mackinac359

The kit represents the 1970 Peterbilt 352 in its earliest of forms. Minor changes were made to the cab over the life of the Pacemaker cab. Engines available: Standard in 1970 - Cummins NHC-250 In 1973 the NTC-350 was standard. By 1975 the price book shows the following available in 352 (not 352H): Cat 3406 and 1693 Cummins NTC 290, NTC350, VT903, NTA 400 Detroit 8v71N, 8v71T, 6v92T, 8v92N, 8v92T, 12v71N The Detroit 6v92 and 8v71 were the only engines available in the 54" BBC short daycab. The12V71 was not available in the 63" daycab. A couple of interesting things to note, a 63" daycab must have dual exhaust if 8v71 or VT903, but a 8v71 in an 86" cab can have single. An in-line 6 (Cummins of Cat) must have single exhaust on 63." After 1976 8v71 was required to have dual exhaust to meet noise regulations. 8v92 could be installed in a 63" daycab, but not one with the exhaust recessed into the cab (not enough room for the piping). I'm always learning something new - just by reading ! Tim

The hobby is different for each builder. Some builders have to build as accurate as they can. Another builder will build strictly box-stock, yet another will scratchbuild the entire model while another builder wires and plumbs the model. Another modeler will weather the model to look aged. It is all in how YOU want to build it. and the look you are attempting to capture. To quote the late Phil Jensen, "I build the model so the model looks good on my shelf and in front of the lens." Model building is a form of art expression and is not an exact science. Tim

Did the cab enlarge or did just the BBC change? If they moved the bumper forward, that might account for the BBC? I'll have to go dig out the IH spec sheets..

AMT/Round 2 also has a license for International kits - not just Moebius. They still have the Transtar 4300 Eagle kit available. Tim

To backdate... 1). Remove the lower cab panels. Fill in the door handle mounting location. Rework the square headlamp openings to round. Use round lamps from a 4300 or a Paystar. Move the wipers down below the windshield. Lower the cab mounts to bring the cab down.. or built it as a co4090 and leave the filler panels under the cab, where the step is under the nameplate, you'd fill that in with a small stirrup step. Remove the "II" from the nameplates. Make a 4070A style bumper. Change the aircleaner from the horizontal type to a vertical canister. Smaller grab handles. The instrument panel would need to be changed too. Tim

The chassis has the same wheel base between Ertl Transtar CO4070A and the CO4070B Transtar II. The suspension changed from the air ride to a Hendrickson walking beam with the Transtar II. The engine also went to a turbocharged version with single exhaust. The rumor is that the tool was altered to make the Transtar II but this has never been confirmed publicly by someone who has physically touched the tools. That being said - if you compare a 4070A cab and the 4070B cab (original issue, not later reissue), the stampings for copy right, part numbers and mold marks are identical in both cabs. The original Ertl #8000 was a better kit with fewer fit issued that the Transtar II suffered from. Tim

Nice ! Sonny would be proud. Tim

Nicely done! Tim

I like to grind them down and put craft-store 'button caps' over the hub to simulate a baby moon hub cover. Tim

I like it ! Tim

The best looking use of the Road Commander II cab. Tim

On the super glue (CA glue) and baking soda - don't let the work cure for too long (meaning, weeks, months, years) as it becomes hard as glass and difficult to sand. Tim

The sleeper is just plain wrong. AMT should have used roof from the original T500 359 kit and made new sidewalls and doors. The sleeper should be 4 inches taller than the old sleeper - the doors are the same as the older kit but with a 4 inch filler panel on the top - with a grab handle mounted to the panel. AMT really missed the mark on the roof cap on the later sleeper. You could use the sleeper from the Revell 'snap' 359 and graft in the square doors and scribe in the filler panel and have a correct shaped sleeper. Tim

Jim B is correct. The cab has the larger rear window that replaced the smaller back window in late '74. The cab debuted in late '72. The instrument panel is late '72 through late '77. Tim

Only blue for the box art - or in the artists rendering in the brochure. On the real truck they would be chassis color. Tim

Great project! Tim

Look good! The Italeri kits typically build easily. Tim

Yup, always a fit issue.

That trailer sure looks better than how it comes out of the box. Tim

Peterbilt had "The Patriot" red white and medium blue stripes. The scheme was originally drawn for a show truck (different colors) several years before '76.

Looks good! Tim

Looks good. Tim

Looks like it's ready for a heavy trailer. Tim

nice ! Tim

Nice build.