vincen47

Keep posting, these are good things to see.

You’ve got the start of a good project. Usually when you get someone else’s incomplete project it’s a little, well, Fubar, ya know.

That’s a great looking rig! Nice work. I like the paint colors on the Pete and the uniqueness of the trailers, you don’t see those often modeled.

Hi Gary! Welcome to the forum! I hope you continue to enjoy it.

Looking good thus far, as expected. That’s a classic color. What engine is that from Lindberg?

What are your plans for this build? Paint choice, weathering? Early in it’s career or a survivor that’s mostly retired?

Another good one!

Tiny magnets are perfect for that type of job. Great idea to have opening doors. I’ve used them to hold hoods tightly closed (especially when the fit is less than perfect).

I must say, excellent all the way around. I love the treatment of the bed, reminds me of the innovative way you did the International Dump a little while back. Very effective. The weathering is also excellent on the wheels and engine, too. Great outdoor shots, as well. It may be subtle, but one of the best parts of the build is the finish of the ol’ reliable, basic-as-can-be, oxide red paint. What a perfect color choice. It’s spot on, giving a faded, weather-beaten aged look with a slight variation on each body panel and component, just like in the real world.

Understandable. It’s worth the trip, just maybe not that big of a trip. You can find photos of most of the vehicles on exhibit online. Neat stuff.

A paint booth is something I need as well. Been thinking about trying to build one, as the ones I’ve seen available are either too small or too expensive. For truck building, I know I’d need a larger size. Hopefully someone else could offer suggestions to both of us?

Nice update. I like the work on the engine, and how you hinged the hood. Have you visited the R. E. Olds museum in Lansing, Michigan? I think it would be right up your alley, if you ever get a chance. Not sure how far away that would be for you.

Welcome to the forum, and welcome back to truck modeling!

It’s great being able to watch this come together. Thanks for sharing. As with all of your builds, it’s impressive.

Wow, glad to see this. I hadn’t come across this thread before. Nice work, they are beautiful models.

Yeah that’ll be a nice mural for the sleeper, and a heck of a great sleeper, too. At the time I started collecting parts for my current 379 project years ago, 1/24 was the scale available for the excellent Bill Drennen resin hood, and the Italeri 378 Long Hauler had recently been released, so 1/24 was the choice. The Italeri kit also offered more detail and more parts in common with the 379, making it more feasible than doing it in 1/25 and using a Revell 359 as the base. Currently, the Bill Drennen 1/24 hood conversion is much harder to find (though GW trucks offers a 1/24 one, and Moluminum has the master), and the prices are higher on the Italeri kit, so it’s not as easy to do it 1/24. 1/25 is easier now with Moluminum offering a conversion that includes everything you need to use the Revell 359 as a base. I do both scales, though I wish they were all in one or the other for consistency and complete interchangeability. If I was starting over again, I’d still go the 1/24 route for a Peterbilt 379 because the Italeri base kit is superior, and it provides the more correct 379 chassis and a correct 379-era engine.

Nice modification. Smooth bodywork.

If you’re trying to stay away from painting, I’d consider using very thin aluminum sheet. When highly polished, it could give you the look of stainless, but much easier to work with than stainless steel sheet. It can be found in most hobby stores and online. K&S is a popular brand of hobby metals. On the cheap, depending on the size of the scale smoker, aluminum from a soda can might work, the inside without artwork. But I have seen plain cans without logos, as well. if the surface was smooth enough, you could also look into Bare Metal Foil, a self-adhesive material made of real metal. BMF comes in several varieties, and it could be what you need. The “chrome” could pass for polished stainless steel. It’s not super-bright, gleaming chrome. If you don’t find a suitable material, and you’re airbrushing, Molotow chrome (refills) can be airbrushed and it looks great. It needs to fully cure and be clear coated. Though it says “chrome”, the product, when clear coated, more mimics the look of polished aluminum or stainless steel, than a “toy-like” chrome. Alsa Corp also makes an airbrush-ready system that looks great. But, both of these are probably more expensive and tricky than BMF or aluminum sheet. Hope this helps.

Welcome aboard!

This will be another great project. Unique, too.

Excellent all the way around. I thoroughly enjoyed watching it take shape. The engine detail is great, and the weathering is very effective, just the right amount in all the right places. You pulled together a lot of aftermarket parts to make a unique build. It’s not always easy (or cheap) to accomplish that, and your effort in doing so, along with your skill, has paid off.

What a great looking model. This is one you can spend a huge amount of time looking over, appreciating all of the immense detail and true craftsmanship. Speaking of time, 4 months is not very long for a build of this caliber. Impressive.

Looking like a good project. That W900L behind it looks like a nice project too.

Excellent job on that Cummins M11. I’m a huge fan of the wiring/plumbing detail and weathering. Added bonus being an engine you don’t see often in a build. You’ve perfectly captured the “in-service” look - used but not abused.

Exactly! That’s a perfect backstory to inspire the building process. It’ll look every bit the part.