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White Western Star


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Round 2 is announcing the White Western Star with a release date of July 2012. Another Classic White being released to go along with the Road Boss that was released January of last year and the Freightliner dual drive cabover that was released in October 2009. Someone at Round 2 must be a fan of White Motors?

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On a side note, The Freightliner truck company was originally created by Consolidated Freightways and they constructed their trucks solely for Consolidated Freightways company. Then In 1951 CF entered into an agreement with White Motors Co. to become the North American distributors of Freightliner trucks, hence the name plate "White Freightliner". In 1967 White Motor Co. created the Western Star division and opened a new plant at Kelowna, British Columbia to build the White Western Star trucks. In 1974 the distribution agreement between CF and White Motors was terminated and by 1980, White Motors was on the verge of going belly up. During this time the Western Star plant was sold to a couple of Canadian companies. In 1990 Western Star Trucks was purchased by Australian businessman Terry Peabody. In 2000 the company was purchased by Freightliner which at that time was Daimler AG North American truck division. Isn't it a strange twist of fate these trucks have had a off again, on again relationship for the last 40 some years.

Does anyone offer a model of the White Road Commander 2?

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This is a welcome kit. I noticed on a Spaulding that this kit & the Peterbilt 352 are pre-offered at $44.95. Considerably more than their previous offers. Oh well. The price of oil I guess.

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Both kits will be quite welcome even at 45 dollars a far better price than evilbay. Also lets remember while the folks at Spaulding are great people they tend to be higher priced for some reason. These kits may be 35 + years old but the still build up great and offer bases for many projects. 45 dollars adjusted for inflation comes out to be about the same price as when they were originally released using government thinking. I'll buy and enjoy several. Keep em coming Round 2. Buy the way what Round 2 releases has a lot to do with getting the rights from manufacturers.

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I for one am quite happy to hear this along with the 352 and the previous others that came back like the K123,Freightliner,Road Boss,etc.,as far as I am concerned they can bring back every truck kit made!!! and then some new ones would be nice too....just sayin'...

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Asked my local hobby shop owner, and he said he'd probably list it for around $35 or so when it comes out. In any case, this is one I'm getting for sure. I'm thinking of doing a day cab Michigan 'grain train' hauler, and of course I'm going to do one as the Green Goblin from Maximum Overdrive.

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I thought so, too. It'll be a "rebuild" as I bought the Peerless in 1985. Just have to figure out how to make the rear stringer for the tractor. Shouldn't be that hard.

Edited by Jim B
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I for one am quite happy to hear this along with the 352 and the previous others that came back like the K123,Freightliner,Road Boss,etc.,as far as I am concerned they can bring back every truck kit made!!! and then some new ones would be nice too....just sayin'...

Me too.The best era of truck history

I already have a Peerless log trailer waiting for mine.

I might have to do that as well.

This is how I envison the truck

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Yep! Looked for years for one!! Finally found one at Modelexpress last year, and snatched it up. Some months later I read they are FINALLY reissuing it!! Thanks Round 2!!!! Would love to see the IH Transtar II now!!!!

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Round 2 is announcing the White Western Star with a release date of July 2012. Another Classic White being released to go along with the Road Boss that was released January of last year and the Freightliner dual drive cabover that was released in October 2009. Someone at Round 2 must be a fan of White Motors?

product.jpg

On a side note, The Freightliner truck company was originally created by Consolidated Freightways and they constructed their trucks solely for Consolidated Freightways company. Then In 1951 CF entered into an agreement with White Motors Co. to become the North American distributors of Freightliner trucks, hence the name plate "White Freightliner". In 1967 White Motor Co. created the Western Star division and opened a new plant at Kelowna, British Columbia to build the White Western Star trucks. In 1974 the distribution agreement between CF and White Motors was terminated and by 1980, White Motors was on the verge of going belly up. During this time the Western Star plant was sold to a couple of Canadian companies. In 1990 Western Star Trucks was purchased by Australian businessman Terry Peabody. In 2000 the company was purchased by Freightliner which at that time was Daimler AG North American truck division. Isn't it a strange twist of fate these trucks have had a off again, on again relationship for the last 40 some years.

Does anyone offer a model of the White Road Commander 2?

Terry Peabody sold everything to Freightliner EXCEPT for the rights to Western Star Australia, when the plant closed, he wanted to keep control over that. Freightliner also bought Detroit Diesel just shortly after purchasing WST, spent some big dollars with the two purchases...PLUS the cost of moving everything south. Found that hard to figure out when they were running in the red, and WST was the only one making money...guess if ya can't beat em..buy em!!!

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Here is something you don't probably know, J.D. Powers rated WST number one in customer satisfaction 4 years in a row!!! Including 2002 when they were shutting the doors and moving the operation, not bad for a company that only held 2-3 percent of the truck market!!! In fact, when they had the second plant going in Charleston, South Carolina...we had quiet a few of our southern neighbours wanting their trucks built in Canada!! I have a brochure for export trucks packed away, when I get the house selling/shopping done, I can scan the pics and post here. There is a REALLY cool military 4X4 that I would LOVE to build!!!!

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Well Leo, if you have owned 3 Stars, then depending on when they were built...I probably had a hand in there somewhere!!! Best job I EVER had, could have not worked for a better company...had plans to retire out of there at 55, would have been 32 years into the pension! Oh well, new adventures around every corner!!

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18 april already told that he was coming seen him by spaulding

and a white road commander coe cab look by auskid only rhd dash and lot of other cabs etc

if the products are good is for everybody different thats whit al resin products

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Dieseldog 1970 if the economy hadn't tanked I would still be an 0/0 and I certainly would own a Western Star. Thanks to you and your fellow truck builders. I am really looking forward to Round 2's release of the old AMT kit I have many plans including a WS/ peerless logger.

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Hey Leo, sorry to hear about you not being an O/O anymore, what year of Star did you own? The truck market has always been an up and down business, WST did not rely on the north american market for sales, we built trucks for all over the world. Everything from mine trucks to those wildly painted trucks going down under!! The one thing that bit Frieghtliner in the butt was their "guaranteed buy back program" The market was booming in the late 90's, and they had a deal where if you did not like it, they would buy it back! The market took a dump, and they were stuck with a whole bunch of used and sales bank trucks!! We got caught with a bunch of overstock too, had trucks all over Kelowna in empty fields, took quite awhile to get rid of them all.

I remember taking the first Italeri Western Star (Kit#790) from the warehouse directly to the head office for final approval, I asked if I could have it after...guess somebody needed it more than me!!! LOl I would love to see one of the model company's tool up a Lowmax, that thing looked wicked parked next to a standard 4900!!

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I was working in the warehouse around that time (2000)...receiving, stocking and shipping, I would be 100% positive I would have had your engine sitting on the forks of my forklift! Running bulk parts like engines, tranny's and diff's on a daily basis, I could go through TWO thirty pound tanks of propane in an 8 hour shift, the warehouse was a constant beehive of activity. Still recall unloading that John Deere diesel for one of the show trucks, not very often we would see that colour in the staging area!!!

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When I was working on the line at West line center, only thing I seen was frame rails, suspensions and diffs and engines, never seen the finished truck unless I worked in Final on the weekends. That was good for overtime, and not as much pressure to finish before the line moved. Through the years, had various people come for tours, Roger Penske and Paul Tracey were two of the most famous. Built some trucks for some well known people too, I was able to sign both of the trucks we built for Warren Johnson (NHRA Pro Stock driver) of the three total that he purchased. First one was built prior to me working there, newest ones were for him and KJ and their pro stock operation.

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