Oldmopars

I have been looking at Google images, I want to decide what wheels would be right for a Cali Pete 359 used as a log truck in the late 70's-mid 80's. All the pictures I find show Aluminum wheels, 5 hole steels, or 5 holes with a trim disk. I can find none with Spokes/Daytons. Did they ever have them?

From the pictures I have been able to find, it looks like anything as far as wheels go was used. I have seen Aluminum, Daytons, 5 holes and even 5 holes with a Chrome "Hub Cap" style disk over the painted steel wheels in the front. This is for any Log trucks of the era, however I still can not find any pictures of a 359 with Daytons/spokes. Were they ever made that way? So at this point it will depend on my mood and budget because it seems anything was an option.

BTW, your wood-grain work is fantastic, it looks like Burl Elm or other Burl wood. Would you care to share how you got this great look?

Outstanding, this thing is at a level of detail I hope to reach someday, but am no where near. Excellent job, can't wait to see the finished product.

Very cool, i like this idea

Your time and dedication to these scratch built American cars is amazing. You do great work. This one is another great example of your fine craftsmanship.

Nice work, very 80's. I had a few Aspen/Volare` cars over the years, but nothing like this. Great work. I assume the owner of this would be rocking a Mullet, pack of Camels rolled up in the sleeve of his white tee-shirt and listening to Iron Maiden on cassette.

This is looking great, I love the super charger. It ads t the period Hot Rod look. What color is it going to be? I assume some solid colors from the 50's? Or crazy metallic with scallops?

I like the idea of using the solid axle up front, but then using the wing like an Indy car front wing, just like it is in the picture.

Well, I was able to get a little more done on the Pete. As you all said I needed to extend the frame, I cut and added about 1.5in and added the hitch back on. I think I still need to add back some details, like bolts that got sanded off, but that is easy. I now have the frame primed and it is looking pretty good. I did a basic mock up to get a full view of it. I don't think I will display it with the logs, the plastic logs look like plastic and its hard to find real wood/branches that have the right scale look. I will leave that for later. I assembled the exhaust stacks and they look ok, till you see the top. So, I drilled out the top of the muffler and cut some Aluminum tubing (7/32) to fit inside. This gives it a much better look and allows me to adjust the height to just clear the rack. Right now they are all the way down and I can pull them up about 3/4in. Will CA in place when I am closer to finished. I will also polish then up to make them shine. The tray for chains/binders was cut out and I used bug screen to make it look more real. Looks more like the expanded metal they would have used on the real trucks to let dirt/mud/water fall through. I ran some Hose/Wire on the trailer to add some detail, may not be totally accurate but I am looking for the visual, not accuracy. Not sold on the chrome wheels, if I leave the chrome wheels it forces me to make it a more fancy show truck. I want it to be more of a nice working truck. More research is needed to find what would have been correct in those days. I might switch them out for some resin 5 holes. We will see. So, here it is, as is. More to come.

As others have said, the cab on this kit and the SD version is a pain in the rear. Be ready to devote some time to getting it right. Some of the details in these kits are disappointing when compared to other kits like Italari and Tamiya. Still a fun kit to do. And I am one of those that loves trucks, but am not expert on the details, you could tell me almost anything and I would believe it. I figure as long as I call it a Phantom or Fantasy build, I can do what ever I want. Now, get me on a VW and I can tell you if you used the wrong bolts for that year.

As you can see, the grill is outstanding. I have never seen a kit part that even comes close, the detail is crazy. As he said, the hood still needs to be adjusted slightly, but even as is it s great. I had to do a little warm and bend to get it to curve the right way, then it needed a little work at the back. Once he is done tweaking for the final adjustment, they will be perfect.

With new info and skill, I would like to think I could do a few things better, but this was about 10 years ago. I plan to do another for my Daughter, we will see how that one turns out.

I have been working n this one for.a while now. I painted it this green color with the interior and chassis different shades of green. I'm just not sure I like it. It stalled me for a while. But, I do't want to repaint it so I am going to just see pushing forward. I have a lot of details into it, so on it goes.

With the help of camero69 I now have a new grill and hood for my 1980 Ramcharger to turn it into a 1975 Trailduster. I'm glad that they decided to do an 80, the body is the same all the way back to 73.

I built this car a few years ago (about 10). I wanted to build a correct replica of the General Lee. The AMT offerings are known to be trash, so I started with a Revell ProModeler 69 Charger R/T. It's been storage for a while and I need to figure out how to put the rear window back in and find a right door handle. I added the tail pipes, but they are too big, going to use a smaller size.

I got some work done on the engine. I have a few more wires to add, but it getting there.

I did some detailing on the engine, added some lines and the throttle linkage/spring. Also added a oil return line below the turbo. Also cut down the PCV caps and coupler to make the tank. I need to do a lot of sanding, but the length looks good. I also need to build a frame for the tank.

This will be fun, I am doing the same kit with a Log trailer for the 2018 TAT. Being that we are doing the same kit, it will push me to put my all into it. Should be fun. I look forward to seeing how your progresses. I really don't care who wins the TAT, I like being pushed to get it done and some friendly competition.

Very nice, I have one of these I am working on. I had to spend several hours sanding all the flash off. I was in a hotel and it looked like I had a cocaine party. Good solution on the tires not fitting, I had the same issue, not sure what I am going to do yet. Keep up the good work

I will be watching, I have this kit and was planing a slant 6 engine for a stock Grandma style/base model Cuda. But I opened the box to pull out the engine to trade to someone, and found the kit to be utter poop. The chassis is junk and the details on the rest of it are very poor. Good thing I only gave $6 at HL for it. Looks like I need to find a duster kit, but if I do that I will end up putting the Slant 6 in it instead.

Do you have any that are finished? I would love to see some of these in the finished state. Very cool stuff.

I may still do that. I was not wanting it to be too long and avoid the drop axle.

So, I have wanted to do one of these for a while now. I grew up in Oregon and was a teen in the 80's. During that time in the area I was in it was logging country. I saw log trucks by the hundreds and many of our friends and their families were connected with logging somehow. So, with the reissue of the 359 Pete and an Ebay Peerless trailer I am off to the races. To start with, the interior tub on the Pete is total garbage, so I had to scratch build a new one with sheet. I also built some new door panels to get put in there to add some 80's flare. I also spent a little time adding details to the frame, air lines and such. The engine will be the kit Green leaker 8V71. My goal is to build a truck that would represent a mid 80's working truck like I used to see. Not too much flash and chrome, but a little because the owners of these trucks did take pride in the trucks they drove. I work from home, so some days I get a lot of building done, I happen to get a few good days this last week and made some good progress on this and another kit.

So here is my entry, the interior tub and a couple other parts got primed before I got a chance to take the picture. The Peerless trailer is in there too. The cab interior on these is so bad, I had to scratch build the one seen. the factory one is total junk.