th Anniversary, DMG was asked to build a model of one of their Prime Movers and trailer. After photographing the real version, the AMT T600 model kit was purchased and modified. Extensive modifications had to be done to change the model into the exact type that was used by the client.
First of all, it had to be rebuilt to right hand drive. A new sleeper cab and bull bar had to prefabricated from styrene sheet and tube. Many other small modifications had to be made along the way. Modifying the kit worked very well and a great result was achieved. The final painting was done in the distinctive yellow and blue paint scheme of Cronulla Carrying.
The trailer was almost entirely scratch-built apart from the wheels, suspension, axles and a handful of other small parts. The tank was built using a framework and then covering it in thin styrene sheet. The heating units at the rear and the walkway was also built from Evergreen styrene, painted and added, after the tank was completed. The “CRONULLA CARRYING” logos on the side of the tank were produced by “Signdesign”, the sign writing company who had done the original vehicles. The smaller versions on the doors of the prime mover were photos which had been trimmed and glued into position.
The model was fixed to a polished timber base and a Perspex display case cover and protected the model. The final touch was the attaching of Registration Plates to the model which carried the dates of the operation of the company on the trailer and “80 YEARS” on the prime mover. The model was completed on time for the company’s anniversary dinner on a river cruise on Port Hacking in Sydney’s south, where the model was unveiled to the staff. It was reported later that the driver of the truck, which the model was based on, burst into tears on seeing the model of “his truck”.
