[pugs]

Thanks for the welcome,

I figure my pocketbook can't handle the build right now, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't do some CAD work in my spare time and get the thing figured out.

Right now I'm leaning towards a 1:5 scale Cat 797F haul truck with a diesel engine and hydrostatic drive. which would put the model at about 6.4' wide. Sounds big, and ambitious but I figure why not make something I can really use. Thinking I'll stick a hidden panel in somewhere with manual throttle control and maybe a 2 section auxilary hydraulic hookup, that way I can use it on the farm as a mobile hydraulic powersource for things like augers, logsplitter etc, as well as be a small dump truck for working on ATV trails down in the woods. Will try to build as scale looking as possible, but may change a few small things here and there to add to it's versatility.

Any other suggestions from the pros?? Eventually I would like to build a Letourneau wheel loader and a Liebherr excavator to go with it, and maybe a D11, but it will take lots of time just to get the first one built.