ReduitRetro

Hey Ron, I'm currently scratch building the water pump, water manifold, and the twin turbo 475 exhaust manifold...again, that was a great idea on doing that engine variation. I'm hoping to be uploading more pics within the next week, and definitely within 2 weeks. Thank you for your and others interest in this build, as it helps drive me forward this project.

This resin engine kit definitely could have saved me a little time. Generally the casting is close, although somewhat simplified when it comes to the cylinder head(#2) which is pictured on your instructions, but I didn't see it in your parts layout. Cummins engines of this era used three separate heads dedicated to two cylinders each, but the rocker box/valve cover combinations are close enough. Still, would have loved to have gotten my hands on one though!

Hello Chuck, yes I remember these engines for sale on Ebay years ago, that's what put the idea in my mind on changing the engine in my Pete. I definitely remember the Detroit 8V-92 , but I couldn't remember if a Cummins was available by this seller. I did look for it on Ebay, but with no luck, so I decided to build my own. I wish I would have made a cast for the block after I scratch built it, so I could reproduce it for someone wanting to do the same thing for their build. Anyway, thanks for following, and I'll be posting more pics soon.

Hello Ron, That's a great idea on the twin turbo Cummins. I kind of forgot about the NTC-475, partly because you hardly see them. Since I still haven't made my mind up on exactly which engine after-cooler design I'm going with, this is definitely a possibility. I happen to have an unbuilt 1/25 Revell Pete "Can-Do" wrecker that happens to have this exact motor in it, so I'll have a good base to scale up from should I decide to go this direction. Thanks again for the suggestion, and I plan on posting more progress pics soon. And Ron, if I decide to do this engine, I'll give you all due credit sir!

Hello again gang! First of all let me apologize for the state of my workbench, but if I clean it off I'll never be able to find anything, lol! I originally started out on this project about 3 years ago, but other projects kept leaping in front of it. As you can see, this is Monograms 1/16 scale Pete 359 I originally purchased some 20 years ago, and also in that time I acquired an Ebay junkyard built up for spare parts in preparation for the build I had in mind. I did not want to build it box stock, and I definitely didn't want to build it with the supplied CAT 3408 V8 engine. So, since I had an old 1/25 scale AMT Pete 359 with a Cummins engine, I had good parts to actually "scale up" the build. I started by cutting the transmission off the CAT motor, and begin taking measurements to scratch build the Cummins. The engine in the AMT is the Cummins 350 BigCam 1, so I had to make a few changes to better replicate the Cummins 855 BigCam 2 that I wanted to scratch build. The block was made up of several thicknesses of sheet styrene, lots of sanding, shaping, and looking at lots of photo's and spec sheet's. The cylinder heads, rocker boxes, and valve cover's, were cast from scratch built parts that were later made into molds. With the exception of major engine parts, such as the exhaust manifold, coolant manifold, and after-cooler, most of the other components can be sourced from the kit supplied engine with a little modification, but that's the easy part. Other modifications to the kit includes a scale 4' frame stretch, steerable front axle, larger fuel tanks, corrected battery boxes, and adding storage boxes. I have also lengthened the stock hood (119" bumper to back of cab) version supplied in the kit, to the 127" extended hood version available at that time (1979). If interested, please follow along with me on this build, and I'll occasionally update you as I go. Thanks for looking!

Nice looking ride, I built one of these ions ago, and have been thinking about doing another one....I think you've made my mind up Drip, so Ebay here I come!!!

A nice clean factory fresh build...great job!

Great looking rig!!10 thumbs up!

Must be me too then, lol!!

Great looking build! I have two waiting on the shelf for they're turn on my workbench. Nice job indeed.

Good to see one of these featured, great execution and paint colors. Very nice job.

Yes, I agree with some of the others, this kit had all kinds of problems, basically it was a re-bodied original release AMT W900 kit. I built one of these back in 1990 and stretched the frame and side fairings so it wouldn't look stubby, never wanted to even attempt another one. My hats off to you on the build, yours turned out nicely.

You nailed the look with this one!! Straight out of the 60's for sure. Great work.

Great looking rig for sure!, I have the same problem as we don't do logging out here either, pretty much oil and cattle. Nice execution of spare parts. I gotta get me a bag full of those tire sets too!! Again, nice work.

Hello again! The tractor by itself was featured here on the site a few years ago, its just taken me this long to get the trailer completed. Modifications to the tractor include a narrowed front axle, air ride rear suspension, and a caterpillar 3406 engine, along with repositioning the fuel tanks for symmetry. The trailer was modified heavily from two complete kits to have enough components to replicate a more accurate double decker loading system. The trailer build was documented in the "W.I.P." section under "Complete Bull Hauler" entries 1,2 and 3. Although a lot of the trailers internal details are now hidden, all the gates, ramps, and dividers all operate and function as they should. The rear of the trailer features a more modern roadside main loading door, with the optional upper curbside loading door, instead of the outdated obsolete center load style the trailer was originally. Front bulkhead overhead sign cabinet, spare tire and winch cable, side access doors, and functioning lock pin style landing gear complete the build. I must say I really enjoyed this build, even though I spent a lot of time on details inside the trailer no one can really see and appreciate, I know its there at least. Be sure to check out that W.I.P. on this trailer, since everything is laid out in detail there. Thanks for looking!

Hello again, this is the third installment on this build. About to start assembling the major components after adding the "debris" to the interior of the trailer, and decided to send in a few pictures of the progress. Water based craft paints were used to detail and mimic of course what you would find on the decks and platforms of one of these trailers in between loads. The front bulkhead, rear door frame, and all outer vertical side ribs were painted chrome to give the illusion of being polished, and the remainder of the trailer painted aluminum. When finished this vintage livestock hauler will also have 10 hole Alcoa "aluminum" polished wheels instead of the kit supplied spokes, and fully operational locking pin style landing gear struts. Keep an eye out for the final completion pics coming up soon in the Under Glass section. Thanks again for the kind remarks and views.

Since my last installment on this build, I found that I had to redesign the rear swing away coral gate, to better mimic how the gate works in actual livestock trailers. When the gate is in the stowed position, it simply swings over against the right side of the trailer. This allows the livestock to be loaded onto the lower deck, and also provides an unobstructed rear load floor when needed. When the upper deck is loaded, the gate is swung over and locked into position next to the loading ramp, protecting the animals from possibly falling off the ramp while loading or unloading. I completely scratch built the rear lift door panel from the early now obsolete center load design, to a double lift door. The "wooden" door slats supplied in the kits were shortened to fit the new openings, along with modifying the door glide rail positions. Next installment....some assembly, with paint...and some "debris" on the floors!

Been slowly working on this project for a completed truck in my collection. I was never satisfied with the lack of detail in the old livestock trailer that's been around for ages, so I never took it upon myself to build one. Well, I finally bought one a few years ago ,and then simply put on the shelf until I decided what to do with it. Since the kit originally came on the scene from AMT in the late 60's or early 70's, it was of course a model trailer of that era, the main clue was the center rear loading with swing doors, completely obsolete today. I decided that I wanted the trailer to be a little more modern, say late 70's to early 80's, with the more traditional loading system in use today. That lead to modifying the rear door area, purchasing a second kit to be used as additional parts, adding the second floor, scratch building an operating ramp, gates, separation panels, external side doors, etc. Most of the detail will sadly not be seen or easy to access once it's completed, but at least I will know it's there. Hoping to have it completed and displayed here soon, so stand by. Thanks for looking!

Featured here on the sight a few years ago, still a favorite in my collection.

Hello fellow modelers, These 3rd generation Camaro's and Firebird's don't seem to get the love on the site usually. I know...I know, they're not like the sexy 1st gens, with they're wide range of performance engine's, both small and big blocks, and "in your face" stripe packages. The 2nd gens, with the long hoods, and spoilers anywhere they could stick 'em, and even wilder graphics and features. By the time the 3rd gens got to the party, all the cake and punch was gone, and people were sweeping up! But, any body my age would tell you they were still cool cars. Take the T-tops off, put in a Hall & Oates or a Van Halen cassette, and go! This is an original issue MPC kit, built about 80% box stock. Red flocking was added to the interior floor, parts of the door panels, sun visors, and hatch area. Scratch built dome light, passenger side dash mounted map pocket, exterior door rub strips, flush mounted front windshield, and tinted windows. Built my first one back in '83, and can't remember what ever happened to it, so I built this one in '02 to replace it. Thanks again for looking

As young kid I always remembered my uncle telling he was an airplane mechanic overseas when he was in the military. I would listen to what little I could understand as I handed him tools he asked for ( most of the time the wrong tool) as we bent over the engine bay of some old car he'd happen to be working on. As the years past I never really got the chance to talk more about his military service, you know how life tends to get in the way of things...sometimes important things. Anyway I moved away and pretty much lost touch with him. Anyway, fast forward to 2001, I received word that he had passed away. At his funeral, I found out a lot of the details that I couldn't fully appreciate when I was a kid....that he was indeed an aircraft mechanic...a Tuskegee P-51 Mustang mechanic! I hate to this day I didn't take the time as an adult to find out more about him. I built this plane back in 2008 as a kind of personal tribute to my uncle. In the 2 movies that were made of these heroic men, they often uttered the phrase "Straighten up, and fly right"...and I strive to do just that. This is the 1/25th scale Airfix kit. Thanks for looking.

That looks real nice, I've been wanting to do a real wood plank on frame ship model. Truly got to be a lot of work, but man the final product is worth it. Great job!

Built over 20 years ago, and is one of the oldest builds in my display case. The build is pretty much box stock, with the exception of opening and hinging the trunk, and adding the missing pin stripes that were not included on original decal sheet. Painted with Dupli-color automotive paint in the actual paint codes, with an enamel clear coat. Not the best paint job I've done, but I think it turned out alright. Thanks for stopping by and looking!

Now that's what I call a restoration...Great job!

Hello, been away from the site for a bit, and thought I would dip a toe back in with this entry on the car side first. This kit was easily the most difficult, stubborn, and fiddly of any build I've done. The kit often required modifying parts to work as they should, translating how the instruction booklet shows how a particular assembly goes, to actually how it needs to be assembled. But if you don't mind a challenging build experience, and you have loads of patience, you will be awarded with a stunning replica. The kit was built primarily box stock, but with a number of aftermarket metal parts, such as the front axle, leaf springs, various suspension, steering, braking, interior, and lighting parts, etc. Since I worked on this kit in between other builds, it's taken close to 8 years to complete. Hope you enjoy, and as always thanks for looking.