purepmd Posted July 14, 2022 Share Posted July 14, 2022 (edited) The first thing I was able to rescue, from my flooded basement/hobby shop, after a frozen pipe burst, was a cab I had started in 2009. So, it was to be finished, come he// or high water, literally. The cab is widened to series 71 width, and stretched to 106”. I will build an FLB with a 110” sleeper, eventually. Jim Russell wheels on the tractor, Doug Wagner wheels on the trailer, which is a stretched Great Dane rerelease, photo etched tank steps, KFS I think, heat shields, from Model Maker Shop in Austria, and Italeri FLD120 parts make it more modern looking. Ken Smith’s old article about turnin an 855 Cummins into an N14+ was put to good use. That is not a resin engine. Krylon Short Cuts Antique Bronze paint and Maxx Model decals finish the cab, and extend to the trailer, and strobe out. Tinted, flush fit glass help get rid of the bulletproof kit windows. A little added wheelbase, and Italeri Airliner suspension update the chassis. At the bottom are a couple of shots of the cab when I started this truck. Sorry, the pics were taken with a cell, and some are a little skewed. Added some closeup pictures, with better details. Edited November 19, 2022 by purepmd To add pocs 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren D Posted July 14, 2022 Share Posted July 14, 2022 Nice looking rig! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1959scudetto Posted July 14, 2022 Share Posted July 14, 2022 Excellent Freightliner - did you rework the amt kit with Italeri grille and headlights or was this a resin kit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
towman1271 Posted July 14, 2022 Share Posted July 14, 2022 Beautiful work.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purepmd Posted July 15, 2022 Author Share Posted July 15, 2022 Thank you for the compliments, they are greatly appreciated. Helmut, this IS a reworked AMT cab, augmented with Italeri FLD 120, cab parts. The modern doors, baggage doors, visor, and 2 grilles, are the major components for the modernization. It was also widened by .120”. Here are pictures of the 2 cabs I modified, one with brass rivets, and one with plastic rivets. This is the one with .020” plastic rod inserted and sanded down to simulate rivets. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRIPTROIT 71 Posted July 15, 2022 Share Posted July 15, 2022 Wow! And I thought that the Peterbilt looked amazing! This thing is incredible. The cab work is excellent!! Your body work looks perfect! I really like the paint scheme! The undercab insulation is a nice touch! This is one of the best looking Freightliners that I have seen! Excellent work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vincen47 Posted July 15, 2022 Share Posted July 15, 2022 Where to I start? It’s fantastic. Even an air dryer and reflectors on the lug nut covers! I don’t think non-truck builders can fully appreciate the level of modifications one needs to do in order to properly represent a truck like this one. Cab width, grille, headlights, suspension…the list goes on and on. Even the correct aftermarket drive tires. Not to mention, the engine and all of its associated modified parts and details. In most cases, kit manufactures only get us only halfway there. I love it when I see a build go all the way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purepmd Posted July 16, 2022 Author Share Posted July 16, 2022 I really appreciate the feedback on this build, thank you for taking the time to look. 14 hours ago, vincen47 said: Where to I start? It’s fantastic. Even an air dryer and reflectors on the lug nut covers! I don’t think non-truck builders can fully appreciate the level of modifications one needs to do in order to properly represent a truck like this one. Cab width, grille, headlights, suspension…the list goes on and on. Even the correct aftermarket drive tires. Not to mention, the engine and all of its associated modified parts and details. In most cases, kit manufactures only get us only halfway there. I love it when I see a build go all the way! Well said! There is a ton of mods that I did just to eliminate kit issues; mold seams on grab handles, and mirrors, being 2 of my biggest pet peeves. On all chrome parts, really. I used metal everywhere I could to remedy that. Even the hydraulic rams are self-limiting, so the cab doesn’t rest on the lower grille section when raised. Thank you for noticing these additions. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grodudulle77 Posted July 16, 2022 Share Posted July 16, 2022 Very nice work, awesome rig !! 👍😀 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisR Posted July 16, 2022 Share Posted July 16, 2022 Looks great!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PappyD340 Posted July 16, 2022 Share Posted July 16, 2022 Another awesome rig, well done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Brush Posted July 16, 2022 Share Posted July 16, 2022 A really nice build, Looks great well done Graham. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronzekeg Posted July 16, 2022 Share Posted July 16, 2022 very nice as usual! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trick my mixer Posted July 16, 2022 Share Posted July 16, 2022 This is a very nice build. especially the big double bunk. Great job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bills72sj Posted July 17, 2022 Share Posted July 17, 2022 Very impressive mods and details. I love the body extension and the Susie coil box on the deck. I am also a big fan of the rectangular headlights. I did a couple of Freightliners a couple of years ago but not to the detail level you have. How finicky were the PE steps to assemble? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelercarl Posted July 17, 2022 Share Posted July 17, 2022 This is a very impressive build! I have looked at the pics several times and every time I do I see something else that just makes me go WOW! The detail level ranks right at the top. Great paint job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purepmd Posted July 17, 2022 Author Share Posted July 17, 2022 I thank you all for your time and attention. It does make some of the trials of not being able to make oneself build a box stock model. It is like a compulsion, disease, or something. lol Just can't do it. That brings me to Bill's question, "How finicky were the PE steps to assemble?", Finicky is just one of the "F" words that came to mind while assembling those. I cut the sides from K&S sheet aluminum, and used the KFS perforated pieces as the steps. I left myself, in all honesty, much too small of tabs to form the corners. keeping then square proved most maddening, until I made a jig, just for this purpose. The second mistake I made was attaching the tanks, which are 11/8" OD tube, polished, with end caps of K&S sheet, to the frame, and then attaching the steps. I'm not sure they are even level now. You can only re-do something so many times before 'good enough' wins out. Again, you all have my appreciation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TransAmMike Posted July 17, 2022 Share Posted July 17, 2022 I'm not a usual viewer of this section but decided to look at your post Mark. Wow, thats darn amazing job on that old boy, Great hjob👌 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamsuperdan Posted July 18, 2022 Share Posted July 18, 2022 Super nice build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr mopar Posted July 18, 2022 Share Posted July 18, 2022 Glad to see your back Mark ! Love the freightliner . are those Model Max decals ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purepmd Posted July 18, 2022 Author Share Posted July 18, 2022 1 hour ago, Mr mopar said: Glad to see your back Mark ! Love the freightliner . are those Model Max decals ? Good to be back, and thank you! They are Model Max. I ordered 2 sets, because they are made to fit the FLC single sleeper, I wanted to make them more accurate for a big sleeper Cabover. They were not quite the same color, one to the next. Both were printed on a clear sheet, one with an off white background, the other with a pale blue background. Looked real close, until they hit the dark paint. By then, the commitment had been set. That not withstanding, great to work with. They respond very well to both Testors as well Microscale solutions. It was my first time using them, just wish they were printed over white, like Model Truckin. Stand up perfectly to both Testors one coat lacquer and Krylon Short Cuts clears. Would not hesitate to use them again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr mopar Posted July 18, 2022 Share Posted July 18, 2022 2 hours ago, purepmd said: Good to be back, and thank you! They are Model Max. I ordered 2 sets, because they are made to fit the FLC single sleeper, I wanted to make them more accurate for a big sleeper Cabover. They were not quite the same color, one to the next. Both were printed on a clear sheet, one with an off white background, the other with a pale blue background. Looked real close, until they hit the dark paint. By then, the commitment had been set. That not withstanding, great to work with. They respond very well to both Testors as well Microscale solutions. It was my first time using them, just wish they were printed over white, like Model Truckin. Stand up perfectly to both Testors one coat lacquer and Krylon Short Cuts clears. Would not hesitate to use them again. I love your Builds , I'm still working on my series 71 Freightliner hoping someday to have it done ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckyr Posted July 21, 2022 Share Posted July 21, 2022 Not half bad! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutzie Posted July 22, 2022 Share Posted July 22, 2022 Looks awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purepmd Posted November 19, 2022 Author Share Posted November 19, 2022 Got some pretty decent closeups. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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