Old Albion

Wow :shock: !!!!! That 1/25 Illini International Emeryville kit went for $ 224.50. Thats a tidy sum of money. I've been checking through eBay and online shops to see if there was anything worth having at a reasonable price when I came across this one on eBay: :roll: :shock: http://cgi.ebay.com/Rare-KW-and-Gravel_W0Q...1QQcmdZViewItem Its frightening to think what my collection of kits would be worth, but then I aint collecting them to just sit on the shelf.:x The challenge for me is in the building. The prices of some kits is extremely high in some cases, but then some days you find a real bargain. Just got to keep looking. I was after an AMT 1/25 little window Pete Wrecker recently, there were a number of them for sale on eBay but they all went for around $ 110.00 to $ 130.00 each. Then a week later a one came up for sale and a won it for $ 62.00 a reasonable price. I guess in the right place at the right time.

Ray, These are coming on well. The hoses on this trailer are a pain. I built this kit about 2 years ago and got that irritated with them that I left them off. If I was building the trailer now it would have all the hoses fitted but I would use a different method of fixing the ends than shown in the kit. I would use small pieces of small diameter plastic tube glued to the air tank, valve etc. These would act as sockets to locate the ends of the hoses. Just a thought.

I like this truck. The colours look great, seem to suit the day cab configuration. Like the smoke from the stacks, perhaps a bit more black and blue, afterall it is a DD. Great truck!

This old Pete still looks good after all the years of wear and tear. I hope my trucks look this good in years to come. Great Truck!

Guys, Check this one out. Not much use to me he only ships to the US. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...23181%26fvi%3D1 With regard to building a 379 I have been considering my plan "B" should I fail to get a 378 to convert. I recently bought the 377 from Italeri and the 377 from Revell, with the intention that they could be built as 379s. Yes, there are major modifications required. But when you consider the cost of a 377 kit and their availability compared to the cost of the 378 and their lack of availability it becomes more feasible. You will still need the hood conversion kit anyway, unless you build your own hood. Anyways if you choose to bid for the 378 Good Luck!!

Well I finally finished the IMC tank Trailer. The colours seem to work OK, the decals are from microscale, these are great. The Old Pete looks like it belongs up front. I,m very pleased with how this turned out, great little project. Next a Big Kenworth Heavy Hauler. Hope you enjoy the photo's. http://public.fotki.com/oldalbion/pete-351-with-imc-t/ Many thanks for taking the time to look. Best Wishes.

Dave, Who would have believed that this masterpiece started life as a blob of putty. Superb! 8)

Kurt, Everything about it looks right. Yes, great project superb craftsmanship. Good luck with the rest of the Petermonster!!!! 8) cann't wait to see the updates. PS. Will this beast have a trailer?

This looks really good. Nice concept.

Dave, Good to see you back!

Ray, I would love to see how the drivers dump these type of double trailers and how they reverse them? Wow!! :shock: Must take a lot of skill. 8)

Ray, From the research that has been done so far this looks like a fantastic project. That flat cummins is an unusual concept. Its amazing the ideas that people had to get around the loading and length gauges. I wish you well with it and look forward to seeing photo's, as and when you get around to making a start. :wink:

This type of mesh tarpauline is becoming very common here in the UK. they are lighter than the sheet type and if the wind gets under them they don't start flapping like a big sail. They are used extensively on skips, garbage, bricks all these types of thing. the only time that the old sheet is used is when the load has to be contained and it has to be dry. More and more truck and trailer bodies are being fitted with these automatic tarps. This removes the need for the driver to climb all over the place to fit the tarp and reduces the possibility of an accident. The last thing you want here in the UK is your driver having an accident. :roll: Scotts done a superb job, looks very realistic. Makes the pretty standard tri axle dump trailer that bit more interesting. We have commented before there aren't too many trailer kits to choose from so any variation is most welcome. This gives me ideas for the future :idea: Ray, Keep the comments comming!! Your enthusiasm for your Proffession is good to see.

Travis, This is a great looking truck. Like the colour combinations, they work well.

This trailer would look good with an old Mack up front!

Chris, I think the 281 is superb. How did you do the rivet details and hood catches? You can buy the little window Pete cab from Spaulding Trading and Shipping. Great Work.

Tim, Another great truck. The attention to the little details like the mirrors the rear cab window and other items make it unique. The finishing on your trucks really is superb. 8) Any signs of the aftermarket guys producing modern conversions for the old kits? I'd love to build a 384 sometime.

Chris, The Old Pete and the bottom dump look superb! Great combination on their own without the second trailer.

Chris, The Duel truck and trailer looked great. Liked the weathering and dirt on it. When Ray posted the photo's, I was surprised to see how many modifications were required, to achieve an authentic looking trailer (I haven't watched the Duel DVD for some time). Probably another week or so should see it complete.

Kurt, This is superb! The photo makes it look like a real truck in the workshops for a major overhaul/restoration. "Monster" is a suitable description.

Dave, This is differant, never seen a double cab like that before. Having seen your other vehicles I'm looking forward to the next updates. Good Luck

Looks good! I like the colour, the orange works well with the chrome and the black frame. This truck would look good pulling a van trailer painted in white. 8)

I can view the photo on my PC. For those who are having difficulties I copied it so I could post it see below. This trailer is great work by Scott and well worth seeing. Hope I haven't stole your thunder Scott, but I thought it was a great idea and a great build and well worth sharing with everyone. Superb!

My profession is an Engineer and we are always hiring in trucks particularly with a Hiab type crane for on site work. Due to the cost of hiring I'm considering buying our own truck but haven't come to any definate conclusions yet. I have my vocational license to drive a Semi Truck and I also have my Certificate of Professional Competence in both National and International Haulage. In the UK by Law You need someone in your truck company who is a CPC holder just to be able to apply for a truck operators license. Don't even think about buying a truck until you have a CPC Holder. Thats just the start of the application. Once you complete the application its down to the Traffic Commissioner to decide whether you are fit to have an Operators License or not. The penalties for failure to comply can be severe. No Operators License No Operation. You also have to have a license to operate a Hiab or self loading crane. I passed the course last week. My Dad used to drive a truck and my Brother in law drives a truck. I,ve always been interested in trucks, trailers, diesel engines, steam engines, earth movers, machinery in general. Anyways I think I've gone on for long enough good luck with build, keep us posted with progress. Best Wishes

Ray, I'm not sure exactly what the set up is. Different trailer manufacturers and types of trailers will have different steer axles versions. A good example in scale form is the Kit Form Services Nootboom heavy duty drop deck trailer. All the four axles steer. The steering is done through hydraulics. If you follow one down the road you see they are very stable. One of the best heavy duty trailers on the market. The rear steer means that they can manouvre better with big savings in wear and tear. If you check the Revell orange and blue tri-axle tanker trailer this kit has a steering rear axle. In the kit it doesn,t move and is molded to go straight only. Just a couple of examples. if I find any more usefull information I will let you know.