mackinac359

Looking good so far.

Looking good Daniel ! Tim

Nicely done !

Looking good so far. The 4-strap tanks make a big difference from the kit tanks. Tim

Yeah, some of the metal axles have come out way too wide. It is almost automatic for me to trim them anymore. Even on a few original AMT kits they were too wide. Tim

Nice Star ! The pole you mention is nicknamed a "pogostick" and is also called a hose tenna. It would be brass color (the color notations on the instructions were prepared by me), the tenna really isn't brass. They could also be chromed or painted chassis color. The trailer hoses would be two air and one electrical line. They typically route under the cab to the air system, the instrument panel controls and the engine. In the old-days, all the trailer connections would be black. The Luberfiner (that's a brand name for an oil filter) would have 2 hoses coming from the bottom (intake and return) that run from the oil system on the engine. License plates until the mid 1980's in the USA and Canada would be a-plenty on the front of the truck. Cross-country trucks could have a dozen or so on the front. More typical would be 3 or 4 plus a "bingo card" plate (the one with the little colored rectangles). The front bumper and front of the fenders below the headlamps were good for mounting plates. Since your truck is the NorthWest trucking, you could probably get away with the Washington and British Columbia plates. I'm glad to see your cab and hood lined up. The alignment can be tricky with this kit (same for the Diamond Reo and White Road Boss). Here's my version - looking very similar to yours but really dirty. Tim

This looks too much like the awful '07-13 style (current design). Bloated and bulbous looking. I'm a Chevy man, but really dislike the current style, and the '14 doesn't do anything for me at all. I was hoping for something dramatically new. Tim

Eric's Peterbilt DPF's are from my parts. 2 different styles - '08-10 and '10-current. Tim

If you want to see excellent execution - take a look at the T800 Doug Walker is building - his DPF (KW style) and DEF tanks is beautiful! Timhttp://i476.photobucket.com/albums/rr125/DougsModelTrucks/SanJose%20in%20Progress/DSCF0158.jpg

Eric at P&P has the Pete style DPF's in resin for '08-, 09 and current. Tim

Cool.

Nice ! Tim

Neat ! Nice work. Tim

I never put two-and-two together to figure the Cargostar could be made from the Transtar! My eye saw similar shapes in the door glass and the radius of the body curves.. but I never saw 'the big picture.' Well done ! Tim

Those are wind deflectors on the corner. They helped prevent mud/snow/splash debris up on the wide windows and were supposed to keep the wind from buffetting the mirrors. The Ford COE's weren't the most aerodynamic.. In the 70's, the corner deflectors were very common on Canadian COE's of all makes. Tim

The kit DOES have the sleeper AND the 5th wheel. Only the box art is missing those parts. When they made the box art the photographers just removed the wrecker bed from the wrecker issue of the kit and snapped new photos. So yes, it DOES have the sleeper. Tim

The PIE unit probably has the RH exhaust recessed into the corner of the cab, allowing for additional trailer-swing clearance with the short wheelbase. The cab also appears to be a shorter 76" (approx) length instead of 86". This model of WF had the cab lower off the frame - note the small distance between the bottom of the headlamp and the lower edge of the cab skin. The frontal air intake is the series of slots under the nameplate. Tim

The pics show up for me just fine. Tim

Pete's gonna have an attitude ! Tim

To fix the fog - coat the windshield with Future Floor Finish. In the future, don't use superglue/CA glues to install glass - use Testors or other brand "clear" or "windshield" glue. No fogging. I position the glass in place, tape it with low-tack tape from the outside to hold it in place, then apply the windshield glue from the inside. never a smear, fog or mess. Tim

Detroitopillar, Catroit or Drummins and even a Pactroit - these are what power most of my Italeri Petes. I build too many of them to buy resin engines for them (I'd need plenty!). Your's looks good so far. Tim

I hope you have plenty of plastic sheet on hand! This will be huge. Tim

WOW !!! Wonderful work. Tim

Congratulations ! Tim

Neat pic !