mackinac359

Nice color and cool details ! Tim

Nice! Here's mine.. I built it when Rick Mark had just bought the Gortsema molds and masters. I used the Kenworth K100 frame too. The decals are from the Italeri PB 377. The tool boxes on the frame are RNK (now AITM). I don't think I ever finished the Marmon. Tim

The original issues of the kit had a sheet of IH factory paint schemes. I can scan the sheet if you want. Tim

Wow ! Tim

Here's what I do. I use Testors Clear Windshield Glue. I install the "glass" and temporarily hold it in place with low-tack 3M blue tape (careful not to stick the tape to anything that has been Chrome Foiled or decals applied). Hold the glass in place them the inside, then stick the tape to the glass and the body. Now apply the windshield glue sparingly to the body near the glass so it barely flows in place. If you get some on the glass that will be visible, you can wipe if off quickly with a damp cloth. Let the glue cure about an hour, remove the tape. Voila! No glue-finger smudges and the glass didn't shift while the glue was curing. Tim

Dave should have it up soon. Tim

I started the hood for this back in the summer of last year but stalled on how to fabricate the fender shape. In early January I figured out how to make the fenders and came up with the hood. Once the hood was figured out, I sent the hood to AITM to cast in resin. I then modified the cab and chassis of an Italeri 377 kit The finished 2008 386. I have more photos on my site. Thanks for looking! Tim

Looks good. The only thing that "screams" 359 is the location of the windshield wipers. 379 has them parking aimed towards the right, 359 has them park either at the windshield post or opposite/outboard. 359 was air operated independently and 379 has them electric in unison. Tim

Bad news. AMT/LearningCurve/RC2 can't obtain licensing due to Fruehauf no longer being in business and has canceled the reissue for Stevens International. Too bad, it is/was a great kit. Tim

Probably a T800-H (high hood). Tim

BIG sleeper ! Tim

WOW! Most impressive. Tim

Sadly, there is no complete 379 conversion. Spaulding Trading and Shipping has/had a 379 hood/grille/fenders conversion hood, but you will need a hard-to-find Italeri Peterbilt 378 kit as the donor, or a 377 and heavily rework the 377. Tim

Nice. I always liked that kit. Tim

Dave Box stock? Slightly altered.. It started as a set back axle 377. I modified the springs and frame rails. Scratchbuilt the long hood and grille. Scratchbuilt the DPF and battery box. Cut down the 63" raised roof sleeper to a flat-top 36" sleeper. Modified the cab to eliminate the 377 molded on fenders. Modified the cab for the '06+ doors. Fabricated the mirror arms. Fabricated the exhaust stand pipes. Fabricated the headlamp pods. Other than that.. yeah, box stock. ! Tim

Jerry Thanks. Time for a non-PB? Hmmm. Last few builds have been: White Road Boss Mack CruiseLiner Fruehauf flatbed Dodge L700 Tanker Tanker (not displayed) I'd say it's time for another PB! Tim

I finished the 389. (see previous Peterbilt 389 post for in progress photos or check the Recent Builds page on my siteTimsTrucks.com ) The hood is scratchbuilt, the fenders are modified AMT 359 pieces. The DPF and stacks are scratchbuilt from various Evergreen plastic shapes. The donor kit was a 377 from Italeri. I modified the front springs for the set-forward axle, and changed the mounting locations for cab mounts, battery box, fuel tanks, etc. Bare Metal Foil was used on most of the bright work. The battery box, moose/deer/elk guard, DPF and battery box were painted with Duplicolor Bumper Chrome. The frame, roof and fenders are Duplicolor Toreador red sprayed over Light Driftwood metallic. The body color is Duplicolor Light Driftwood metallic. 2 layers of clear coat cover everything, most of the body was wet sanded. The TAT (Tim Ahlborn Trucking) logos on the doors are from MAG decals (Thanks Gary!). The front USA and show truck plates are from JBOT. The Wisconsin plate I made from a photo of a real plate and printed on BMF decal paper. Thanks for looking! Tim

I didn't much care for the headlamp modules when I first saw them either. Now, 2 years after that, they have grown on me to the point where the older style look outdated to me. I've seen the new lamps put onto an older 379 too. I'm sure the rectangular lamps were sold to the guy with the new 389 (or they swapped). The new lamps can be swapped, but a new wiring harness needs to be installed from the firewall to the lamps. Not a cheap change. Tim

I've been working on this for quite some time. I started the hood in 2006 using photographs for reference, then did more work on the hood in early 2007. I started with the Italeri Peterbilt 377 SBFA kit. Above: Scratchbuilt '08 Peterbilt 389 hood. Above: Hood, cab and sleeper in primer. The sleeper is a 36" size cut from the Italeri 63" stand up sleeper. I used the roof cap from a Revell of Germany 359 kit. (see Trucker's Corner in ModelCars for the how-to). Above: I scratcbuilt the DPF cover (the tool box face is from an Italeri 378 battery box), the piping is thick AMT kit sprue bent to shape. Above: Rolling frame ready for the cab and hood. Since this is an '08 truck the kit engine ('96 vintage) is way out of date so this will be curbside with the engine painted red to simulate a modern Cummins. Above: Rear of frame Above: Test fitting the cab-hood to the frame. Above: Test fitting the sleeper to the cab and frame. More to come later. Thanks for looking. Tim

Jim Th Astro is off to a nice start. Nice combination of parts swapping with the air ride and wheels. Tim

Here we go, another over the top project! Keep us posted! "The insanity continues....." Ha! Tim

Indeed!

Impressive indeed! Tim

The rear springs are a 2-piece set up. You might be looking at the lower section of the spring. On the subject of the springs, to give the tractor a more level stance, remove about 1/8 inch from the rear springs and add about an 1/8 inch to the front springs (I used a small block of plastic). Tim

Always an enjoyable kit to build.