vincen47

Excellent is every way. Love the wheels and tires. The engine choice is perfect and the weathering is spot-on. Wonderful build.

Bravo! Unique and a high quality build.

Exactly. When they are branded, the lettering is often raised out of scale, and/or raised when it should be recessed.

Much improvement with the latest bumper.

Coming along nicely. I love the color. Glad the printer line issue is solved.

Lights…Camera…Action! Seriously, this one is so cool! Unique and impressive. I don’t think I’ve seen one modeled before. What a good use of A&N’s kit.

Thanks so much, guys. So many very talented builders on here like yourselves, means a lot from you.

Absolutely fantastic progress, even if it takes more time than expected. The results are obviously worth it. And I agree, sometimes you don’t notice issues until you post the photos here on the forum, and look at them later. That’s often been the case for me. Another reason why the forum is helpful.

She’s a beauty!

I understand that exact feeling.

Block looks good, but the pics I’ve seen for lonestars have the oil pan flipped around with a rear sump for front axle clearance, being an axle-forward truck. ST’s instructions, along with a lot of other pictures online, probably show the engine oil pan set up for a set back axle truck, which is the case with the majority of trucks on the road today, but not the Lonestars and other long-nose trucks. I wish I would have thought about it ahead of time, but only remembered when you mentioned the clearance and using the kit oil pan. It’ll probably still fit, though. The kit instructions has the Maxxforce set up that way, which is incorrect, but it fits.

Excellent, I really like this build! I may have to take a look through that mag (for the articles).

Excellent start on a unique scratch building project.

Looks great, love the fenders. What chrome will you use?

I was thinking the same thing…”Man, his workbench is so clean”. Mine looks like arts and crafts time at a day care center.

I’m way down state in Monroe. Nearly Ohio, but I have family in northern Michigan, and I head up there to camp and visit as much as I can. I’m going to the St. Ignace truck show next weekend, highly recommended, if you can make it.

Oh that’s too bad that Trains and Things is closing. I don’t go to TC very often, but I’d always stop by there when I did. I’m fortunate to have a few good hobby shops within a reasonable drive, living down state. Great progress on the project. Looking good.

It continues to impress and inspire!

Your metal fabrication skills are mind blowing.

I took a look in both the Prostar and Lonestar kits just now, and both kits have the dash with the push button shifter, and both kits have the Eaton Ultrashift/Autoshift transmission shift pack motors (part #149). But, the Prostar also has a floor shifter as if it were a manual transmission. It could be omitted of course, to correct the issue. If someone wanted a manual transmission in either kit, simply omit the shift pack on top of the tranny, and add a traditional floor shifter in the cab. To go the extra mile, put another cup holder where the push button shifter is on the dash.

Oh and yes, the transmission from the kit will work well. It’s an Eaton 13/18 speed transmission. The 13 and 18 speeds are virtually identical, externally. One of them, I don’t remember if it was the Prostar or Lonestar, has a electronic push button dash shifter for the ultrashift transmission (an automated manual) and the other has a traditional floor shifter for a manual tranny. They’re interchangeable, and it’s possible that both kits include both options. I’d have to look at the kits this evening to be sure. The only difference on the transmission itself, is the presence, or lack of, the autoshift motors on the top of the transmission, and what type of shifter lever you choose to put in the cab. The Autoshift motors (shift pack part #149) are a separate part in the kit. Here’s the real part below: Of course, when it’s assembled, you can’t see it. But, if you’re like me, you know if it’s there or not.

Looks like a well detailed casting. With the timing cover and front emblem, it’s a cm 2350, the last version of the ISX15, before they changed it to the X15. It makes it about 2014-2018 model year. There was some overlap of a couple years between the introduction of the X15 and the discontinuation of the ISX15, when you could order either engine. They were nearly identical, just updated electronics, emissions, etc and a new emblem. So, it’s the same engine A&N offers. For reference photos, look for and google a 2015 or 2016 Cummins ISX 15 engine. There should be plenty of material, even ones in Lonestars.

Thanks, I appreciate it. My plan is to seal the gaps around the doors with tape on the inside. Though the gaps are very narrow, I know that paint has a way of getting into everything. I’ll seal the front seam in the roof from the inside as well, where it meets the front cap. The rest of the roof friction fits tightly downward onto and over the walls, so I hope all goes well with that.

I appreciate it!

Nice choice in paint, really beautiful.