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The California Hauler was the first full-detail 1:25 scale kit of a Peterbilt... so I guess it's fitting that the first Peterbilt model I've ever built (or is it bilt?) is a reissue of that kit. I took a few liberties with mine. The cab visor is a later model meant for an 1100 Series cab, but it fits the Unilite well enough. I stretched the hood, and swapped in a Cummins engine. IIRC the "long" hood was only available with the Detroit V12 on the early 359- back then you couldn't just order the long hood. If you wanted the long hood you ordered the big engine and that was that. The kit's front fenders looked a little dainty, so I went with modified front fenders taken from a Revell 359 snap kit. I also set aside the kit's short, skinny Firestone tires and went with some girthier-looking Goodyears. Though it's a "California Hauler", the kit includes Michigan plates and registration stickers, which was nice for me, living in Michigan and all. In hindsight, I wish I hadn't gone with a brown interior. It's factory correct, but I'm just not fond of how it looks. And if I did it all over again, I'd paint the visor to match the cab rather than foil it. I may add some door graphics later on, but so far, I'm as pleased as I can realistically be with my first Pete. I know exactly what I'll do differently on the next one, that's for sure.

I love this build. Cutting down the sleeper was a good choice in my opinion. Thanks for sharing. --Casey

Several years ago I built this Peterbilt 388. Started with an Italeri 378 kit, mild frame stretch and a KFS Cummins signature engine; (too bad that engine is no longer available from KFS…). The 63" Standup Sleeper I robbed from an Italeri 377 kit, and cut in a rear window and a Unibilt transition as well. The 388 conversion kit I got from P&P Vintage, a supplier some have mixed feelings about but I can't complain about them. The conversion kit included not only a hood and grille, cab side panels with the newer style door latches and windows, but also a DPF and correct battery box. A newer style dashboard I got from them as well. The DPF meant that I had to bend and twist my own exhaust plumbing, took a few attempts to get them right. The exhaust tips I made myself too. The grille mesh (with Ovals) I got from Plano Products.

This is an older build that had to be sold off at the time. Oh and its a heavy hauler and the was my first semi truck build.

I think it turned out real nice. The window being half way down is a nice touch.

I build a variety of model types- everything from HO scale buildings to RMS Titanic. But my favorite thing about the big truck kits is variation. There aren't too many other genres you can build in so many ways. Take the AMT Diamond REO. Right out of the box it makes a decent day cab or sleeper tractor. Or you can modify the hood (or get the hood from GW Trucks) and do it with a set back front axle. You could make up the steel butterfly hood and pit fenders for it. Or rework the existing grille to the earlier style... or even built it as a Diamond T or REO. You can leave it a tractor, or put a wrecker body on it. Or a cement mixer. Or a dump box... That's just one example, but you see what I mean. You can name pretty much any one truck kit out there, and then go on to come up with at least 20 or 30 different ways you could build it.